Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

Author(s): Renuka J Porwal
Publisher: Prachya Vidyapith

Page 61

The Jaina Stupa at Mathura: Art & Icons
but its inscription was published in the 10th volume of Epigraphica Indica, under the heading 'Other new Brahmi Inscriptions of the Scythian period'. This torso is unique, as many letters (akşaras) resemble the Kharosti script. The word 'suśoti’ is the 'Apabhramśa' of 'svasriya' according to Bengali language as explained by R. L. Mukharji, Here, the word 'Munasimita' seems to be 'Munisuvrata'the 20th Tīrthankara. The inscription1 Sa(m) 70 1 va 1 di 10 5 2 e(?) tasya puvaye ha . 3 tiya(?) Munasimita(?) ye (?) 4 Minirava suśoti dhitu 5 H(emad)eva (sya) Translation: "In the year 71, the 1st month of the rainy season, the 15th day, on that (date specified as above),....... of Munasimita(?).....
the sister's daughter's daughter of Minirava...... of Hemadeva". V) An Āyāgapatta of Aryāvatī, dated 42, of Mahākṣatrapa Sodāsa
period. This is a votive tablet or Āyāgapatta, though not mentioned in the inscription. It commences with adoration to Arhat. A woman, Amohini, presented the tablet of Āryāvatī for veneration, at the Jaina shrine,
in the year 42 of Mahākşatrapa's reign. VI)The pedestal of Jina (5.20 LM., fig. 24) dated 79 of Kuşāņa year,
has inscription“In the year 79, the fourth (month of the) rainy season, the twentieth day, on that (date, specified as )above, Arya-Vrdhahasti, a preacher in the Kottiya gana in the Vaira śākhā, gave the advice to make an image of the Arhat Nandāvarta (or Munisuvrata, as later on inferred by Krasnadatta Bajapayi)... the image, the gift of the female laydisciple, Dina (Datta) wife of ... was set up at the Vodva Stūpa, built by the gods."57 In general, the Saka/Kuşāņa era commenced in 78 A.D., but that is not sure as different theories have been propounded, hence the date is kept same as mentioned in inscriptions, to avoid confusion.
57 1) Bulhar, Ep. Ind. Vol. II, pp. 204.
II) Smith V, The Jain Stūpa at Mathurā.., 1900, pp. 12