280 Facsimiles of Ancient Inscriptions. [April, 



from Skekavati* to Benares, Dinajpur, and Orissa, in the 12th century, 

 while each prince had then an era of his own. 



The writer, Udayana, whose poetic style is more than usually 

 florid and inflated, is, I am told by the pandits, an author of a work 

 on logic entitled the fWWlgiV kusamdnjali, which is in much repute 

 in the schools. We have a copy in the Society's library. 



I am once more indebted to the Reverend Mr. Yates for under- 

 taking the translation of this very lengthy document. It was 

 previously transcribed without difficulty by the Society's pandit. 

 The only letter which was remarked as unusual in form, is the T 

 of "^fVr, at the end of the fourth line of the lithograph. It bears a 

 strong resemblance to the corresponding letter of the Amar&vati and 

 • more southern alphabets. 



I cannot conclude these preliminary remarks without animadverting 

 upon the ruthless spoliation which is often carried on by soidisant 

 antiquaries, to the direct perversion of the true object of research — 

 the preservation of ancient monuments, and their employment to 

 elucidate the history of the country. The facts told by these two 

 Bhubaneswara stones were utterly unintelligible, until accident pointed 

 out whence they had come — and the local history of the temples was 

 or would have been equally lost in another generation. It is to be 

 hoped therefore that the Asiatic Society will hasten to restore them 

 to their former positions. Such an act will contribute tenfold to the 

 true objects of our institution by the confidence it will inspire in the 

 minds of the people who now watch our explorers with jealousy, and 

 withhold valuable information, lest it should only yield to fresh acts of 

 plunder and demolition!. 



Transcript in modern Deva-Ndgari. 



wr^'s^NlfacrTi wto?.wt'. fare ^^t>r I ^:iT ^isn^cTT- 

 vv% ^ II ^ II 



* See the Harsha inscription, in nearly the same character, Vol. IV. 361. 



f Since writing the above, I am happy to perceive that the Society has de- 

 termined on the immediate restitution of the two slabs through Lieut. Kittoe 

 who has been requested to explain that their removal was the act of an indi- 

 vidual, and would never have had their sanction, unless they had been assured 

 that the objects were going to decay, or held in no estimation where they 

 were. 



