गुप्त अभिलेख संग्रह (जे. एफ. फ्लीट - गुप्त सम्राटों एवं परवर्ती नरेशों के ऐतिहासिक पाषाण व ताम्रलेख)

PREFACE.
JUST half a century ago, in 1837, in the Jour. Beng. As. Soc. Vol. VI. p. 663, Mr.
James Prinsep, by whom the study of Indian archæology was first placed on a sound
and critical basis, indicated the necessity of systematically arranging the epigraphical
materials for the study of the ancient history of India, which were then being gradually
found to exist in considerable numbers; and also suggested the name which the collective
publication of them should bear, viz. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum.
For nearly forty years, however, owing to the manner in which the collection and
publication of these epigraphical materials was left almost entirely to private enterprise, the
scheme lay dormant; until it was revived, about ten years ago, by General Sir Alexander
Cunningham, C.S.I., K.C.I.E., who in 1870 was selected by the Government of India for the
newly-created post of Director-General of the Archæological Survey of India, and who, in
1877, brought out the first volume of this series, under the title of Corpus Inscriptionum
Indicarum, Volume I., containing the Inscriptions of Asôka.
At the same time, he announced that, in the continuation of the series, Volume II.
would contain the Inscriptions of the Indo-Scythians and of the Satraps of Saurâshṭra, and
Vol.·III. the Inscriptions of the Guptas and of other contemporary dynasties of Northern
India. And, with the special sanction of the Secretary of State for India, in 1882 I was
selected for the newly-created post of Epigraphist to the Government of India, with the
primary duty of preparing the volume that was to contain the Inscriptions of the Early
Gupta Kings. I joined that appointment on the 17th January, 1883; and held it up to
the 4th June, 1886, when it was abolished.
At first sight, the principal task that lay before me seemed neither lengthy nor labori-
ous; it being understood that the necessary materials had already been fully collected,
and merely required to be critically examined and published. And the only practical diffi-
culty that then appeared to lie in my way. was, that, as the intended volume of Indo-
Scythian inscriptions, which had been entrusted to other hands and ought, for the proper
consideration in due chronological order of all the questions concerned, to have appeared
first, had not been previously published,—and, in fact, it has not even yet been issued,—
and their dates had not been determined beyond dispute, the all-important question of the
exact historical period to which the Early Gupta dynasty must be referred, would probably
still be left undecided, save by historical and other inferences and arguments which might
at any future time be proved, by further discoveries, to be unsound and erroneous.
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