(A) 1 [Devā] ……… [s]i rājā evaṃ āha
(B) atikrāt[a]ṃ aṃtara[ṃ] 2 na bhuta-pru[v] . [s] . [v] ... [l] . atha-kaṃme va paṭivedanā vā
(C) ta mayā evaṃ kataṃ
(D) 3 s[a]ve kāle bhuṃj[a]mānasa me orodhanamhi gabhāgāramhi vacamhi va 4 vinītamhi ca uyānesu ca savatra paṭivedakā sṭitā athe me [ja]nasa 5 paṭivedetha iti
(E) sarvatra ca janasa athe karomi
(F) ya ca kiṃci mukhato 6 āñapayāmi svayaṃ dāpakaṃ vā srāvāpakaṃ vā ya vā puna mahāmātresu
7 ācāyi[ke] aropitam bhavati tāya athāya vivādo nijhatī v[a s]aṃto parisāyaṃ 8 ānaṃtaraṃ paṭ[i]vedeta[v]yaṃ me sa[r]vatra sarve kāle
(G) evaṃ maya āñapitaṃ
(H) nāsti hi me to[s]o 9 usṭānamhi atha-saṃtīraṇāya va
(I) katavya-mate hi me sa[rva]-loka-hitaṃ
(J) 10 tasa ca puna esa mūle usṭanaṁ ca atha-saṃtīraṇā ca
(K) nāsti hi kaṃmataraṃ 11 sarva-loka-hitatpa
(L) ya ca kiṃci parākramāmi ahaṃ kiṃti bhūtānaṃ anaṃṇaṃ gacheyaṃ 12 idha ca nāni sukhāpayāmi paratrā ca svagaṃ ārādhayaṃtu ta
(M) etāya athāya 13 ayaṃ dha[ṃ]ma-lipī lekhāpitā kiṃti ciraṁ tisṭeya iti tathā ca me putrā potā ca prapotrā ca 14 anuvataraṃ sava-loka-hitāya
(N) dukaraṃ [t]u idaṃ añatra agena parakramena
(A) King Devānāṁpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(B) In times past neither the disposal of affairs nor the submission of reports at any time did exist before.
(C) But I have made the following (arrangement).
(D) Reporters are posted everywhere, (with instructions) to report to me the affairs of the people at any time, while I am eating, in the harem, in the inner apartment, even at the cowpen, in the palanquin, and in the parks.
(E) And everywhere I am disposing of the affairs of the people.
(F) And if in the council (of Mahāmātras) a dispute arises, or an amendment is moved, in connexion with any donation or proclamation which I myself am ordering verbally, or (in connexion with) an emergent matter which has been delegated to the Mahāmātras, it must be reported to me immediately, anywhere, (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) But the root of that (is) 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 caused to be written, (viz.) that it may last long, and that my sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons may conform to this for the welfare of all men.
(N) But it is difficult to accomplish this without great zeal.
