69 Zeda Inscription of Kanishka 1, Year 11 ( A. D. 89)
Provenance: Zeda, near Und. Rawalpindi district, Pakistan.
Script: Kharoshthi
Language: Prakrit influenced by Sanskrit.
References: Cunningham, A.S.I,. v, 1875. pp-57 f-r. Senart.
J.A, VIII, xv. 1890. Pp. 135 FF, Boyer. J.A, x, iii. 1904. pp.466 ff, E. Thomas, J.R.A.S. 1877. p-9, n-1; Buhler, J.R.A.S. 1894, p.535.
R D. Banerji. I.A.J XXXVII, 1908, pp. 46, 72; Sten Konow, Ep. Ind. XIX, pp-1 ff, C.I.I., II,i, Pp 142-145 (No. LXXV) ; N.G. Majumdar, List. No 95 D.C. Sircar, Sel.Inss, I, pp.140-41.
Text
1. From the facsimile in C. I.I, II, i, p.140. Plate: XXVI, 2.
The 4×1 stone, on which this inscription is engraved, is very rough and damaged; hence the Reading is not free from doubt.
Reading of lines 2-3, by earlier scholars
Considerably vary and are difficult to interpret.
2. In Ashadha, the nakshatra uttara-Phalguna falls on the
5th-8th days of the Sukla-palksha The month, therefore was Purnimanta
Van Vijk, Acta Orientalia, v, pp-168 ff..
has on the basis of simultaneous references to the date and nakshatra, calculated it as corresponding to the 19th June, AD.139.
1. Reading is due to Konow. Earlier Luders had read it as खणे कुए Other readings e.g वनं उम्प भनं उक खनं उस्फ
do not make any sense
2. Konow मुरोडस्य equivalent to saka word मुसण्ड
3. According to Konow, it is an older form of the Khotani-
Saka word malysaki i.e malzaki, which is possibly an equivalent to गृहपति
4. Konow. op-cit. p.143, regards it as the name of the donor
and compares the word with Greek names. Hippeos, Hippias.
5. Senart क्षहरस
6. Boyer पुनर्वधसे सघमित्रस दन
Gift of Samghamitra, in order to increase his merit.
Text
1. संव १o+१ + 5 अषडस मसस दि 2ओ उतर फगुणे इशे क्षुणमि
2. खदे कुए। वेरो । डस मझेकस कणिकस्य रजमि तो य द
ch भुइ दणमुख हिपेअधिअस स [व] | स्तिवध पु न ने लि अक
3. स क्ष त्र पस उप क चअ म (दु ) कत दण अनुग्र हेण बुध स संघमित्र- रजस
संस्कृत छाया
सं । वत्सरे एकादशे । ११ आषाढतस्य मासस्य दि. वसे विश । 20 उत्तरफाल्गुने = उत्तरफालगुन्यां अस्मिन् क्षणे बात: कूप : वेरोडस्य मईकस्य कणिकस्य राज्ये । तोयद् = प्रपा च भूय: । दानमुखे = दानवरं = दानं हिपिय धियस्य तदोस्तिवादा तिवृढये पूजने = पूजाये लियकस्य क्षत्रपस्य, उपकृत्याया : तदाख्याया: मातु: च कृतं दानं अनुग्रहेण वृद्धस्य = बौद्ध स्थविरस्य सङ्न्घमित्र राजस्य ।।
English Translation of the Inscription
Anno 11, on the 20th day of the month Ashadha. in Uttaraphalguna. At this moment, a well was dug of
householder. Veroda, during the reign of Kanishka, and further a water-giver. the gift of Hippeeadnia for the
increase of the Sarvastivada, in honouring of the Kshatrapa Liaka, for the benefit of his mother.
Made is this gift
through the favour of the elder Samghamitraraja..
Ashoka, the Mauryan Ruler, who played a prominent role in the spread of Buddhism, was the father of Sanghamitra and Mahendravarman. He was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent.
According to Chinese historians, Kanishka was killed when his army revolted against him as he had adopted Buddhism and continued to worship Vedic deities.
Historians of colonial era, had wrongly created Aryan invasion theory. They had also made a few nasty conclusions & equated mauryan dynasty to Alexander’s invasion of Asia, however
Discoveries of these Inscriptions and various edicts had thrown light on real history of ancient India.
Entire south Asia was once hindu nation till Ashoka had spread Buddhism. Inscriptions found from south north west and east india, point to the same civilization having almost same culture, traditions & language. Understand there was a minor difference between brahmi script Inscriptions found from south India & north india.
Reference:
http://sasnagar.co.in/aman/ancientindia/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/FILE-VOLUME-I-1.pdf