Takhte-i-Bahi Stone Inscription of Condophernes
Regnal year 26 Year 103 (46AD)
Provenance: Takhte-i-Bahi near Mardan, Yusufzai territory, Peshawar district, Pakistan. Exact find spot Uncertain.
Script: Kharoshthi
Language: Prakrit
Takht-i-Bahi means the throne of the water spring. It is an indo partian archaeological site of an ancient Buddhist monastery in Mardan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan.
The site is one among the most important sites of Buddhism & was part of Gandhara once.
The monastery was founded during first century CE and is world heritage site.
The complex is an important Buddhist monastic centers from this era.
References: Dowson, Trubner’s record, June 1871, J.R.A.S 1875, Page 376 FF, 1877, Page 144 FF, Cunningham, Trubner’s record, June 1873 (Ind.Ant.II Page 242) A.S.I, V, 1875, Page 58 ff; Senart, J.A, VIII,1890, Page 144 ff, Boyer, ibid, 1940, X, iii, Page 457 FF, Sten Konow, Ep.Ind VIII, Page 282, C.I.I. II, i, Page 62 D C Sircar I Page 125-26.T
Text
1. महरयस गुदुव्हरस वज्र 20+4+1+1
2. ( संव त्सए ति ) शति मए 1(x) 100(+)1(+)1(+)1(+)1 वेशजस मसस दिवसे
3. प्रठमे पुत्रे ब ह ते पक्षे बल समिस वो यणस
भरच रामद
4. एर्द्दूण कप ण स पुअए
5. पिदु पुअए
संस्कृत छाया
महाराजस्य गुदुव्हरस्य राज्य वर्षे २६- षड्विंशे
संवत्सस्के च त्रिशत तमके त्रधिक – शततमे १०३ वैशाखस्य मासस्य दिवसे प्रथमे पुण्ये बहुले पक्षे बलस्वामिन: बोयनस्य परिवार: प्राकार: यद्वा (क्षुद्रं वास गृहं ) श्रदा पूर्वकं दानं सपुत्रस्य केनमिर बोयनस्य एर्झुण कुमार कप णस्य च पूजायै माता पित्रो: पूजायै ( सं माननाय)
1. Cunningam originally stated Shahbazgarhi (Trubner’s Record,
June 1873, reprinted Ind.Art, II 1873, .page 242, but later
began to speak of it as hailing from Takhte-i-Dahi. Both the places are however within 25 kms,
from each other in Takhte-i-Bahi, about 13 kms of Mardan.
2. from the facsimile in sp. Ins XVIII Plate facing p.282.
3 Between G & ct two Letters have been erased.
1. Note that the regnal year is indicated by the word varsha and the year reckoned in some era by the word sam-vastra i.e agglomerate of years since the sakas and pehlan flourished before kanishka, the founder of the saka era. The date here may be in Vikram era.
2. A Khotani word meaning कुमार according to konow.
3. Konow: कप् (ष) स He Identifies कप्ष with कथफिस Kadphis (though dim but it is clearly legible)
4. But both these readings and interpretations were doubtful
5. He identified it with King Gondofares, whose coins bear the legends.
Bassileos Basileon Nagaloy undophirroy in Greek and
महरजरजतिरज त्रयरस देववर्तस गुदुव्हरस
According to Christian tradition St Thomas visited his court.
6. It indicates that the month of these records ended purnamasi
English Translation of the Inscription
In the (ragnal)year 25 of maharaja Guduvhara, in the year hundred and three (of some era) on the first auspicious day of the month vaisakha, in the krishna paksha (A dark half
of a lunar month) the house (or enclosure} of Balaswam (Lord of
forces) Boyana is a gift with devotion of Kenamira Boyana
accompanied by his son (a), in honour of prince Kapa, in honour
of mother and father.
1. The first day of vaisakha is still regarded very auspicious in Punjab and the north west. On this day the baisakhi festival is celebrated with great pleasure (even by muslims) Konow and Sircar have erred in making पुण्य as adjective of बहुलेपक्षे