2. ka digantara vyāpta yaso kīrtti1 teja pratāpa viçuddha çuddha suryya vaṁçābhijāta para çastru3 kuñjara n'ikara n'irākaraṇa

3. pravin3a kesari vikramānvita

trisimhaladhis6vara

uttama pravara çrestha jagadesvara1vū utum apagē. 4. devisvāmiduruvāṇan vahansē sakala naňgarāŋga9 çrīn samurddha1o sampannavu çrīvardhana purapravarayehi svarnna vara simha

11

5. sana mastaka prāptava çakra dēvēndra līlāvayen væḍa væsa vadāraṇa prasthāvehi asadrisa 12 atigambhīravū çrī mahākaru

6. ņā divaseliyē mahimatavayen vadāļāvā paṇata nam doranægama bannæka hēratmudaliya dha

7. ranisvaravū 13 utum mahāvāsalața soñda sitin pakṣa pātava duggat nisāt ayitivāsi æti nisāt

Reverse

1. hārasiya-pattuva

bada kulugammana siyapattuvē

ratavana praveni 14 vasamața tibunu paŋguvața ætulat vaṭavalatannē biju palat pæpolē

2. palkaḍa biju tumpælat gamakumbura biju paspælat kalaldora biju tum-pæla halahat Gedarakumbura biju amun1at uḍuvala ladamba

3. lādeniya biju amun1at palmulla biju depælat yana meki mul biju pahamunu depæla halahē vapasariyat mița aduttu goda maḍa

svarņa.

12 asadrça.

13 -raņiçvaravů.

14 praveņi.

4. gevatu gahakola valvil aňgu-dalupat saha mekunge daru munuburu vargga paramparāva dakvā

niravulva bhukti vidi- 2

5. nā raŭgața Çaka varṣa ekvādahas-satsiya visipahața pæmiņi rudhirōt3gārī namvū mē varṣayehi mædindina ava ekole- 4

6. 8 vak nam tithiya lat sikurādā me davasa mē sanhasa devā vadāla paṇatat ēpaṇatat.

7. mesēma paņivuḍa panatayi.

Translation.

Hail! Our noble and divine lord of lords, the most exalted [and] eminent lord of the world, the chief of Tri-Simhala (Ceylon), endowed with a lion-like might capable of destroying a host of elephant-like foreign enemies, who is born of the exceedingly pure [and] noble solar dynasty, who is possessed of heroic lustre [and] of renown [and] glory that has spread in many a distant region, who is like unto a mine of compassion and is versed in all the Castras, who is of pure and charming character, being of the lineage of Sumitra, and who is like unto a sportive bee upon the lotus-feet of Buddha. [His majesty], having ascended the exalted lion-throne of gold in the chief city of Crivardhanapura (Kandy), which is replete with all the wealth and requisites of cities, [and] being seated with the mien of Çakra, the chief of the gods, [he,] by the majesty of his incomparable, very profound, exalted, and most beneficent divine knowledge, delivered the [following] order ::

Whereas Bannaka Herat Mudaliya, of the village Doraṇagama, hath, with good will and loyalty, performed services to the noble royal house, which is supreme on earth; and whereas he has [already] possessions [in the

district], he was granted one pæla of seed [paddy, in sowing extent] of Vaṭavalatanna, three pal of seed [paddy in extent] of Palkoḍa in Pæpola, five pæl of Gamakumbura, three pal and 6 las1 of Kalaldora, one amuna of Gedarakumbura, one amuna of Ladambaladeņiya in Uḍuvala, and two pal of Palmulla, which were included in the share that was [reckoned as] the praveni land at Ratavana, in Kulugammana Siyapattuva, situate in Harasiyapattuva. The aforesaid [land, forming] in all five amuņu two pēl and 6 lās of seed [paddy] in sowing extent, together with the high and low ground, houses and gardens, trees and plants, tanks and ponds, and plantations, appertaining thereto, is to be possessed without dispute by [him], his children, grandchildren, and their descendants.

In the year, named Rudhirodgārī, of Çaka 1725, on Friday, the 11th day of the waning moon of the month of Mædindina ; on this day the order delivered when granting this sannasa-this [very] order is thus the proclaimed decree.

1 A laha or lāha (plur. lās) =a kuruṇiya ( bushel).

649

ART. XX.-Some Notes on Past and Future Archæological Explorations in India. By G. BÜHLER, Hon. Member Royal Asiatic Society.

JUST thirty-five years ago, in 1860, the Government of India agreed to institute an Archæological Survey of Upper India, and thus to take an active part in the exploration of the numerous and extensive historical remains of the country, which task until then had been left to the desultory efforts (occasionally aided by grants from the public funds) of the learned societies and private individuals. Adverse circumstances, however, very soon counteracted the effects of this official recognition of the claims of antiquarian research to continued Government assistance and guidance. Already in 1866 financial pressure induced Lord Lawrence to stop the work which Sir A. Cunningham had barely begun. The Survey was abolished, and there followed a regrettable time of inaction, which lasted until 1870, when, in consequence of urgent representations from various influential quarters, and especially from eminent members of the Royal Asiatic Society, the Secretary of State and the Supreme Government of India consented to return to the principle laid down in 1860. The next result was the re-opening of the Archæological Survey for the Northern half of India, which was now organized on a larger scale, and the issue of orders by the Secretary of State for the registration and preservation of the historical monuments all over India. Soon afterwards, in 1873, the Government of Bombay was permitted to establish a survey of its own for the Western Presidency, and somewhat later the Government of Madras likewise directed its attention to the J.R.A.S. 1895.

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