DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0060
38 EASTERN CAVES.
in the oldest form of the Pali alphabet, identical with that found on
Asoka's lats. More than this, the inscription on the Sudama cave
states that it was excavated in the 12th year of that monarch or
b.c. 252, and is therefore the earliest here. The latest is the Gopi or
Milkmaid cave, in the Nagarjuni hill, which is dated in the reign of
Dasaratha, the grandson of Asoka, in or about B.C. 214. The whole
group is therefore comprehended within about 40 years, and was com-
menced apparently within 80 years after Alexander's visit to India.1
The only cave in this group that has no ancient inscription upon
it is the Lomas Rishi, but it is not difficult to see why this was the
case. It is the only one which has any architectural magnificence ex-
ternally, and was consequently selected by two kings, Sardula Yarma
and Ananta Varma, sons and grandsons apparently of Yajna Sri
of the Andra dynasty in the third or fourth century of our era, to
adorn it with their inscriptions and to announce its conversion to the
purposes of the Brahmanical faith.2 Before doing this they no doubt
carefully obliterated the more ancient inscription, which at that
time was in all probability perfectly legible and easily understood.
"Whether this is, or is not the true explanation of the absence of an
inscription in the lat characters in this cave, is of very little import-
ance. It is so absolutely identical both in dimensions and disposition
with the Sudama cave, which we know was excavated in the 12th
year of Asoka, that there can be no doubt as to its age. Its archi-
tecture alone, if it may be so called, would be sufficient to settle this
point. As may be seen from the annexed woodcut it is as essentially
wooden as any other cave facade in India. Whether it is more so
man the cave at Bhaja quoted above (woodcut No. 1), is difficult to
determine on its merits alone. If we had any Chaitya caves in
1 When Hiuen Thsang was journeying from Fatna to Gaya, in 637 a.d., he visited
these caves, as I pointed out in 1872, in iny paper on his travels in the Journal of the
R. A. S., vol. vi., new series, p. 221, et seq. lie, however, found them nearly deserted, only
a few monks (quelques dmizaines) remained, who acted as guides to show him the
localities. . . . When I wrote that paper I was obliged to rely on the account in the
life of the pilgrim, by Hoei li. Julien's translation of the Wi-yu-ki, on which General
Cunningham principally relied, having a misprint of "200 pas " instead of " 200li"
for the pilgrim's first journey from Patna. The Rev. Mr. Beal, who is translating
the work, assures me this is so, and that I consequently was quite justified in rejecting
the General's conjecture, and insisting on the fact that the pilgrim did visit these caves.
Julien's Translation of the Si-yu-ki, vol. i., p. 139 ; vol. ii., p. 439, et seq.
3 These inscriptions were first translated by Wilkins in the 1st vol. Asiatic Researches,
afterwards by Frinsep, J. A. S. B., vol. vi, p 671, et seq.
in the oldest form of the Pali alphabet, identical with that found on
Asoka's lats. More than this, the inscription on the Sudama cave
states that it was excavated in the 12th year of that monarch or
b.c. 252, and is therefore the earliest here. The latest is the Gopi or
Milkmaid cave, in the Nagarjuni hill, which is dated in the reign of
Dasaratha, the grandson of Asoka, in or about B.C. 214. The whole
group is therefore comprehended within about 40 years, and was com-
menced apparently within 80 years after Alexander's visit to India.1
The only cave in this group that has no ancient inscription upon
it is the Lomas Rishi, but it is not difficult to see why this was the
case. It is the only one which has any architectural magnificence ex-
ternally, and was consequently selected by two kings, Sardula Yarma
and Ananta Varma, sons and grandsons apparently of Yajna Sri
of the Andra dynasty in the third or fourth century of our era, to
adorn it with their inscriptions and to announce its conversion to the
purposes of the Brahmanical faith.2 Before doing this they no doubt
carefully obliterated the more ancient inscription, which at that
time was in all probability perfectly legible and easily understood.
"Whether this is, or is not the true explanation of the absence of an
inscription in the lat characters in this cave, is of very little import-
ance. It is so absolutely identical both in dimensions and disposition
with the Sudama cave, which we know was excavated in the 12th
year of Asoka, that there can be no doubt as to its age. Its archi-
tecture alone, if it may be so called, would be sufficient to settle this
point. As may be seen from the annexed woodcut it is as essentially
wooden as any other cave facade in India. Whether it is more so
man the cave at Bhaja quoted above (woodcut No. 1), is difficult to
determine on its merits alone. If we had any Chaitya caves in
1 When Hiuen Thsang was journeying from Fatna to Gaya, in 637 a.d., he visited
these caves, as I pointed out in 1872, in iny paper on his travels in the Journal of the
R. A. S., vol. vi., new series, p. 221, et seq. lie, however, found them nearly deserted, only
a few monks (quelques dmizaines) remained, who acted as guides to show him the
localities. . . . When I wrote that paper I was obliged to rely on the account in the
life of the pilgrim, by Hoei li. Julien's translation of the Wi-yu-ki, on which General
Cunningham principally relied, having a misprint of "200 pas " instead of " 200li"
for the pilgrim's first journey from Patna. The Rev. Mr. Beal, who is translating
the work, assures me this is so, and that I consequently was quite justified in rejecting
the General's conjecture, and insisting on the fact that the pilgrim did visit these caves.
Julien's Translation of the Si-yu-ki, vol. i., p. 139 ; vol. ii., p. 439, et seq.
3 These inscriptions were first translated by Wilkins in the 1st vol. Asiatic Researches,
afterwards by Frinsep, J. A. S. B., vol. vi, p 671, et seq.