BASAHA (BIHAR STATE) MINOR ROCK INSCRIPTION OF ASOKA

FIND SPOT –Basaha (Bihar)

NATURE- Royal

Lang/Script-Sanskrit / Brahmi

Date-Asokan period

Present Location-Basaha

Reference-

Shri. Devi DayalMaurya, working in a school at Mughalsarai handed over the

photograph of a stone inscription to Shri. Vinay, a resident of Ramnagar, Varanasi who
approached the well know Indologist Prof. K.K Thaplyalfor deciphering the inscription on
January 10, 2009. Prof. Thaplyal recognized it as a new discovery of a minor rock inscription
of the maurya emperor Asoka. He lost no time in deciphering the text and brought out a
learned monograph under the title of ‘A New Asokan Inscription from Ratanpurwa’
published as JðÀna-PrvÀha Monograph – 1 in February,2009.

The news of the discovery was communicated to Dr. B. R.

Mani, presently Director General of the National Museum who, in his turn , passed on the
information the Dr. T.S. Ravishankar, Director (Epigraphy) I/c at Mysore Dr. Mani was also
personally present to make an in-situ study of the inscription and highlighted about the
importance of the sitw and he remained with the team till the inscription was documented.
Dr. Ravishankar has recorded that the site of the inscription is about 60 kms form Varanasi
via Mughalsarai pass and Chakia from Chakia at a distance of about 12 kms is Saidapur, a
market town. There at a distance of about 5 kms is the village Ghurahpur the last point up
to which one can travel by road. This minor rock inscription is engraved in a rather
semidressed rectangular surface, the inscribed area measuring roughly 94.5 cms x50 cms.

Thaplyal has identified the village as Ratanpurwa. But Dr. mani has informed Ravishankar
that the village in question is rightly Basaha. Hence, the title given by us for this article is
‘Basaha (Bihar ) Minor Rock Inscription of Aœoka’. Basaha is a village in Bhabua District of
Bihar. That part of the Kaimur Range.

TEXT

1 DevÀõaÚpiye1hevaÚÀha [|*]
sÀdhikÀni2açhitiyÀnisavachhalÀniaÚupÀsakesumi[|*]
2 nachubÀçhaÚpala[ka]ÚtesavachhalesÀdhike [|*] aÚ mama saÚgheupayÀteetena
cha aÚtalena
3 JaÚbudÁpasi [a]misaÚ deva saÚtamunisÀmisaÚ deva kaÇÀ [|*]
phalakamasaiyaÚphale |
4 no cha iyaÚmahatatÀvachakiyepavatave | khudakena pi palakamamÁnenÀvipule
5 pi suagechakiyeÀlÀdheyitave [|] se etÀye athÀye3iyaÚsÀvanekhudakÀ cha uçÀ-
6 lÀ cha palakamaÚtuaÚtÀ pi cha jÀnaÚtuchilaÇhitÁke cha palakamehotu[|] iyaÚ
cha
Cha a-
7 ÇhevaçhisativipulaÚ pi cha vaçhisatidiyaçhiyaÚavaladhiyenÀdiyaçhiyaÚvaçhi-
8 [sa]tiiyaÚ cha sÀvanevivuthenaduvesapaÚnÀlÀtisatÀvivythÀti 200 50 6 imaÚ
9[cha] aÇhaÚpavatesulikhÀpayÀthÀyadivÀathihetÀsilÀtaÚbhÀtata pi likhÀpayÀthÀti

Remark
-1 Thaplyal reads devÀnÀmpiye.
2 Thaplyal reads ÀdhikÀni obviously because in the the photograph which
he has used the letter sÀ is not fully seen.
3 Hultszch and Thaplyal read aÇhÀye but our reading suits the context best.
Translation

DevÀõaÚpiya (Beloved of the gods, Aœoka) speaks thus. For more than two and a
half years, I have been an upÀsaka (a lay Buddhist worshipper). But I did not exert
myself much. For more than a year now, I have been intimately associated with the
SaÚgha (Buddhist congregations.). Durin this period, persons living in JaÚbÂdvÁpa
were inspired by me to mingle with the gods. This is the result of my efforts. This can
be achieved not only by persons of high rank but also even by lowly persons who
can all asprire to attain the great heaven as a result of sincere efforts. Now for the
following purpose this proclamation has been issused to the effect that both the
lowly and the exalted may become zealous; that even those persons living on the
borders (of my kingdom) may know it and that this enthusiasm may last long . And
this enthusiasm will grow and will grow further. It will increase one and a half times,
to at least one and half times. And this proclamation (was issued by me ) while I was
on tour. I have been on tour for the last 256 (200 50 6) nights. This proclamation
should be engraved on rocks. And wherever there are stone pillars (in my kingdom)
on them also this proclamation should be engraved.