Indian Epigraphical Glossary c3: Preface

Indian Epigraphical Glossary c3

Language: English

Preface

c3.1

It is with a sense of diffidence that I am placing my *Indian Epigraphical Glossary* in the hands of the students of Indian epigraphy and lexicography. Originally it was my intention to insert it in my *Indian Epigraphy* as an Appendix to the Chapter on ‘Technical Expressions’. But, as my collection of the material progressed, I felt that it would be rather too big for an Appendix. At the same time, I also realised that it was not possible for a single man to collect all interesting words and expressions from all published epigraphic records in the various Indian languages in a short period of time. But I was eager to do as much as it was possible for me in the limited time I could devote to the work, and the result of the attempt is this nucleus now placed in the hands of readers interested in inscriptions. I am fully conscious of my own limitations as well as of the possibility of errors of judgment and of omission and commission creeping into the work. There may be cases wherein I have been misled by earlier writers, or accepted their doubtful suggestion as correct, or misunderstood them. It is hoped, nevertheless, that the work may be of some help to the students and to the future compiler of a fuller Glossary of this type.

c3.2

The majority of words collected in this Glossary occur in inscriptions in Sanskrit or in the Sanskritic and Dravidian languages. My aim has primarily been to collect Sanskrit words, and generally the Prakrit and *tadbhava* words have been given in their Sanskrit forms, although some Dravidian or *Deśī* words have also been included. Sanskrit words used in Tamil with *n* and *m* suffixed to them have been ususally quoted without the suffixes; e.g., *varāhan* and *liṅgam* have been recognised as *varāha* and *liṅga*. Likewise, the suffix *mu* in Sanskrit words used in Telugu has been generally omitted. Feminine words ending in *a* and *i*, as used in the Dravidian languages, have often been quoted with the vowels lengthened. In Tamil words, intervocalic *k*, *c*, *ṭ*, *t* and *p* have sometimes been represented by *g*, *j*, *d*, *d* and *b* respectivly. It is felt that, while weeding out words without special significance from my original collection, some were left over. There are also some words collected from sources other than epigraphic records.

c3.3

There are three Appendices at the end of the volume, the first of which contains passages indicating the privileges, etc., enjoyed by the donees of rent-free (or partially rent-free) holdings. Appendix II contains a list of various levies that are known from inscriptions in Dravidian languages, especially Tamil. These Appendices are expected to throw light on the rights and obligations of the tenants of ancient and medieval India and on the meanings of some of the Sanskritic words in the Glossary. The third Appendix contains words of numismatic interest.

c3.4

The words have been mostly taken from my *Indian Epigraphy* and the Indices and Glossaries appended to various epigraphical publications, and references to these have been indicated in short. Full references with the indication of pages, etc., have, however, been provided in certain cases especially when the words occur in the epigraphic texts, but are not noticed in the Indices, etc., pertaining to the Volumes in question. A key to the shortened references is supplied below separately. The references cited under a word are of course not exhaustive in all cases. The Index has been prepared by Sri Dipak Ranjan Das, Lecturer, Sanskrit College, Calcutta, to whom my sincere thanks are due.

c3.5

While it is a matter of satisfaction that I have probably succeeded in explaining a number of expressions, which were previously unintelligible or misunderstood, and in grouping together connected items by cross-references in numerous cases, I am sorry to feel that it is difficult to compile a work of this type without errors, and even more difficult to print it without technical blemishes including misprints. I therefore crave the indulgence of sympathic readers for all kind of mistakes that might have crept into the book and request them to be so kind as to draw my attention to the defects they may notice in it.

c3.6

*Pramāṇa-siddhānta-viruddham = atra*
*yat = kiñcid = uktaṁ mati-māndya-doṣāt |*
*mātsaryam = utsārya tad = ārya-cittāḥ*
*prasādam = ādhāya viśodhayantu ||*

c3.7

645, New Alipore, Culcutta-53, November 15, 1965.

c3.8

D. C. SIRCAR

c3.9

SPECIAL ABBREVIATIONS TO THE SECTIONS OF INDIAN EPIGRAPHY AND TO OTHER GLOSSARIES AND INDICES

c3.10

ASLV = *Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagara* by T. V. Mahalingam, pp. 418-76 (Index).

c3.11

BL = *Bhandarkar’s List* = *A List of Inscriptions of Northern India in Brāhmī and its Derivative Scripts from about 200 A. C.* by D. R. Bhandarkar, Appendix to the *Epigraphia Indica*, Volumes XIX-XXIII, pp. 297-365 (Index).

c3.12

Chamba = *Antiquities of Chamba State*, Part II, by B. Ch. Chhabra, pp. 180-93 (Index).

c3.13

CII = *Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum*; e. g., CII 2-1 = *Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum*, Volume II, Part i, pp. 181-85 (Index) ; CII 3, 4 = Indices to *Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum*, Volumes III and IV.

c3.14

CITD = *Corpus of Inscriptions in the Telingana Districts of H. E. H. the Nizam’s Dominions* by P. Sreenivasachar, Part II, pp. 201-12 (Glossary).

c3.15

EI = *Epigraphia Indica*; e. g., EI 1 = *Epigraphia Indica*, Volume I, pp. 461-78 (Index) ; EI 2, 6, 12 = Indices to *Epigraphia Indica*, Volumes II, VI and XII.

c3.16

HA = *Holy Abu* by Muni Jayantavijaya, translated by U.P. Shah, pp. 198-204 (Glossary).

c3.17

HD = *History of Dharmaśāstra* by P. V. Kane, Volume III, pp. 975-1007 (Glossary styled ‘Appendix—Note 191’).

c3.18

HRS = *Hindu Revenue System* by U. N. Ghoshal, pp. 289 ff. (Glossary and Index).

c3.19

IA = *Indian Antiquary*; e.g., IA 5 = *Indian Antiquary*, Volume V, pp. 363-71 (Index) ; IA 8, 15, 20 = Indices to *Indian Antiquary*, Volumes VIII, XV and XX.

c3.20

IE = *Indian Epigraphy* by D.C. Sircar; e.g., IE 8-2 = *Indian Epigraphy*, Chapter VIII, Section ii; IE 7-1-2 = *Indian Epigraphy*, Chapter VII, Section i, Subsection 2.

c3.21

LL =Lüders' List=A List of Brāhmī Inscriptions by H. Lüders, Appendix to the *Epigraphia Indica*, Volume X, pp. 213-24 (Index).

c3.22

LP =*Lekhapaddhati*, G. O. S., No. XXI, pp. 97-128 (Glossary).

c3.23

ML =Majumdar's List=A List of Kharoṣṭhī Inscriptions by N. G. Majumdar in the *Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal*, New Series, Vol. XX, 1924, pp. 35-39 (Index).

c3.24

PJS =*Prācīna Jaina-lekha Sandoha* by Muni Jayantavijaya, p. 61 (Glossary).

c3.25

SII =*South Indian Inscriptions*; e.g., SII 1=*South Indian Inscriptions*, Volume I, pp. 171-83 (Index); SII 11-2=*South Indian Inscriptions*, Volume XI, Part ii, pp. 267-72 (Index) ; SII 1, 3, 12-2=Indices to *South Indian Inscriptions*, Volumes I, III, and XII, Part ii.

c3.26

SITI =*South Indian Temple Inscriptions* by T. N. Subramanian, Volume III, Part ii, pp. i-civ (Glossary in an 'Annexure' at the end of the volume).