Small Stela from Halin

Authors of digital edition: Arlo Griffiths (argr), Marc Miyake (mami), Julian Karl Wheatley (jukw).

Language: Pyu (pyx) [Script (other) (script_other)].

Repository: Pyu Epigraphy (tfc-pyu-epigraphy).

Identifier: DHARMA_INSPYU00001.

File path: DHARMA_INSPYU00001.xml.

Version: 2026-07-17 15:37 (bd0ad9f), last modified 2026-07-17 15:37 (bd0ad9f).

Edition

⟨1⟩ ∥ ḅaYṁḥ daKṃ viYṃṁ tiMṁ mliK O saḥ tgaṃ knoN O (p)li

⟨2⟩ ḅaYṁḥ luṄ ḅa hi O luP yaṁ •|•|

Apparatus

⟨1⟩ tiMṁ • We read <t> rather than <n> here, agreeing with Blagden and Tha Myat. If so, then <tgaṃ> can be correct too. If so, then <t> in this inscription would be of the “loop” type rather than the “cup” type seen in other inscriptions. But comparison with other inscriptions cautions us that even in a single inscription one may not necessarily expect a clear pattern in the distinction between <t> and <n>.

⟨2⟩ luṄ … luP ⬦ (nū) … nu ASB1915; tu+O· … tu+p Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963 • There is no contrast in this inscription between “r with leftwards stroke” which we are interpreting as <rū> and “r with rightwards stroke” which in other inscriptions represents <ru>. Note also two slightly different shapes of <rū>, with and without loop at bottom; the first of them attested also in PYU 6, where it was interpreted as <(bhūṃ)> by Blagden; perhaps <lu> would be a possibility for shape with loop, but reading <rū> for shape without loop virtually guaranteed by occurrences of apparently related sequence <O ru kleḥ yaṁ> at end of several urn inscriptions.

⟨1⟩ ḅaYṁḥ ⬦ baṁḥ ASB1915; baṁḥ Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963. — ⟨1⟩ viYṃṁ ⬦ vī ASB1915; viṃṁ Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963. — ⟨1⟩ tiMṁ ⬦ ti ASB1915; tiṃṁ Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963. — ⟨1⟩ mliK ⬦ ṃ(l)i ASB1915; mliṁ Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963. — ⟨1⟩ knoN ⬦ kño ASB1915. — ⟨1⟩ (p)li ⬦ (ch) di ASB1915.

⟨2⟩ ḅaYṁḥ ⬦ bàḥ ASB1915; baṁḥ Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963. — ⟨2⟩ luṄ ⬦ (nū) ASB1915; tu+O· Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963. — ⟨2⟩ ḅa ⬦ ba ASB1915; ba Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963. — ⟨2⟩ luP ⬦ nu ASB1915; tu+P Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963.

Translation

Julian K. Wheatley’s translation of Tha Myat [sā mrat] 1963, p. 21

The structure (tomb) of the honorable Tubahi, the son of the honorable Davintinmrin and the grandson of Nagukano.

Luce 1985, pp. I, 75 n. 27

These are the bones of the Honourable Ru-ba, deceased son of the Honourable La-wi: ni’ mli (sic), grandson of Nga-kno.

Duroiselle 1912

These are the bones of the deceased, Lord Rūḅa, grandson of Nga Kno, son of Lord Davinimli.

Commentary

⟨1⟩ (p)li • Photos such as IMG_8373 favor initial <p> over <m>: <pli> ’grandson’.

Bibliography

Reported in ASB, which includes a reading of the opening akṣaras. Blagden 1913–1914, p. 127 (E) takes note of this urn, but focuses his study on the four (PYU 3, 4, 5 and 6) that share reference to the Vikrama kings. ASB provides complete readings and notes by Blagden and Sastri; in most respects, Sastri is not as compatible with our readings as Blagden. Luce, in Luce 1985, pp. I, 65, 75 n. 24, 127, provides an overview and offers a modified reading. Re-edited here from published photographs.

Primary

Griffiths, Arlo, Marc Miyake & Julian K. Wheatley. 2018–03–26. “Corpus of Pyu inscriptions.” Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1207290. [URL]. Item DHARMA_INSPYU00001.

Secondary

ASI

Shafer, Robert. 1943. “Further Analysis of the Pyu Inscriptions.” HJAS 7 (4), pp. 313–366. DOI: 10.2307/2717831. [URL]. Page 339.

Sein Win [cin vaṅḥ]. 2016. pyū akkharā cā pe poṅḥ khyup [A collection of writings in the Pyu alphabet]. Vol. 1. Yangon: rheḥ hoṅḥ su te sa na nhaṅ. amyuiḥ sāḥ pra tuik ūḥ sīḥ ṭhāna, yañ kyeḥ mhu van krīḥ ṭhāna [Department of Archaeology and National Museum, Ministry of Culture]. Pages 14–5.

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ḅaYṁḥ daKṃ viYṃṁ

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ḅaYṁḥ

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<note>We read <t> rather than <n> here, agreeing with Blagden and Tha Myat. If so, then <tgaṃ> can be correct too. If so, then <t> in this inscription would be of the “loop” type rather than the “cup” type seen in other inscriptions. But comparison with other inscriptions cautions us that even in a single inscription one may not necessarily expect a clear pattern in the distinction between <t> and <n>.</note>

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<note>There is no contrast in this inscription between “r with leftwards

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<ab>These are the bones of the Honourable Ru-ba, deceased son of the Honourable La-wi: ni' mli (sic), grandson of Nga-kno.</ab>

<ab>These are the bones of the deceased, Lord Rūḅa, grandson of Nga Kno, son of Lord Davinimli.</ab>

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<note>Photos such as IMG_8373 favor initial <p> over <m>: <pli> 'grandson'.</note>

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<note>The sequence <ḅa hi> also attested in PYU <ref target="DHARMA_INSPYU00002">2</ref>.</note>

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