No. 20. Kanheri Buddhist cave inscription. Prakrit.
| The inscription is on the left wall of the cave No. 75, outside the verandah over a cistern. The inscription consisting of ten lines is written on the dressed portion measuring 87 cm x 94 cm on the rock but due to heavy rains and the porus nature of the stone, at many places the letters have been mutilated. The letters are extremely shallow, worn out and hence the reading of the inscription is extremeiy difficult. Characters: the alphabets which are employed in this inscription belong to 3rd century A.D. Palaeographically the present record, despite of few noticeable differences is not far removed in point of time from the other records at Kanheri but the elongated vertical limbs in the lettrers 'a' and 'ka', 'ra' - indicate the later phase of 2nd century AD. and the beginning of 3rd century A.D. Language: Prakrit. Orthography: there is not much that calls for special notice in the script. The last word in the last line 'sughatha' must be 'sukhatha' and it may be a scribal mistake. (ShG) |
| 1861 West, JBBRAS VI, p. 7, No. 21, and Plate; Luders list 1003; ShG No 43; |
| Lu: Not read. |
TEXT.
1. Sidhaì Upàsakasa Kaliaíasa Nadaíaputasa
2. gahapatisa seòhisa Achalasa ghariíi
3. Lavanikàyà saparivàràya deyadhama Leíi
4. pànipapoähinhàíapodhi kalivàía Abàlikasa
5. nivàsaía leíasa akhayanivi kàhàpaíàíi
6. Sataíi tiíi akhayanivi bhikhusaghaì deya-dhamì
7. Savàsa tiíi - - - ähi - - - miya-ga-pà chi
8. Varika hi poÁähi - - - deyadhama chi
9. Varika chàtudisa bhikhusagha màtapiútunà
10. Puãatha savaùatahita sughatha.