Epigraphia Indica Vol 33

SR No.: 032587
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: D C Sircar
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1959
Total Pages: 514
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 29 MB

Page 248

No. 32]
NOTE ON BHUMARA PILLAR INSCRIPTION OF HASTIN
171
of the dominions of Mahārāja Hastin, just as Kāśi-grāma or Kāsi-nigama in the kingdom of Kosala was in the possession of the king of Magadhs when Mahäkösala and Prasēnajit were on the throne of the Kösala country, although it is difficult to say whether matrimonial relations existed between Hastin and Sarvanātha.
We have now to determine the purpose behind the setting up of the stone pillar at Bhumara since it does not appear to be the demarcation of the boundary between the kingdoms of Hastin and Sarvanatha. Inscribed and uninscribed pillars of stone, found in different parts of India, are innu merable. They were raised for yarious purposes in all the ages of Indian history. Ainongst the inscribed pillars, the earliest belong to the days of the Maurya emperor Asöka (c. 269-232 B.C.).' These are called stambha (Prakrit thabhu, thambha, thablur, thaṁbha) or fila-stambha in the epigraphs they bear. There are some pillars which may be classified as dhuaja-stambhal (often standing before a temple and bearing inscriptions in some cases), jaya-stambhas (often hearing the ealogy of a conqueror) and kirti-stambha* (often bearing the eulogy of a person who performed a pious deed calculated to make him famous). Certain memorial pillars known as hero stoues (often with inscriptions recording the deaths of warriors while fighting against enemies) and sati stones (often bearing inscriptions which record the deaths of widows burning themselves in fire) are found in large numbers in the southern and western regions of India, though they are as well known from other parts of the country. Besides these, we have also other kinds of inscribed pillars bearing small inscriptions as the one on the Bhumarā pillar. Some of these are votive pillars set up in religious establishments by pious men, especially pilgrims, for acquiring religious inerit. They ure generally referred to as stambha in Sanskrit and thabhu, thabha, thambha or tharbha in Prakrit in the records incised on them. Instances of such votive pillars are numerous in the inscriptions discovered in the ruins of old Buddhist Slūpas like those at Barhut, Sanchi, and Nagarjunikonda.' There is another class of memorial pillars similar to the hero and sati stones. The erection of such pillars in honour of one's dead relatives is referred to in early records like the Suivihar inscrip tion dated in the 11th regnal year of the Kushāņa emperor Kanishka I and the Andhau inscritions of the year 52 apparently referable to the Saka 'era and corresponding to 130 A.D. Suc) pillars are generally mentioned in the inscriptions incised on them as yashi (Prakrit yathi, lashti). The use of the word yashţi in the expression bala-yashți occurring in our inscription may suggext that the Bhumari pillar was a memorial raised in honour of a dead relative of Sivadäsa. This relative was possibly his grandfather or grandmother Indani, although it is not clearly stated in the inscription."
See Corp. Ins. Ind., Vol. I, pp. xy ff. *Cf., e.g., the Eran pillarinscription of the Guy is yeer 163 (ibid., Vol. III, pp. 88 ff.).
* The Eran and Mandador pillar bearing the inscriptions respectively of Samudragupta and Yasõdharman fall in this category. Cf. Select Inscriptions, pp. 200 ff.; 393 ff. A Jayu-stawka could sometimes he also regarded AS A kirti-stambha.
The Talagunda pitlar baring a pruni of the Kadamba king Kikunthavaran who excavated a tank nea Siva temple belongs to this class. Cf. ibid., pp. 450 ff. . See, e.g., above, Vol. XXXI, pp. 323 ff.
See, e.g., Hiralal's List, p. 46 (No. 79), p. 33 (No. 95). etc. In many cases, the inscriptions on tho pillar record both the death of a hero and the self-immolation of his widow. (1. e.g., the Eran inscription of the Gupta year 191 (310 A.D.) in the same work, p. 49 (No. 83).
See Barua and Sinha, Barhuf Inecription; above, Vol. II, pp. 87 ff.; Vol. XX, pp. 1 ff; eo. Cf. TRASB, Letters, Vol. XV, 1949, PP. 6-.
. Select Inscription, pp. 35-36. For cificial pillars called yüpe, nee ibid., pp. 92-93.
. Ibid., pp. 167-68. & memorial pillar laving the representation of a dead person is called a chayi-stanbha in. Nagarjunikonda inscription (cf. 4. R. Rp., 1956-57, No. В 26).
** We have other pillarinscriptions without indication as regards the object of setting up the pillars in question, especially when they were raised in a religious establishment. See JRASB, Letters, Vol. XV, pp. 6 ff.