Indian Epigraphy c10.s4.13

c10.s4.13

The *svastika* (of both the *vām-āvarta* and *dakṣiṇ-vārta* types) and taurine symblols are found in Aśoka's separate edicts at Jaugaḍa.⁷ The triskele symbol, which is a modification of the *svastika*, is found at the beginning of the Erraguḍi and Rājula-Maṇḍagiri M. R. Edicts of Aśoka.⁸ The *svastika* is also found at the beginning and the end of many other records generally belonging to dates earlier than the 3rd century A.D.⁹ While occurring at the beginning of a document, it is sometimes placed before, and rarely after, the word *siddham*¹⁰ (*sidha*, *sidham*, etc. in Prakrit and sometimes in contractions like sdha or sdhi). At the beginning of the Hāthigumphā inscription, the svastika appears beneath a crown-like symbol called *śrīvatsa*, while the inscription ends with the ‘tree-within-railing’ symbol.¹ Other symbols found in some cases are the trident or triratna resting on the dharma-cakra,² and the lotus.³ The praṇava, generally represented by a symbol, is sometimes found at the beginning of medieval inscriptions.⁴