bhṛita, should be taken here to mean 'hired servant,' as in the Arthaśâtra. Ayeshu=âryeshu, 'masters,' the inserted m being euphonic (Franke). Other less convincing interpretations have been offered. Bhaya (bhg-ita) sometimes means ‘soldier.’
'Rich,' ibhyeshu. Anatheshu = anâthesu, 'helpless' (Michelson). Cf. the name Anâthapiṇḍka, 'feeder of the poor,' nearly equivalent to the Hindostâinî gharîb-parwar.
The next clause is the most difficult in the edict. Jayaswāl (J. B. 0. Res. Soc., iv. 144-6) rightly explains the technical terms as referring to the Censors’ power of modifying the sentences of convicts on the specific grounds authorized by the law-books. Badha (vadha) seems to mean 'execution with torture'. The Arthaśâstra distinguishes instantaneous death as suddha vudhah. Ambandha certainly means the crimiual's 'motive' or 'intention,' as in Manu, viii. 126, compared with ibid., vii. 16, and other legal texts. Paja (and variants) apparently means 'having children.' Apalibodhaye here may be interpreted as 'reduction of penalty.' The word occurs above in the sense of 'freeing from worldly cares.' but in that case the G. text has the preferable reading aparigodhâya, 'freeing from greed,' which probably represents the original draft. The two forms are fully discussed by F. W. Thomas in J.R.A.S., 1915, pp. 99-106. Karṭabhikara is, I think, correctly interpreted by Jayaswal (loc. cit.) as meaning 'acting under instigation.' The word abhikâra occurs early in this edict in the sense of 'anthor.' 'Female establishments,' orodhaneshu, is better than Bühler's 'harem.' Although the seclusion of females was not unknown in ancient India (Arthaśâstra, Bk. ii, chap. 23), it was not the rule apparently. See R. E. XII for the special mahâmâtras or Censors of Women, whose exact functions are not known. The word 'Here' in this passage evidently means 'the capital,' as the G. reading shows. In other edicts it has to be interpreted differently. The mention of Asoka's 'brothers and sisters' proves the baselessness of the legends accusing him of the slaughter of his brothers. 'In my dominions.' Dh. has the variant 'in the whole earth.'
Although this difficult document is now fairly intelligible as a whole, some details of the interpretation may be regarded as still doubtful.
