4 



Analysis of the Copper Grant 



[No. 3i 



and long mark for a, are retained ; the latter is the same 

 mark as that for the consonant r as in modern tamul letter fl- 

 ier r and also for a when conjoined with consonants. The 

 word *&j(Z>6fiuj is again introduced. The expression iSi£-en)rr/B 

 Lo/raj^i has its termination formal and quite correct. 



fr^^UL-i (^piliufr ^£(3) ***** G)<srr®<gQ<$n-Lb 



' To Issoopoo Irabban * * * we have given ( allowed, 

 permitted,)' These, are the first and last words of the second 

 sentence of the Inscription. The first sentence may be ren- 

 dered as follows; "The gracious act vouchsafed by the 

 SovereignPrince Bhaskara Iravi Varmar, in the 36th year of 

 the 3d cycle, when tarrying in state at Muyiri Kotta : to 

 wit." — The context of the second sentence is, ( we have given 

 or allowed so and so to Joseph Rabban.' Thus the name 

 would be properly written in English. The vowel i before 

 the word Rabban is the Tamul idiom. The double ssu in 

 Joseph is of the Grantham character. Thus it appears that 

 the individual named here was not (merely) a Rabbi or Rab- 

 ba, but dignified by the title Rabban, the title, I understand, 

 of the highest grade of the Jewish priesthood. The word 

 give means here simply to allow, to permit ; as it must often 

 be understood in moct of the Indian languages. In the 

 hiatus kept in the last extracted sentence are embraced in 

 detail the privileges allowed, composed of, in general, simple 

 terms and abstract terms, kept in the nominative case, though 

 governed by the verb we- have-given ; and connected by the 

 conjunctive particle e-ui, and, throughout. Had the identical 

 things mentioned been given, as a gift, it would certainly have 

 been particularized, so far, by the use of the accusative case, 

 throughout. 



The following periods contain the things privileged. 



(£5 <fr sls esisr cmQjj J> 



* (and) five degrees of legitimate title.' 

 This first period, seems on the outset to contain a difficulty, 



