Epigraphia Indica Vol 14

SR No.: 032568
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sten Konow, F W Thomas
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1917
Total Pages: 480
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 24 MB

Page 348

No. 20.)
TAXILA INSCRIPTION OF THE YEAR 136.
293
the second and third centuries A.D. were in reality the Kushaņas, and that the word murunda itself is not the name of a tribe, but a Saka word meaning "lord," which was used as a title by the Sakas and after them by the Kushaņas, while the Kshatrapas translated it by the corresponding Indian word svāmin. Wherever we meet with the designation murunda, we are justified in thinking of Sakas or tribes that can be considered as the heirs and successors of the Sakas. Now Lassen has long agol drawo attention to the statement in Hēmachandra's Abhidhānachintamani, v. 960, Lampakās tu Murandāh syuh, "the Lampākas would be called) Marandas." Lassen inferred that the Murandas, who must be identical with the Murundas, should be located in the present Laghman. This, however, is impossible, when we consider the information about the Marundas which can be gleaned from Indian, Greek and Chinese sources, which unanimously locate the so-called people in the Ganges valley. If we examine the preceding stanza in Hēmachandra's work, we there find the remark, Turushkās tu Sakhayah syuh," the Turushkas would be called Sāklis." It has long ago been recognised that this säkhi is nothing else than the title shahi, and we are quite justified in looking for a title in murunda as well. Now that we know that murunda was actually a Saka title, the natural inference is that the Lampakas had preserved this title from the time when they were ruled by Sakas, in other words that their country belonged to the dominion of the Sakas, of whom we know that they ruled in Ki-pin.
Finally, the location of ancient Ki-pin here attempted is the only one which snits what we know about the ancient history of the Sakas and the Kushanas. We have no traces of the Sakas or of Kadphises in Kashmir, and there is not the slightest indication that they ever ruled there. Numerous finde, on the other hand, prove that they held sway in Taxila and further to the west, at least as far as towards Jalalabad. Of Huvishka we have traces as far west as in Khawat.
I have consulted Professor Franke about the results of my study of the question, and he kindly authorises me to state that he agrees with me. The support of his great authority makes me confident that I am right.
Taxila, the find-place of the present inscription, accordingly belongod to Ki-pin, and "India" which was reconquered by Vima-Kadphises was beyond Ki-pin, i.e. beyond the north-western Panjab. We thus have an old tradition about a king who succeeded the Sakas in Ki-pin, and about his son, who reconquered India. Now I have shown in my Indo-Scythian Contributions that the Kusbanas in India must be considered as the heirs and successors of the Sakas, that they were known under the Saka title murunda, and that it would be nothing extraordinary if & Kushaņa ruler were designated as a Saka. I have therefore compared the Chinese tales about the Sai-wang and the Knei-shuang in India with an Indian tradition, which has been handed down in the Jain work Kalakacharyakathånaka.
We there learn how the king of Ujjayini, Gardabhilla, abducted the sister of Kalaka, who went to the country of the Sakas (sagaküla) and prevailed apdo some of the shis, i.e. chiefs, to accompany him to India (Hindugadēsa). They first proceeded to Surat (Surattha) and thence, in the autumn, to Ujjayini, where Gardabhilla was made prisoner. A Sāhi was made overking, and thus the dynasty of the Saka-kings originated. After some time, however, Vikramiditya, the king of Málava, ousted the Sakas and became king, whereafter he established his own era. After the lapse of 135 years his dynasty was overthrown by another Saka, who in his turn introduced the Saka era.
I have no doubt that this second saka king who reconquered India is identical with Vime. Kadphises, who "again" conquered India; and, if that is admitted, the Jain tale at once acquires
1 Loc. cit., I, P. 5481.
* ZDMG., 87, pp. 247 .