brahmi script and magadhi prakrit.

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The Jogimara cave has a five line inscription was etched in Brahmi script and Magadhi Prakrit language (a language older than Pali, and related to Bhojpuri and Maithili of Bihar). The inscription is found on the southern side after the entrance to the cave, below the painted murals on the ceiling. This inscription is partly lost and letters of some words are eroded. To translate it, the words must be completed with sensible interpolations. Two possible translations are:

Translation 1

Line1 Sutunaka by name

Line2 a Devadasi 

Line3 Sutanaka by name a Devadasi

Line4 An excellent among young man loved her,

Line5 Devadinna by name, skilled in sculpture (...)

— – Translated by T. Bloch

Translation 2

Line1 Sutunaka by name

Line2 a Devadasi 

Line3 Sutanaka by name a Devadasi

Line4 made this resting place for girls

Line5 [with] Devadinna by name, skilled in painting (...)

— – Translated by T. Bloch

A third translation is similar to the first one, with the exception that it revises one word in the fourth line. Instead of "An excellent among", this leads to "A young man from Varanasi loved her". It is this third translation that has led some scholars to the theory that Ramgarh hills were an ancient resting spot for travelers, because the artist came from the ancient Hindu city of Varanasi.

#jogimaracave #WorldsOldestLoveInscription 

Courtesy: Wikipedia