(A) C.–West face of śāhbāzgaṛhi rock.
1 [aṭha]-vaśa-a[bhis]ita[sa Devana]pri[a]sa Pri[a]draśisa ra[ño] Ka[liga] vi[j]ita
(B) diaḍha-mat[r]e praṇa-sata-[saha]sre y[e] tato apavuḍhe śata-sahasra-matre tatra hate bahu-tavata[ke va] m[uṭe]
(C) 2 tato [pa]ca a[dhu]na ladh[e]śu [Kaligeśu tivre dhrama-śilana] dhra[ma-ka]mata dhramanuśasti ca Devanapriyasa
(D) so [a]sti anusocana Devanap[ria]sa vijiniti Kaliga[ni]
(E) 3 avijitaṃ [hi vi]jinamano yo tat[r]a vadha va maraṇam vā apavaho va janasa taṃ baḍhaṃ v[e]dani[ya]-ma[taṃ] guru-mata[ṃ] ca Devanaṃpriyasa
(F) idaṃ pi cu [tato] guru-matataraṃ [Devanaṃ]priyasa
(G) ye tatra 4 vasati bramaṇa va śrama[ṇa] va a[ṃ]ñe va praśaṃḍa gra[ha]tha va yesu vihita eśa agrabhuṭi-suśruśa mata-pituśu suśruśa guruna suśruśa mitrasaṃstuta-sahaya-5ñatikeśu dasa-bhaṭakanaṃ samma-pratipa[ti] driḍha-bhatita teś tatra bhoti [a]pag[r]atho va vadho va abhiratana va nikramaṇaṃ
(H) yeśa va pi suvihitanaṃ [si]ho aviprahino [e te]śa mitra-saṃstuta-sahaya-ñatika vasana 6 prapuṇati [ta]tra taṃ pi teśa vo apaghratho bhoti
(I) pratibhagaṃ ca [e]taṃ savra-manusanaṃ 20 guru-mataṃ ca Devānāṃpriya[sa]
(J) nasti ca ekatare pi praśaḍaspi na nama prasado
(K) so yamatro [ja]no tada Kalige [ha]to cā muṭ[o] ca apav[uḍha] ca tato 7 śata-bhage va sahasra-bhagaṃ va [a]ja guru-mataṃ v[o] Devanaṃpriyasa
(L) yo pi ca apakareyati kśamitaviya-mate va Devanaṃp[r]iyasa yaṃ śako kśamanaye
(M) ya pi ca aṭavi Devanaṃpriyasa vijite bhoti ta pi anuneti anunijapeti
(N) anutape pi ca prabhave 8 Devanaṃpriyasa vucati teśa kiti avatrapeyu na ca [ha]ṃñeyasu
(O) iccati hi D[e]vanaṃpriyo savra-bhutana akśati sa[ṃ]yamaṃ sama[ca]riyaṃ rabhasiye
(P) ayi ca mukha-mut[a] vijaye] Devanaṃpriya[sa] yo dhrama-vijayo
(Q) so ca puna ladho Devanaṃpriyasa iha ca saveśu ca aṃteśu 9 [a]śaśu pi yojana-śa[t]eśu yatra Aṃtiyoko nāma Y[o]na-raja paraṃ ca tena Atiyok[e]na cature 4 rajani Turamaye nama Aṃtikini nama Maka nama Alikasudaro nama nica Coḍa-Paṃḍa ava Ta[ṃ]bapaṃ[ṇ]ya
(R) [e]vameva [hi]da raja-viśavaspi Yona-Ka[ṃ]boyeśu Nabhaka-Nabhitina 10 Bhoja-Pitinikeśu Aṃdhra-Palideśu savatra Devanaṃpriyasa dhramanuśasti anuvataṃti
(S) yatra pi Devanaṃpriyasa duta na vracaṃti te pi śrutu Devanaṃpriyasa dhrama-vuṭaṃ vidh[a]naṃ dhramanuśasti dhramaṃ [a]nuvidhiyaṃti anuvidhiyisaṃ[ti] ca
(T) yo [sa] ladhe etakena bho[ti] savatra vijayo sava[tra] pu[na] 11 vijayo priti-raso so
(U) ladha bh[oti] priti dhrama-vijayaspi
(V) lahuka tu kho sa priti
(W) paratri[ka]meva maha-phala meñati Devana[ṃ]Priyo
(X) etaye ca aṭhaye ayi dhrama-dipi nipi[sta) kiti putra papotra me asu navaṃ vijayaṃ ma vijetav[i]a mañiśu spa[kaspi] yo vijay[e kśaṃ]ti ca lahu-da[ṃ]ḍata ca rocetu taṃ ca yo vija maña[tu] 12 yo dhrama-vijayo
(Y) so hidalokiko paralokiko
(Z) sava-cati-rati bhotu ya [dh]raṃma-rati
(AA) sa hi hidalokika paralokika
(A) When king Devānāṁpriya Priyadarśin had been anointed eight years, (the country of) the Kaliṅgas was conquered by (him).
