Vāsishka

Vāsishka (Bactrian: BAZHÞKO Bazēško; Middle Brahmi Vā-si-ṣka, Vāsiṣka; Kharosthi: 𐨬𐨗𐨿𐨱𐨅𐨮𐨿𐨐 Va-jhe-ṣka, Vajheṣka;[3] ruled c. 247–265 CE) was a Kushan emperor, who seems to have had a short reign following Kanishka II.

Vāsishka
Kushan emperor
Coinage of Vashishka. c. 240–250 CE.
Obverse: [ÞAONANOÞAO BAZH]ÞKO K[O]ÞA[NO] (Shaonanoshao Bazishko Koshano) in Greco-Bactrian script, Vasishka, nimbate, diademed, and crowned, standing facing, head left, sacrificing over an altar to left, and holding trident in left hand; filleted trident to left; "Vira" in Brahmi script to inner left at feet; "Va" in Brahmi between legs; "Chu" in Brahmi script in inner right field.
Reverse: ΔXOO in Greco-Bactrian script, nimbate and diademed Ardoxsho seated facing on throne, feet holding filleted investiture garland in right hand and cradling a cornucopia in left arm; above, tamgha to left.[1]
Reign247–265 CE
PredecessorKanishka II
SuccessorKanishka III
Vāsishka is located in South Asia
Mathura(Isapur)
Mathura
(Isapur)
Sanchi
Attock(Ara)
Attock
(Ara)
Location of the epigraphic inscriptions of Vasishka.[2]
Kushan emperors
30 CE–350 CE
Heraios1–30 CE
Kujula Kadphises50–90 CE
Vima Takto90–113 CE
Vima Kadphises113–127 CE
Kanishka I127–151 CE
Huvishka151–190 CE
Vasudeva I190–230 CE
Kanishka II230–247 CE
Vāsishka247–267 CE
Kanishka III267–270 CE
Vasudeva II270–300 CE
Mahi300–305 CE
Shaka305–335 CE
Kipunada335–350 CE

Rule

The rule of Vāsishka in the area of Punjab is attested by inscriptions,[4] as well as in the area of Mathura (Isapur inscription).[5] His rule is recorded as far south as Sanchi, where one and possibly another inscription in his name have been found, dated to the year 22 (The Sanchi inscription of "Vaskushana"-i.e. Vasishka Kushana) and year 28 (The Sanchi inscription of Vasaska-i.e. Vasishka) of a Kushan era (widely thought to be the second century of the Kanishka era). This would place his reign c. 247–265.

Inscriptions and statuary

Vasishka appears in four known inscriptions, including a Kharoshti inscription in the Indus region.[4]

Sanchi Bodhisattava

Several statues or statue fragments from the art of Mathura with the name of Vasishka have been found on the site of Sanchi.[6] One of them is a statue of a seated Bodhisattva, dated to "Year 28 of Vasishka". The inscription reads:[7]

Sanchi Bodhisattva with inscription of Year 28 of Kushan King Vasishka.

L.1 ........ sya [rā] j[ā] t[i] r [ā] jasya Dēvaputrasya sh[ā]hi V[ā]s[ī]shkasya sa[ṁ] 20 8 he I di 5 as ya purv [āyāṁ] Bhaga[va]
L.2 sya jambuchhāyā-śailagṛi [ha]sya Dharmadēva vihārē pratishṭāpita Virasya dhitare Madhuriaka
L.3 [Anē]na deyadharma-pari [tyāgena]

A better preserved statue with similar jewellery.

"Success : In the year 28 of Mahārāja Rājatirāja Devaputra Shāhi Vāsishka, in the first month of winter, on the fifth day, on this date, Madhurika, daughter of Vīra, installed (an image) of Bhagavat (Bodhisattva) sitting on the hill under the shade of the Jambu (rose-apple) tree in the Dharmadāvavihāra.
By this gift.... " [7]

Sanchi pedestal

Another Mathura fragment found in Sanchi is the pedestal of a statue of a standing Buddha.[6] The inscription is inscribed with "Year 22 of Vaskushana", thought to be possibly "Vasishka Kushana".[8][9] Worshippers in long tunics with belts typical of the Kushan style can be seen standing around a seated Boddhisattva.[7] The inscription reads:

Sanchi Buddha pedestal inscribed Year 22 of Vaskushana.

L.1 ..... rājño Vaskushāṇasya sa 20 2 va 2 di 10 Bhagavato Sakkyam[un]eḥ pratimā pratishṭāpita Vidyamatiye pu
L.2 ......mātā-pitṛiṇa sarvva-satvanā ca hita-su

"In the (reign) of King Vaskushāṇa, the year 22, the 2nd month of the rainy season, on the 10th day, (this) image of the Bhagavat Sakyamuni was installed by Vidyamati for ...... and for the welfare and happiness of (her) parents and all creatures."[10]

Ara inscription

Vāsishka appears in the "Ara inscription" of Kanishka III, found in the Indus region, not far south of Attock. In this inscription, he is presented as the father of Kanishka, thought to be Kanishka III, and his name appears in Kharoshthi as "Vajeshka".[2]

Isapur inscription of Vasishka, Year 24
Inscription of Vasishka of the Year 24, on a Yupa Brahmanical sacrifical pillar from Isapur, near Mathura. Mathura Museum. The regnal title (bottom) reads clearly in Middle Brahmi script:

