192 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XV, 
Assuming these identifications to be correct, the actual 
progress of the pilgrim round the sacred precincts might have 
been somewhat as follows:—Entering the site where the 
** Main Shrine” now stands and where stood the old shrine 
facing the east and containing an image of the ‘‘ Divine One 
the pilgrim would retire keeping the sai ia on ce right hand 
Pradaksinena and moving to the south; he then come 
to the “Jagat Singh Stupa” and moving oi, keeping it 
also to the right, he would finally look on the Asoka Pillar to 
the true north and to the west of the “ Main Shrine.” 
examining the present main shrine carefully will 
come to the conclusion that its erection is of more recent date 
than the original. That the Schcisn site was a much larger 
one can be inferred from the pavement extending towards the 
east, which was undoubtedly the diieotion of its main gate.! 
Sir John Marshall, upon close examination of the struc- 
ture, has ascribed the Jagat Singh Stupa to the Asokan period.* 
This, therefore, was the stupa which the Chinese pilgrim noticed 
to the south-west of the main building. 
The description left by Hiuen-t-siang of the pillar of “ dazzl- 
ing brightness ” exactly fits in with the Asoka pillar now stand- 
ing to the west of the Main Shrine. Sir John Marshall has 
questioned this identity, but nearly all his objections have 
been met by Dr. ogel. e have, besides, Mr. V. A. Smith’s 
remark in his “‘ Asoka” which points to the same identity, ‘‘ only 
two of the ten inscribed pillars known, namely, those at 
Rummindei and Sarnath, can be identified certainly with the 
monuments sintionl by Hiuen-t-sian 
Turning to the Mahipala insoriptions, we note that many 
years after Hiuen-t- -siang’s visit to Sarnath, in 1026 A.D., an 
inscription was issued in Mahipal’s reign to the effect that some 
repairs had been made to the ruins of Sarnath.* Much light 
is thrown on the monuments under review by certain passages 
in this inscription 
The couplet 1 we quote below is the most important part of 
the record :— 
(a) * ga bishe age cacy Samgam Dharmacakra Punar- 
(b) * Krlawanta ca avinamasta Mahasthana Saila Gandha 
1 repel emt speaks of Sangharims generally as having 
‘* doors o wards ai ast.” Beal’s Record of the Westen Foti 
( bh cred Balition), p. 7 
**Guide to the Baddhist Ruins of Sarnath” by Pt. D. R. Sahni, 
: Asoka (Second Edition), p. 124 
Antiquary, Vol. XIV, p. 139f: J.A.S.B. (N.S.), Vol. II, 
1908, pp. 445-7, Epi. Ind., Vol. IX (1907-8), pp. 291-93. 
p. 9 
