1837.] from the Buddhist Tope at Sane hi near Bhilsa. 455 



sovereign Chandra gupta, for the embellishment of the edifice (or 

 perhaps for the erection of the ornamented gateway) and for the 

 support of certain priests, and their descendants for ever. 



The value of a facsimile in preference to a copy made by the eye 

 was never more conspicuous than in the present instance. Turning 

 to the engraving of Mr. Hodgson's copy in Vol. III. we find his artist 

 has totally omitted all the left hand portion of the inscription which 

 has been injured by the separation of a splinter in the stone ! The initial 

 letter of each line, is, however, distinctly visible on the stone beyond 

 this flaw ; and as not more than four or five letters in each line are thus 

 destroyed, it is not very difficult to supply them, without endanger- 

 ing the sense. This has now been done by the Society's pandit ; and 

 the only place at which he hesitated was in filling up the amount of 

 the donation in the seventh line, which may have been hundreds or 

 thousands or upwards, but could hardly have been units, in a display 

 of regal beneficence. The following is the text as restored by 

 Ra'ma Govinda, line for line from a transcript made by myself in the 

 modern character. I have endeavoured to add a literal translation. 



Transcript of Sanchi Inscription No. 1, in modern Ndgari. 

 ^TO [Tfw^T] ^fTTT Wl -q *F<«dlW| sf^rW ^SrWFTJT TO^TSl 



!»A"+-J<!> tkfV 



Translation. 

 " To the all-respected Sramanas, the chief priests of the dvasath 

 ceremonial*, who by deep meditation have subdued their passions, 

 the champions (sword) of the virtues of their tribe ; — 



* ^JT«TO^T, a nre temple, or place where sacrificial fire is preserved (Wilson's 

 Dictionary) ; ' also a particular religious observance.' The latter is preferable, as 

 the fire-worship is unconnected with the Buddhist religion. 

 3 n 2 



