Dear David, Richard Salomon, in his* Indian Epigraphy* (Oxford, 1998) has written the best introductory description of *praśasti* I have found anywhere, with several examples cited and included in his book. He mentions that the term *praśasti *often was included in the colophon of inscriptions that followed* praśasti* conventions and that the form seems to have been restricted to inscriptions, with, exceptionally, a collection of* praśasti* in one manuscript anthology. I am not an “epigraphy specialist” but had the honour of studying with Professor Salomon. Charlyn Edwards
_________________________________ Charlyn Edwards Doktorandin, Asien-Afrika-Institut Universität Hamburg Email: [email protected] On Wed, Jul 10, 2024 at 7:32 PM Buchta, David via INDOLOGY < [email protected]> wrote: > Dear colleagues, > > > > I am hoping for some guidance, likely from epigraphy specialists on this > list. > > > > We commonly understand a primary meaning of the term *praśasti *to refer > to royal panegyric, especially as occurring in inscriptions. I am trying to > understand the history of this usage of the term. MWW lists “(metrical) > eulogistic inscription” under the entry for *praśasti*, but then only > cites MacDonell’s dictionary. I am aware of the use of the term as a label > for such royal praise poems in Vidyākara’s Subhāṣitaratnakoṣa. > > > > I am wondering, however, if anyone can point me to clear attestations of > the use of *praśasti* as a term specifically identifying poems in praise > of a king, inscriptional or otherwise, prior to Vidyākara. Does the term, > for instance, occur within such poems themselves, or in colophons? Is it > found as a label in inscriptions that contain such royal praise poems? > > > > I should note that Prof Pollock kindly shared with me his article, > “Praśasti and its Congeners: A Small Note on a Big Topic,” though it does > not address the specific question I am asking here. > > > > Thanks for any leads you might have. > > > > Best, > > Dave > -- > David Buchta, PhD > Senior Lecturer in Sanskrit > Department of Classics > Brown University > > _______________________________________________ > INDOLOGY mailing list > [email protected] > https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology >
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