________________
EARLIEST JAINA INSCRIPTION FROM MAHARASHTRA 391
The importance of this record lies in its palaeography and still more in the invocation (Mangalācarana) and incidentally in the words kātuna(da), Indarakhita and Kāhi.
So far some 1500 early Brāhms inscriptions have been recorded.1 Of these about 350 are from the caves of Western Maharashtra. From among these, some 105 records are of the pre-Christian period from the caves of Bhājā. Bedsa, Kondane, Kuda, Kol. But it is curious that not one of these inscriptions have any invocation (really mangalăcarana) at all. The records simply say, “This is meritorious gift (dharmadeya) of so and so." Cave No. 10 at Junnar has a svastika symbol at the end of the inscription, whereas in inscription No. 11 there is a svastika symbol at the beginning as well as at the end of the inscription. In all the later records of the Sātavāhanas and the Kşaharāta Ksatrapas, appears the word "Siddham”. This is neither an invocation nor a mangalācarana in the real sense of the word. Thus we have no means to regard a cave Buddhist or of any other faith, except by its other contents and the context or the association in which it appears.
Still later, in the 6th-7th century, we have the proper invocation or mangalācarana "Om Namo Bhagavate”.
As opposed to this invocation Namo Arhantānas occurs in a definitely Jaina context on the ā yagapațas and images from the Jaina stupa at Mathura, datable to the early centuries of the Christian era, and in the inscription of Khāravela from the Udayagiri cave, Orissa, belonging to an earlier period.
This evidence is discussed at some length in view of its importance at Pāle.
In Mathura, there is an invocation to arahamta in five cases, whereas in another case, the word Siddham is added to the 1. Above, Ep. Ind., Vol. X. Appendix by Lüders and some additional inscrip
tions published in Ep. Ind., VII, XVIII. 47-74, 325-29. Above, Vol. X, Appendix, Lüders' List, No. 105-108.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
