of the sword (kharga, 14) × × × × [*]. He was past master of the art of (vidyāyāṁ) killing or subduing the enemies or Partpanthis (1.5, 6) x x x x (). His qualities are as follows:-In his faculty of creation he was like the creator of the world; he was like the god Visnu in his vikrama or power; in his fierceness he was like the god Rudra; in his prowess he was like the god Indra or Sunasira; he was amiable like soma or the moon ; in his strength he was like the god Marut; in wealth he was like Dhanada or Kuvera; in the grace of his person he was like Madana, the god of love; in patience he was like the earth; in vigour he was like the ocean; in majestic lustre he was like the sun; in intellectual power he was like Dhisana or Bṛhaspati. Thus he could be favourably compared with the whole body of Sūras or gods (1.7-10). There was in the village Hasti in the Madhyadeśa (7.10) ["] [Then commences Plate II, Reverse side] a Brahmana of the Parasarasa gotra, and of the Pravara of three Rasis [not mentioned in the text]; by his qualities (gunaih) he just fied his name ARTHAPATI; and this ARTHAPATI was foremost among the honest men (.1, 2). His son was DHANAPATI who was learned, honest and foremost among the good Brahmanas; and HARIVAMSA was the son of this DHANAPATI and he was also of good character (pl. II, p. 2, 7.1-3). This HARIVAMSA was generous (Vadānya, ibi 1.3) [] x x x learned and foremost among the good Brahminas (7. 3, 4). To this Brahmana was made the gift of [the lands described later on] by the king. One Rānaka (a

[3] Excepting Ripustoma' no other word of the fifth line yields any meaning.

[] The line beginning with Dorddanda and ending with Kandita or Rundita could not be properly translated; the meaning of the word Dorddanda as well as of chanda-dorddanda is clear; and if the word next following is sara, then the meaning of it will be Power'; but the last word is difficult to interpret as there is no such word Kandita or Rundita in the vocabulary of the Sanskrit language.

[] As to what Madhyadesa signifies was discussed in connection with other plates in the previous numbers of the Journal. The very name Hastigrama also occurs in many other plates, from which village the Brahmanas came to be settled in the Sambalpur tract.

[] After the word Vadanya there are five letters which have not been proper ly deciphered. I suggest them to be Dana suraɛca.

1

gentleman descended from the Raj family) was in charge of the villages Vāhulā, Benḍaki, Jamarāpura and Siṁhipura and he while residing at Dharmmapura had under his control the PATAKAS (the representatives of the trade-guilds) of two villages (Ubhayapaṭakau, 1. 5). The gift was made of the land with well defined boundaries on all sides, with the object of acquiring and enhancing (vivṛddhaye) fame and piety (7.6); and this was done on an auspicious day or tithi according to Sastric rituals (l. 6, 7). The gifted village is bounded on the east by the lands of the village Maharapura and there is a stone to demarcate the boundary (pāsāna Pariccheda, 1.8); on the south and the west there are lands of the village Kopasimha demarcated by stones (pāsānāh paricchinnāh) and it is bounded on the north by the river Tel (l. 9, 10). This description of the boundaries of the village is hereby engraved in this copper-plate grant (7.10) [7]. The enjoyment of the village will be over all lands and water and will be free from all undue exactions (pl. 3, p. 1, .1). [In the next portion of the first line certain defined rights have been conferred in respect of profits derived from Maua trees (madhuka) and mango-groves (amravana); but as all the letters could not be deciphered a full translation could not be given. The inference is made from the use of the word totsama and from the purport of the line next following.] The donee will have to pay the half of 'that' every year (l. 2). The rulers of the country will not be entitled to realize anything more (ll. 2, 3). Those who will be kings of the country in future should respect this grant, for it is wrong to make resumption knowing [or more properly hearing (srabanat)] what the munis or sages have enjoined (l. 4). [Then follows the imprecatory verses up to srimat in the ninth line which being very familiar need not be translated]. [This is declared by] one

[*] Of the word sajalasthala the first three letters are the tenth line of the reverse side of the second plate.

