Difficulties in Understanding Pāḍariyā Inscription and Development of an Alternative Interpretation

By : Ramakant Mishra

Page No: 191-215

Abstract
Pāḍariyā of Nepal has been identified as Lumbinī, the birthplace of Buddha, based on a pillar inscription found there. However, the inscription has not been understood fully. Particularly two words, vigaḍabhīcā and aṭhabhāgiye, confounded past translators. All attempts to interpret them were met with difficulties, and they remain untranslated even hundred years after discovery of the inscription. This creates doubts if the interpretation of the inscription is correct. There should have been attempts to examine if the inscription could have a different meaning, but that did not happen because the identification of Lumbinī with Pāḍariyā was presumed to be certain. Since the identification itself is based on this inscription, it is essential that the inscription is understood accurately. An analysis of the past interpretations of vigaḍabhīcā and aṭhabhāgiye indicated that it was difficult to decipher them because the context was wrong. The context had been determined based on a few words ignoring other words of the inscription, and that created problems. A new context was determined based on the core meaning of the difficult word vigaḍabhīcā. It was found that all other words of the inscription had meanings appropriate to the new context. That made translation of the complete inscription possible. From the translation it becomes clear that the inscription is an edict of King Priyadarśī imposing ban on animal sacrifice.

Authors
Ramakant Mishra Fellow of IIM, Ahmedabad,