Page:Asoka - the Buddhist Emperor of India.djvu/225

 revenue.' Consequently, ashṭa (aṭha) bhâga means 'one-eighth of the produce paid-as land-revenue.' The boon conferred on Luiinnini clearly was that the village had to pay only on eighth of its produce as land-revenne. If Asoka was in the habit of taking one-fourth, the concession amounted to the remission of half the assessment. The proportion taken by the government varied at different times and places. One-sixth was the normal approved rate, but one-fourth was common. Akbar claimed a third, and the Kashmir kings extracted a half. Probably Asoka ordinarily took one—fourth and in Lumṁini remitted half of that. The Arthaśâstra makes the interpretation of the word aṭhabhagiye certain.

It will be observed that the record does not claim to have been incised by royal command. Presumably it was both drafted and engraved by a local authority to commemorate Asoka’s visit and the favours conferred by him on that occasion.

Lummini is now Rummindêî, also called Rummindêî, a small hamlet named after the shrine of Rummindêî, 'the goddess of Rnmmin.' The little modern shrine (Early History of India, 3rd ed., plate facing p. I68) seems to mark the exact traditional birthplace. The Asoka pillar is only a few yards distant. I have visited the spot twice. It is four miles inside the Nepalese frontier, a little to the west of the Tilâr river (Hiuen Tsang's 'river of oil'), and approximately in 85° 11′ E. long., 25° 58′ N. lat. Paḍaria is a neighbouring village. The identification of the site is beyond doubt. The pillar has been broken by lightning and the horse capital has not been found. Luṁmini in the Mâgadhî dialect represents Rummini.

The phrases 'Here was born Bnddha, the sage of the Sâkyas,' and 'Here the Holy One was born' are quotations. The latter is put by tradition in the mouth of Upagupta, Asoka's guide on his pilgrimage or 'pious tour'. See chap. vii post andR. E. VIII.

Bhagavṁ (Bhagavân) is perhaps best rendered by 'the Holy One' (Schrader, J.R.A.S., 1911, p. 194). The date of the inscription is approximately 249