Metadata

Support
Memorial pillar in limestone; h. unavailable ×  w. 37 ×  d. 28 cm.
Text
Middle Indo-Aryan, Southern Brāhmī script. h. 38 ×  w. 35 cm .
Date
In an unspecified year of the reign of Siri-Vīrapurisadatta, i.e., approximately between 225 and 275 CE.
Origin
Nagarjunakonda.
Provenance
Discovered underground, at Site-9, close to the Stūpa no. 9. Identified at Nagarjunakonda Museum (acc. no. 73) in February 2016.
Visual Documentation
Photo(s):
  • Rosen Stone 1994, ills. 51–54.
  • photos JM 2017
  • photos AL 2017
    • Photo(s) of estampage(s):
  • Vogel
  • Est. ASI: Sircar, Raghunath.
    • RTI: RTI 2017
    Editors
    Arlo Griffiths and Vincent Tournier, with contributions by Stefan Baums and Ingo Strauch.
    Publication history
    First described and edited by Vogel 1931-32: 63-4 (L) ; re-edited by Sircar 1963-64a: 1-4 (1.A) ; our edition based on RTI and autopsy of the stone.

    Edition

    (1) sidhaṁ – mahār[ā]jasa °asam[e]dhayājisa °anekahiranak[o]ṭi[padā]yisa (2) siricaṁtamūlasa putasa raṁño mā(ḍha)riputasa °ikhākuṇa sirivirapurisadata(sa) (3) vasasat[ā]ya savacharaṁ vijaya(ṁ) vāsapakhaṁ prathamaṁ 1 divasa(ṁ) bitiyaṁ sagagatasa (4) raṁño °agihotāgiṭh(o)mavājapeyasame[dha]yājisa hiraṇakoṭigosatasahasa(5)halasatasahasapadāyisa savathesu °a(pa)tihatasaṁkapasa v(ās)i(ṭh)iputasa (6) °ikhākusa [sā]misirica(ṁ)tamulasa sah(o)darāhi matāhi mah(ā)d(e)vihi °anatasiriya (7) khaṁdasiriya ◊ vijhab[o]dhisiriya ◊ mi[tasi]riya • samusiriya • nāgavasusiriya • (8) maṁgusiriya • khaṁdakoṭisiriya ◊ mahisarasiriya ◊ k[o]ndamatisiriya ( • ) mula[s]iriya (9) °ayakoṭusiriya • maduvisiriya • nāgasiriya • rāmasiriya golasiriya • (10) velisiriya ( • ) [bo]dhisiriya ◊ khadasiri[ya] ◊ setilasiriya perajatisiriya (11) paṁḍitasiriya ◊ sivanāgasiriya ◊ samudasiriya • bapisiriya • nadisiriya (12) °ayasiriya ◊ kaṁnhasiriya ◊ si[va]nāgasiriya ◊ °abhatarikāhi ca (13) sarasikāya ◊ kusumalatāye ca chāyāthabho –

    (1) sidhaṁ – mahār[ā]jasa °asam[e]dhayājisa °anekahiranak[o]ṭi[padā]yisa
    (2) siricaṁtamūlasa putasa raṁño mā(ḍha)riputasa °ikhākuṇa sirivirapurisadata(sa)
    (3) vasasat[ā]ya savacharaṁ vijaya(ṁ) vāsapakhaṁ prathamaṁ 1 divasa(ṁ) bitiyaṁ sagagatasa
    (4) raṁño °agihotāgiṭh(o)mavājapeyasame[dha]yājisa hiraṇakoṭigosatasahasa-
    (5)halasatasahasapadāyisa savathesu °a(pa)tihatasaṁkapasa v(ās)i(ṭh)iputasa
    (6) °ikhākusa [sā]misirica(ṁ)tamulasa sah(o)darāhi matāhi mah(ā)d(e)vihi °anatasiriya
    (7) khaṁdasiriya ◊ vijhab[o]dhisiriya ◊ mi[tasi]riya • samusiriya • nāgavasusiriya •
    (8) maṁgusiriya • khaṁdakoṭisiriya ◊ mahisarasiriya ◊ k[o]ndamatisiriya ( • ) mula[s]iriya
    (9) °ayakoṭusiriya • maduvisiriya • nāgasiriya • rāmasiriya golasiriya •
    (10) velisiriya ( • ) [bo]dhisiriya ◊ khadasiri[ya] ◊ setilasiriya perajatisiriya
    (11) paṁḍitasiriya ◊ sivanāgasiriya ◊ samudasiriya • bapisiriya • nadisiriya
    (12) °ayasiriya ◊ kaṁnhasiriya ◊ si[va]nāgasiriya ◊ °abhatarikāhi ca
    (13) sarasikāya ◊ kusumalatāye ca chāyāthabho – 
    <ab xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">
					          <lb n="1"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1796">sidhaṁ</w>
					          <pc>–</pc>
					          
