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The Mathura lion capital is a Indo-Scythian sandstone capital from Mathura
Mathura

Mathura is a holy city in the Indian States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately 50 km north of Agra, and 150 km south of Delhi; about twenty kilometers from holy Vrindavana....
 in Central India, dated to the 1st century CE.

The capital is covered with Prakrit
Prakrit

Prakrit refers to the broad family of the Indic languages and dialects spoken in ancient India. The Prakrits became literary languages, generally patronized by kings identified with the Kshatriya caste, but were regarded as illegitimate by the Brahmin orthodoxy....
 inscriptions in the kharoshthi script of northwestern India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
. The capital was made on the occasion of the funeral of "the illustrious king Muki and his horse" (Muki has been conjectured to be Maues
Maues

Maues was an Indo-Scythian king from modern Afghanistan who reigned circa 85 BCE-60 BCE, and invaded the Indo-Greek territories of modern Pakistan....
).

The capital describes, among other donations, the gift of a stupa
Stupa

A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, once thought to be places of Buddhist worship, typically the remains of a Buddha or saint....
 with a relic of the Buddha
Gautama Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama was a Spirituality teacher in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent who founded Buddhism. He is generally seen by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddhahood of our age....
, by Queen Aiyasi Kamuia
Aiyasi Kamuia

Aiyasi Kamuia was the chief queen of Saka Mahaksatrapa Rajuvula of Mathura who finds mention in the Mathura Lion Capital of Mathura. She was a Buddhist devotee at whose behest, a relic of Gautama Buddha was established and a Stupa & Samgharama were founded, and a land grant was made to Budhila, a Buddhist monk from Nagara....
, the "chief queen of the Indo-Scythian ruler of Mathura
Mathura

Mathura is a holy city in the Indian States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately 50 km north of Agra, and 150 km south of Delhi; about twenty kilometers from holy Vrindavana....
, strap Rajuvula
Rajuvula

Rajuvula was an Indo-Scythian Great Satrap who ruled in the area of Mathura in northern India in the years around 10 CE. In central India, the Indo-Scythians conquered the area of Mathura over Indian kings around 60 BCE....
", mentioned as the "daughter of Kharaosta Kamuio
Kharahostes

Kharahostes or Kharaostasa was an Indo-Scythian ruler in the northern Indian subcontinent around 10 BCE- 10. He is known from his coins, often in the name of Azes II, and from an inscription on the Mathura lion capital....
" (See: Mathura Lion Capital inscriptions below).






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Mathuralioncapital
The Mathura lion capital is a Indo-Scythian sandstone capital from Mathura
Mathura

Mathura is a holy city in the Indian States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately 50 km north of Agra, and 150 km south of Delhi; about twenty kilometers from holy Vrindavana....
 in Central India, dated to the 1st century CE.

The capital is covered with Prakrit
Prakrit

Prakrit refers to the broad family of the Indic languages and dialects spoken in ancient India. The Prakrits became literary languages, generally patronized by kings identified with the Kshatriya caste, but were regarded as illegitimate by the Brahmin orthodoxy....
 inscriptions in the kharoshthi script of northwestern India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
. The capital was made on the occasion of the funeral of "the illustrious king Muki and his horse" (Muki has been conjectured to be Maues
Maues

Maues was an Indo-Scythian king from modern Afghanistan who reigned circa 85 BCE-60 BCE, and invaded the Indo-Greek territories of modern Pakistan....
).

The capital describes, among other donations, the gift of a stupa
Stupa

A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, once thought to be places of Buddhist worship, typically the remains of a Buddha or saint....
 with a relic of the Buddha
Gautama Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama was a Spirituality teacher in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent who founded Buddhism. He is generally seen by Buddhists as the Supreme Buddhahood of our age....
, by Queen Aiyasi Kamuia
Aiyasi Kamuia

Aiyasi Kamuia was the chief queen of Saka Mahaksatrapa Rajuvula of Mathura who finds mention in the Mathura Lion Capital of Mathura. She was a Buddhist devotee at whose behest, a relic of Gautama Buddha was established and a Stupa & Samgharama were founded, and a land grant was made to Budhila, a Buddhist monk from Nagara....
, the "chief queen of the Indo-Scythian ruler of Mathura
Mathura

