Skanda Gupta was the eighth king of Gupta dynasty ruled from 3rd to fifth century in ancient India. Their capital was Pataliputra which is currently the capital of Bihar in Patna
Skandagupta carried the title of Vikramaditya, which was to showcase his ability to rule the world, consequent to defeating Pushyamitras.
Similarly, with his every accomplishment, he was honored with other titles like Parambhattaraka, Paramdevta, Maharajadhiraj, Kramaditya, etc. In Kahaum inscription he is also called KsitipaSatapatih (or lord of a hundred kings)
Skandagupta protected India from many foreign invasions and there he was also honored as the saviour of bharat. (Bharat Rakshak)
Inscription Number 28.
Supia Stone Pillar Inscription of the time of Skandagupta— Gupta Year 141 ( = 460 A. D.)
Provenance: Supia, old Rewa Stata, in M. P.
Script: Late Northern Brahmi.
Language: Sanskrit
References DC. sircar, Ep. Ind. XXXIII, pp. 306 ff.
Sel. Inss, pp. 317-18.
Footnote 1
1. From the Facsimile in Ep.Ind. XXXIII, facing pp.307. Also Sircar. Sel.Inss, Pl XLVII. Incomplete royal titles are frequently used in private records, because of carelessness or ignorance Chandragupta 2 and Kumara-gupta 1,
are refered to have by their titles e.g.
Vikramaditya and Mahendraditya respectively.
2. Read गुप्तस्तस्य
Sircar reads राज्य But stroke is clear above ज्य
3. (रिशो) L1. 16-17 should have been engraved after this.
4. Possibly Supia itself or Some other village nearby
5. Sircar श्चेति
English Translation of the inscription
English Translation
Ll.1-9 There was Sri Ghatotkacha.
In his continuing lineage
there was the Maharaja Sri Samudragupta. His son was,
(Chandragupta 1) Vikramaditya. His son was the Maharaja Sri (Kumara gupta) Mahendraditya. His son is
Maharaja Sri Skandagupta, who is equal to a Chakravartin in prowess and valour, equal to Rama (Son of Dashrath.
in righteousness, like Yudhishthira in truthfulness, good conduct and modesty (During his reign) in the
(Gupta) year one hundred and fortyone.
L1.16-17: On the Second day of the bright fortnight of the (Lunar month Jyeshtha.
Ll.10-12 There was a husbandsman, Sridatta, who was the
grandson of the banker (Sreshthin) Kaivarti, the resident of Avadara and Son of Harisreshthin.
His brother is Varga, and his brother was Chhandaka.
L9 and 13-15. On this afore-mentioned day or increasing his own religious merit. this strong pillar, as a family
(memorial) stone increasing nis glory and fame has been set up by the village headman varga.
Footnote
1. बल यष्टि ( A strong pillar). यष्टि = A pillar particularly
the one raised in memory of one’s dead relatives (see J.R.A.S.B Letters, Vol. XV, pp.6 above . BkII, Nos.41, 63-66).
The present यष्टि was a गोत्र शैलिका
ग्रामिक
Family pillar. raised by the headman Varga of the village Avadara, in memory of several deseased members
of his family, who are probably the same as are enumerated
in 11.11-12, namely his grandfather Kaivarti-sareshthin,
his father Hari-sreshthin, his elder brother Sridatta and his younger brother Chhandaka.
2. Twelve ancient imperial rulers of Indian tradition, beginning with Bharata, are specially called Chakravartin.
Cf. Monier Williams, Sanskrit English Dictionary.
Inscription number 29
Indore Copper-plate Inscription of Skandagupta, Gupta Year 146, (466 A.D.)
Provenanae: Indore, near Dibhai, Bulandshahar district, U.P,
Script: Late Northern Brahmi.
Language: Sanskrit.
References Cunningham and Rajindra Lal Mitra, J,A,S,B,,
XLIII, III, pp. 363 ff, J. F. Fleet, C.I.I, III, No- 16. pp68 f, Kielhorn. Ind.Ant. XVIII, pp. 219; D.C. Sircar. sel.Inss., pp. 318-20, Bhandadar’s List No. 1279 (For other references).
