Kanheri Cave 5 Cistern Inscription

Editors: Kelsey Martini, Vincent Tournier.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSKI00016.

Hand description:

Language: Middle Indo-Aryan.

Repository: Satavahana (tfb-satavahana-epigraphy).

Version: (a6891e5), last modified (cfdae35).

Edition

⟨1⟩ [7+] (vā)s(i)ṣṭhiputrasya śri(s)ā(takarṇ)īs(ya) dev(y)ā(ḥ) kārddamakarājavaṁśapra[bha]v(ā)y(ā) mahākṣatraparu(dra)putry(āḥ) [3+] ⟨2⟩ [6+][1×] sa ka rājama(tr)[.](sya)[1×] va(ś)ya[1×](sya) v(i)śvasyasya Amātyasya śaterakasya pānīyabhājanaṁ deyadha(r)mma[ṃ]

Apparatus

⟨1⟩ (vā)s(i)ṣṭhiputrasya śri ⬦ vāsiṣṭh(ī)putrasya śrī B+B; vāsiṣṭh(ī)putrasya śrī M. — ⟨1⟩ mahākṣatraparu(dra)putry(āḥ)mahākṣatraparu[1+]putry(āḥ) B+B; mahākṣatra(pa)ru[dra][2+]putry(āḥ) M; mahākṣatra(pa)ru(p)utry(āḥ) G • There is clearly only one akṣara following ru and it is clear that it must be read [dra], with this being a shortened form of Rudradāman.

⟨2⟩ [6+][1×] sa ka rājama(tr)[.](sya)[1×] va(ś)ya[1×](sya) v(i)śvasyasya ⬦ [14+] sya [3+]v(i)śvasyasya B+B; [6+] (syāḥ) [3+] (vi)śvasyasya M; [8+]sya [3+] v(i)śvasyasya G. — ⟨2⟩ deyadha(r)mma[ṃ]deyadharmma[ḥ] B+B; deyadharmma[ḥ] M; deyadharmma[ḥ] G.

Translation by Kelsey Martini

A drinking vessel: the meritorious gift of Śateraka, a confidant minister/relation (v(i)śvasyasya Amātyasya), a [1×]va(ś)ya[1×], a royal adviser...of the queen of Vāsiṣṭhiputra Śri-Sātakarṇi, descended from the race of the Kārddamaka kings, daughter of Mahakṣatrapa Ru(dra)...

Commentary

The lacuna from the end of l. 1 up to l. 2 [1×] sa ka likely consisted of the name of the Queen and a word ending in ka that is in compound with the following rājama(tr)[.](sya). B+B state that “As the connection between the royal lady, mentioned in l. 1, and the minister in l. 2, is not clear, I can do no more than translate the terms literally. It seems, however, probable that the minister executed the work at the command of the queen.” It is rather more likely that this is the donation of the amātya who is listing his relationship with the queen, as is also the interpretation of Mirashi.

Bibliography

Primary

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[G] Gokhale, Shobhana. 1991. Kanheri inscriptions. Pune: Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute. Page 62, item 16.

[M] Mirashi, Vasudev Vishnu. 1981. The history and inscriptions of the Sātavāhanas and the Western Kshatrapas. Bombay: Maharashtra State Board for Literature and Culture. [URL]. Page 68, item 25.

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Buhler1883_03

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