					          <w xml:id="tok1798">mahār<unclear>ā</unclear>jasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1799">°asam<unclear>e</unclear>dhayājisa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1800">°anekahiranak<unclear>o</unclear>ṭi<unclear>padā</unclear>yisa</w>
					          <lb n="2"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1801">siricaṁtamūlasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1802">putasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1803">raṁño</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1804">mā<supplied reason="lost">ḍha</supplied>riputasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1805">°ikhākuṇa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1806">sirivirapurisadata<supplied reason="lost">sa</supplied>
					          </w>
					          <lb n="3"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1807">vasasat<unclear>ā</unclear>ya</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1808">savacharaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1809">vijaya<supplied reason="lost">ṁ</supplied>
					          </w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1810">vāsapakhaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1811">prathamaṁ</w>
					          <num xml:id="tok1812" value="1">1</num>
					          <w xml:id="tok1813">divasa<supplied reason="lost">ṁ</supplied>
					          </w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1814">bitiyaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1815">sagagatasa</w>
					          <lb n="4"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1816">raṁño</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1817">°agihotāgiṭh<supplied reason="lost">o</supplied>mavājapeyasame<unclear>dha</unclear>yājisa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1818">hiraṇakoṭigosatasahasa<lb n="5" break="no"/>halasatasahasapadāyisa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1819">savathesu</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1820">°a<supplied reason="lost">pa</supplied>tihatasaṁkapasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1821">v<supplied reason="lost">ās</supplied>i<supplied reason="lost">ṭh</supplied>iputasa</w>
					          <lb n="6"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1822">°ikhākusa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1823">
						            <unclear>sā</unclear>misirica<supplied reason="lost">ṁ</supplied>tamulasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1824">sah<supplied reason="lost">o</supplied>darāhi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1825">matāhi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1826">mah<supplied reason="lost">ā</supplied>d<supplied reason="lost">e</supplied>vihi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1827">°anatasiriya</w>
					          <lb n="7"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1829">khaṁdasiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1831">vijhab<unclear>o</unclear>dhisiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1833">mi<unclear>tasi</unclear>riya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <w xml:id="tok1835">samusiriya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <w xml:id="tok1837">nāgavasusiriya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <lb n="8"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1839">maṁgusiriya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <w xml:id="tok1841">khaṁdakoṭisiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1843">mahisarasiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1845">k<unclear>o</unclear>ndamatisiriya</w>
					          <supplied reason="lost">
						            <pc>•</pc>
					          </supplied>
					          <w xml:id="tok1847">mula<unclear>s</unclear>iriya</w>
					          <lb n="9"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1848">°ayakoṭusiriya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <w xml:id="tok1850">maduvisiriya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <w xml:id="tok1852">nāgasiriya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <w xml:id="tok1854">rāmasiriya</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1856">golasiriya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <lb n="10"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1858">velisiriya</w>
					          <supplied reason="lost">
						            <pc>•</pc>
					          </supplied>
					          <w xml:id="tok1860">
						            <unclear>bo</unclear>dhisiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1862">khadasiri<unclear>ya</unclear>
					          </w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1864">setilasiriya</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1866">perajatisiriya</w>
					          <lb n="11"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1867">paṁḍitasiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1869">sivanāgasiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1871">samudasiriya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <w xml:id="tok1873">bapisiriya</w>
					          <pc>•</pc>
					          <w xml:id="tok1875">nadisiriya</w>
					          <lb n="12"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1877">°ayasiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1878">kaṁnhasiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1878bis">si<unclear>va</unclear>nāgasiriya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1880">°abhatarikāhi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1881">ca</w>
					          <lb n="13"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1882">sarasikāya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok1883">kusumalatāye</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1884">ca</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok1885">chāyāthabho</w>
					          <pc>–</pc>
				        </ab>

