Indravarma

Apracha King
  • Aspavarma
  • Unnamed child, parent of Sasan
HouseApracharajasDynastyAprachaFatherVispavarmaMotherRukhuṇakaReligionBuddhism

Indravarman or Indravarma (Kharosthi: 𐨀𐨁𐨎𐨡𐨿𐨪𐨬𐨪𐨿𐨨 Iṃ-dra-va-rma, Iṃdravarma[1]), also called Itravasu on his coinage, was an Apracharaja who ruled in Gandhara, with his capital in Bajaur. He succeeded the previous Apracharaja Indravasu, in 50 BC and was the son of the Apracha general. Vispavarma.[2] Indravarma had a son, Aspavarma, commander and later king, known from an inscription discovered at Taxila.[3]

Bajaur casket

The Bajaur casket, Metropolitan Museum of Art.[4]

Indravarman is mainly known from his dedicatory inscription on the Bajaur casket, an ancient reliquary from the area of Bajaur in ancient Gandhara, in the present-day Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. It is dated to around 5-6 CE.[4]

The inscription which is written in Kharoshthi, translates into English as:

In the sixty third year of the late great king Aya (Azes), on the sixteenth day of the month of Kartia (Kartika), at this auspicious (?) time, Prince Indravarma (Indravarman), son of the king of Apraca, establishes these bodily relics of Lord Sakyamuni; …. He produces brahma-merit together with his mother, Rukhunaka, daughter of Aji…. And these bodily relics having been brought in possession from the Muraka cave stupa, were established in a secure (?), safe, deep (?), depository…

— Text of the Bajaur casket, Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The casket proves the involvement of the Scythian kings of the Apraca, in particular King Indravarman, in Buddhism.

Indravarma is also known from a seal inscription, which was discovered in Bajaur.[3] He may have had a sister named Vasavadatta, who is known from the dedication of a water pot.[3]

Silver reliquary

Indravarma is also known for another Buddhist inscription on a silver reliquary in which he mentions him and his father Vispavarma, who was not yet a king. The inscription, which is written in Kharoshthi, translates into English as:

Prince Indravarma, son of Commander Vispavarma, together with his wife establishes these bodily relics in his own stupa. Commander Vispavarma and Sisirena, the wife of the Commander, are (hereby) honored. Indravasu, king of Apraca, and his wife Vasumitra, who is the mother of a living son, are (hereby) honored

The date of the Silver reliquary is thought to be anterior to the Bajaur casket, as Indravarma describes his father as "Commander", rather than the later "King" title. It was probably dedicated in the end of the 1st century BCE.[5]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Cunningham, Alexander, COINS OF THE INDO-SCYTHIANS. The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Numismatic Society, Third Series, Vol. 8 (1888), pp. 199-248
  2. ^ a b The World's Writing Systems, Peter T. Daniels, William Bright, Oxford University Press, 1996, p.382
  3. ^ a b c On the Cusp of an Era: Art in the Pre-Kuṣāṇa World, Doris Srinivasan, Brill, 2007, p.269-270
  4. ^ a b Metropolitan Museum of Art notice
  5. ^ "An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman", Richard Salomon, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 3 (July–September 1996), pp. 441

