Inscriptions
There are two inscriptions on the pillar.
The first inscription describes in Brahmi the situation of Heliodorus and his relationship to the Sunga and Indo-Greek kings.
"Devadevasa Va vasa Garudadhvajo ayam
karito i Heliodorena bhaga-
vatena Diyasa putrena Takhasilakena
Yonadatena agatena maharajasa
Amtalikitasa upata samkasam-rano
Kasiputasa agabhadrasa tratarasa
vasena dasena rajena vadhamanasa"
— Original inscription
- "This Garuda-standard of Vasudeva, the God of Gods
- was erected here by the devotee Heliodoros,
- the son of Dion, a man of Taxila,
- sent by the Great Greek (Yona) King
- Antialkidas, as ambassador to
- King Kasiputra Bhagabhadra, the Savior
- son of the princess from Benares, in the fourteenth year of his reign."
- (Archaeological Survey of India, Annual Report (1908-1909))
Although not perfectly clear, the inscription seems to be referring to Heliodoros as a Bhagavata (Sanskrit: “One Devoted to Bhagavan (Lord)”), meaning "a devotee". In the context of Hinduism, a Bhagavat would be a member of the earliest recorded Hindu faith devoted to Vishnu.
The second inscription on the pillar describes in more detail the spiritual content of the faith supported by Heliodorus:
"Trini amutapadani‹ anuthitani
nayamti svaga damo chago apramado"
— Original inscription
- "Three immortal precepts (footsteps)... when practiced
- lead to heaven: self-restraint, charity, consciousness"
- (Archaeological Survey of India, Annual Report (1908-1909))
Read more about this topic: Heliodorus Pillar
Famous quotes containing the word inscriptions:
““Our earth is degenerate in these latter days. Bribery and corruption are common. Children no longer obey their parents. . . . The end of the world is evidently approaching.” Sound familiar? It is, in fact, the lament of a scribe in one of the earliest inscriptions to be unearthed in Mesopotamia, where Western civilization was born.”
—C. John Sommerville (20th century)