Eran boar inscription of Toramana
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The Eran boar inscription of Toramana, is a stone inscription found in
Eran Eran is an ancient town and archaeological site in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, India. It was one of the ancient mints for Indian dynasties as evidenced by the diverse coins excavated here. The site has 5th and 6th-century Gupta era ...
in the
Malwa Malwa is a historical region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic upland north of the Vindhya Range. Politically and administratively, it is also syno ...
region of
Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It is 8 lines of Sanskrit, the first three of which are in meter and the rest in prose, written in a North Indian script. It is carved on the neck of a freestanding high red sandstone
Varaha Varaha ( sa, वराह, , "boar") is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a boar. Varaha is generally listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. Varaha is most commonly associated with the lege ...
statue, a zoomorphic iconography of Vishnu avatar, and dated to the 6th century. The inscription names king
Toramana Toramana also called Toramana Shahi Jauvla ( Gupta script: ''Toramāṇa'', ruled circa 493-515 CE) was a king of the Alchon Huns who ruled in northern India in the late 5th and the early 6th century CE. Toramana consolidated the Hephthalite p ...
, ruler of the
Alchon Huns The Alchon Huns, ( Bactrian: αλχον(ν)ο ''Alchon(n)o'') also known as the Alchono, Alxon, Alkhon, Alkhan, Alakhana and Walxon, were a nomadic people who established states in Central Asia and South Asia during the 4th and 6th centuries CE. ...
, as ruling over Malwa ("governing the earth") and records that a Dhanyavishnu is dedicating a stone temple to Narayana (Vishnu).


Date

The inscription does not give any date, but mentions
Toramana Toramana also called Toramana Shahi Jauvla ( Gupta script: ''Toramāṇa'', ruled circa 493-515 CE) was a king of the Alchon Huns who ruled in northern India in the late 5th and the early 6th century CE. Toramana consolidated the Hephthalite p ...
is "governing the earth", which is interpreted to mean the Malwa region site where this inscription is found. According to Radhakumud Mookerji, this means that the inscription was made after 510 CE when the Gupta king
Bhanugupta Bhanugupta was one of the lesser known kings of the Gupta dynasty. He is only known from an inscription in Eran, and a mention in the Manjushri-mula-kalpa. Only mentioned in the Eran inscription as a "Raja" and not a "Maharaja" or a "Maharajad ...
and his local chief Goparaja had lost Malwa region after Toramana's invasion. It must be before 513 CE, because Toramana died in Varanasi while on his campaign to conquer eastern India.The Gupta Empire, Radhakumud Mookerji, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 195
p.120
/ref> The inscription was made by a Vishnu devotee named Dhanyavishnu, the younger brother of the deceased Maharaja Matrivishnu, who is the same person who also erected a pillar in Eran. John Fleet calls it an inscription belonging to 6th-century
Vaishnavism Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...
, a tradition of
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
.


Description

The inscription is written under the neck of the boar, in 8 lines of
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
in the
Brahmi script Brahmi (; ; ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system of ancient South Asia. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such as 'lath' o ...
. The boar represents the God
Varaha Varaha ( sa, वराह, , "boar") is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, in the form of a boar. Varaha is generally listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. Varaha is most commonly associated with the lege ...
, an
avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appearanc ...
of
Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
. The inscription was found in 1838 by T.S. Burt, who brought it to the attention of James Prinsep. It was published in 1838 by Prinsep with a translation. In 1861, FitzEdward Hall disagreed with Prinsep's report and published a revised edition of the inscription and a new translation. Fleet published his own translation and interpretation of the inscription in 1888. The translations for the inscription vary significantly, though the central theme is similar. The region around the inscription, the boar sculpture's wall is covered with reliefs, predominantly of
rishi ''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or ...
s (sages) and saints of Hinduism. This iconography follows the Hindu texts where the boar avatar is symbolically shown to be protective of the saints and scholars. Goddess earth (Bhudevi, Prithivi) is depicted with a woman sculpture hanging on to the right tusk of the boar. On the shoulder of the boar is a small shrine. The boar along with the site is damaged, and cracks run across the boar, one of the cracks passes through the inscription.


John Fleet's Translation

The John Fleet translation of the inscription reads: {{quote, " Om ! Victorious is the god (
Vishnu Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism. Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
), who has the form of a
Boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is no ...
; who, in the act of lifting up the earth {out of the waters}, caused the mountains to tremble with the blows of {his} hard snout ; {and) who is the pillar {for the support) of the great house which is the three worlds ! (Line 1 .)— In the first year; while the
Maharajadhiraja Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great king" or " high king". A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Empire, an ...
, the glorious
Toramana Toramana also called Toramana Shahi Jauvla ( Gupta script: ''Toramāṇa'', ruled circa 493-515 CE) was a king of the Alchon Huns who ruled in northern India in the late 5th and the early 6th century CE. Toramana consolidated the Hephthalite p ...
of great fame {and} of great luster, is governing the earth.Dynastic History of Magadha, Cir. 450-1200 A.D. by Bindeshwari Prasad Sinh
p.79
/ref> (L. 2 .)— On the tenth day of (the month)
Phalguna Phalguna ( sa, फाल्गुन ) is a month of the Hindu calendar. In India's national civil calendar, Phalguna is twelfth month of the year, and corresponds with February/March in the Gregorian calendar.Henderson, Helene. (Ed.) (2005) ' ...
, — on this {lunar day}, {specified} as above by the regnal year and month and day, {and} invested as above with its own characteristics. (L. 3 .)— By Dhanyayishnu,— the younger brother, obedient to him {and} accepted with favour by him, of the Maharaja Matrivishnu, who has gone to heaven; who was excessively devoted to the Divine One; who, by the will of (the god) Vidhatri, was approached {in marriage-choice} by the goddess of sovereignty , as if by a maiden choosing (him) of her own accord {to be her husband} ; whose fame extended up to the border of the four oceans; who was possessed of unimpaired honour and wealth ; {and} who was victorious in battle against many enemies; who was the son of the son’s son of Indravishnu; who was attentive to his duties; who celebrated sacrifices; who practiced private study {of the scriptures}; who was a
Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
saint; {and) who was the most excellent {of the followers} of the Maitreya clan {gotra} (Maitreya gotra came from the linage of sage Brighu) who was the son’s son of Varunavishnu, who imitated the virtuous qualities of {his} father;— and who was the son of Harivishnu, who' was the counterpart of {his} father in meritorious qualities, {and} was the cause of the advancement of his race (L. 6.)— (By this Dhanyavishnu) accomplishing, in unison with {the previously expressed wishes of} him, a joint deed of religious merit, for the sake of increasing the religious merit of (his) parents, this stone temple of the divine (god)
Narayana Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is co ...
, who has the form of a
Boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is no ...
{and} who is entirely devoted to {the welfare of} the universe, has been caused to be made in this his own
vishaya A vishaya (IAST: Viṣaya) was a historical administrative unit of India, generally equivalent to a modern district. Several other terms for units equivalent to a modern district appear in historical inscriptions, including ''āhāra'', ''rashtra'' ...
of Airikina. (L. 8.)— Let prosperity attend all the subjects, headed by the cows and the
Brahman In Hinduism, ''Brahman'' ( sa, ब्रह्मन्) connotes the highest universal principle, the ultimate reality in the universe.P. T. Raju (2006), ''Idealistic Thought of India'', Routledge, , page 426 and Conclusion chapter part X ...
s! , Eran boar inscription, Translator: Fleet{{sfn, Fleet, 1888, pp=160-161.{{cite book , last1=Balogh , first1=Dániel , title=Hunnic Peoples in Central and South Asia: Sources for their Origin and History , date=12 March 2020 , publisher=Barkhuis , isbn=978-94-93194-01-4 , page=329-330 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=frnVDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA329 , language=en


Hall & Cunningham Translation

{{Quote, Triumphant is the God who, in the likeness of a Boar, lifted up the earth; who, by blows of his hard snout, tossed the mountains aloft; the upholding pillar of that vast mansion, the threefold world. In the first year that the auspicious Toramana, sovereign of great kings, of extended fame and wide-spread effulgence, is governing the earth; on the tenth day of Phalguna; even so, in the year and month and on the day of his reign before mentioned, during the first watch of the said lunar day as circumstantiated of the great grandson of Indra Vishnu, —a Brahman saint, of the illustrious Maitrayaniya monarchs, who took delight in his duties, celebrated solemn sacrifices, and well read in the scriptures; grandson of Varuna Vishnu, who imitated the excellencies of his father; son of Hari Vishnu, who was the counterpart of his sire, and derived prosperity to his race, that is to say, of the great king Matrivishnu, who was departed to elysium a most devout worshipper of Bhagavat, who, by the will of the Ordainer, acquired, like as a maiden sometimes elects her husband, the splendour of royalty; of fame recognized as far as the four oceans; of unimperfect wealth; victorious in many a battle over his enemies, — the younger brother, Dhanyavishnu, who did him due obeisance, and was revered because of his favour; whose righteous deeds have been notably unintermitted;— with purpose to advance the merit of his mother and father, in his dominions, in this town of Erakaina
ran Ran, RaN and ran may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Ran'' (film), a 1985 film directed by Akira Kurosawa * "Ran" (song), a 2013 Japanese song by Luna Sea * '' Ran Online'', a 2004 MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game) * ...
has caused this substantial temple of the adorable Narayana, in form a boar, affectionately attached to the world, to be constructed. May happiness attend the kine, the Brahmans, the magnates, and all the subjects.
, Eran boar inscription, Archaeological Survey Report, Translator: HallA. Cunningham (1880)
Report of Tours in Bundelkhand and Malwa
Archaeological Survey of India, Volume 10, Calcutta, pages 84-85, {{PD-notice


See also

*
Gwalior inscription of Mihirakula The Gwalior Inscription of Mihirakula is a Sanskrit inscription recording the construction of a Surya temple from stone on the Gopa hill of Gwalior. Though now referred with the name of Mihirakula, the temple and the inscription was commissioned by ...


References

{{reflist


Bibliography

*{{cite book , last=Fleet , first=J.F. , author-link=John Faithfull Fleet , year=1888 , title=Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum , volume=3 , publisher=Government of India, Central Publications Branch , location=Calcutta , url= https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.358795/2015.358795.Corpus-Inscriptionum#page/n379/mode/2up, quote={{PD-notice {{Hindudharma Sanskrit inscriptions in India Gupta and post-Gupta inscriptions