678 Facsimiles of Ancient Inscriptions. [Aua. 



whom Sangata, (will be) the famous son ; then from him will be born Sali- 

 suka, and his son will be Soma Serma, &c." 



On this passage the commentator, Sri' Dhara Goshwami' remarks: 



^IT*r?f TOT: I \ I 



" Of these the fifth was Dasaratha according to Para'sara and others, 

 who ought to be here introduced (before Sangata) : with him there are 10 

 princes of the Maury a line, and they reigned 137 years." (By a mistake in the 

 printed copy the numbers are made 17 and 130.) 



Parasara's catalogue (which I have not been able to consult) is 

 doubtless the most correct of the two : and the fifth name is justly in- 

 serted for this most fortunate discovery of a recorded gift by him to 

 Buddhist ascetics, in the very vicinity of the capital of the Magadha 

 kingdom, — in the very character and language lately proved to have 

 been used by Asoka's contemporary in Ceylon — and by Agathoclbs 

 in Bactria at the same epoch — leaves no doubt of the existence and 

 identity of our Dasaratha. We must consequently hail his restoration 

 as another important point fixed in the obscure history of that interest- 

 ing period — another proof of the great utility of studying these indeli- 

 ble and undeniable records of antiquity. We have already gained 

 several links of the Magadha dynasty of the Maury a line : — through 

 the coins of this Pali type we have Vipra Deva, three of the Mitras 

 (which we may conjecturally place among the Ashtimitra (or eight 

 Mitras) of Tod's catalogue — ) and Bhagavata. To these we now 

 add from the cave inscription Dasaratha, while from the concurrent 

 testimony of Brahmans, and Buddhists, and Greeks, we have Chandra- 

 Gupta, Asoka, &c. established beyond dispute. I have little doubt that 

 the sketch will soon be filled up, and that the historical prophecies of the 

 Puranas will still be found to contain some trust-worthy information. 



The next three words I would read ddivikemhi (for ddivikamehij 

 bhad&ntehi vdsanisidydye — in Sanskrit ^5rfl[ fsTcfifr: H^ : ^TTO f%^7, ' for 

 the preparation of a hermitage by the most devoted Buddhist ascetics' 

 (BhadantasJ . The remainder nisitha dchandama dliyam is rather more 

 removed from the Sanskrit idiom, but there can be little doubt that it 

 represents f*TSTfq?r. ^T^FW *%V$m (made neuter as ^TCPEf in Pali), 1 

 * was caused to be established as long as the moon (shall endure) a 

 house/ Or, putting the whole together : — 



" The brahman -girl's cave (and the ' milkmaid's cave' respectively), j 

 excavated by the hands of the most devoted sect of Bauddha ascetics, for 

 the purpose of a secluded residence, was appointed their habitation in 

 perpetuity, by Dasaratha, the beloved of the gods, immediately on his 

 ascending the throne." 