Mathura is a holy city in the Indian States and territories of India of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately 50 km north of Agra, and 150 km south of Delhi; about twenty kilometers from holy Vrindavana....
, strap Rajuvula
Rajuvula

Rajuvula was an Indo-Scythian Great Satrap who ruled in the area of Mathura in northern India in the years around 10 CE. In central India, the Indo-Scythians conquered the area of Mathura over Indian kings around 60 BCE....
", mentioned as the "daughter of Kharaosta Kamuio
Kharahostes

Kharahostes or Kharaostasa was an Indo-Scythian ruler in the northern Indian subcontinent around 10 BCE- 10. He is known from his coins, often in the name of Azes II, and from an inscription on the Mathura lion capital....
" (See: Mathura Lion Capital inscriptions below). The lion capital also mentions the genealogy of several Indo-Scythian satraps of Mathura. It mentions Sodasa
Sodasa

Sodasa was an Indo-Scythian, and the son of the Great Satrap of Mathura Rajuvula. He is mentioned in the Mathura lion capital.Sodasa reigned during the 1st century CE, and also took the title of Great Satrap, probably in the area of Mathura as well, but apparently under the suzerainty of the Indo-Parthian king Gondophares....
, son of Rajuvula, who succeeded him and also made Mathura his capital.

The capital also displays at its center a Buddhist triratana symbol, further confirming the involvement of Indo-Scythian rulers with Buddhism.

The inscription indicates support of the Sarvastivadin, against the Mahasamghikas.

It is on display at the British Museum
British Museum

The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture situated in London. Its collections, which number more than 7 million Object , are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its beginning to the present....
 in the Joseph E. Hotung Gallery.

List of inscriptions

Capitaltriratana
Here is the list of the inscriptions in simplified Gandhari
Gandhari

The word Gandhari can mean more than one thing:* Gandhari is a character in the Indian epic, the Mahabharata.* The Gandhari language was a north-western prakrit spoken in Gandhara....
 script (see for exact transcription):

  • A1 mahaksha[tra]vasa rajulasa
"For the Great satrap
Satrap

Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of ancient Medes and Persian Empire empires, including the Achaemenid Empire and in several of their heirs, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic civilization empires....
 Rajuvula
Rajuvula

Rajuvula was an Indo-Scythian Great Satrap who ruled in the area of Mathura in northern India in the years around 10 CE. In central India, the Indo-Scythians conquered the area of Mathura over Indian kings around 60 BCE....
"
  • A2 agra-maheshi ayasia
"Chief Queen Ayasia
Aiyasi Kamuia

Aiyasi Kamuia was the chief queen of Saka Mahaksatrapa Rajuvula of Mathura who finds mention in the Mathura Lion Capital of Mathura. She was a Buddhist devotee at whose behest, a relic of Gautama Buddha was established and a Stupa & Samgharama were founded, and a land grant was made to Budhila, a Buddhist monk from Nagara....
,"
  • A3 kamuia dhida
"The kamuia
Kamuia

Kamuia or Kamuio is the family name used by some members of king Maues or Moga?s family. For example, in the Mathura Lion Capital Inscriptions, last name Kamuia has been used after the name of princess Aiyasi and its modified form Kamuio after the name of her father, Yuvaraja Kharaosta ....
 daughter of"
  • A4 kharaostasa yuvarana
"The heir-apparent Kharahostes
Kharahostes

Kharahostes or Kharaostasa was an Indo-Scythian ruler in the northern Indian subcontinent around 10 BCE- 10. He is known from his coins, often in the name of Azes II, and from an inscription on the Mathura lion capital....
,"
  • A5 mada nada-diakasa [taye]
  • A6 sadha matra abuhola[e]
  • A7 pitramahi pishpasia bhra
  • A8 tra hayuarana sadha hana dhi[tra]
  • A9 a[te]urena horaka-pa
  • A10 rivarena isha pradhravi-prade
  • A11 she nisime sharira pradithavido
"Has offered relics of"
  • A12 bhakhavado shakamunisa budhasa
"The bhagavat Buddha Sakyamuni"
  • A13 muki-[shiri]-raya sashpa [a]bhusavi[ta]
  • A14 thuva ca sagharama ca cadu
  • A15 dishasa saghasa sarva
  • A16 stivadana parigrahe

