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No 11: Three New Kushiņa Inscriptions from Mathura
- L3 तो सांतिनिकख्यातो कुत्तातो वैईरातोशा [खातो] आर्य गृहरक्षिताये शि on the rim near the right) कौशिकीये foot of the image. I fazi na
Transla!ion - In the reign of Devaputra king Kanishka, in the year 17, in the second month o! winter season, in the 25th day; On the date specified as above, at the request of Kausiki Griharakshita out of the Kulliya gana, out of the Säntinika kula, out of the Vaira Sukhii,
The inscription is, in fact, incomplele. Like similar inscriptions from Mithura one expocted in this on: also the name of the donor, who at the instance of the nun Gșiharakshita caused to be made the image in question The donor's name is, however, conspicuous by its absence. So:ne of the letters of the epigraph which could not be accommodated in the three front lines are incised on the rim near the right foot. This may lead one to conjecture that the engraver finding that the name of the donor along with its usual paraphernalia, 80 customary in such epigraphs from Mathura, would occupy a lot of spice, may have deliberately ommitted it. Such cases are. however, very rare.
In the beginning of the 1st line of the inscription there is a space for about eight letters. This spice can be filled up with for HT
Gajah or only EHPA or alternatively with fH HERITET, the last to be associated with देवपुत्राय etc. In case it was नमोवद्रमानस (स्य) then the image would certainly be that of Mahavira.
After 74 there is a space for two letters This lacunae can be filled up with nifasWe find this adjective before Kanishka's name in several other inscriptions. After the words Facet in this line, there is a space for not more than four letter:; These mɔst probably have been FATT; The numerical figures of 10 or 7 denoting the year 17 are just alter this in the beginning of the 2nd line. Almost the whole of the 2nd line is quite clear. The 3rd line also is well preserved excepting a few letters in the middle, which can casily be restored. After the name of Griharakshita there is the letter fer. It does not appear from the original stone that there was any letter engraved after fer. If we conjecture that the letter for is meant for fefefe, which word the engraver did not complete, then
