Ancient Edicts and Inscriptions

During the ancient age of Indian history, several great rulers ruled different parts of India. During their reign, kings issued edicts and inscriptions to propagate state laws, ruler’s ideas, famine relief, celebrating war victories and provide details about the politico-social values. For example, Ashoka the Great issued number of famine relief edicts, he propagated the ideas of Dhamma through the pillar and rock inscriptions. Thus, there are several inscriptions and edicts issued by different rulers in ancient India that provides information of that period.

Also Read : Ashokan Inscriptions and Their Importance

Gupta Age – Art and Architecture

Art During the Post-Mauryan Period

Major Inscriptions and Edicts of Ancient India

Prayag-Prashasti is a pillar edict issued by Gupta ruler, Samudragupta which was written by Harisena in Sanskrit language (Brahmi script). Prayag is an ancient name of Allahabad situated in river bank of Yamuna. This inscription of Samudragupta mentions the conquests of him and detail about Gupta empire’s boundaries. This pillar edicts also contains Jahangir’s inscription written in Persian.

Mehrauli Inscription (iron pillar edict) situated near Qutub Minar complex in Delhi. The most significant thing about this pillar is that this pillar made from a rust-resistant composition metal. This pillar credits Chandragupta with conquest of Vanga countries and Vakatakas. Kalsi inscription of Ashoka located in Dehradun, written in Prakrit language which reflects the Ashoka’s human approach in his administration when he converted into Buddhism.

Sohgaura Copper plate inscription is a pre-Ashoka Brahmi inscription, recorded on copper plate, provides the earliest famine relief measure issued by Mauryans. Rummindei Pillar edict or Lumbini pillar edict is situated in modern-day Nepal which recorded the Ashoka’s visit to Lumbini (birth place of Buddha), written in Brahmi script. This also noted that Ashoka exempted the peoples of Lumbini from paying taxes and fixed its contribution of grain to 1/8^th.

Maski inscription is situated in modern-day Raichur district of Karnataka, is a minor rock edict of Ashoka. This was the first edict of Emperor Ashoka that contains the name of Emperor Ashoka instead of “Devanumpiya” or “Piyadassi”. This inscription tells the peoples to follow the tenets of Buddhism. Hathigumpha inscription which situated in the caves of Udayagiri-Khandagiri in Odisha inscribed by King Kharavela of Kalinga in 2^nd century BC. These inscriptions contain the history of Kharavelas.

Aihole inscription was founded at Meguti Temple in Karnataka which is written in Sanskrit by court poet of Pulakeshin, Ravikirti but used Kannada script. Aihole was the capital of Chalukyas (Chalukyas of Badami). This inscription mentioned about the defeat of Harshvardhana by Pulakeshin, the Chalukyan ruler. This inscription also mentioned about the victory of Chalukyas over Pallavas. This also recorded about the shifting of the state capital form Aihole to Badami.

Kalinga edicts is situated in the modern-day Odisha. This inscription of Ashoka contains 11 out of 14 well-known rock edicts of Ashoka. The language of these edicts is Magadhi Prakrit in Brahmi script. The Kalinga inscription which is separate set of inscriptions call for peace-making in nature and meant for the pacification of the newly conquered peoples of Kalinga.

Thus, the different inscriptions issued by several rulers provided important details of that period od time.