Mathuraliondetail
*E1 kharaosto yuvaraya
"The heir-apparent Kharahostes
Kharahostes

Kharahostes or Kharaostasa was an Indo-Scythian ruler in the northern Indian subcontinent around 10 BCE- 10. He is known from his coins, often in the name of Azes II, and from an inscription on the Mathura lion capital....
,"
  • E’ kamuio
"A kamuia
Kamuia

Kamuia or Kamuio is the family name used by some members of king Maues or Moga?s family. For example, in the Mathura Lion Capital Inscriptions, last name Kamuia has been used after the name of princess Aiyasi and its modified form Kamuio after the name of her father, Yuvaraja Kharaosta ....
"
  • E2 khalamasa kumara
  • E3 maja kanitha
  • E4 saman[u] moda
  • E’’ kha karita

  • B1/B2 mahakshatravasa va[ra]julasa putra
"The son of the Great Satrap Rajuvula
Rajuvula

Rajuvula was an Indo-Scythian Great Satrap who ruled in the area of Mathura in northern India in the years around 10 CE. In central India, the Indo-Scythians conquered the area of Mathura over Indian kings around 60 BCE....
:"
  • C1 kalui a
  • C2 varajo
  • C3 sudase kshatrave
"The Satrap Sodasa
Sodasa

Sodasa was an Indo-Scythian, and the son of the Great Satrap of Mathura Rajuvula. He is mentioned in the Mathura lion capital.Sodasa reigned during the 1st century CE, and also took the title of Great Satrap, probably in the area of Mathura as well, but apparently under the suzerainty of the Indo-Parthian king Gondophares....
"

  • D1 nauludo

  • M1 kshatrave sudise
  • M2 imo padhravi
  • M3 pradesho

  • I1 veyaudirna kadhavaro busapa
  • I2 ro kadha
  • I3 varo
  • I4 vi ya u

  • J1 rvaraparena palichina
  • J2 nisimo karita niyadido

  • H'dhamadana
  • H guhavihare

  • KL1 ayariasa
  • KL2 budhadevasa
"The divine Buddha"
  • KL3 udaena ayimi[ta]

  • F1 budhilasa nakharaasa
  • F2 bhikhusa sarvastivadasa
"Sarvastivada
Sarvastivada

Sarvastivada is an early school of Buddhism that held to 'the existence of all dharmas in the past, present and future, the 'three times'. The Abhidharma , a later text, states:...
 monk"

  • G1/G2 mahakshat[r]avasa kusul[u]asa patikasa mevaki[sa] miyikasa kshat[r]avasa puyae
"The satrap Miyika honours the great satrap Kusulaka Patika"

  • J3 sarvastivadana parigrahe

  • N1 ayariasa budhilasa nakharakhasa bhikhu
  • N2 sa sarvastivadasa pagra
  • N3 na mahasaghiana pra
  • N4 ma navidave khalulasa

  • O1/O2 sarvabudhana puya dhamasa puya saghasa puya
"Revere all the Buddhas, revere the dharma
Dharma

The term , is an Indian Indian philosophy and Indian religions term, that means one's righteous duty or any virtuous path in the common sense of the term....
, revere the sangha
Sangha

Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose....
"

  • P1/P2 sarvasa sakhasta nasa puyae
"In reverence of all the dead Sakas"

  • Q1 khardaasa
"Kharda"
  • Q2 kshatravasa
"the Satrap"

  • R1 takshilasa
"Taxila
Taxila

Taxila is an important archaeological site in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It dates back to the Ancient Indian period and contains the ruins of the Gandhara city of Takshashila an important Vedanta/Hinduism and Buddhist centre of learning from the 6th century BCE...
"
  • R2 kroninasa

  • J'1 khalasamu
  • J'2 so


External links