DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9541#0162
Chap. VI.
BENGAL CAVES.
139
What we know of the age of the older caves is principally derived
from a long inscription on the front of the oldest, known as the Hathi
Gumpha, or Elephant Cave.1 From it we learn that it was engraved
by a king called Aira, who a-scended the throne of Kalinga in his
twenty-fourth year, and spread his power by conquest over neighbouring
rajas. He seems at first to have vacillated between the Brahmanical
and Buddhist faiths, but finally to have adopted the latter and
distributed infinite alms. Among other good works, he is .said " to have
constructed subterranean chambers—caves containing a chaitya temple,
and pillars."
Paheographically, the forms of the letters used in this inscription
are identical with those used by Asoka in the copy of his edicts on the
Aswatania rock close by, and that recently found at Aska, near the
northern corner of the Chilkya lake. The first presumption, therefore,
is that they may be of about the same date. This is justified by the
mention of Xanda in the past tense, while there seems no reason for
doubting that he was one of the kings of that name who immediately
preceded the revolution that placed Chandragupta on the throne.
Beside these, there are other indications in this inscription which seem
to make it almost certain that Aira was contemporary with the great
Mauryan dynasty of Magadha; but whether he preceded or followed
Asoka is not quite so clear. Still it appears unlikely that Asoka would
have been allowed to set up two copies of his edicts in the dominions
of such powerful kings as Aira and his father seem to have been, and as
unlikely that Aira should make such a record without some allusion
to the previously promulgated edicts, had they then existed. On the
whole, 1 am inclined to believe that Aira lived before Asoka, and, if so,
that this is the oldest inscription yet found in India. Be this as it
may, the cave in which it is found is certainly the oldest here. It
is a great natural cavern, the brow of which has been smoothed to
admit of this inscription, but all the rest remains nearly in a state of
nature. Close to it is a small cave, the whole "fronton " of which over
the doorway is occupied by a great three-headed Naga, and may be
as old as the Hathi cave. The inscription on it merely says that it
is the unequalled chamber of Chulakarma, who seems also to have
excavated another cave, here called the Pawan Gabha,2 or Purification
Cave.
Besides these, and smaller caves to be noticed hereafter, the great
interest of the Udayagiri caves centres in two—the so-called Ganesa
1 This inscription first attracted the j admitted, made by Prinsep, with the
attention of Stirling, and a plate repre- ; assistance of his pundits, and published,
senting it very inqierfectly is given in the \ ' Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,'
15th volume of the ' Asiatic Researches.' I vol. vL p. 10S0, ct scqq.
It was afterwards copied by Kittoe, and i ' 'Journal of the Asiatic Society of
a translation, as far as its imperfection Bengal,' vol. vi. p. 1073, plate 54.
BENGAL CAVES.
139
What we know of the age of the older caves is principally derived
from a long inscription on the front of the oldest, known as the Hathi
Gumpha, or Elephant Cave.1 From it we learn that it was engraved
by a king called Aira, who a-scended the throne of Kalinga in his
twenty-fourth year, and spread his power by conquest over neighbouring
rajas. He seems at first to have vacillated between the Brahmanical
and Buddhist faiths, but finally to have adopted the latter and
distributed infinite alms. Among other good works, he is .said " to have
constructed subterranean chambers—caves containing a chaitya temple,
and pillars."
Paheographically, the forms of the letters used in this inscription
are identical with those used by Asoka in the copy of his edicts on the
Aswatania rock close by, and that recently found at Aska, near the
northern corner of the Chilkya lake. The first presumption, therefore,
is that they may be of about the same date. This is justified by the
mention of Xanda in the past tense, while there seems no reason for
doubting that he was one of the kings of that name who immediately
preceded the revolution that placed Chandragupta on the throne.
Beside these, there are other indications in this inscription which seem
to make it almost certain that Aira was contemporary with the great
Mauryan dynasty of Magadha; but whether he preceded or followed
Asoka is not quite so clear. Still it appears unlikely that Asoka would
have been allowed to set up two copies of his edicts in the dominions
of such powerful kings as Aira and his father seem to have been, and as
unlikely that Aira should make such a record without some allusion
to the previously promulgated edicts, had they then existed. On the
whole, 1 am inclined to believe that Aira lived before Asoka, and, if so,
that this is the oldest inscription yet found in India. Be this as it
may, the cave in which it is found is certainly the oldest here. It
is a great natural cavern, the brow of which has been smoothed to
admit of this inscription, but all the rest remains nearly in a state of
nature. Close to it is a small cave, the whole "fronton " of which over
the doorway is occupied by a great three-headed Naga, and may be
as old as the Hathi cave. The inscription on it merely says that it
is the unequalled chamber of Chulakarma, who seems also to have
excavated another cave, here called the Pawan Gabha,2 or Purification
Cave.
Besides these, and smaller caves to be noticed hereafter, the great
interest of the Udayagiri caves centres in two—the so-called Ganesa
1 This inscription first attracted the j admitted, made by Prinsep, with the
attention of Stirling, and a plate repre- ; assistance of his pundits, and published,
senting it very inqierfectly is given in the \ ' Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,'
15th volume of the ' Asiatic Researches.' I vol. vL p. 10S0, ct scqq.
It was afterwards copied by Kittoe, and i ' 'Journal of the Asiatic Society of
a translation, as far as its imperfection Bengal,' vol. vi. p. 1073, plate 54.