[*] Varna means 'fame and glory': and avaranadhina in nominative case means 'one living under the shelter of or in the employ of the king.' The portion in [ ] in the translation is what should be understood from the context.

under the glorious protection of Kanaka Bhanja. In the third year of his (Kanaka Bhanja's (rāsṭra era this copper-plate charter is inscribed (77. 9, 10) [Though four letters after sāstrāni are not quite legible the purport is quite clear]. He who will dispossess the donee, transgressing the sacred laws, will be begotten by a donkey upon a sow which moves about the tirthas or ghats for filth (77. 10, 11). [Then we turn over to the text on the outer side of plate III]. Engraved (utkirnam) is the charter (anuśasānaṁ) which has three folds (trayatāla) or three plates (l. 1). It is written or engraved by one who is skilful in the art (nipunena +iti) and who is by name (namnâ) Visnu (l. 2).

MISCELLANEOUS CONTRIBUTIONS.

I.-The Bodh Gaya Plaque.

By Vincent A. Smith, M.A., I.C.S. (Retd.)

Dr. Spooner assumes (ante volume I, page 1) as a matter needing no proof that the temple depicted on the terracotta from the Kumrahar ruins near Bankipore, part of the site of Pataliputra, is the Bodh Gaya shrine, and that the figure is "unquestionably the oldest drawing of this building in existence." The assumption evidently is based on the facts that the plaque depicts a tall straight-lined temple, containing an exposed seated image of Buddha and surrounded by a railing and a crowd of subsidiary stupas. The railing and the subsidiary stupas are of no account, because many important monuments possessed accessories of the same kind.

But does the figure on the plaque agree with the record of the Bodh Gaya temple? The most remarkable feature of the delineation is the top member, consisting of "a complete stupa with fivefold hti." Is there any reason for supposing that the Bodh Gaya shrine was ever surmounted by such a structure?

The earliest detailed description available is that recorded by Hiuen Tsang (Yuan Chwang), who spent altogether about ten years in Bihar, between A.D. 637 and 642. It is necessary to see what he says, as reported in the condensed version by Watters (II, 116).

"This temple," the pilgrim observes, "was made of bricks and coated with lime; it had tiers of niches with gold images; its four walls were adorned with exquisite carvings of pearl strings and genii; on the roof was a gilt copper amalaka; connected with the east side of the temple were three lofty halls, one

behind another; the woodwork of these halls was adorned with gold and silver carvings and studded with precious stones of various colours, and an open passage through them communicated with the inner chamber. On the left-hand side of the outside door of these halls was an image of Kuan-tzū-tsai Pūsa, and on the right, one of Tzu-shi (Maitreya) Pūsa, each made of silver and above ten feet high.

"On the site of the temple there had once stood a small chaitya (or temple) built by Asoka. The present temple had been built by a Brahman (the legend follows) :

"...The image he had made represented the Buddha as he sat under the Bodhi tree in the act of pointing to the earth and telling Māra that the earth should bear him witness."

Similarly, Beal (Records, II, 118) says:

"The whole is surrounded [sic, read 'surmounted '] by a gilded copper amalaka fruit. In the thirhara (page 120) they found a beautiful figure of Buddha in a sitting position, the right foot uppermost, the left hand resting, the right hand hanging down."

These passages clearly establish three propositions, namely,— (1) The temple seen by Hiuen Tsang in the seventh century was the immediate successor of the small shrine built by Asoka. No intermediate structure intervened.

(2) The temple was crowned by a gilt copper amalaka, not by a stupa with fivefold hti.

(3) Buddha was seated cross-legged in the bhūmi-sparsa or "earth-touching" attitude with his right hand hanging down and the finger pointing to call the Earth to witness.

Dr. Spooner guesses that the plaque may be of Kushān age, the first or second century of the Christian era. It may or may not be; but assuming the correctness of the guess, the pilgrim's text forbids the assumption that the temple seen by him can be crowned by a complete stupa with fivefold hti.