Early Telugu inscription from Amarāvati
Editors: Jens Thomas, Vēṭūri Prabhākaraśāstri.
Identifier: DHARMA_INSTelugu00098.
Language: Telugu.
Repository: Telugu Inscriptions (tfb-telugu-epigraphy).
Version: (585a60b), last modified (d5dcd05).
Translation by Jens Thomas
snake
Bibliography
The inscription was noted in ARIE together with other (Prākr̥t) inscriptions from Amarāvati that were found in the Central Museum of Madras. These inscriptions were published by Ramaprasad Chandra who added translations or short notes (the Telugu inscription has the number 30). The inscription was again published by Vēṭūri Prabhākaraśāstri together with a picture and a discussion.
Primary
[RC] Chanda, Rama Prasad. 1919–1920. “Some unpublished Amaravati inscriptions.” EI 15, pp. 258–275. Pages 258–275, item 13.
[VP] Prabhākaraśāstri, Vēṭūri. 1928. “Prācīnāṁdhraśāsanamulu.” Bh 5 (6), pp. 933–949. Pages 933–949, item 1.
Secondary
No name. 1986. Annual reports on Indian epigraphy (1911-1914). Reprint. New Delhi: Director General, Archaeolgical survey of India. Page 54, appendix B/1913, item 499.
Radhakrishna, Budaraju. 1971. Early Telugu inscriptions (up to 1100 A.D.): with texts, glossary & brief linguistic history. Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Sahitya Akademi. Page 1, item 1.
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<lb n="1"/>nāgabu
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snake
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The inscription consists of the Sanskrit word <foreign>nāga-</foreign> "snake" with the Telugu suffix -<hi rend="italic">mbu</hi>. This suffix is typical for Telugu and is attached to <foreign>tatsama</foreign> words. There is no trace of an <foreign>anusvāra</foreign>. Prabhākaraśāstri explains this as a form of haplography or the loss of the first consonant respectively (పూర్వహల్లోపము).
Ramāprasād Canda edited the word as <hi rend="italic">nāga-bu</hi> so as if two words were involved and stated that <cit><quote>[t]his is probably the name of the stone-mason</quote><bibl rend="omitname"><citedRange unit="page">268</citedRange></bibl></cit>. According to Prabhākaraśāstri the stone is damaged but traces of a sculpture are still visible: <cit><quote>విఱుగఁగొట్టఁబడిన మీఁది శిల్పచిత్రము గొప్ప సర్పమై యుండును [The damaged upper sculpture is a big snake (translation by Jens Thomas)]</quote><bibl rend="omitname"><citedRange unit="page">934</citedRange></bibl></cit>. The stone does not bear any other inscriptions.
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The inscription was noted in ARIE together with other (Prākr̥t) inscriptions from Amarāvati that were found in the Central Museum of Madras. These inscriptions were published by Ramaprasad Chandra who added translations or short notes (the Telugu inscription has the number 30). The inscription was again published by Vēṭūri Prabhākaraśāstri together with a picture and a discussion.
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Commentary
The inscription consists of the Sanskrit word nāga- "snake" with the Telugu suffix -mbu. This suffix is typical for Telugu and is attached to tatsama words. There is no trace of an anusvāra. Prabhākaraśāstri explains this as a form of haplography or the loss of the first consonant respectively (పూర్వహల్లోపము). Ramāprasād Canda edited the word as nāga-bu so as if two words were involved and stated that “[t]his is probably the name of the stone-mason” (). According to Prabhākaraśāstri the stone is damaged but traces of a sculpture are still visible: “విఱుగఁగొట్టఁబడిన మీఁది శిల్పచిత్రము గొప్ప సర్పమై యుండును [The damaged upper sculpture is a big snake (translation by Jens Thomas)]” (). The stone does not bear any other inscriptions.