Inscription Number 68
Sui vihar copper Plate Inscription of Kanishka 1, Year 11 ( A D 89).
68.
Provenance: sui vihar, a ruined stupa near Bhawalpur, Pakistan.
Now in the Asiatic Society. Calcutta.
Script Kharoshthi
Language: Sanskrit influenced by Prakrit
References: Dowson J. R.A.S. (NC) iv. 1869, Pp-477 ff, v. 1870. p1967, E.C. Bayley, J.A.S.B XXXIX, Pt-I,
1870. Pp-65: Hoernle. I.A, X, Pp-324 FF,
Bhagwanlal Indraji. I A, Pp-124f,
N.G Majumdar, Dr Ashutosh Silver Jublee Volume III, I (1922). pp 459 ff.
RD Banerji I.A XXXVIII, 1908, Pp. 47, 55 J.R.A.S- 1920, Pp-203, 206:
Sten Konow Ep.Ind XIV, Pp 136, C.I.I,
II, i, Pp 141, No. LXXIV;
D.C. Sircar. Sel. Inss, I,
Pp- 139-40, S.S. Rana, Bharatiya Abhilekha, Pp.80-81.
TEXT
1. महरजस्य रजितरजस्य देवपुत्रस्य कणिष्कस्य संव त सरे एकादशे सं ११ देसिंकस्य मसस दिवसे अठ विशे दि 2८
2. आत्र पिवसे भीक्षुस्य नगदतस्य धर्म कथिस्य अचय दमत्रतस्य शिष्यस्य अचर्य भवे प्रशिष्यस्य यठिं अरोपयत इह दमने
3. विहरस्वमिणि उपसिक ( ब ) लनंदि (-कु ) टिबिनि बलजय-मत च इमं यठि प्रतिठनं ठप [ इ । चं अनु परिवरं ददरिं सव -सत्वनं
4. हित-सुजय भवतु (1)
संस्कृत छाया
महरजस्य रजितरजस्य देवपुत्रस्य कणिष्कस्य संवत्सरे एकादशे सं ११ देसिंकस्य इति नामधेयस्य यवनानां मासस्य दिवसे अष्टाविंश दि 2८ – अत्र दिवसे भिक्षो : नागदत्तत्य धर्म -कथा -वाचकस्य यदा र्धमोपदेशकस्य आचार्य-दमत्रात-शिष्यस्य आचार्य- दमत्रात शिष्यस्य आचार्य भवे
प्रशिष्यस्य यष्टिम् आरोपयत: यष्टेर् आरोपणानन्तरम् इह दमने विहारस्वामिनी उपासिका बलनन्दि-कुटुम्बिनी भार्या बलजय-माता च इदं यष्टि-प्रतिष्ठानं स्थापयित्वा तद अनु परिवारं प्राकारं ददाति । सर्व-सत्त्वानां हित-सुजाय भवतु ।।
Footnote
1.
From Facsimile in C.I.I, II, i, Pp.140 PLate XXVI, 1.
1. The month Daisios of the Greek calender. corresponding roughly to Jyeshtha-Ashadha of the Indian year.
2. Read दिवसे In fact anusvara-like bend below many letters here does not represent a nasal, but is just
a stylish projection.
3. Konow. C.I.I. II, Pp141: 10+4+4 and is translated as “eighteenth day. d. 18”. It is evidently a case of oversight. The writing is clear.
4. Read अत्र Conjoining of य with the preceding vowel अ is odd. and may be a lapse on the part of the scribe.
The word was variously read as अत्रे, अन्त्र, व्यत्र and उत
See C.I.I, II, i, Pp.139.
5. Read दिवसे
6. र्म is carelessly engraved. It looks like
7. Demana appears to have been the then current name of
Sui-Vihar, corrupted from Suchi-viharaa, The significance of a small horizontal stroke below. म is not clear
English Translation of the inscription
(During the reign of the Maharaja Rajatiraja Devaputra Kanishka, in the eleventh year, anno 11, on the
eighteenth day, d. 18, of the month Daisios, on this day,
when the Friar Nagedatta, the preacher of the law, the disciple of the teacher Dematrata, the desciple’s disciple,
of the teacher Bhave, raised the staff here in Damana, the
lay votary, viharasvamini (by name)who is the wife of Belanandi and mother of Balajaya, after this establishment
of the staff, gives the enclosure.May it be conductive to welfare and happiness for all beings.
(In this inscription the king is being identified as Maharaja rajadhiraja Devaputra Kaisara Kanishka (“Great King, King of Kings, Son of God, Kanishka, A Kushan ruler, who started following Buddhism belief.
.
1. Macedonian month Daisios
2. Hoenle
According to him, e stroke above v
is only a flaw in the plate. But the amendation is unwarranted The name of the acharya may actually have
been Bhave
3. Appears to be the name of the donor, who claims to be a mere upasika and could not possibly be the Mistress of
the Vihara.
Because of defective construction of the sentence the translation cannot be free from doubt.
Reference
http://sasnagar.co.in/aman/ancientindia/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FILE-VOLUME-I-1.pdf