Nasik Satta – Cave No. 10 “Nahapana Vihara” (circa 120 AD). 3D tour. This inscription is visible on the porch of Cave #10, above the trans doors and windows, behind the pillars.
The Nasik Inscription of Ushavadatta dates to AD. An inscription made in the Nashik Caves by Ushavadatta, son-in-law of the Western Satrap Nahapana, around 120 AD. It is an early example of the use of Sanskrit, albeit a more hybrid form, in the West Indies. It records the Indian tradition of charity (dana) towards Brahmins and Buddhists and the establishment of infrastructure for pilgrims and the general public in the 2nd century AD.
Nasik Satta
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The inscription is classified as “Escription No. 10” of the Nasik Caves. It is located in the porch of Cave No. 10, also known as “Nahapana Vihara”. It is several meters long.
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In total, six Nahapana family inscriptions are found in the caves, but the Ushavadata inscription is the first example of the use of Sanskrit, albeit a more hybrid form, in the West Indies.
In what has been described as “India’s great linguistic paradox”, Sanskrit inscriptions appeared much later than Prakrit inscriptions, although Prakrit is considered a descendant of the Sanskrit language.
This is because Prakrit in its many varieties has been favored since the time of Ashoka’s influential inscriptions (about 250 BC).
Except for a few examples from the 1st century BC. BC, most of the earliest Sanskrit inscriptions date from the Indo-Scythian rulers, the early northern satraps around Mathura, or the later, closely related western satraps of western and central India.
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It is believed that these Indo-Scythian rulers promoted Sanskrit to show their attachment to Indian culture: according to Salomon, “Their motivation for promoting Sanskrit was probably the desire to establish themselves as legitimate Indian, or at least Indian, rulers. And establish.” To gain the favor of the educated Brahmin elite”.
In the West Indies, Ushavadatta, son-in-law of the western satrap Nahapana, made the first known inscription in Sanskrit on the front of cave number 10 in the Nasik Caves. The inscription dates from the 2nd century AD and shows hybrid features.
This was followed by the Junagadh Inscription of Rudradamana I around 150 AD. It is “the first long inscription recorded more or less completely in standard Sanskrit”.

Sanskrit inscriptions of the western satraps are not found until about two hundred years after the reign of Rudradama, but they are important because their style is the prototype of the laudatory style of Sanskrit inscriptions found in the Gupta era.
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The inscription states that Usavadatta, son-in-law of Kshatrapa Nahapa and son of Dinika, built cave number 10 for Buddhist monks and donated 3000 gold coins for this cave and for the food and clothing of the monks.
“Success! Dinika’s son, King Nahapana’s son-in-law, Kshaharata Kshatrapa, (…), (…) inspired by (True) Dharma, built this cave in the Trirasmi hills of Govardhana, and it produces tanks. – Ushavadata, Cave #10, from Nasik # Part 10 of Statute[7]
The dedication of the cave to the Buddhist Sangha is mentioned in another inscription in the same cave, inscription number 12:
“Success! In the 42nd year, in the month of Veshakha, Ushavadatta, son of Dinika, son-in-law of King Nahapana, Kshaharata Kshatrapa, gifted this cave to the Sangha in general…” – Part of Ushavadatta Inscription No.12, Cave No.10, Nasik[8] Full Text of Inscription [edit]
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Inscription #10 (Hybrid Sanskrit, Brahmi script):[1][7] (line 1) “Successful! Ushavadata, son of Dinika, son-in-law of king Nahapa, Kshaharata Kshatrapa, gave three.’ – He who donated hundreds of thousands of cows, who donated wealth and tirthas in the river Barnasa, bestowed sixteen villages on gods and brahmins. It is certain that a hundred thousand Brahmins are fed throughout the year, who did it? Grant eight wives to a Brahmin at the religious tirtha of Prabhasana, who has square resting-houses, built wells, tanks, gardens and lives in free boats of mercifully guided boats at Barukachcha, Dedapura, Govardhana and Sorparaga (line 2). Iba, Parada, Damana, Tapi, Karaba and Dahanuka and established shelters for meeting and free water distribution on both banks of these rivers, he donated 32,000 coconut trees at Nanangola village to Charaka community (Line 3) Pimditakawada, Govardhana. , Suvarnamukha and Ramatirtha at Sorparaga inspired by (true) dharma in the Trirasmi hills of Govardhana gave birth to this cave and these tanks. And by the Lord’s command I desired to release the chief of Uttambhadra who was besieged by the Malays during the rainy season (line 4) and these Malays fled at the mere roar (of my approach). All were captives of well-fortified warriors. From there I went to Pokshara ponds and bathed there and gave three thousand cows and the village. A Brahmin named Asvibhuti, son of Varahi, bought for four thousand – 4,000 – karshapanas and was gifted to him a piece of land on the border of the country city in the north-west of the (kshetra) belonging to his father. . (Line 5) This food is collected for all the monks living in my cave without distinction.” — Ushavadata Inscription, Nasik Cave No. 10, Inscription No. 10.[7]
The first three lines of the inscription contain the Ushavadata stotra and are written in fairly standard Sanskrit, except for some hybrid features, including multiple joint rests and hybrid morphology (e.g. Bhojapaitra).
Ushavadatta is known to have made inscriptions in Prakrit at the Karla caves, which are broadly similar in content, especially for the hymn portion.
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According to Richard Salomon, Ushavadatta may have followed the example of the northern satraps of Mathura and used Sanskrit in some of his inscriptions.
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The use of literary Sanskrit seems to have been a fashionable way of adding some formality to inscriptions traditionally made in Prakrit.
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