Original Text
26 (A) Devanapriye Priyadraśi raja [e]va[ṁ] aa (B) atikrataṁ ataraṁ 27 na huta-pruve [sa]vraṁ kala athra-[krama] va [pa]ṭivedana va (C) ta maya evaṁ kiṭaṁ (D) savra kalaṁ aśatasa me orodhane grabhagarasi vracaspi vinitaspi uyanaspi savratra pa[ṭ]i[ve]da[ka] athra janasa 28 paṭivedetu me (E) savratra ca janasa athra kar[o]mi ahaṁ (F) yaṁ pi ca kichi mukhato aṇapemi ahaṁ dapakaṁ va śravakaṁ va ye va puna mahamatrehi acayike aropite hoti 29 taye athraye vivade nijati va saṁta par[ṣia]ye a[na]taliyena paṭivedetaviye me savratra savra kala (G) evaṁ aṇapita maya (H) nasti hi me toṣe [uṭhanasi] ath[r]a-sa[ṁ]tiraṇaye ca 30 (I) kaṭaviya-mate hi me savra-loka-h[i]te (J) [ta]sa cu puna eṣe mule uṭhane athra-satiraṇa ca (K) nasti hi kramatara savra-loka-hitena (L) ya[ṁ] ca [kichi] pa[rakra]mami aaṁ k[i]t[i] bh[u]tanaṁ 31 aṇaṇiyaṁ ye[haṁ] ia ca ṣe sukhayami paratra ca spagra ā[ra]dhetu ti (M) se etaye athraye iyaṁ dhrama-dipi likhita cira-ṭhitika hotu ta[tha ca] me pu[tra nata]re para[kra]mate sa[vra]- 32 [lo]ka-hitaye (N) dukare ca kho [ā]ñatra ā[g]rena para[kra]mena Translation (A) King Devanapriye Priyadraśi speaks thus. (B) In this past neither the disposal of affairs nor the submission of reports any time did exist before. (C) But I have the following (arrangement). (D) Reporters have to report to me the affairs of the people at any time (and) anywhere while I am eating, in 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 and 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, (and) at any time. (G) Thus I have ordered. (H) For I am never content in exerting myself and in dispatching business. (I) For I consider it my duty (to promote) the welfare of all men. (J) And the root of that (consists) in 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 long duration and (that) my sons (and) grandsons may display the same zeal for the welfare of all men. (N) But it is indeed difficult to accomplish this without great zeal.