Allahabad pillar inscriptions

1. Allahabad Pillar Inscription
By: Rashmi
Paper name: (MSHA 513-A) Ancient
Indian historiography & sources

2. Importance of inscriptions
• Inscriptions are written records engraved on hard and sustainable
surfaces like stones, pillars or walls.
• Inscriptions are invaluable historical artifacts that provide a direct
and authentic glimpse into the past. They serve as primary
sources from political events, cultural practices to religious beliefs
and linguistic evolution. Indian inscriptions, in particular, hold a
wealth of historical information spanning centuries.
• Asokan edicts are the earliest epigraphic deciphered inscriptions of
India. Apart from that there are many other prominent inscriptions
like Hathigumpha inscription, Eran inscription, Uttamerur
inscriptions, Hoysala inscription, Metei inscriptions, Aihole
inscription, Halimidi inscription, Mehrauli inscription etc.

3. Allahabad pillar inscription: An
introduction
• Allahabad pillar inscription is one of the
important epigraphic source for the study of the
political history of guptas.
• Its a eulogy about the virtues and achievements of
Samudragupta, the greatest gupta emperor
• It is popularly called as

4. Location
• The Allahabad prasasti was originally engraved on the Asokan
pillar at Kausambi near Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. It was
later removed to the Allahabad Fort where it is now located.
According to Alexander Cunningham, the pillar was shifted to
Allahabad by Firuz Shah Tughlaq. But J.F. Fleet inclines to
believe that it was Akbar who was instrumental in removing it
to Allahabad. It was re-erected by the Mughal emperor
Jahangir in 1605. In 1838 it was again set up by Cpt. Edward
Smith with a new lion capital.

5. Discovery
• The inscription was first brought to notice in the year in the
Secretary of Sanskrit College, Calcutta . He was
• In the same year , Principal of Bishop’s College
and Vice President of the Asiatic Society of Bengal
. An
in the year 1837 in the same journal.
• But real credit goes to for making an
and presenting the standard text
and translation of the inscription.

6. Structure of Allahabad pillar
inscription
• The pillar as it stands today is round monolithic column built
in fine sandstone. The tapering column is 35 ft high, base
diameter is 35 inches and at the apex diameter is 26 inches.
• There are three sets of inscriptions on the column belonging
to three important emperors, namely Ashoka, Samudragupta
and Jahangir.

8. Composition of script
• The composer of the inscription Harisena assumed the official
titles sandihivigrahika (minister of war and peace),
kumaramatya (minister of the king and the crownprince) and
mahadandanayaka (officer in charge of military and judicial
matters).
• As per the language and the script of the inscription , it is
written in chaste Sanskrit in the form of champukavya. It is
written both is verse and prose. There are nine verses of
different metres, eight in the introductory and one at the
end.

9. • The rest of the inscription is in prose. It is interesting to note that the verses
of the inscription are consequently numbered. There are thirty three lines in total.
The characters of the record are later Brahmi script however some scholars
suggests it as a Gupta script and eastern variety northern script.
The first two stanzas of the verse portion are damaged, these are considered
illegible.
The third stanza refers to the character of Samudragupta, about his versatility.
The fourth stanza mentions the nomination of Samudragupta by his father
Chandragupta I and his consecration to the throne.
Though the sixth & seventh stanzas of the inscription are partly damaged, yet,
from the available part it has been presumed by scholars that those stanzas
referred to certain wars, probably with his kinsmen and Samudragupta's victory
over them.
The seventh and eighth stanzas and the prose text, narrates the conquests of
Samudragupta.

10. Content of inscription
• Ancestry of king
• Samudragupta as an ideal king
• Kingdoms of Aryavrata
• Kingdoms of Dakshinpatha
• Subjugation of frontier kingdoms

11. • Relation with foreign rulers
• Asvamedha sacrifice
• Extent of empire

12. Ancestry of king
• Mentions the ancestors of the
king and their titles
• Samudragupta is referred to as
Lichchhavi-dauhitra or
grandson of the Lichchhavis
• Srigupta was the progenitor of
the Gupta dynasty and he was
followed by
Ghatotkachagupta,
Chandragupta (I) and
Samudragupta. Chandragupta
(I) had started a new era
popularly known as Gupta era
the initial year of which has
been fixed at 319-20 CE. S
Samudragupta as an ideal king
• Projects king Samudragupta as an
exceptional individual and an ideal king.
• He assumed the imperial titles like
maharajadhiraja and paramabhattaraka.
He was also called as kaviraja or king
among poets.
• Compassionate ruler with supreme
commitment for the welfare of his
subjects with sharp intellect, and an
expert in music and art. warrior of
hundred battles. He assumed the epithet
of parakrama or valour. His body was
most charming covered with plenteous
beauty of the marks of hundreds of
promiscuous scars.
• In lines 24-26, Harisena praised his
patron in the following words, “He was
without an antagonist on earth; he, by
the overflowing of the multitude of his
many good qualities adorned by
hundreds of good actions, has wiped off
the fame of other kings with the sole of
his feet…”.

13. Kingdoms of Aryavrata Kingdoms of Dakshinpatha

14. Suppression of frontier kingdoms
• Five Border states- Samatata, Davaka,Kumarupa, Katipura and Nepala and
twelve Republics of Punjab region were vanquished by Samudragupta.
• Davaka has not yet been identified properly.
• Fleet thinks that it was the ancient name of Dacca, while V. Smith locates it in
North Bengal.
• The inscription further claims that the defeated rulers were forced to pay all kinds
of tributes , to carry out his orders and pay him homage . Also nine tribal states
were suppressed by Samudragupta. They were obliged to pay tribute to the
Emperor. Those Nine tribes were – Malavas, Arjunayanas, the Yaudheyas, the
Madrakas, the Abhiras, thePrajunas, the Sanakanikas , the Kakas, the
Kharaparikas.

15. Asvamedha sacrifice