CHAPTER XXIII.

NO. 2 TOPE.-SONÁRI.

1. THE second of the Sonári Topes* is situated north by west from the Great Tope at a distance of three hundred and fifteen feet. The bearing, 103 deg. W.; is so very nearly the same as that between Nos. I. and II. Topes at Sánchi, that I cannot help suspecting that there must have been some peculiar significance in this particular angle: The Sánchi angle is 109 deg., and the mean between the two is 106 deg. At Sánchi the line is prolonged to the eastward to a lofty temple. At Sonári also it is extended in the same direction to No. 3 Tope which bears 102 E. from the Great Tope.

2. No. 2 Tope is situated in an enclosure 165 feet square. It is a solid hemisphere of dry stone, 271⁄2 feet in diameter; raised on a cylindrical plinth 4 feet in height. The terrace is 5 feet 8 inches broad, and 12 feet in height. This is gained by a double flight of steps each 20 feet long, which meet at a landing 6 feet long by 6 feet broad. No trace of railings or

See Plate XXIV.

pinnacles could be discovered; but the Tope is otherwise tolerably perfect, not more than 5 feet having been lost.

3. A shaft was sunk down the centre of the Tope, which at 7 feet reached the slab forming the lid of the relic-chamber. The chamber itself was 14 foot in depth, and its bottom, where the relics were deposited, was on the same level as the base of the hemisphere.

4. In the chamber was found a large steatite vase profusely but coarsely ornamented with elephants and horses, and indescribable winged animals of rude execution. The vase was covered by a plain lid, secured by lac. Inside this vase were found five relic-caskets, each containing portions of human bone, with an inscription recording the name of the person whose relics were enshrined therein.

5. No. 1 Relic-casket is a round flat box of crystal, 2 inches in diameter, and six-tenths of an inch in height. As the crystal was too hard a substance to be inscribed, the name and title of the holy man were carved on a small piece of stone three quarters of an inch long and only half an inch broad. The inscription, which is engraved on both sides, is one of the most interesting of these discoveries:

"(Relics) of the emancipated GOTIPUTRA, the brother of religion amongst the Dardabhisáras of the Hemawanta."

As a full explanation of this legend has been given -in my account of the different religious missions

despatched by Asoka to different countries bordering upon India, nothing more need be added in this place. (See Plate XXIV.)

6. No. 2 Relic-casket is of a dark mottled steatite, nearly hemispherical in shape, with a flat bottom and pinnacled top, similar to the smallest of the stone caskets found in No. 1 Tope. The inscription is engraved on the outside of the lid.

Sapurisasa Majhimasa Kodini-putasa.

"(Relics) of the emancipated MAJHIMA, the son of Kodini." Majhima is the Sanskrit Madhyama; and Kodini is perhaps the vernacular form of Kohudinya, which is the name of one of the eighty principal disciples of Buddha. In No. 2 Tope at Sánchi the relics of a second, or of the same Majhima were found, but in the inscription the patronymic is omitted. As the relics of Kásyapa-gotra were found in both Topes, it seems probable that the two Majhimas were the same person, who was placed at the head of the Hemawanta Mission after the meeting of the Third Synod in B. C. 241. His father Kodini was probably a descendant of the great Kohudinya the companion of Buddha.

7. No. 3 Relic-casket is similar in shape and size to No. 2, and is of the same dark-coloured and mottled steatite. The inscription, engraved around the outside of the lid, is

Sapurisasa Kotiputasa Kásapa Gotasa Sava Hemavatáchariyasa.

"(Relics) of the emancipated son of Koti, KÁSYAPA-GOTRA, the missionary to the whole Hemawanta."

The relics of Kasyapa were also found in No. 2 Tope at Sánchi with the same inscription recording his mission to the Hemawanta, but omitting the patronymic.

8. No. 4 Relic-casket is similar to Nos. 2 and 3. The inscription engraved on the top of the lid is

Sapurisasa Kosikiputasa.

"(Relics) of the emancipated KoSIKIPUTRA."

Another portion of Kosiki's relics was found in No. 2 Tope at Sánchi.

9. No 5 Relic-casket is of black steatite, and is shaped somewhat like a pear. The outside is ornamented by a succession of triangles, alternately plain and crossed. The inscription occupies the plain triangles on the lower half of the casket.

Sapurisa(sa) Álabagirasa.

"(Relics) of the emancipated ÁLABAGIRA.”

Allakappo or Alawi was one of the eight cities which obtained a portion of Buddha's relics, and perhaps the name of Alabagira may have been derived from the city. Relics of Apagira were found in No. 2 Tope at Sánchi; and I suspect that the two names are the same; the letter, having been inadvertently omitted in the Sánchi inscription.

10. The erection of this Tope, which contained the relics of no less than four of the Buddhist teachers whose ashes had already been discovered in No. 2 Tope at Sánchi, must evidently be referred to the

same period, towards the end of the third century before our era, by which time all the eminent missionaries employed by Asoka for the propagation of his religion must have closed their earthly career.

OTHER TOPES AT SONÁRI.

11. The remaining Topes at Sonári are all of small dimensions.* The most perfect were Nos. 3, 5, and 8; but even these had been opened before, and on the removal of a little rubbish in No. 3, the broken chamber was discovered quite empty. Nos. 4, 6, and 7, were mere circular foundations. No. 3 has a diameter of 15 feet, with a present height of 6 feet. The bottom of the chamber is 3 feet above the ground. No. 5 is a nearly perfect little Tope. It is 14 feet 4 inches in diameter at base with a height of 9 feet. The upper diameter is 10 feet 4 inches. The terrace is 2 feet in breadth, and 1 foot in height. Its whole height could not have been more than 12 feet. No. 8 is very much ruined. It has a diameter of 12 feet, with a terrace 3 feet broad and 3 feet high.

*See Plate V.