Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology
by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words
This page relates 鈥榬ule of the Satavahanas鈥� of the study on Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology, including museum exhibitions of the major archeological antiquities. These pages show how the Buddhist establishment of Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) survived from 4th century BCE to 14th century CE. It includes references and translations of episodes of Buddha鈥檚 life drawn from the Avadanas and Jatakas which are illustrated in Amaravati art.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
The rule of the 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补蝉
In order to establish the survival and continuity of the monastic site we again take recourse to the chronological sequence of the 惭补丑腻蝉迟奴辫补. In this regard mention may be made of the third period. The third period dates 1st鈥�nd Century C.E. In this layer Rouletted Ware, Red Polished Ware, Polished Black Ware, copper, potin and lead coins of the 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补蝉 (Pl 31b), sculptural crossbars and coping stones are found[1]. The antiquities reveal that during this period the 蝉迟奴辫补 attained its glorious epoch. This phase coincided with the reign of the later 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补蝉.
During the reign of the later 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补蝉 the region enjoyed peace and prosperity[2]. It is worthy of mention that during the terminal years of 骋补耻迟补尘墨辫耻迟谤补 S膩takar峁噄鈥檚 reign, the 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补蝉 extended their control to the eastern coast. His mother 骋补耻迟补尘墨 Bala艣r墨 in the 狈腻蝉颈办 inscription mentioned that her son was the overlord of many mountains including Siri峁璦na, Malaya, Mahida and 厂别峁璦驳颈谤颈 ranges. These ranges are situated in the coastal Andhra region. Among them Siri峁璦na is near Siridh膩nya, that is, 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补.
Vasi峁ａ弓h墨putra Pu岣穟m膩vi consolidated the empire to the eastern coast with 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补 as the centre of his political activity. He shifted the capital from 笔谤补迟颈峁ａ弓丑腻苍补 (Pai峁環an) to 顿丑腻苍测补办补峁璦办补[3] in 150 C.E. The 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补蝉 made it their capital when 笔谤补迟颈峁ａ弓丑腻苍补 was destroyed by the Ksaharatas, a branch of the Sakas. Thereafter the 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补蝉 ruled the region for next seven generations without any interruption[4]. The epigraphical records of Vasi峁ａ弓h墨putra Pu岣穟m膩vi and 骋补耻迟补尘墨辫耻迟谤补 Yajn S膩takar峁噄 confirm that this region was under the control of the 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补蝉. Pu岣穟m膩vi was the contemporary of 狈腻驳腻谤箩耻苍补 who built a railing around the 惭补丑腻肠补颈迟测补.[5]
The 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补 regime ushered in a Golden Era in Deccan and the prosperity of the epoch was reflected in the art activity at 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨[6]. The intensive structural and sculptural activity in Period III of the 惭补丑腻肠补颈迟测补 already mentioned above bear testimony to this. During this time trade with Roman Empire was at its height. The importance of 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 is further attested by Pu岣穟m膩vi鈥檚 coins and an inscription found on the 蝉迟奴辫补 of 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨. In his regime the monument began to be refurbished and rebuilt.
The donative inscriptions during the 厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补 epoch are significant in this respect.
Text:-
Translation: -
T.G Aravamuthan believes that the statue on the dress of which this inscription is incised is 骋补耻迟补尘墨辫耻迟谤补 S膩takar峁噄 But this cannot be accepted with certainty.[8]
Text:-
i) [Si] dham R膩no Vasi峁ａ弓h墨putasa 蝉腻尘颈 笔耻濒耻尘腻惫颈sa savachharam鈥�
pi峁僤a sutariya苍补峁�
Kahutara gahapatisa Purigahapatisa chaputasa Isilasa Sabh膩tukasa鈥︹�︹�︹�︹��..
ii) Sa (Bha?) ginikasa bhayanachasa
N膩ka苍颈办腻ya saputakasa鈥�. [?Bhagava)] to
尘补丑腻 cheitya chetakiya
苍补峁� 苍颈办腻 (ya) sa parigahe aparad膩re
dhamachaka de dha峁僲am (尘腻迟腻) pitu [udisa?][9]
Translation:-
鈥淗ail! In the year鈥� of the illustrious lord the king 笔耻濒耻尘腻惫颈 son of Vasish峁環a (mother). The merit of the gift of a Dhammachaka (Wheel of law) on the western doorway in the great Chaitya of Bhagavat (Buddha) in possession of the Chetika school by two Pi峁僤asutris -the householder Kahutara and Isila, the sun of the householder Puri, with his brother, his sister, his wife N膩ganika with (their) son.鈥�
In this inscription we do not find the direct involvement of the king but it refers to the period of 艢r墨 Vasi峁ａ弓h墨putra Pu岣穟m膩vi and mentions the name of queen 狈腻驳补苍颈办补.
Text:-
i) Sidham r膩jno Gotamipu (trasya) 艢r墨 Yajna (s膩) ta karnisya Samvatsara鈥�vasa鈥損a -5 divasa 8 uijjayin墨 up膩sakena
ii) Jayilena-尘补丑腻cetiye-karitam
iii) Dhanakata cetiya[10]
Translation:-
Success! During the regnal year of Goutam墨putra 艢r墨 Yajna (S膩takar峁噄) on the 8th day of 5th 辫补办峁, 鲍辫腻蝉补办补 Jayila of Ujjaini made a gift to the 尘补丑腻-caitya of Dhanaka峁璦.
The inscription is in Sanskrit and belongs to the reign of 骋补耻迟补尘墨辫耻迟谤补 艢r墨 Yajna (S膩takar峁噄) and does not refer to any direct involvement of the king. But we definitely get the information that the 惭补丑腻肠补颈迟测补 was highly venerated and donee came from Ujjain.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Sarma I. Karthikeya, 1974, Op.cit, p 61.
[3]:
Ibid, p 23
[4]:
Prasad P.R.K, 1991, 鈥楶re-厂腻迟补惫腻丑补苍补 Phase at 础尘补谤腻惫补迟墨 Dhara峁噄ko峁璦鈥� Op.cit, p 334.
[6]:
Dhavalikar M.K, Op.cit, p 21
[7]:
[8]:
Aravamuthan T.G, 1930, South Indian Partraits, London, p 1.
[9]: