Allahabad Prasasti of Samudragupta

Object Reference

Allahabad Pillar

Object URI

OB00001

Inscription URI

IN00001

Basic Metadata

Extent

39 cm width x 200 cm height

Decoration

None.

Language

Sanskrit

Script

northern class, called eastern Gupta by Bhandarkar

Script size

1-2

Reigning Monarch

Samudragupta

Date (min)

345

Date (max)

380

Date comments

Basis of dating: approximate reign of Samudragupta.

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Diplomatic Edition

Edition

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<title>Allahabad Prasasti of Samudragupta</title>
<editor>Dániel Balogh</editor>
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<authority>Siddham - The South Asia Inscriptions Database</authority>
<idno type="siddham_inscription_identifier">IN00001</idno>
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<msName>Allahabad Pillar</msName>
<idno type="siddham_object_identifier">OB00001</idno>
<repository>in situ</repository>
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<objectDesc>
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<material>stone / sandstone</material>
<objectType>pillar</objectType>
<extent>
<dimensions unit="cm">
<width>66-97</width>
<height>1070</height>
<depth>66-97</depth>
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<measure type="weight" unit="gram">not available</measure>
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A round, monolithic sandstone column. Beside Samudragupta's praśasti, it also bears two inscriptions by Aśoka as well as a number of mediaeval inscriptions, some of which are written between and over the lines of Samudragupta's inscription.
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<width>200</width>
<height>160</height>
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The last line of the inscription is 180 cm above the point where the column starts from its present pedestal.
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<height unit="cm">01-Feb</height>
northern class, called eastern Gupta by Bhandarkar
</handDesc>
<decoDesc>
None.
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<origin>
<origPlace>?Kauśāmbī</origPlace>
<origDate />
</origin>
The pillar was found, and still remains, in Allahabad fort. It was possibly moved here from Kauśāmbī by Firoz Śāh or another early Delhi Sultan.
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<unclear cert="low">yaḥ</unclear> <unclear>kulyaiḥ svai</unclear> <gap precision="low" quantity="1" reason="illegible" unit="character" /> #ātasa <gap extent="unknown" reason="illegible" />
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<unclear>yasya</unclear> <gap extent="unknown" reason="illegible" />
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<gap precision="low" quantity="1" reason="illegible" unit="character" /> <unclear>puṃva</unclear> <gap extent="unknown" reason="illegible" /> <unclear cert="low">tra</unclear> <gap extent="unknown" reason="illegible" />
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yasya <unclear cert="low">prajñānu</unclear><unclear>ṣa</unclear>ṅg<unclear>o</unclear>cita-sukha-manasaḥ śāstra-tattvārttha-bharttuḥ</l>
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<supplied cert="low" reason="undefined">sa</supplied><unclear cert="low">t</unclear>-<unclear>kā</unclear>vya-śrī-vir<choice><sic>au</sic><corr>o</corr></choice>dhān budha-guṇita-guṇājñāhatān eva kṛtvā
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vidval-loke <supplied reason="omitted">'</supplied>vi<supplied cert="low" reason="undefined">nāśi</supplied> s<unclear>phu</unclear>ṭa-bahu-kavitā-kīrtti rājya<unclear>ṃ</unclear> bhunakti
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<supplied cert="low" reason="undefined">ā</supplied><unclear>ry</unclear>y<supplied cert="low" reason="undefined">ai</supplied><unclear>h</unclear>īty upaguhya bhāva-piśunair utkarṇṇitai romabhiḥ
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sabhyeṣūcchvasiteṣu tulya-kula-ja-m<unclear>l</unclear>ānānanodvī<unclear>kṣi</unclear><supplied reason="undefined">ta</supplied><unclear>ḥ</unclear></l>
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sn<unclear>e</unclear>ha-vyāluḷitena bāṣpa-guruṇā tattvekṣiṇā cakṣuṣā</l>
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yaḥ pitrābhihito nirīk<unclear>ṣya</unclear> nikhi<supplied reason="undefined">lāṃ</supplied> <unclear cert="low">pāhy evam</unclear> <supplied reason="undefined">u</supplied>rv<supplied reason="undefined">v</supplied>īm i<unclear>t</unclear>i
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<supplied reason="undefined">dṛ</supplied>ṣṭvā karmmāṇy anekāny amanuja-sadṛśāny a<unclear>dbhu</unclear>todbhinna-harṣā</l>
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bh<supplied reason="undefined">ā</supplied>vair ās<unclear>v</unclear>āda<unclear>ya</unclear><supplied cert="low" reason="undefined">ntaḥ</supplied> <seg met="......==.==."><gap quantity="12" reason="illegible" unit="character" /></seg> <supplied reason="undefined">ke</supplied>ciT</l>
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<lb n="10" />vīryyottaptāś ca kecic charaṇam upagatā yasya vṛtte praṇāme</l>
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<supplied reason="omitted">'</supplied>py a<unclear cert="low">rtti</unclear>## <seg met="==.==......==.==.=*"><gap quantity="19" reason="illegible" unit="character" /></seg>
