195 



Remarks on the supposed identity between Nagashia and Nagar- 

 jiina. By James de Alwis, Esq., Assistant Secretary. 



Oriental scholars have long entertained the belief,* that 

 Nagasena, the hero of Milindapprama, and Nagarjiina, the 

 character who holds a distinguished place in the Raja 

 Tarangini, were identical. Curiosity, however, led me to 

 read the original passage on the Cashmirian history, and the 

 discordance in the rythm of several lines, to examine it 

 closely. In the course of that examination, I have detected 

 several grave errors in the construction put upon the passage 

 in question, which I beg now to record, with the object of 

 awakening the attention of Oriental scholars, who are better 

 qualified than myself, to the investigation of a subject, 

 which is not only interesting but difficult, 



The passage in question, which I extract from the Asiatic 

 Researches, Vol. XV., p. Ill, is the following: — 



Te turushkanvayodbhuta ; pi punnyashraya nripah 

 ShuskaksAettradi deseshu ; matha chaittyadi chakkrire. 

 Prajjiye rajjyakshane teshan ; prayaKashmira mandalan 

 Bhojjya mastesa iowddhanan ; pravrajjyorjita tejasan. 

 Tatd bhagavatah Sakkya ; Sinhasya puranirvrite 

 Asmin saha loka dhataw ; sa.rddh.an varsha satan hyagat, 

 Bddhisatvascha deshesmin ; neka bhumisvard bhitt 

 Sacha Nagar'junah snman ; shzdarhatva nasansrayi. 



Professor H. H. Wilson, in Appendix VII. to his Essay 

 on the Hindu History of Cashmir, thus translates the pas- 

 sage which I have above extracted : 



" They (Hushka &c.,) of TurmMa descent, were princes, asylums of virtue ; 

 and they founded colleges and planted sacred trees, on Sushca and other places. 

 During the period of their reign, the whole of Cashmir was the enjoyment of 



* See Bombay Asiatic Society's Journal ; No. VIII. October 18<ti, p. 96. 



