Page:Asoka - the Buddhist Emperor of India.djvu/222

220 Comment

This mutilated record on a broken column at Sânchî has been known since Prinsep's time. It is now seen to be a replica, although not an exact verbal copy, of part of the Sârnâth edict. But I would not render bhokhati by 'cause divisions,' as Hultzsch does. The order probably was addressed to the High Officers of a town at or near Sânchî.

4. THE QUEEN’S EDICT THE DONATIONS OF THE SECOND QUEEN (Good facsimile and transcript in Ind. Ana, xix (1890), p. 125.)

According to the words of His Sacred Majesty, the High Officers everywhere are to be addressed:—

"Whatever gift has been given here by the Second Queen—be it a mango-garden, or pleasure-grove, or almshouse, or aught else—is reckoned as proceeding from that queen."

[Thus is the request] of the Second queen, the Karuvaki, mother of Tîvara.'

Comment

This brief and nearly complete record on the Allahabad pillar follows the replica of the Sârnath edict. The script, as Bühler pointed out, exhibits sundry cursive and peculiar forms. I would date the inscription in the closing years of Asoka's reign. It seems to me to be the latest record extant. Its purpose is to secure to the Second Queen, mother of a prince named Tîvara (Tîvala), the merit of any donations she might be pleased to make. The blank is ﬁlled up by Hultzsch with the words [he]vaṁ [vi]nati, translated as above (J. R. A. S., 1911, p. 1113). Prince Tîvara seems to have predeceased his father. The queen, in accordance with custom, is designated, not by a. personal name, but as belonging to a particular gotra or family. The second clause gives the royal order in Asoka's words (vachanena). He passed the order at the request of his consort, and addressed it to his oﬂicers throughout the empire. 'Here' probably means 'in the empire.'