1840.] Mr. Ravenshaw's Behar Inscription. 67 



the creed of the person who caused it to be inscribed, who 

 was evidently not a Boodhist.* 



Nos. 1 and 2 (duplicates) of the Behar inscriptions have been 

 for the most part read by Pundit Kamala Kanta, but he is as 

 yet unable to make out their full meaning. The character is 

 not the same with that of No. 3, now published. As hopes 

 are entertained of the arrival of that excellent orientalist, and 

 able antiquary, the Honorable George Tumour, Secretary to 

 Government in Ceylon, at this Presidency before the close of 

 the present year, and as it is believed that he will make a 

 tour through Behar and elsewhere, for the purpose of exploring 

 still further the interesting subject of Boodhist antiquity, I trust 

 to see these remains critically considered by a scholar in 

 every way competent to pronounce upon their sera. 



In the mean while, it is our duty to make the most of im- 

 perfect opportunities, in order to publish (submitting it to the 

 judgment of abler critics) whatsoever casual research has put 

 us in possession of. 



I may here remark, that circumstances appear hitherto to 

 have conspired to prevent more than a very cursory inspection 

 of the remains of Hindoo monarchy in Magadha (Behar) and 

 Mithela, (Tirhoot and Sarun.) Indeed Mr. Hodgson's brief, 

 but interesting note of Simrown in the Turaee (vol. iv. Asiatic 

 Society's Journal, p. 121) is the only description we possess 

 of that ancient city, while the Behar inscriptions, one of which 

 Mr. Ravenshaw's discoveries have enabled me to publish, have 

 been copied in some instances with more haste than was con- 

 sistent with correctness ; and by the specimen now afforded, 

 seem rather valuable as tending to excite further investigation, 

 than as rewarding the search already undertaken. An ample 

 and untried field is opened for inquiry in these regions, and it 

 is sincerely to be hoped that no opportunity may be neglected 

 of engaging in it. 



* The injunction No. 8, with its allusion to a conquered, and acquired ter- 

 ritory, might by conjecture be assumed to point to Jar a Sandha, who having 

 subdued the whole of Prachi " (the eastern region) as we read in the 

 puranas, fixed his residence at Bali putra." (Wilford, As. Res. vol. v. p. 281.) 