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<l>
<lb n="11" />saṃgrāmeṣu sva-bhuja-vijitā nityam uccāpakārāḥ</l>
<l>
śvaḥ śvo māna-pra <seg met="....==.==.=*"><gap quantity="12" reason="illegible" unit="character" /></seg>
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</lg><lg n="cd" type="halfverse"><l>
<lb n="12" />to<unclear>ṣ</unclear>ottuṅgaiḥ sphuṭa-bahu-rasa-sneha-phullair mmanobhiḥ</l>
<l>
paścāttāpaṃ va <seg met="....==."><gap quantity="7" reason="illegible" unit="character" /></seg> <unclear>masya</unclear> <unclear cert="low">dviṣantaḥ</unclear>
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<l>
<lb n="13" />udvelodita-bāhu-vīryya-rabhasād ekena yena kṣaṇād</l>
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unmūlyācyuta-nāgasena-g<seg met="..===.==.*"><gap quantity="10" reason="illegible" unit="character" /></seg>
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<lb n="14" />daṇḍair grāhayataiva kota-kulajaṃ puṣpāhvaye krīḍatā</l>
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<unclear>sūryye</unclear><unclear cert="low">ne</unclear> <seg met="..=.="><gap quantity="5" reason="illegible" unit="character" /></seg> <unclear>taṭa</unclear> <seg met=".===.==.*"><gap quantity="9" reason="illegible" unit="character" /></seg>
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<lg met="sragdharā" n="6">
<lg n="ab" type="halfverse">
<l>
<lb n="15" />dha<unclear>rmma</unclear>-prācīra-bandhaḥ śaśi-kara-śucayaḥ kīrttayaḥ sapratānā</l>
<l>
vaiduṣyaṃ tattva-bhedi praśama . . #<unclear cert="low">uku</unclear> #<unclear cert="low">y</unclear> <seg met="=."><gap quantity="2" reason="illegible" unit="character" /></seg> <unclear cert="low">mut</unclear># <seg met="=."><gap quantity="2" reason="illegible" unit="character" /></seg> tā<unclear>rttham</unclear>
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<supplied cert="low" reason="undefined">a</supplied><unclear>ddhye</unclear><unclear cert="low">yaḥ sūkta-</unclear>mārggaḥ kavi-mati-vibhavotsāraṇaṃ cāpi kāvyaṃ</l>
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ko nu syā<unclear>d</unclear> yo <unclear>s</unclear>ya na syā<unclear>d guṇa i</unclear>ti v<unclear>i</unclear>duṣāṃ dhyāna-pātraṃ ya ekaḥ
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<lb n="17" />
tasya vividha-samara-śatāvataraṇa-dakṣasya sva-bhuja-bala-parākkramaika-bandhoḥ parākkramāṅkasya paraśu-śara-śaṅku-śakti-prās-āsi-tomara-
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<unclear>bh</unclear>ind<unclear>i</unclear>pāla-n<supplied reason="undefined">ā</supplied>rāca-vaitastikādy-aneka-praharaṇa-virūḍhākula-vraṇa-śatāṅka-śobhā-samudayopacita-kāntatara-varṣmaṇaḥ
<lb n="19" />
kausalaka-mahendra-māh<supplied reason="undefined">ā</supplied>kāntāraka-vyāghrarāja-kaurāḷaka-maṇṭarāja-paiṣṭapuraka-mahendragiri-kauṭṭūraka-svāmidatt-airaṇḍapallaka-damana-kañceyaka-viṣṇugopāvamuktaka-
<lb n="20" />
nīlarāja-vaiṅgeyaka-hastivarmma-pālakkakograsena-daivarāṣṭraka-kubera-kausthalapuraka-dhanañjaya-prabhṛti-sarvva-dakṣiṇāpatha-rāja-grahaṇa-mokṣānugraha-janita-pratāponmiśra-māhābhāgyasya
<lb n="21" />
rudradeva-matila-nāgadatta-candravarmma-gaṇapatināga-nāgasen-ācyutanandi-balavarmmādy-anekāryyāvartta-rāja-prasabhoddharaṇodvṛtta-prabhāva-mahataḥ paricārakīkṛta-sarvvāṭavika-rājasya
<lb n="22" />
samataṭa-ḍavāka-kāmarūpa-nepāla-karttṛpurādi-pratyanta-nṛpatibhir mmālavārjunāyana-yaudheya-mādrakābhīra-prārjuna-sanakānīka-kāka-kharaparikādibhiś ca sarvva-kara-dānājñā-karaṇa-praṇāmāgamana-
<lb n="23" />
paritoṣita-pracaṇḍa-śāsanasya <space quantity="1" unit="character" /> aneka-bhraṣṭa-rājyotsanna-rāja-vaṃśa-pratiṣṭhāpanodbhūta-nikhila-bh<unclear>uva</unclear>na-vi<unclear>cara</unclear>ṇa-<unclear>śr</unclear>ānta-yaśasaḥ daivaputra-ṣāhi-ṣāhānuṣāhi-śaka-muruṇḍaih saimhaḷakādibhiś ca
<lb n="24" />
sarvva-dvīpa-vāsibhir ātma-nivedana-kanyopāyana-dāna-garutmad-aṅka-svaviṣaya-bhukti-śāsa<unclear>na-y</unclear>ācanādy-upāya-sevā-kṛta-bāhu-vīryya-prasara-dharaṇi-bandhasya p<sic>ri</sic>thivyām apratirathasya
<lb n="25" />
sucarita-śatālaṅkṛtāneka-guṇa-gaṇotsiktibhiś caraṇa-taḷa-pramṛṣṭānya-narapati-kīrtteḥ sāddhv-asādhūdaya-pralaya-hetu-puruṣasyācintyasya bhakty-avanati-mātra-grāhya-mṛdu-hṛdayasyānukampāvato <supplied reason="omitted">'</supplied>neka-go-śata-sahasra-pradāyina<unclear>ḥ</unclear>
<lb n="26" />
k<unclear>ṛ</unclear>paṇa-dīnānāthātura-janoddharaṇa-sa<unclear>t</unclear>tra-dīkṣā<unclear>bh</unclear>y-upaga<unclear>ta</unclear>-manasaḥ samiddhasya vigrahavato lokānugrahasya dhanada-varuṇendrāntaka-samasya sva-bhuja-bala-vijitāneka-narapati-vibhava-pratyarppaṇā-nitya-vyāpṛtāyukta-puruṣasya
<lb n="27" />
niśita-vidagdha-mati-gāndharvva-laḷitair vrīḍita-tridaśapatiguru-tumburu-nāradāder vvidvaj-jan-opa<unclear>j</unclear>īvyāneka-kāvya-kkriyābhiḥ pratiṣṭhita-kavirāja-śabdasya sucira-stotavyānekādbhutodāra-caritasya
<lb n="28" />
l<unclear>au</unclear>ka-samaya-kkriyānuvidhāna-mātra-mānuṣasya loka-dhāmno devasya mahārāja-śrī-gupta-prapautrasya mahārāja-śrī-ghaṭotkaca-pautrasya mahārājādhirāja-śrī-candragupta-putrasya
<lb n="29" />
licchavi-dauhitrasya mahādevyāṃ kumāradevyām ut<choice><sic>ph</sic><corr>p</corr></choice>annasya mahārājādhirāja-śrī-samudraguptasya sarvva-pṛthivī-vijaya-janitodaya-vyāpta-nikhilāvanitalāṃ kīrttim itas tridaśapati-
<lb n="30" />
bhavana-gamanāvāpta-laḷita-sukha-vicaraṇām ācakṣāṇa iva bhuvo bāhur ayam ucchritaḥ stambhaḥ<supplied reason="omitted">|</supplied>

