1837.] on the Allahabad pillar. 975 



thasya, ' whom in his war-chariot none in the world can rival or with- 

 stand,' the very epithet found on one of the coins of Samudragupta, 

 (apratirathas) which I at first read apatirurha. However much 

 we may allow for exaggeration it will be granted that the sovereign 

 to whom even a fair share of all this power and vast extent of em- 

 pire could be attributed, must have exercised a more paramount 

 authority in India Proper than most of its recorded kings. The 

 seat of his own proper kingdom is unfortunately not mentioned, but 

 I think it may be fairly deduced negatively from this very circum- 

 stance. Magadha, Ujjayani, and Surasena are omitted ; these there- 

 fore in all probability were under his immediate rule, and I may appeal 

 again to the frequency of his coins discovered at Canouj as a reason 

 for still fixing his capital at that place ; his family connection with the 

 Licchavis of Allahabad, will account for the commemoration of his 

 deeds at that many-roaded (aneha mdrga) focus. 



Of what family were Samudra and the preceding Guptas, is nowhere 

 mentioned. Dr. Mill's claim to a Suryavansa descent for them how- 

 ever falls to the ground from the correction of the epithet Ravibhuva, 

 sun-descended, which turns out to be only the verb babhuva, ' was.' 



But I rather avoid being led into any disquisition upon this fruitful 

 subject, since I agree in all that has been brought forward by the 

 learned commentator on this and the Bhittri inscriptions in regard 

 to the Chandragupta of neither of them being the Sandracottus of 

 Megasthenes. On the other hand I incline much to identify him with 

 the prince whom the Chinese Buddhist travellers found reigning in the 

 fifth century having a name signifying " cherished by the moon*." 



It now remains to give my revised transcript of the inscription at 

 length, along with a translation effected with the aid of my pandit 

 Kamalakanta by whom the Devandgari text was scrutinized and cor- 

 rected in a few places, under second reference to the original, which 

 is for the most part beautifully distinct. I have collected all the let- 

 ters into an alphabet at the corner of the accompanying plate for the 

 guidance of those who would consult the more ancient character. 

 Every letter has been found in the most satisfactory manner ; and the 

 only precaution to be attended to in reading is as to the application 

 of the vowel d, which occupies different places in different letters as 

 in the Silasthambha alphabet. Thus, it is attached to the central stroke 

 of thej upward ; to the second foot of the ir n, downwards ; to the "Z 

 t, horizontally with a curve ; to ^ &, as a hook on the centre : and to 

 other letters at top in the Tibetan fashion. A few examples are intro- 

 duced in the plate below the alphabet. 



* J. A. S. VI. 65. 

 6 h 2 



