Ashoka Edict - Part 2

 

 Ashoka Edict - Part 2


Continuing on Ashokas edicts 


Is it Damma Lipi?


My argument is Damma lipi is the religious text/instructions that were getting written on the edicts and not the name of the script used to write.


Reason 1

This word lipi/dipi can be found outside India too example in the Achaemenid inscriptions, this word must be connected with the Ancient Persian ni-pish (to write) 


In the inscription(found at Behistan) of Darius the third ruler of the Achaemenid Persian Empire -  

"[tu]vam ka hya aparam imam dipim vainahy tyam adant niyapi[sha]m"

which means 

"O thou who shalt see this inscription in the future which I have written"

the word dipi/lipi here means writings not script used to write the writings itself

source -








meaning  - "O thou who shalt see this inscription in the future which I have written"

It occurs twice in this inscription.


So it is not only in Ashokas edicts that this word lipi/dipi appears it is also found in inscriptions 548-486 BC used in the same way to indicate this text and not the script used to write the inscription.


let us see what Dr Euge Hultzsch has to say about this word Dharma lipi in Ashokas edicts

"ayi dhrama-dipi nipista" translates to "this rescript on morality has been written"

 

note: Dr Euge Hultzsch is considered the best translator of Ashokas edicts he inturn has referred to multiple other translations of Ashokas edicts.

source 


 

"ayi dhrama-dipi nipista" translates to "this rescript on morality has been written"


Reason 2

Let us examine the First rock edict of Mansehra


In the first line we see - Dharma Dipi (the so called Dhamma lipi)

Note Mansehra inscription is written using Kharoshthi script, why will Ashoka call Brahmi and Kharoshthi with the same name Damma Lipi?    

note Kharoshthi is not of the same family as that of Brahmi lipi, it has foreign origin and it is written right to left.


"Kharoshth, is palpably of foreign origin"



Reason 3

Same can be found on First Rock Edict of Shahbazghari



look at the translation provided by Dr Hultzsch, he makes it clear "This rescript on morality (Dharma)"




Note : This edict too is of Kharoshthi script. 


Why will Ashoka call both Brahmi script and Kharoshthi script as Dhamma script, it makes no sense.


Look at how different these two scripts look


Brahmi script

Reason 4

Now let us look closer how this word Dhamma lipi is used in the edicts




ayam dhamma lipi Devenampriyena Priyadasina rana lekhapita asti eva

This Dhamma lipi is being written by Devenampriyena Priyadasina




iyam dhamma lipi Devenampriyena Piyadasina lejina likha

This Dhamma lipi is being written by Devenampriyena Priyadasina







For a moment lets give a different name to this Dhamma lipi lets call it English, and lets frame the above sentence 


This English script is being written by Devenampriyena Priyadasina


does the above statement make sense?

why would some one call out the script used to write a content rather than describing the content itself. Where in world have we seen any one saying this book is written/printed in english, this book is written/printed in kannada? this book is written/printed in hindi?


The translation provided by Dr Euge Hultzsch is proper "This rescript on morality has been caused to be written"


Conclusion

Hence Ashoka has used the word 'Dhammalipi' only considering his inscriptions as religious instructions/writings/documents and not the name of the script used to write them.


~~~~~~

Thanks to

Sanathan Samiksha youtube channel  https://www.youtube.com/@sanatansamiksha

Chaitanya  @Param_Chaitanya https://twitter.com/Param_Chaitanya, I have picked up the Kharoshthi script image from his tweet

 




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