Sakas of Western India.

Inscription number 146.

 Gondal Fragmentary Stone Slab Inscription of the Time of Rudrasena 3
(- Saka year – 272)
(348-49 A.D)
Provenance: Gondal., 32 km from Rajkot, Kathiawar, Surashtra
Script: Brahmi similar to the script of the inscriptions of the Sakas of Western India.
Language: Sanskrit and Prakrit mixed.
References: D. C. Sircar Ep.Ind. XXXV. pp-191-92.
1. His coins, issued as Mahakshatrapa
Saka 270 (348-49A.D.) and Saka 300 (378-79 A.D) with break of about 13 years from saka 274 to 285
(ie352 co 363 A D) It is surmised that he was defeated and made a vassal by Samudragupta (340-76 A.D.).
Towards the end of the latter’s reign, he seems to have reasserted his independence. This Inscription is the
only epigraphical record known of the time of Rudrasena-3.
2. From the Facsimile in EP.Ind. XXXV
3. Sircar thinks, there is a mutilated siddham symbol in the
beginning of line 1. I am unable to detect it.
4. This phrase was very popular in Buddhist epigraphs.

Text

1. र [ T] झो मह [ T] क्षत्रप [ स्य रूद्रसे ] नस्य वर्षे द्वि-सव तर [ धिके द्वि ] –
2. शतमे 200 + 70+2) अ [T] भीर[ कसि ] बल सिंह सेन पू = पु त्रस्य न्दकेन
3. सर्व-सत्व तत्व हित-सुखा त्थ वेदी प्रति ष्ठावित फल्णु न शुधे द्वि ति ये दिवसे
दन-सिन-पू-स्य
[ ] वेदा [ x ] 

संस्कृत छाया

राझो महाक्षत्रपस्य रुद्रसेनस्य वर्षे द्विन्सप्तति-अधिके द्रि-
शततमे आभीर- कृषीवल सिंहतेन पुत्रस्य [न्दकेन * j सत्त्त्व
हित-सुखाये ! वेदी प्रतिष्ठापिता फाल्गुन शुद्दे द्वितीये [ दिवसे]

हिन्दी अनुवाद
राजा महाक्षत्रप रुद्रसेन के राज्यकाल में दो सौ बहतरवें 272 वर्ष , फाल्गुन शुद्धि 2 को आभीर कृषीवल खेतीहर सिंह सेन के पुत्र स्य नन्दक ने सब प्राणियों के हित-सुख यह वेदी स्थापित की

English Translation of the inscription

In the year two hundred and seventy two (in the reign) of king Mahakshatrapa Rudrasena on the second day of the bright half of (the month of Phalguna (this platform
was established by Syandaka (?) the son of the Abhira farmer,
Simhasena for the welfare and happiness of all beings.
Inscription number 147.
Inscription on the silver Coins of Radasimha 3, Saka Year 310 (= 388 A.D-)
References: Rapson B.M.C. pp-102,
Number. 907.
First side: Imitation of inscription in Greek characters, date in Brahmi words and numerals behind the head. वर्ष (300+10)

Second Side Symbol of three arches a waved line beneath,
crescent to left, star to r, border of dots,
Inscription along tne bordier in Brahmi:-

राज्ञ महाक्षत्रपस्य स्वा [ मि ] – [ सत्य ] [ सह ] -पुत्रस राज्ञ [ महा ] क्षत्रपस्य स्व [ मि ] रुद्रसहस (11)
संस्कृत छाया =
राज्ञ: महाक्षत्रपस्य स्वामि-सत्यसिंहस्य पुत्रस्य राज्ञः महाक्षत्रपस्य स्वामि- रुद्रसिंहस्य ।।
हिन्दा अनुवाद
राजा महाक्षत्रप स्वामी सत्यसिंह के पुत्र, राजा महाक्षत्रप स्वामी रुद्रसिंह का सिक्का

English Translation of the inscription
Coin of king Mahakshatrapa Lord Rudrasimha son of King Mahakshatrapa Lord Rudrasimha.
Footnote
The last figure read as zero here is, in fact uncertain.
The date therefore can be any between 310 to 319 (i.e. 388 to 397 A.D) The Udayagiri Inscription of Virasena Saba, dated in C.E.82, (402 A D).. refers
to Chandragupta-2, Vikremaditya ‘s expedition to western India for the purpose of conquering the whole earth.
After the conquest of Malwa and Kathiavar, Chandraqupta 2,
issued silver coins closely copied from the silver issues of the Westen Kshatapas. On the obvious, these bear the king’s head with imitation Greek Inscription with date.
On the reverse. they have the Garuda emblem in place of three arches.
The earliest dates on these coins is
G. E. 90 or 90+x = A.D. 409 or a date between 409 and 414. the last being the date of commencement of
Kumargupta ‘s reign.
Sm ith takes 395 A. D. as the mean
date for the completion of the conquest of western India by Chandragupta 2. See Allan., B.M.C. pp.xxxviii f.
2. From Rapson, B.M.C. Plate XVII.
Inscription number 148
Agiabir Fragmentary Stone Slab Inscription of Maharaja Rudramasari
Provenance: Agiabir, Mirzapur district. Uttar Pradesh.
Script: Middle Brahmi of North India of the third or fourth century A D.
Language: Sanskrit Prakrít mixed.
References: D. C. Sircar Ep-Ind. XXIV, pp 244-45.
Footnote
1. The honorific Sri, is usually used
before the name, but instances are forthcoming, Where it is added after the name as in Hathigumpha Inscription, where the name of the king is written both ways as Sri Kharavela and as Kharavelasri. Hence name of the king here may be Rudradama or Rudradaman.. The name of
the King, as also, the style of dating suggests, some connection with western saka Kshtrapas, two of whom are
named as Rudradaman (ruling 130-50 AD) and as many as three bore the name as Damajadasri.. D.C. Sircar ventures a suggestion that Rudramasari may be identical with the son of saka king Rudrasena-3,
(348-78 A.D) (the son of Rudradaman-2), whom he identified earlier. (Proc. I,HC Madras, 1944, pp-78 ff.)
with the Aryavarta ruler Rudradeva, whom Samudragupta claims,in his Allahabad Prasasti, to have destroyed along with eleven other rulers. But it is difficult to place a Saka Kshatrapa in Mirzapur region about this time.
2. From the facismile in Ep.Ind XXXIV, pp244-45

वेति Can also be read as खति.The Preceding word may be देवकुलिको

Thus वेति may be the first Part of
the name of Devakulika or the Superintending Priest of
the temple.

Text

1. [ सि * ] द्धम (I) महाराज [ स्य भ- ट [ तु ] ड.रुद्रदामश्रि [यः] संवत्सरे ——
(!)
2. [ ए ] ताय (यां) पु वीया सु गमस्य जड़ड —-
3. मस्य [ कु] लिको वेति
हिन्दी अनुवाद
सिद्ध हुआ उच्च के शूरवीर महाराज श्री रुद्ररामा के वर्ष —- में ! इस पूर्वोक्त तिथि में सुगम का स्थापित किया । देवता प्रसन्न होवे । 

English Translation of the inscription
Success In the year of Maharaja Sri Rudradaman, the lofty warrior. On this afore-said date —- was established. Let the God (or Gods) be pleased.