    Apparatus

    • (1) sidhaṁ – sidhaṁ JPhVDCS .
    • (1) -hirana- -hiraṇa- JPhV -hiraṇa- DCS .
    • (2) raṁño DCS . raño JPhV .
    • (2) sirivirapurisadata(sa) DCS . sirivirapurisadatasa JPhV .
    • (2) °ikhākuṇa °ikhākuna[ṁ] JPhV °ikhākuna DCS .
    • (3) vasasatāya savachara(ṁ)vijaya(ṁ) DCS . vasasanaya saṁvachara viṁsaya(ṁ) JPhV .
    • (3) prathamaṁ 1 DCS . prathamaṁ JPhV .
    • (3) divasa(ṁ) JPhV . divasa DCS .
    • (3) bitiya(ṁ) DCS . bītiya(ṁ) JPhV .
    • (4) raṁño DCS . raño JPhV .
    • (4) -vājapeyasame[dha]- -vājapeyasamedha- DCS -vājapey⟨ā⟩samedha- JPhV .
    • (5) °a(pa)tihata- DCS . °apatihata- JPhV .
    • (6) -mulasa DCS . -mūlasa JPhV .
    • (6) sah(o)darāhi matāhi sahadarāhi matāhi DCS . emending sahodarāhi sahodar(ā)hi m(ā)tāhi JPhV .
    • (6) mah(ā)d(e)vihi DCS . mah(ā)devihi JPhV .
    • (6) °anatasiriya DCS . sunītisiriya JPhV .
    • (7) khaṁdasiriya DCS . khaṁdasīriya JPhV .
    • (7) vijhab[o]dhisiriya DCS . vijhaṭhavisiriya JPhV .
    • (7) mi[tasi]riya DCS . mi(sa)siriya JPhV .
    • (7) samus[i]riya DCS . samus[i]riya JPhV . Sircar 1963-64a notes that the intended reading may be samudasirīya as in l. 11.
    • (8) maṁgusiriya DCS . (nā)gasiriya JPhV .
    • (8) k[o]ndamati- DCS . ratumati- JPhV .
    • (8) mula[s]iriya DCS . mūlasiriya JPhV .
    • (9) rāmasiriya JPhV . [kā]masiriya DCS . Sircar 1963-64a notes the possibility of reading rāmasiriya.
    • (10) velisiriya JPhV . khalisiriya DCS .
    • (10) [bo]dhisiriya DCS . (°e)dhisiriya JPhV .
    • (10) khadasiri[ya] khadasiriya DCS kha(ṁ)dasiriya JPhV .
    • (10) setilasiriya DCS . satilisiriya JPhV .
    • (10) perajatisiriya DCS . parajatatisiriya JPhV .
    • (11) bapisiriya JPhV . bāpisiriya DCS . Although we see no trace of a <ā>, it is tempting to understand here bapi- as bāpi = vāpi, in light of the fact that this name is surrounded by two names based on water bodies.
    • (12) kaṁnhasiriya DCS . ratusiriya JPhV . The correct reading kaṁnha- was already suggested in an editorial note to Vogel 1931-32: 64, n. 1 .
    • (12) °abhatarikāhi DCS . subhatarikāhi JPhV .
    • (13) kusumalatāye JPhV . bhūsumalatāya DCS . Emending kusumalatāya. It seems impossible to read <bhū> and unnecessary to assume that anything else was intended than <ku>, although the shape of the akṣara is admittedly peculiar.
    • (13) ca chāyāthabho DCS . (°i)ya(ṁ) tha(ṁ)bho JPhV .

    Translation

    (1-3)Success! In the victorious year of king Māṭharīputta Siri-Vīrapurisadatta of the Ikṣvākus — may he live one hundred years! —, son of Great King Siri-Cantamūla, sacrificer of the Aśvamedha, giver of numerous tens of millions of (pieces of) gold, in the first — 1st — fortnight of the rainy season, on the second day.
    (3-13)(This is) the memorial pillar for the King Vāsiṭṭhīputta Lord Siri-Cāntamūla the Ikṣvāku, who has gone to the heavens, sacrificer of the Agnihotra, the Agniṣṭoma, the Vājapeya and the Aśvamedha, giver of tens of millions of (pieces of) gold, hundreds of thousands of cows, hundreds of thousands of plows (of land), whose will was unimpeded in all matters, (established) by (his) uterine sisters, mothers, (and) queens Anatasirī, Khandasirī, Vijhab(o)dhisirī, Mitasirī, Samusirī, Nāgavasusirī, Maṅgusirī, Khandakoṭisirī, Mahisarasirī, Kondamatisirī, Mūlasirī, Ayakoṭusirī, Manduvisirī, Nāgasirī, Rāmasirī, Golasirī, Velisirī, Bodhisirī, Khadasirī, Setilasirī, Perajatisirī, Paṇḍitasirī, Sivanāgasirī, Samudasirī, Bāpisirī, Nadīsirī, Ayasiri, Kaṇhasirī, Sivanāgasirī, and the intimate friends (ābhyantarikā) Sarasikā and Kusumalatā.

    Commentary

    • A number of punctuation signs appear, here represented as •. None of these was read by Vogel 1931-32 , only a few of them observed by Sircar 1963-64a: 3, 4 n. 1 and 7 .
    • (3) savacharaṁ vijaya(ṁ) See EIAD 56, l. 2, and the term vijayasaṁvachara/vijayasaṁvatsara in EIAD 2, ll. 2-3; 187, l. 29; 188, l. 31. For the possibility for the term vijaya pointing to Jupiter’s sixty-year cycle, see Sircar 1963-64a: 2 , Mirashi 1969: 318-22 , and Vidyadhara Rao 1969: 323-5 .
    • (8) mula[s]iriya A male Mūlasiri is known from the Jaggayyapeta inscriptions (EIAD 31-33), his name being spelt with mula- in one of the cases (EIAD 32, l. 4).

    Secondary bibliography