70 Mathura Buddha Image Inscription of the time of Kanishka
Regnal Year 14
Provenance: Mathura Mathura district Uttar Pradesh
Script: Middle brahami of the northern class exhibiting resemblance with characters of the 3rd century AD
Language: Sanskrit influenced by Prakrit
References: D-R Saini. Ep.ind- XIX, pp-96 ff, H Luders: Mathura inscriptions (K Janert) pp-116 ff,
(n- 81) sel.inss, I, pp-518T
Text
1. महाराज देवपुत्रस्य कणिकस्य स ।। वत्सरे १५ पौष
मास-दिवते १० । अस्मिं दिवसे प्रवरिक -हरिथ | स * य = अस्मिन् दिवसे प्रावारिक-हस्तिन:
2. भय़र्य = भार्या संघला भगवतो पितामहस्प = भगवत: पितामहस्य सम्य-संबुद्धस्य स्वमतस्य = सम्यक् संबुद॒स्य स्वमता विरुद्धस्य देवस्य पूजात्र्य प्रतिमं = प्रतिमा प्रतिष्ठा
3. पयति सर्व्व-दु:ख-प्रहानात्थं = गात्र्थम् ।।
हिन्दी अनुवाद
महाराज देवपुत्र कनिष्क के राज्य संवत्सर २५ पौष मास के १०वें दिन। इस दिन प्रावारिक हस्ता की धर्मपत्नी, संघिला , अपने इष्ट देव भगवान् पितामह सम्यक् संबुद्ध की पूजा के लिए प्रतिमा की प्रतिष्ठा करती है, सब दु:ख के नाश के लिए
1. Sahni and Luders read the first symbol in the date as 10.
Sircar confirms the reading as correct. Depending upon some defective Facsimile, some other scholars have proposed various other readings.
i)
Bhandarkar Inscriptions of the early Gupta Kings (CII-III, Second ed p 28)
Read the date as 84 and referred it to
Kalachuri era, corresponding to A. D. 332 which is close to Samudragupta’s accession. He concludes that the kushana rule had extended to Mathura just before the rise of the guptas, and that Devaputra Shahi
Snahanushahi of the Allahabad (Prayagraj) Pillar Inscription of
Samudragupta was none other than the contamporary Kushana king referred to in this inscription, who
should be identified with Kanishka II.
ii) Mirashi rejects his reading of the date which he reads, as 50 (+ )4 =54) which must be referred to
the Saka era of 78 A.D started by Kanishka I. 54 AD as well as Saka era of 78 AD belonged to the reign of Kanishka II, who was ruling jointly with Huvishka from 50 to 58 Saka.
(For further discussion. see V.V.
Mirashi)
Notes on D.R: Bhandarkar’s Inscriptions of the early Gupta Kings. Note I The date of the Mathurá Pedestal
Inscription of Kaņishka, pp. 48-49.
2 But ल स (looped) and ह & are of Eastern class, as in the allahabad Pillar inscription of Samudraqupta, and ष and स are of Western variety Such palaeographic vagaries
are found elsewhere too.
English Translation of the Inscription
On the day 10 of the month. Pausha, in (regnal year 14) of Maharaja Davaputra Kanishka Sanighila, the wife
of the Pravartika, Hastin instals this image for worship of her favourte deity. the bhagwat, the pitamaha (mahan
Pita the graat father) the truly and completely enlightened
one (the Buddina) or cessation of all misery.
1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind XIX facing p-97.
2. Stroke ष below is redundant
3. Pravarika a maker or dealer in Pravara. (a cloak worn by buddhist monk)
4. The Buddha is called pitamha in Ludars List No 910 and in an inscription from Kosam (Ep.Ind XXIV,. pp. 147-48).
5. The stop is indicated by a slightly curved horizontal stroke
Vima Kadphises (son of Kujula Kadphises) was the founder of Kushan dynasty.
Vima had adopted the title of ‘Lord of the Whole World’ He issued several Gold coins.
Kanishka was a powerful king of Kushan dynasty. He ruled over Afghanistan, Punjab & Kashmir regions. He had the title of Devaputra which means son of God. He was a follower of Buddhist belief. Kushana kings were honored with divine titles like Devaputra (Son of God)
The Kushan Empire was fragmented into semi-independent kingdoms in the 3rd century AD. Their western half was taken over by the Sassanid Empire while their eastern territories fell to the Gupta Empire.
Kushan rulers are recorded for a period of about three centuries, from circa AD 30 to circa 375, until the invasions of the Kidarites. They ruled around the same time as the Western Satraps, the Satavahanas, and the first Gupta Empire rulers.
The first ruler of the empire was Chandra Gupta I, who united the Guptas with the Licchavis by marriage. His son, the celebrated Samudra Gupta, expanded the empire through conquest. The most notable rulers of the dynasty were Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, and Chandragupta II, also known as Vikramaditya
Reference
http://sasnagar.co.in/aman/ancientindia/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FILE-VOLUME-I-1.pdf