Who of the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?
- George Buhler
- James Prinsep
- Max Muller
- William Jones
Explanation
Option (b) is correct
- James Prinsep was an English scholar, antiquary, and Orientalist who made significant contributions to the study of Indian history and culture while working in Bengal and Bihar between 1819-1840. Prinsep deciphered the Kharosthi and Brahmi scripts, making the Edicts of Ashoka accessible and revolutionizing the understanding of ancient Indian history.
Option (a) is incorrect
- George Buhler was a german Scholar of Ancient Indian Languages: Recommended by Orientalist Max Müller for a vacancy at Elphinstone College, Bombay. Arrived in Bombay in 1863 as a professor of Oriental Languages.
- Legal and Academic Contributions in India:
- In 1864, collaborated with Bombay High Court Registrar R. West to create a digest of Hindu Law for the Bombay Presidency, reducing dependence on pandits.
- Known for translating ancient manuscripts, including Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist texts.
- Academic Legacy in Europe:
- Helped establish the Department of Oriental Studies at the University of Vienna.
- Published translations of significant texts, including the Paiyalachchhi, the oldest Prakrit dictionary, in 1878.
- Contributed to Max Müller’s Sacred Books of the East, translating texts such as the Āpastamba Dharmasutra.
Option (c) is incorrect
- Max Müller was a German-born philologist and Orientalist renowned for his work in Sanskrit studies and contributions to the understanding of Indian religions and philosophy.
- Even though Mueller never set foot in India, his house in Oxford served as a meeting place for visiting Indian nationalists and reformers—social, political and religious.
- Swami Vivekananda met Max Müller in 1896 and held great admiration for his work. Max Müller had also written an article about Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa in the magazine Nineteenth Century.
Option (d) is incorrect
- Sir William Jones was a British philologist, jurist, and Orientalist known for his groundbreaking work in linguistics and his contributions to the study of Indian culture and languages.
- In 1784, with other orientalists, William Jones (junior judge at the Supreme Court) founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal and started a journal called Asiatick Researches.
- The Asiatic Society of Bengal was established to encourage oriental studies. Its primary task was to collect old Indian manuscripts and translate Sanskrit and Persian works into English.
- Manusmriti and Abhijnana Shakuntalam were translated into English by Sir William Jones.
- The Bhagavad Gita was translated into English by Wilkins