Mahārājasya rājātirājāsya devaputrasya Shāhe Vvāsishkasya
"Of the Great King, the King of kings, His Majesty, Shahi Vasishka"
Ara inscription of the Year 41
The Ara inscription of Kanishka III, in Kharoshthi, using the title Maharaja Rajatiraja Devaputra Kaisara Kanishka ("Great King, King of Kings, Son of God, Caesar, Kanishka)[11]

Isapur inscription of Vasishka, Year 24

An inscription in the name of Vasishka in pure Sanskrit in Middle Brahmi script, with his full imperial titles Mahārājasya rājātirājāsya devaputrasya Shāhe Vvāsishkasya ("Of the Great King, the King of kings, His Majesty, Shahi Vasishka") was found in Isapur (27.5115°N 77.6893°E / 27.5115; 77.6893), near the city of Mathura, on the shaft of a "Yupa", a sacrificial Brahmanical pillar, now in the Mathura Museum.[12][13]

Coinage
Gold Dinar of Vasishka (as Vaskushana). Oesho, probably Shiva, appears on the reverse. c. 240-250 CE

The coinage of Vasishka became smaller than his predecessors, being minted on increasingly small flans, and the metal quality becoming debased.[4] The deities appearing on the reverse of his coinage are similar to those in the coins of Huvishka and Vasudeva I.[4]

Several of Vāsishka's coins have been found together with those of the Kushano-Sasanian ruler Ardashir I Kushanshah, suggesting a level of rivalry and interaction between the two rulers.[14]

The coins of Vasishka usually have the legend in Greco-Bactrian script þAONANOþAO BAZIþKO KOþANO "King of King Bazeshko Kushano".[15]

Some coins with a slightly different name (Obverse legend þAONANOþAO BAZOΔΗO/BOZOΗO KOþANO "King of King Bazodeo the Kushan") have been attributed to "Vaskushana", generally equaled with Vasishka himself.[16][17]

References
  • "Ancient Indian Inscriptions", S. R. Goyal, 2005
  • "From Persepolis to the Punjab: Exploring Ancient Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan", Elizabeth Errington and Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis, 2007.
  • The Crossroads of Asia: Transformation in Image and Symbol", Elizabeth Errington and Joe Cribb, 1992.

References
  1. CNG Coins notice
  2. Rosenfield, John M. (1967). The Dynastic Arts of the Kushans. University of California Press. p. 57.
  3. Konow, Sten, Kharoshṭhī Inscriptions with the Exception of Those of Aśoka, Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol. II, Part I. Calcutta: Government of India Central Publication Branch, p. 163
  4. Rezakhani, Khodadad (2017). From the Kushans to the Western Turks. p. 203.
  5. Rosenfield, John M. (1967). The Dynastic Arts of the Kushans. University of California Press. p. 57.
  6. Mitra, Debala (2001). Sanchi. Archeological Survey of India. p. 7 Note 1.
  7. Kuraishi, Mohammad Hamid; Kak, Ram Chandra; Chanda, Ramaprasad; Marshall, John Hubert (1922). Catalogue of the Museum of Archaeology at Sanchi, Bhopal State. Calcutta, Superintendent Government Printing, India. pp. 29–32.
  8. Dani, A. H.; Staff, UNESCO; Asimov, M. S.; Litvinsky, B. A.; Zhang, Guang-da; Samghabadi, R. Shabani; Bosworth, C. E. (1994). History of Civilizations of Central Asia: The Development of Sedentary and Nomadic Civilizations, 700 B. C. to A. UNESCO. p. 253. ISBN 9789231028465.
  9. "He might have begun to rule even two years earlier if he can be identified with king Vaskushana(=Vasishka Kushana?) of a Sanchi record of the year22" Shashi, Shyam Singh (1999). Encyclopaedia Indica: The Kushana Empire: government, society, and culture. Anmol Publications. p. 23. ISBN 9788170418597.
  10. Marshall, Sir John (1902). Monuments Of Sanchi Vol.1. p. 386.
  11. Konow, Sten (1929). Kharoshthi Inscriptions With The Exception Of Those Of Asoka. p. 163.
  12. Catalogue Of The Archaeological Museum At Mathura. 1910. p. 189.
  13. Rosenfield, John M. (1967). The Dynastic Arts of the Kushans. University of California Press. p. 57.
  14. Rezakhani, Khodadad (2017). ReOrienting the Sasanians: East Iran in Late Antiquity. Edinburgh University Press. p. 134. ISBN 9781474400312.
  15. Singh, Arvind Kumar (1996). Coins of the Great Kushanas. Parimal Publications. p. 23.
  16. Friedberg, Arthur L.; Friedberg, Ira S.; Friedberg, Robert (2017). Gold Coins of the World - 9th edition: From Ancient Times to the Present. An Illustrated Standard Catlaog with Valuations. Coin & Currency Institute. p. 474, coin 38-39. ISBN 9780871840097.
  17. "The coins bearing the legend 'ShaonanoShao Ba-Zodeo/Bozoeo Koshano', ('PAONANOPAO BA-ZOAHO / BOZOHO KOPANO') starts at 1 o'clock have 46 been attributed to Vaskushana (Vasishka) by Gobl." in Bhavan, Bharat Kala; Sharma, Savita (1999). Gold Coins of Imperial Kushāṇas and Their Successors in Bharat Kala Bhavan. Bharat Kala Bhavan, Banaras Hindu University. p. 51.
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