Note 46 — Chapter I · ON THE COMMERCIAL RELATIONS OF THE PUNJAB, AND THE ADVANTAGES OF OPENING THE NAVIGATION OF THE INDUS. (continued 2)

See translation of portions of the Salsette and Ellora inscriptions, by Major Wilford (Asiatic Researches, vol. xiv.); which shows them all to refer by name to Sakya. Mr. A. Stirling (Asiatic Researches, vol. xv. p. 314.) says of some similar inscriptions on the Udaya Giri hill in Orissa:—“The Brahmans refer the inscription, with horror and disgust, to the time when the Buddhist doctrines prevailed. I cannot, however, divest myself of the notion, that the character has some connection with the ancient Prakrit; and I think an explanation is to be looked for only from some of the learned of the Jain sect.” What has become of the key to this and other ancient Sanscrit alphabets, which Wilford says he fortunately discovered in the possession of an ancient sage at Benares?