Prashasti
Prashasti (IAST: Praśasti, Sanskrit for "praise") is an Indian genre of inscriptions composed by poets in praise of their rulers. Most date from the 6th century CE onwards. Written in the form of poetry or ornate prose, the prashastis stereotypically constructed a geneology, the ruler's attributes, eulogize victories, piety and typically ended with one or more announcements of generous gifts and rewards he has given.[1][2] They differ from the so-called "Cultic" genre of Indian inscriptions which praise a deity, religious founder (Buddha, Tirthankara, sub-tradition of Hinduism), guru, or sages then typically announces gifts or donations to a monastery, school, temple or a generous cause.[3] In some epigraphic literature, a prashasti is considered synonymous with a kirti or purva, and is related to the word kirtana which implies "songs and praises of" someone or a deity.[4]
The prashastis generally contained genealogies of the rulers and a comparison with legendary heroes from Indian myths and legends such as those found in Epics and the Puranas.[1] They include ornate titles, links to legendary kings and comparisons to deities, and often fabricated stories about wars, victories, loot and attributes.[2][5]
One of the first known prashastic inscription in Sanskrit is the Junagadh rock inscription of Rudradaman (circa 150 CE), the first long inscription in fairly standard Sanskrit that has survived into the modern era, which became a prototype for Gupta era poetic prashastis. According to Richard G. Salomon – a scholar of South Asian inscriptions, the inscription "represents a turning point in the history of epigraphic Sanskrit. This is the first long inscription recorded entirely in more or less standard Sanskrit, as well as the first extensive record in the poetic style. The style of Rudradaman's inscription is seen in other prashasti inscriptions.[6][7]
The Tamil meykeerthi inscriptions are similar to the prashastis, but feature far more standardized formats.[5]
Examples
- Nashik prashasti (2nd century CE), Satavahana dynasty
- Prayaga prashasti (4th century CE), Gupta dynasty: Lists the rulers against whom the Gupta king Samudragupta fought. It also describes the policy that he followed toward each set of rulers.
- Velvikudi inscription (c. 8th century CE), Pandya dynasty
- Deopara Prashasti (12th century CE), Sena dynasty
References
- ^ a b Kumkum Roy (2008). Historical Dictionary of Ancient India. Scarecrow Press. p. 252. ISBN 978-1-4616-5917-4.
- ^ a b Sircar, D.C. (1996), Indian Epigraphy, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1166-9, pp. 24–28
- ^ Salomon 1998, pp. 122–124.
- ^ Sircar, D.C. (1996), Indian Epigraphy, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-1166-9, pages 3–4 with footnotes
- ^ a b Bernard Bate (2013). Tamil Oratory and the Dravidian Aesthetic: Democratic Practice in South India. Columbia University Press. p. 151. ISBN 978-0-231-51940-3.
- ^ Salomon 1998, p. 89.
- ^ Ichimura, Shōhei (2001). Buddhist Critical Spirituality: Prajñā and Śūnyatā. Motilal Banarsidass Publisher. p. 45. ISBN 9788120817982.
Sources
- Salomon, Richard (1998). Indian Epigraphy: A Guide to the Study of Inscriptions in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and the Other Indo-Aryan Languages. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-509984-2.
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