Metres: v.1 शार्दूलविक्रीडित v2 इन्द्रवज्रा
Footnote 1
1. Read स्तुम
with वर्य understood
2. Fleet: ग्गति (म् )
3. अंतर्वेदी = Traditionally the country between the rivers, Ganga and Yamuna and between Prayag and Hardar. Bulandshahr district, in which this record is found is located
within this area.
4. Better read वृदयां वत्र्तमान
5. Fleet चन्द्रापुरक
Indrapura is Indor the find-spot of the record. The name is spelt इन्द्रापुर in 11.5 and 6,
but as इन्द्रपुर
in 1l. 7 and 8. The whole phrase is
translated by D.C. Sircar as Brahmana Devavishnu, who is the son of Deva and belongs to the community of the
Chatuvedins of the locality called Padma in the town called Indrapura.
6. I have taken सामान्य
in the sense of मान्य The usually
accepted sense is common which does not suit the context.
Fleet translates it as ‘community’ which is arbitrary.
Footnote 2
1. Note the adoption by the two Kshatriyas, the profession of
Banias, There was no bar it seems, to the adoption of other than traditional vocations.
2 Read भृकुन्ठसिंहा
3. i.e attached to the locality named as Madasyata in the town of Indrapura. अधिश्ठान = settlement township
4. मूल्य = endowment of which the interest or income was to be utilised (for the maintenance of a lamp for the
Sun-god)
5. A full stop may have been intended instead of Visarga. Elsewhere in the plate similar double strokes are used for visarga.
6. The guild (श्रेणी) (it whose President or Leader was Jayanta.
7. perpetual.
8. Better read, दत्तं अनया दतं दानं = a gift
English Translation of the inscription
L1. Success!
Ll.1-3 May that Sun the store-house of rays that pierce the
envelope (of darkness) covering the earth, Protect you,
whom (we) the Bramanas of enlightened minds duly praise,
in concentrated meditations, whose limit (even) gods and demons, could not know neither in vertical nor
in transverse ror oblique direction — (and by having recourse to whom, mankind, beset by the paroxysms of
many diseases regain consciousness.
LL.3-5 In the augmenting victorious sign of the Parama
bhattaraka Maharajadhiraja Sri Skandagupta in the year
one hundred and fortysix, during the month of Phalguna and during the augmentimb enjoyment (i.e rule) in (the
Land.of) Antrvedi of the district governor, sarvanaga,
who has been accepted with favor at his feet I e by his Majesty Sakandagupta)
Ll 5-8 The respectable brahmana Devavishnu, who belongs to
the community of chaturvedins,of the locality called Padma in town called Indra, who is the son
of Deva (and) the Grandson of harirata, the great grandson of Dudika, who is ever engaged in chanting sacred
hymns and in perfoming fire sacrifice who belongs to the Ranayaniya (Sakhs of the Samavada) (and) who is of
varshagana gotra, for the increase of his own fame, gives an endowment (of which the interest is) to be
utilised for the maintenance, of a lamp for the divine Sun, Who has been established (in a temple) by the
Kshatriyas, Achalavaran and Bhrukunthasimha, merchants
of the town of Indrapura, on the eastern side of the settlement and attached to ( the locality named)
Madasyata in the town of Indrapura.
L1.8-10 This gift of the Brahmana’s endowment for (the temple
the Sun is the perpetual property of the guild ofoilmen of which Jivanta is the head (pravan), residing
at the town of Indrapura, as long as it continues in complete unity ( in moving away from this settlement
and returning to it.
But there should be given daily
by this guild for the same time as the moon and the sun endure two palas of oil by weight (or figures)
Uninterrupted in use (and) continuing without any diminution from the original value
Ll 11-11 Whoever shall transgress this grant that has been assigned, that man (becoming as guilty as) the slayer
of a cow (or the slayer of a spiritual preceptor) or the slayer of a Brahmana, shall shall go down (into hell)
Invested with (the guilt of) those (well-known) five (great)
sins together with the minor sins.