Historical Geography of Ancient India c10.368

c10.368

The top of the Bijak-ki-pahāṛī affords a picturesque view of the entire valley of Vairāṭ, with the Bhimji-ki-Duṅgrī hill and the monuments around it on the north and a perfectly level plain which surrounds the lofty town on all sides. Vairāṭ is no doubt famous for an Aśokan edict which is the only known edict of Aśoka, inscribed on a stone-slab (*Śilā-phalaka*) as distinguished from a stone-pillar (*Śilā-thamba*). This edict provides definite proof of Aśoka's faith in the Buddhist religion and his consequent exhortation to monks and nuns and to laymen and laywomen to listen to and to study the seven select passages from the Buddhist scriptures, for which he himself felt a special preference, as being most conducive to the continued prosperity of the Law of Piety promulgated by the Buddha.