Original Text
1 (A) . . . . [na]ṁpiye Piyadasī lājā hevaṁ āhā (B) atikaṁtaṁ aṁtalaṁ no hūta- puluve savaṁ kālaṁ aṭha-kaṁma[e] paṭivedanā va (C) se mamayā kaṭe (D) savaṁ kālaṁ
2 . . . . . . [sa m]e aṁte olodhanasi gabhāgālasi vacasi vinītas[i] uyānasi ca savata paṭivedakā janasa aṭhaṁ praṭivedayaṁtu me ti (E) savata ca janasa
3 . . . . . . . . . [ka]ṃ (F) aṁ pi ca kiṁchi mukhate ānapayāmi dāpakaṁ vā sāvakaṁ vā e v[ā] mah[ā]mātehi a[t]i[yā]yike [ā]lopite hoti tasi aṭhasi vivāde va
4 . . . . . . . . lisāy[aṁ ā]naṁ[ta]liyaṁ paṭivedataviye me ti savata savaṁ kālaṁ (G) hevaṁ me anusathe (H) nathi hi me tose uṭhānasi aṭha- saṁtīlan[ā]y[a] ca
5 (I) . . . . . . . . . me sava-loka-hite (J) tasa ca pana iyaṁ mūle uṭhāne ca aṭha- saṃtīlanā ca (K) nathi hi k[aṁ]matalā sava-loka-hiten[a] (L) aṁ ca kichi p[a]lakamāmi hakaṁ
6 . . . . . . . . [n]iyaṁ yehaṁ ti hida ca kāni su[kha]yāmi palata ca svagaṁ ālādhayaṁtū ti (M) etāye aṭhāye i[ya]ṁ dhaṁma-lipī likhitā cila-ṭhitikā hotu
7 . . . . . . . . . [t]ā me [pa]lakamaṁtu sava-loka-hitāye (N) dukale cu i[ya]ṁ aṁnata agena palakamena
Translation
(A) King Devānaṁpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(B) In times past neither the disposal of affairs nor the submission of reports at all times did exist before.
(C) But I have made (the following arrangement).
(D) Reporters have to report to me the affairs of the people at any time (and) anywhere, while I am [eating], within the harem, in the inner apartment, at the cowpen, in the
palanquin, and in the park.
(E) And everywhere I am disposing of the affairs of the people.
(F) And also, if in the council (of Mahāmātras) a dispute arises, or an amendment is moved, in connexion with any donation or proclamation which I am ordering verbally, or (in connexion with) an emergent matter which has been delegated to the Mahāmātras, it must be reported to me immediately, anywhere, (and) at any time.
(G) Thus I have ordered.
(H) For I am never satisfied in exerting myself and in dispatching business.
(I) For I consider it my duty (to promote) the welfare of all men.
(J) But the root of that (is) this, (viz.) exertion and the dispatch of business.
(K) For no duty is more important than (promoting) the welfare of all men.
(L) And whatever effort I am making, (is made) in order that I may discharge the debt (which I owe) to living beings, (that) I may make them happy in this (world), and (that) they may attain heaven in the other (world).
(M) For the following purpose has this rescript on morality been written, (viz. that) it may be of long duration, and (that) my sons (and) great-grandsons may display the same zeal for the welfare of all men.
(N) But it is difficult to accomplish this without great zeal.
Dhauli