Dictionary of Sinhala Epigraphical Words

Description

PREFACE
It may recall that the present editor had in the year 2004 edited and published a Dictionary of the Sinhala Epigraphical words in the Sinhala language for the Department of Archaeological Survey of Ceylon and that was for the benefit of the students of History and Archaeology and of Oriental studies. I am happy to note that most of those students, as well as the general reading public, have well-received this book. The appreciation of this work by them and a request made by Dr. Senarat Dissanayaka, the present Director General of Archaeology, for an updated English version of that work for the benefit of the English reading public encouraged me to bring out this publication.
The work in its present form includes information obtained from several newly published works on epigraphy, such as the Inscriptions of Ceylon Volume V, Part III, the Inscriptions of Ceylon Volume VI, and the Sinhala Inscriptions in the Colombo National Museum.
As regards the interpretation of the words included in this work, I have adopted mostly those that are given by Professor Senarat Paranavitana. However, it was found that the interpretations given by him to a good number of words, such as de-bisevä-dā, ektänsamiyen, jinapati-satariya-kama, Mala-mandulu, sabhā, vaharala cidavi, vändä-vadāļa, are faulty and untenable. The readers are referred to the relevant words in this work for our interpretations,
In conclusion, I would like to thank Dr. Senarat Dissanayaka, the present Director General of Archaeology for kindly inviting me to undertake the publication of this work, and Mr. M. B. Heart, Director (General Service) for providing me with printing facilities of the book and Mrs. Leena Damayanti Hettiarachchi for providing me with printouts of the book.
 
Sirimal Ranawella