344 Examinanion of the Inscriptions f Afkil, 



plain on the cloth ; it may be read 7pr^f«T — ' by Tushaspa a name 

 evidently of Persian termination like Gushtasp, Lohrasp, &c. from asp 

 a horse (Sans, asva). Were the name written Tushasva we might have 

 supposed it a translation of the Greek name Philippos, having precisely 

 the same meaning ; and we might have argued that some adventurer hav- 

 ing from his military prowess obtained service under Asoka, had added 

 those new provinces to his empire, which we find noticed in his religious 

 edicts, and had at length usurped a considerable share of power to 

 himself ; being in fact the very Yona raja whom the Muhammadan 

 historians state to have dispossessed Sinsar Chand's grandson. But 

 I am sensible that I have been frequently guilty of running ahead of 

 prudence with my deductions, and I must consequently draw in a little ; 

 for it may be possible after all that the word yavana does not exist. 

 It is preceded by the letter cT which I have rendered w * further' ' too ; 

 but the expletive is somewhat out of place, and some may prefer the 

 reading ^frT"*^? #T5pn!?:i^*r, * by Asoka's raja (or lord) of the floods 

 and forests.' 



To continue my history of the bridge: — after the last repairs 

 although no accident is mentioned, we must conclude that such had 

 occurred, and that the bridge was rebuilt by the prince upon whom the 

 largest share of the eulogistic inscription is lavished. The opening 

 passage may perhaps be recoverable on a careful re-examination of 

 the stone. Towards the close it does indeed mention that on 

 the petition of the inhabitants (backed by female influence ?) he 

 strengthened the structure three-fold at his own expense. Now the 

 name of this prince is Rudradama, destined, it says, from his 

 cradle to be elected to the throne, — his title is Raja Mahd Ksha- 

 trapa the same as that of Aridama and Swa'mi Chashta'n. We may 

 therefore view him as a scion of the old dynasty replaced on the throne 

 after a temporary subjugation of the province by the Maurya sove- 

 reigns of India proper. 



It is curious and most interesting to those whose attention is engaged 

 in the subject to observe how different ancient monuments throw light 

 upon one another and help to their mutual development. The name of 

 Rudradama recals to our memory the series of Surasht?-a coins 

 described in my journal hardly a year ago. Among the eleven names 

 there distinguished, Rudrada'ma was conspicuous as following just 

 such a break in the line as would be made by the cause above alluded 

 to. Again, the title then read as Mahd Kritrima, the elected king, 

 on second examination agrees precisely with the present more palpably 

 developed Maha Kshatrapa. On referring to the plate of Mr. Steu- 

 art's coins sent to me by Captain Harkness I find that I so read the 