References

  • Baums, Stefan. 2012. “Catalog and Revised Texts and Translations of Gandharan Reliquary Inscriptions.” In: David Jongeward, Elizabeth Errington, Richard Salomon and Stefan Baums, Gandharan Buddhist Reliquaries, pp. 207–208, 233–234, Seattle: Early Buddhist Manuscripts Project (Gandharan Studies, Volume 1).
  • Baums, Stefan, and Andrew Glass. 2002– . Catalog of Gāndhārī Texts, nos. CKI 241 and CKI 242
  • Richard Salomon (January–March 1982). "The "Avaca" Inscription and the Origin of the Vikrama Era". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 102 (1): 59–68. doi:10.2307/601111. JSTOR 601111.
Indravarma
Regnal titles
Preceded by Apracharaja Succeeded by
  • v
  • t
  • e
Indo-Scythian kings, territories and chronology (in green)
Territories/
dates 		Western India Western Pakistan
Balochistan 		Paropamisadae
Arachosia 		Bajaur Gandhara Western Punjab Eastern Punjab Mathura
INDO-GREEK KINGDOM
90–85 BCE Nicias Menander II Artemidoros
90–70 BCE Hermaeus Archebius
85-60 BCE INDO-SCYTHIAN KINGDOM
Maues
75–70 BCE Vonones
Spalahores 		Telephos Apollodotus II
65–55 BCE Spalirises
Spalagadames 		Hippostratos Dionysios
55–35 BCE Azes I Zoilos II
55–35 BCE Azilises
Azes II 		Apollophanes Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
NORTHERN SATRAPS
Hagamasha
25 BCE – 10 CE Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
APRACHARAJAS
Vijayamitra
(ruled 12 BCE - 15 CE)[n 1] 		Liaka Kusulaka
Patika Kusulaka
Zeionises 		Kharahostes
(ruled 10 BCE– 10 CE)[n 2]
Mujatria 		Strato II and Strato III Hagana
10-20 CE INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM
Gondophares 		Indravasu INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM
Gondophares 		Rajuvula
20-30 CE Ubouzanes
Pakores 		Vispavarma
(ruled c.0-20 CE)[n 3] 		Sarpedones Bhadayasa Sodasa
30-40 CE KUSHAN EMPIRE
Kujula Kadphises 		Indravarma Abdagases ... ...
40-45 CE Aspavarma Gadana ... ...
45-50 CE Sasan Sases ... ...
50-75 CE ... ...
75-100 CE Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
WESTERN SATRAPS
Chastana 		Vima Takto ... ...
100-120 CE Abhiraka Vima Kadphises ... ...
120 CE Bhumaka
Nahapana 		PARATARAJAS
Yolamira 		Kanishka I Great Satrap Kharapallana
and Satrap Vanaspara
for
Kanishka I
130-230 CE

Jayadaman
Rudradaman I
Damajadasri I
Jivadaman
Rudrasimha I
Satyadaman
Jivadaman
Rudrasena I

Bagamira
Arjuna
Hvaramira
Mirahvara

Vāsishka (c. 140 – c. 160)
Huvishka (c. 160 – c. 190)
Vasudeva I (c. 190 – to at least 230)


230-280 CE

Samghadaman
Damasena
Damajadasri II
Viradaman
Isvaradatta
Yasodaman I
Vijayasena
Damajadasri III
Rudrasena II
Visvasimha

Miratakhma
Kozana
Bhimarjuna
Koziya
Datarvharna
Datarvharna

INDO-SASANIANS
Ardashir I, Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 230 – 250)
Peroz I, "Kushanshah" (c. 250 – 265)
Hormizd I, "Kushanshah" (c. 265 – 295)

Kanishka II (c. 230 – 240)
Vashishka (c. 240 – 250)
Kanishka III (c. 250 – 275)


280-300 CE Bhratadarman Datayola II

Hormizd II, "Kushanshah" (c. 295 – 300)

Vasudeva II (c. 275 – 310)
300-320 CE

Visvasena
Rudrasimha II
Jivadaman

Peroz II, "Kushanshah" (c. 300 – 325)

Vasudeva III
Vasudeva IV
Vasudeva V
Chhu (c. 310? – 325)

320-388 CE

Yasodaman II
Rudradaman II
Rudrasena III
Simhasena
Rudrasena IV

Shapur II Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 325)
Varhran I, Varhran II, Varhran III "Kushanshahs" (c. 325 – 350)
Peroz III "Kushanshah" (c. 350 –360)
HEPHTHALITE/ HUNAS invasions

Shaka I (c. 325 – 345)
Kipunada (c. 345 – 375)

GUPTA EMPIRE
Chandragupta I Samudragupta


388-395 CE Rudrasimha III Chandragupta II
  1. ^ From the dated inscription on the Rukhana reliquary
  2. ^ An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman, Richard Salomon, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1996), pp. 442 [1]
  3. ^ A Kharosthī Reliquary Inscription of the Time of the Apraca Prince Visnuvarma, by Richard Salomon, South Asian Studies 11 1995, Pages 27-32, Published online: 09 Aug 2010 [2]