The Silver Scroll Inscription from Taxila

The Silver Scroll Inscription from Taxila

Discovery & Context

In 1914 CE (2457 BE), Sir John Marshall, a renowned archaeologist, excavated the Dharmarajika Stupa in Taxila (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). This stupa, originally built during Emperor Ashoka’s reign (3rd century BCE), underwent multiple renovations. Within the stupa, Marshall discovered a silver scroll inscription housed in a stone casket. The text, written in mixed Prakrit-Sanskrit using the Kharoṣṭhī script, was deciphered by Professor Sten Konow.

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Inscription Text & Translation

Original (Kharoṣṭhī Script):

1. 𐨯𐨎 𐩄 𐩅 𐩀 𐩃 𐩄 𐩃 𐩀 𐩀 𐨀𐨩𐨯 𐨀𐨮𐨜𐨯 𐨨𐨱𐨯 𐨡𐨁𐨬𐨯𐨅 𐩄 𐩃 𐩀 𐨀𐨁𐨭𐨅 𐨡𐨁𐨬𐨯𐨅 𐨤𐨿𐨪𐨡𐨁𐨯𐨿𐨟𐨬𐨁𐨟 𐨦𐨒𐨬𐨟𐨆 𐨢𐨚𐨂 𐨀𐨂𐨪𐨯-

2. 𐨐𐨅𐨞 𐨀𐨁𐨣𐨿𐨟𐨱𐨁𐨪𐨁𐨤𐨂𐨟𐨿𐨪𐨅𐨣 𐨨𐨱𐨁𐨫𐨁𐨣 𐨞𐨆𐨀𐨕 𐨣𐨒𐨿𐨪𐨅 𐨬𐨯𐨿𐨟𐨬𐨅𐨣 𐨟𐨅𐨣 𐨀𐨁𐨨𐨅 𐨤𐨿𐨪𐨡𐨁𐨯𐨿𐨟𐨬𐨁𐨟 𐨦𐨒𐨬𐨟𐨆 𐨦𐨿𐨟𐨂 𐨢𐨨𐨿𐨪-

3. 𐨅𐨟𐨿𐨐𐨿𐨮𐨁𐨫𐨅 𐨟𐨞𐨂𐨬𐨅 𐨨𐨱𐨪𐨗𐨯 𐨪𐨗𐨯 𐨡𐨁𐨬𐨤𐨂𐨟𐨿𐨪𐨯 𐨑𐨂𐨭𐨞𐨯 𐨀𐨪𐨆𐨒𐨡𐨿𐨐𐨿𐨮𐨁𐨞𐨅

4. 𐨯𐨿𐨪𐨬𐨦𐨂𐨢𐨩 𐨤𐨂𐨩𐨅 (𐨤𐨂𐨗𐨩𐨅) 𐨤𐨕𐨗𐨦𐨂𐨢𐨩 (𐨤𐨕𐨗𐨦𐨂𐨢𐨅𐨞) 𐨤𐨂𐨩𐨅 (𐨤𐨂𐨗𐨩𐨅) 𐨀𐨪𐨵𐨞𐨿𐨟𐨩 (𐨀𐨪𐨵𐨞𐨿𐨟𐨩𐨞𐨿) 𐨤𐨂𐨩𐨅 (𐨤𐨂𐨗𐨩𐨅) 𐨯𐨿𐨪𐨬𐨯𐨿𐨟𐨬𐨩𐨞𐨿 𐨤𐨂𐨩𐨅 (𐨤𐨂𐨗𐨩𐨅) 𐨨𐨚𐨤𐨁𐨟𐨂 𐨤𐨂𐨩𐨅 (𐨤𐨂𐨗𐨩𐨅) 𐨨𐨁𐨟𐨿𐨪𐨨𐨕𐨗𐨚𐨁𐨯-

5. 𐨫𐨆𐨵𐨁𐨟𐨞 𐨤𐨂𐨩𐨅 (𐨤𐨂𐨗𐨩𐨅) 𐨀𐨟𐨬𐨞𐨆 𐨀𐨪𐨆𐨒𐨡𐨿𐨐𐨿𐨮𐨁𐨞𐨅 𐨞𐨁𐨬𐨞𐨅 𐨨𐨆𐨟𐨂 𐨀𐨩 𐨡𐨅𐨩𐨯𐨿𐨨𐨤𐨿𐨪𐨁𐨕𐨒𐨆

Transliteration:

1. *Saṃ 136 20 10 4 1 1 ayasa aṣāḍhasa māsasa divase 10 4 1 iṣe divase pradisṭāvita bhagavato dhātu uras-*

2. keṇa intahariputrena bahalinoaca nagare vāsṭavena tena ime pradisṭāvita bhagavato bhatu dhamra-

3. e Takṣaśilāe taṇuve bodhisatvagṛhe mahārājasa rājātirājasa devaputrasa Khuṣāṇasa aroga-dakṣiṇe

4. sarvabuddhāna pūye (pūjāye) pratyekabuddhāna (pratyekabuddhānāṃ) pūye (pūjāye) arhatāna (arhatānāṃ) pūye (pūjāye) sarvasatvānāṃ pūye (pūjāye) mātāpitṛ pūye (pūjāye) mitramacañāti-

5. svalohitāna pūye (pūjāye) atavaṇo aroga-dakṣiṇe nivaṇe hotu aya deyasamaparicāgo

Translation:

*"In the year 136, on the 15th day of the month of Āṣāḍha, on this very day, the relics of the Blessed One (Buddha) were enshrined by Urasaka, a native of Antvhria (Bactria), residing in the city of Noaca. These relics were installed in the private chapel of the Bodhisattva within the Dharmarajika Stupa of Taxila, for the welfare of the Great King, the Supreme Ruler, the Divine Son of the Kushan dynasty, and in honor of:

• All Buddhas,

• All Pratyekabuddhas (solitary enlightened ones),

• All Arhats (perfected beings),

• All sentient beings,

• One’s mother and father,

• All friends and blood relatives.

This donation is also for the health and Nirvana of the donor himself. May this act of merit lead to liberation."*

(Sten Konow, Kharoshthi Inscriptions, p. 77)

Historical Significance

1. Identifies the Stupa’s Name

   • Confirms the stupa as "Dharmarajika", linking it to Ashoka’s legacy.

2. Mentions Taxila’s Ancient Name

   • Uses "Takṣaśilā", the original Sanskrit name for Taxila.

3. Kushan-Greek Rule

   • Dates to 89 CE (632 BE), during the reign of:

     • King Azes (Indo-Scythian/Greek-descended ruler).

     • Kujula Kadphises (founder of the Kushan Empire).

4. Donor’s Origins

   • Urasaka, the donor, was a Bactrian Greek from Noaca (exact location unknown).

Current Location

The silver scroll is displayed at the National Museum, New Delhi, India.

Key Takeaways

• One of the earliest inscriptions confirming Taxila’s Buddhist heritage.

• Reveals syncretism of Greek, Scythian, and Kushan cultures in Gandhara.

• Highlights the global connections of ancient Buddhist patrons (Bactria → Taxila).