Kanakhera (Sanchi) stone Inscription of Sridharavarman:-
Inscription number 145.
Western sataraps had captured & settled in the Sanchi-Vidisha region after defeating the Satavahanas, during the rule of Rudrasena-2, (255-278 A.D)
A well was constructed by the Saka chief and (dharmaviyagi mahadandanayaka) Sridharavarman, in this region & there’s a mention of the construction work, which was carried out by the Saka chief, in this Inscription.
— Regnal year 13, Saka year 201 (7) (=279 A. D)
Provenance: Kanakhera, near Sanchi, Raison, district, Madhya Pradesh. (now in Sanchi Museum)
Script; Brahmi, South-western variety of 3rd and 4th centuries A.D.
Language: Sanskrit influenced by Prakrit.
Metres: V.I
refasttsa
References: R D. Banerji, EP.Ind, XVI, pp230 ff, N. G. Majumdar, J.A.S.B., New Series’, XIX 1923, pp.337 ff,. Monuments of sanchi, Vol.I, pp.392 ff.:
Vol.III, Pl.cxxxix, V. V. Mirashi, C.I.I. IV,
pp.13 ff,.D.C. Sircar, SeI.Ins, pp.186-87.
From the facsimile in Ep.Ind- XV, Pl.Opp. pp.232 and C.I.I, IV, pp-16,.
Pl IIIA, It is ascribed either to Svami Jivadaman on the basis of erroneous
readings of 1.1, see n.3 below)EP.Ind. Pl is clearer.
There is another Inscription of Sridharavaman from Eran,. dated in his 27th regnal year, recording the
erection of a Yashti or memorial pillar. See Mirashi C.I.I. IV, pp. 604 ff.
2. On the left margin of the inscription, near the beginning of 11.3 and 4.
3. Banerji (Ep.Ind- XVI pp. 230-33) reads
जीवदाय
and identifies him with the father of Kshatrapa Rudra simha
1. Mirashi: महासेन महा कुमारस्य दिव्य Majumdar: सादित्य
Or तेज प्रसादात
Sircar: आदित्य
वियर्याज़जित
After विजय there is space for 15 or 16 letters
But the corner of the stone has broken off, leaving only traces of their bottoms.
1. Banerji. धम्र्म स्त्रा श्रि Majumdar वष्र्ष.
2. Banerji and Majumdar त्रयोदशमे According to
Banerji the date refers to jivadaman’s rule. But the latter never ruled independently. Presumably, beginning
as an official of the Saka rulers of Malva,, he rose to a semi-independent status thou still using his
earlier designation Mahadendanayaka, as did Senapati Pushyamitra before him.
3. Mirashi आकारे प्रतिम
4. Banerji reads मल मत प्य प्रा च्य
Mirashi धम्र्मा भृत शाश्वत प्रणम्य मनसा द्रव्यस्य कृत्वा व्ययं
5. Prakritism for: खानित Note other Prakritisms as in
in 11. 2 and 3 corrected in footnote 3 above, also sapeksha samasa in 11.1.
Text
सिद्धम्
1. भगवतस्त्रिदश-गण-सेनापतेरजित-सेनस्य स्वामि महा सेन (स्य )” महा- भक्त ? स्य । अदम्य-वीयर्यार्ज्जित विज [ यj – – -न
2. धम्र्म-विजयिना शक-नन्द-पुत्रेण महादण्डनायकेन शकेन श्रीधरव म्र्म णा वर्ष – सह ) स्त्राय’ स्वराज्याभिवृद्धिकरे वेजायिके संवत्सरे त्रयोदश [ मे ] (त्रयोदशे )
3. श्रावण-बहुलस्य दशमी-पूव्र्वकमेतदिदवसं कल्याणाभ्युदय-वृद्धयर्थम-क्षय- स्वग्र्गावाप्ति हेतोर्द्धम्र्म यशसो त्र्थ धर्मासि (=भि )
4. शाश्व [ तं ] चन्द्रादित्य- [ कालिको यं आपे च का [ न्तः ] –
— प्रसन्न सलिल: सर्वाधिगम्य सदा
5. सत्त्वाना प्रिर्यदर्शनो जलनिधिर्द्वर्म्मल: [ शाइव ] तः ( 1 ) [र्पण] म्य मनसा [ द्रव्यस्य कृत्वा व्ययम् ]
English Translation of the inscription
Success!
This well everlasting in time like the
sun and the moon, has been excavated by the Mahadandanayaka Saka Sridhaavraman, the son of Saka Nanda, the righteous Conqueror, who with his indomitable Prowess won, victories, and who is the great devotee of the divine Lord Mahasena (i.e. Karttikeya), the Commander of the celestial
hosts, whose army has never been vanquisned: on this day
(namely) the tenth day of the dark fortnignt of Sravana in the
Victorious thirteenth year augmenting his reign for a thousand
years (being actuated) by faith awakened by his understanding
of the dharma, for the increase of welfare and progress,
attainment of everlasting heaven (and) the acquisition of religious merit and fame. Further:-
This auspicious and beautiful well containing clear water,
at all times accessible to all, with an appearance pleasing to all beings, an inexhaustible reservoir of water and for
ever pure like dharma has been caused to be excavated, by
the meritorious Sridhara varman. having saluted with all his heart
-(and) having spent a large sum of money. The year 201. May there be peace.
Footnote
Use of here and this metre and
Bhujangavijrimbhita in two Mathura records of first century viz EP.Ind,II,
pp200 and IMC, XVII,
485. Prove the developed stage of Prosody and Kavya. Literature in the early centuries of the Christian era,
though Sanskrit had not yet became popular as the language of Official records.
2. Majumdar reads the date
in place of and explains the preceding signs as punctuation marks. V.V. Mirashi reads the date as
102 and refers the year to the Kalachuri era of 248-49 A. D. being 351-52 AD.(I.H.Q., to XXII, pp.40 C.I.I., IV, pp.
15-16) 10 2 Kalachuri would thus is =351-52 A D. The
reading of the date is doubtful; but the use of the Kalachuri era is not expected in the age and area in question according to D.C. Sircar.
though a little lower in the line, however clear.