(B) One hundred and fifty thousand in number were the men who were deported thence, one hundred thousand in number were those who were slain there, and many times as many those who died.
(C) After that, now that (the country of) the Kaliṅgas has been taken, Devānāṁpriya (is devoted) to a zealous study of rnorality, to the love of mora1ity, and to the instruction (of people) in morality.
(D) This is the repentance of Devānāṁpriya on account of his conquest of (the country of) the Kaliṅgas.
(E) For, this is considered very painful and deplorable by Devānāmṁpriya, that, while one is conquering an unconquered (country), slaughter, death, and deportation of people (are taking place) there.
(F) But the following is considered even more deplorable than this by Devānāṁpriya.
(G) (To) the Brāhmaṇas or Śramaṇas, or other sects or householders, who are living there, (and) among whom the following are practised: obedience to those who receive high pay, obedience to mother and father, obedience to elders, proper courtesy to friends, acquaintances, companions, and relatives, to slaves and servants, (and) firm devotion,-to these then happen injury | or slaughter or deportation of (their) beloved ones.
(H) Or, if there are then incurring misfortune the friends, acquaintances, companions, and relatives of those whose affection (for the latter) is undiminished, although they are (themselves) well provided for, this (misfortune) as well becomes an injury to those (persons) themselves.
(I) This is shared by all men and is considered deplorable by Devānāṁpriya.
(J) And there is no (place where men) are not indeed attached to some sect.
(K) Therefore even the hundredth part of the thousandth part of all those people who were slain, who died, and .who were deported at that time in Kaliṅga, (would) now be considered very deplorable by Devānāṁpriya.
(L) And Devānāṁpriya thinks that even (to one) who should wrong (him), what can be forgiven is to be forgiven.
(M) And even (the inhabitants of}) the forests which are (included) in the dominions of Devānāṁpriya, even those he pacifies (and) converts.
(N) And they are told of the power (to punish them) which Devānāṁpriya (possesses) in spite of (his) repentance, in order that they may be ashamed (of their crimes) and may not be killed.
(O) For Devānāṁpriya desires towards all beings abstention from hurting, self-control, (and) impartiality in (case of) violence.
(P) And this conquest is considered the principal one by Devānāṁpriya, viz. the conquest by morality.
(Q) And this (conquest) has been won repeatedly by Devānaṁpriya both here and among all (his) borderers, even as far as at (the distance of) six hundred yojanas, where the Yona king named Antiyoka (is ruling), and beyond this Antiyoka, (where) four–4–kings (are ruling), (viz. the king) named Turamaya, (the king) named Antikini, (the king) named Maka, (and the king) named Alikasudara, (and) towards the south, (where) the Choḍas and Pāṇḍyas (are ruling), as far as Tāmraparṇi.
(R) Likewise here in the king's territory, among the Yonas and Kamboyas, among the Nabhakas and Nabhitis, among the Bhojas and Pitinikas, among the Andhras and Palidas,–everywhere (people) are conforming to Devānāṁpriya’s instruction in morality.
(S) Even those to whom the envoys of Devānāṁpriya do not go, having heard of the duties of morality, the ordinances, (and) the instruction in morality of Devānāṁpriya, are conforming to morality and will conform to (it).
(T) This conquest, which has been won by this everywhere,-a conquest (won) everywhere (and) repeatedly,-causes the feeling of satisfaction.
(U) Satisfaction has been obtained (by me) at the conquest by morality.
(V) But this satisfaction is indeed of little (consequence).
(W) Devānāṁpriya thinks that only the fruits in the other (world) are of great (value).
(X) And for the following purpose has this rescript on morality been written, (viz.) in order that the sons (and) great-grandsons (who) may be (born) to me, should not think that a fresh conquest ought to be made, (that), if a conquest does please them, they should take pleasure in mercy and light punishments, and (that) they should regard the conquest by morality as the only (true) conquest.
(Y) This (conquest bears fruit) in this world (and) in the other world.
(Z) And let there be (to them) pleasure in the abandonment of all (other aims), which is pleasure in morality.
(AA) For this (bears fruit) in this world (and) in the other world.
