Saru Maru

The site contains a number of stupas as well as natural caves for monks. In the caves many Buddhist graffiti have been found (swastika, triratna, kalasa ...). In the main cave were found two inscriptions of Ashoka: a version of the Minor Rock Edict n°1, one of the Edicts of Ashoka, and another inscription mentioning the visit of Piyadasi (honorific name used by Ashoka in his inscriptions) as Maharahakumara (Prince).[1][2]

The commemorative inscription

Piyadasi nama/ rajakumala va/ samvasamane/ imam desam papunitha/ vihara(ya)tay(e)

"The king, who (now after consecration) is called "Piyadasi", (once) came to this place for a pleasure tour while still a (ruling) prince, living together with his unwedded consort."

— Commemorative Inscription of the visit of Ashoka, Saru Maru. Translated by Falk.[3][4]

According to the inscription, it would seem that Ashoka visited this Buddhist monastic complex while he was still a prince, and viceroy of the region of Madhya Pradesh, while his residence was to be at Vidisha.[1] In the Buddhist tradition, Ashoka's wife was called Vidishadevi.

• 
  Small stupas on the hill of Saru Maru.
• 
  An inscription of Ashoka in one of the Saru Maru caves. It is a portion of Minor Rock Edict No.1.[5]
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  View of the Minor Edicts

• ASI Saru Maru page

Edicts of Ashoka (Ruled 269–232 BCE)
Regnal years of Ashoka	Type of Edict (and location of the inscriptions)				Geographical location
Year 8	End of the Kalinga war and conversion to the "Dharma"				Bahapur Gujarra Saru Maru Udegolam Nittur Maski Siddapur Brahmagiri Jatinga Pakilgundu Rajula Mandagiri Yerragudi Sasaram Rupnath Bairat Bhabru Ahraura Barabar Taxila (Aramaic) Laghman (Aramaic) Maski Palkigundu Gavimath Jatinga/Rameshwara Rajula/Mandagiri Brahmagiri Udegolam Siddapur Nittur Ahraura Sasaram Kandahar (Greek and Aramaic) Kandahar Yerragudi Girnar Dhauli Khalsi Sopara Jaugada Shahbazgarhi Mansehra Sannati Sarnath Sanchi Lumbini Nigali Sagar Nigali Sagar Nandangarh Kosambi Topra Meerut Araraj Araraj,Rampurva Rampurva Ai Khanoum (Greek city) Pataliputra Ujjain Location of the Minor Rock Edicts (Edicts 1, 2 & 3) Other inscriptions often classified as Minor Rock Edicts. Location of the Major Rock Edicts. Location of the Minor Pillar Edicts. Original location of the Major Pillar Edicts. Capital cities
Year 10[1]	Minor Rock Edicts	Related events: Visit to the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya Construction of the Mahabodhi Temple and Diamond throne in Bodh Gaya Predication throughout India. Dissenssions in the Sangha Third Buddhist Council In Indian language: Sohgaura inscription Erection of the Pillars of Ashoka
	Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription (in Greek and Aramaic, Kandahar)
	Minor Rock Edicts in Aramaic: Laghman Inscription, Taxila inscription
Year 11 and later	Minor Rock Edicts (n°1, n°2 and n°3) (Panguraria, Maski, Palkigundu and Gavimath, Bahapur/Srinivaspuri, Bairat, Ahraura, Gujarra, Sasaram, Rajula Mandagiri, Yerragudi, Udegolam, Nittur, Brahmagiri, Siddapur, Jatinga-Rameshwara)
Year 12 and later[1]	Barabar Caves inscriptions	Major Rock Edicts
	Minor Pillar Edicts	Major Rock Edicts in Greek: Edicts n°12-13 (Kandahar) Major Rock Edicts in Indian language: Edicts No.1 ~ No.14 (in Kharoshthi script: Shahbazgarhi, Mansehra Edicts (in Brahmi script: Kalsi, Girnar, Sopara, Sannati, Yerragudi, Delhi Edicts) Major Rock Edicts 1-10, 14, Separate Edicts 1&2: (Dhauli, Jaugada)
	Schism Edict, Queen's Edict (Sarnath Sanchi Allahabad) Lumbini inscription, Nigali Sagar inscription
Year 26, 27 and later[1]	Major Pillar Edicts
	In Indian language: Major Pillar Edicts No.1 ~ No.7 (Allahabad pillar Delhi pillar Topra Kalan Rampurva Lauria Nandangarh Lauriya-Araraj Amaravati) Derived inscriptions in Aramaic, on rock: Kandahar, Edict No.7[2][3] and Pul-i-Darunteh, Edict No.5 or No.7[4]
Yailenko,Les maximes delphiques d'Aï Khanoum et la formation de la doctrine du dhamma d'Asoka, 1990, p. 243. Inscriptions of Asoka de D.C. Sircar p. 30 Handbuch der Orientalistik de Kurt A. Behrendt p. 39 Handbuch der Orientalistik de Kurt A. Behrendt p. 39

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