Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v1.c9.s2: No. 1. Vo-Chanh Rock Inscription

Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champā; Vol. II: Suvarṇadvīpa) v1.c9.s2

Language: English

No. 1. Vo-Chanh Rock Inscription

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The inscription was edited by Bergaigne (Corpus. No. XX, p. 191), and further commented upon by M. Finot (B. E. F., Vol. XV, No. 2. p. 3).

The inscription is engraved on two faces of a block of Granite, found close to the village of Vo-Chanh in the province of Khánh-Hoà. It contains fifteen lines of writing in the first face, and seven lines of writing on the second face. As these last are line by line continuations of lines 8-14 of the first face, it appears that the first seven lines of the second face are lost. Very little, however, remains of the first seven lines of the first face. The inscription is composed in Sanskrit, and may be referred, on palaeographic grounds, to the third or second century A. D. There are two verses in *Vasantatilakā* metre, and the rest is in prose.

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The inscription records the donation made by a king belonging to the family of Śrī Māra.

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TEXT.

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(६)……प्रजानां करुण……(७) प्रथम-विजय…… ……………………(८)……गर्णमस्याम्¹ । आज्ञापितं सदसि राजवरेण……………… (६)………………राजगण-वागमृतं पिवन्तु ॥ श्री-मार-राजकुल-व (१०) ◡ ◡ — न² श्री-मार-लो ◡ —³ कुलानन्दनेन । आज्ञापितं स्वजन-स (११) ◡ — मध्ये वाक्यं-प्रजा-हितकरं करिणोर्वरेण ॥

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¹ Bergaigne reads: “गर्णमन्यम्”. The above reading is that of Finot. It is no doubt the last portion of the word ‘पूर्णाणमस्याम्’.

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² Finot Suggests ‘वंशविभूषणेन’.

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³ Finot Suggests ‘लोकनपतेः’.

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लोकस्यास्य गतागति वि (१२)……………न सिंहासनाध्या- सीनेन पुत्रे भ्रातरि नान्यके¹ खसमीकरणच्छन्देन (१३) (तृ)तेषु यत्किञ्चिद् रजतं सुवर्णमपि वा सस्थावरजङ्गमं कोष्ठागारक…… ……………(१४) नं प्रियहिते सर्व्वं विसृष्ट² मया तदेवं मयानुज्ञातं भविष्यैरपि रा (१५) जभिरनुमन्तव्यं विदितमस्तु च मे भृत्यस्य वीरस्य………………

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TRANSLATION.

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(6) Mercy for the people…………
(7) First conquest………………
(8) Ordered by the excellent king in the assembly, on the full-moon day (¹).
(9) Let them drink the nectar of the words of kings. (10-11) Royal family of Śrī Māra…… … He who is the delight of the family of Śrī Māra, and conversant with the ways of the world, being seated on the throne, said (the following) words, beneficial to the people, in the midst of his own kinsmen, (12) after having satisfied his sons, brothers and kinsmen (¹) by enjoying wealth in common with them.³
(13) “Whatever silver, gold, movable and immovable property and stores (of grain ¹) that I possess,

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1. ‘एकार’ is doubtful.
2. Finot reads ‘विष्ट’—apparently a slip for विसृष्ट which is clear on the estampage.
3. I do not understand the meaning of the word ‘करिणोव्वरेण’ and ‘नान्यके’. The last, used along with sons and brothers, seems to denote ‘kinsmen’ or ‘relatives’. Bergaigne takes it in the sense of ‘no one else’, but the use of the plural ‘तृतेषु’ in the absolute construction compels us to reject this view. That participle, being in the plural, requires at least one more subject other than ‘भ्रातरि’ and ‘पुत्रे’.

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(14) All that I consecrate to those who are dear and near to me. This is my commandment, and the future kings also should
(15) approve of it. Be it known to my heroic servant (or servant called Vira).

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Nos. 2 and 3. Cho Dinh Rock inscriptions.

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These inscriptions were edited by M. Bergaigne (Corpus No. XXI, p. 199), and commented upon by Finot (B. E. F., Vol. II, p. 186).

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The inscriptions are engraved on a rock, situated in the village of Nhan-thap, in the province of Phu-yen, to the north of cape Varella. Cho Dinh is really the name of a marketplace in the neighbourhood.

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No. 2 contains 3 lines, and No. 3, one short line, in Sanskrit prose. The characters seem to be very ancient and may be referred to about 400 A. D.

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No. 2 contains the name of king Bhadravarman and refers to a sacrifice offered to Śiva, called Bhadreśvarasvāmin, by Mahārāja Bhadravarman or one of his descendants.

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No. 3 probably refers to human sacrifice, but it is not certain. Both the inscriptions seem to belong to the same age, and were probably written by the same individual.

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TEXT.

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No. 2.

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(१) नमो देवाय भद्रेश्वरस्वामिपादप्रसादात् अग्नये त्वा जुष्टं करिष्यामि (२) धर्ममहाराज-श्रीभद्रवर्मणो यावच्चन्द्रादित्यौ तावत् पुत्रपौत्रं मोदयति (३) पृथिविप्रसादात् कार्म्म'सिद्धिरस्तु।

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1. Read पृथिवी-प्रसादात्.
2. Read 'कर्म'.

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शिवो दामो यज्ञयते ।

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