No. 3. Karle Buddhist cave inscription. Prakrit. Chaitya cave, below the feet of the three elephants at the right end of the verandah. (Sen.)
| 1881 Bhagvanlal Indraji-Burgess, ICTWI p. 29, No. 3, and Plate; 1883 Buôhler-Burgess, ASWI IV, p. 90. No. 7.3, and Plate XLVII; 1896 note by Franke, ZDMG L, p. 593; 1902 Senart, EI VII, p. 51 f., No. 3, and Plate II; Luders list No 1089; |
| Lu: -Gift of the elephants (hathin) and the upper and lower rails (våyikà) before the elephants by the elder (thåra) bhaìyaìta (bhadanta) Iìdadåva (Indradåva). |
TEXT.
Therànaì bhayaìta-Indadevasa hathi cha puvàdo hathiêaì cha uparimà hethimà cha
veyikà dànaì [ || ]
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[Three] Elephants, as well as, above and below, in front of the first
two elephants, a [rail pattern] moulding, the gift of the Thera, the venerable Indadeva
[Indradeva]. (ASWI)
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Hathi in this inscription must stand for hathè, and like the Sanskrit hastinaõ, means,
three elephants. Veyika, which, as well as vedikà and vetikà in other Buddhist
inscriptions, stands for Sanskrit vedikà, does not mean altar, dais, and c., but bands or
string-courses carved with the rail pattern; conf. Mahàvanso, 228. (ASWI)
Sen. has bhaìyaìta-I[ì]dadevasa