yasya|
<lg met="pṛthvī" n="7">
<lg n="ab" type="halfverse">
<l>pradāna-bhuja-vikkrama-praśama-śāstra-vākyodayair</l>
<l>
uparyyupari-sañcayocchritam aneka-mārggaṃ yaśaḥ</l>
</lg><lg n="cd" type="halfverse"><l>
<lb n="31" />punāti bhuvana-trayaṃ paśupater jjaṭānta<sic>r-gu</sic>hā-</l>
<l>
nirodha-parimokṣa-śīghram iva pāṇḍu gāṅgaṃ <supplied cert="low" reason="lost">payaḥ</supplied></l>
</lg></lg>

etac ca kāvyam eṣām eva bhaṭṭāraka-pādānāṃ dāsasya samīpa-parisarppaṇānugrahonmīlita-mateḥ
<lb n="32" />khādyaṭapākikasya mahā-daṇḍanāyaka-dhruvabhūti-putrasya sāndhivigrahika-kumārāmātya-ma<supplied reason="lost">hā-daṇḍanāya</supplied>ka-hariṣeṇasya sarvva-bhūta-hita-sukhāyāstu||

<space quantity="2" unit="line" />

<lb n="33" />anuṣṭhitaṃ ca parama-bhaṭṭāraka-pādānudhyātena mahā-daṇḍanāyaka-tilabhaṭṭakena|


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Bibliographic Information (view/hide)

Bibliography description

First notice with lithograph, translation (by A. Troyer) and transcript (by Pt. Madhav Rao) in #Burt_1834 (#Bhandarkar_1929:212 says this text and translation was commenced by a brother of Lieutenant T. S. Burt, finished by a Munshi, revised by Burt and ultimately reduced by Prinsep). Improved transcript in #Mill_1834a, rudimentary genealogy in #Mill_1834b. New lithograph (by Edward Smith) and improved transcript and translation in #Prinsep_1837c (translation republished in #Prinsep_1858:233). Further improvement in a paper presented to the Royal Asiatic Society of Bombay in 1970 by Bhau Daji (never published; mentioned in #BhauDaji_1873); also #BhauDaji_1872. Re-edited with more improvements in #Fleet_1888. Revised yet again in #Bühler_1890:88-91 and discussed ibid:31-45. Further discussion: #Sharma_1956.

Inscription Concordance

Fleet_1888