MAZAR-I-SHARIF INSCRIPTION OF THE TIME OF THE SHAHI RULER VEKA, DATED THE

YEAR 138
Author(s): Ahmad Hasan Dani
Source: Proceedings of the Indian History Congress , 2000-2001, Vol. 61, Part One:
Millennium (2000-2001), pp. 132-135
Published by: Indian History Congress
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148087

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 MAZAR-I-SHARIF INSCRIPTION OF THE
TIME OF THE SHAHI RULER VEKA,
DATED THE YEAR 138
Ahmad Hasan Dani

The stone inscription of the Shahi ruler (spelt as) Veka was fou
few years ago in northern part of Afghanistan and brought to Pakist
from Mazar-i-Sharif. Mr. Nasrullah Babar, the then Interior Minister
of the Government of Pakistan, presented the inscription to Islamabad
Museum.

The stone inscription has eleven lines and it is written in Sarada

character of tenth century A.D. The writing is in western Sarasa style
and the language is Sanskrit but there are several mistakes in th
spelling of the words. As the stone is slightly broken at the top left
corner, the first letter, Om, is missing. It is dated both in figure and
words to one hundred and thirty eight, 138, and it referees to the reign
of Shahi Veka, whose name is generally spelt as Vaka, who is said to
have occupied by eight-fold forces, the earth, the markets and the forts.
It is during his reign that a temple of Siva in the embrace with Uma
was built at Maityasya by Parimaha (great) Maitya for the benefit to
himself and his son.

The date 138 refers to an unspecified era. Dr. Abdur Rehman has
discussed in his article, entitled "Date of the overthrow of Lagaturman
- the last Turki Shahi ruler of Kabul1", the beginning of the Shahi era.
on the basis of a bilingual inscription from Zalamkor,2 and was placed
in 821-22 A.D. This new discovery should lead to revise the date of
the first Hindu Shahi ruler Kallar3 from 843-850 A.D to 821-828 A.D.
If this is correct; the date 138 of the present inscription, if it refers to
the same era, should be equal to 959 AD. which falls during the reign
of Bhimapala. But Dr. Abdur Rahman has identified Vakka Deva with
Toramana (or Kamalu). This identification can no longer be held to
be correct.

The present inscription gives the name of the king as Sri Shahi
Veka raja and bestows on him the qualification of iryatumatu
Ksanginanka i.e. "marked by the powerful Ksangina" obviously the
last word is a proper name and this appears to be the same king who
bears the name of Khingila or Khinkhila4 who should be accepted as a
Shahi ruler. He may be an ancestor of Veka deva. As his coins are
found in Afghanistan and he is mentioned by the Arab ruler Yaqubi,
he may be an immediate predecessor of Veka deva. But the evidence

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 Ancient India 1 33

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134 IHC: Proceedings , 61st ( Millennium ) Session, 2001

of coins has been interpreted differently. So far we have found only

copper coins of Veka (or Vaka), which, in type, are similar to the coins
of Samanta deva. It is on this basis that they have been attributed to
Toramana (or Kamalu). But the present inscription does not support
this identification as its date falls later than the reign of Toramana
(Kamalu). Both the evidences of inscription and coins suggest that
Veka or Vaka should be accepted as an independent ruler of northern
Afghanistan. Thus we find another branch of the Shahi ruler in
northern part of Afghanistan beyond the Hindukush. Veka is said to
have conquered the earth, the markets and the forts by his eightfold
forces, suggesting* that he must have himself gained success against
the Arab rulers of southern Afghanistan.
It seems that during the rule of the Hindu Shahi ruler Bhimapala
there was a break in the dynasty-one branch, headed by Jayapala, ruled
in Lamaghan and Punjab and another branch, headed by Veka, ruled
in northern part of Afghanistan. The northern branch must have come
to an end by the conquest of Alptigin in the second half of tenth century
A.D.

The alphabet of the present Sarada writing is given below:

* "*5 fy Uq ^, ( ¿*"0
Ł1 ' Ą
c <°9

Ï £ * 4
xj É 3
0 Î f'_|' e* <'T Ä
Fļ vi H to
In these letters the head mark is curved and is often divided into two
lines. The medial vowels are clearly marked. Both i and ī show long
verticals but the medial a has just a hook attached to the head-mark on
the right. The medial m is a curve line with a half-round head. The
medial ri also shows a developed hook at the bottom below the other.
Only in the case of dnam, they are side by side. All the letters are
clearly evolved from the late Gupta writing and they are intermediate
to the evolution of the later Nagari character.

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 Ancient India 135

The reading and translation of

MAZARE SHARIF INSCRIPTION

of the time of Vekaraja dated 138

Line 1. [OM]: II SAMVATSARE VARSH (E) 100 30 8 ASHTA TRIM SADHIKE
SAMVATE

Line 2. SATE (SU) KL A GRIHNA MAGHE RBHA (RYA) TI MATU KS ANGI

NANKASRI

Line 3. SHAHI VEKA RAJYE BHU (VA) NA HATTA DURGA ASHTA B (V) ALE-
Line 4. NASITAVATYA SIVABHATTARAKASYA UMA SA-

Line 5. HITASYA DEVA PRATI M A MAITYASYE PARIMAHA MAI-

Line 6. TYENA PRATISHTHITO ATRA SIVA BHA (TTARAKAM) MAHA

Line 7. SRADDHAYAM VADNAM UBHAM SAPUTRA PUNYA PHALAM TATO

Line 8. SIVA BHATTARAKASYA UMA SAHITASYA GURO MA

Line 9. TA PITRO RA KHA(DHI)VATU.II ASHTESHTAKA SAMA YU-

LinelO. KTAM CHA KAROTU SIVALAYAM BHAVA UMA LA (NGA) NE

Line 1 1 . S VARGON YA II (MI)TTR A-NSCH A BHUKS AS A ITI 1 1 SRI (SHAHI)

Translation

Om. In the year 138, one hundred increased by thirty-eight, on the

white half of Magha, during the reign of Sri Shahi Veka, marked by
powerful Ksangina, having occupied the earth, markets, and forts by
eightfold forces; the godly image of Siva Bhattaraka with Uma was
established at Maityasya by Parimaha (the great) Maitya. Here Siva
Bhattaraka is worshipped with great devotion for the merit of both
along with son; hence Siva-Bhattaraka with Uma ('s blessing) may
protect the teacher, mother and father. At the temple of Siva with the
embrace of Uma, eight desired ceremonies should be performed for
the attainment of Svarga etc. Friends be pleased. Sri...

NOTES AND REFERENCES

1. Lahore Museum Bulletin, Vol.VI, No.l and 2, January-December, 1993.

2. Abdur Rehman, "The Zalamkot Bilingual Inscription in East and Wes
Nos. 3-4 December 1998. pp. 469-773.
3. See the date given by Dr. A Rahman in his book, The last Two Dynast
Shahis , Islamabad, 1979 p. 90

4. Ibid., pp. 1 82-184.

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