Vispavarma

The Bajaur casket mentions the father of Indravarma, i.e. Vispavarma, as the king of the Apracas. Metropolitan Museum of Art.[1]

Vispavarma or Visnuvarma (ruled circa 0-20 CE)[2] was an Indo-Scythian king of the Apracas, who ruled in the area of Bajaur in modern northwestern Pakistan. His reign is known for sure to include the date of 6 CE, due to his description as king on the 5-6 CE Bajaur casket.[3]

Vispavarma is mainly known from a dedicatory Buddhist inscription by his son Indravarma, who mentions him as his father. The inscription which is written in Kharoshthi, translates into English as:

Prince Indravarma, son of Commander Vispavarma, together with his wife establishes these bodily relics in his own stupa. Commander Vispavarma and Sisirena, the wife of the Commander, are (hereby) honored. Indravasu, king of Apraca, and his wife Vasumitra, who is the mother of a living son, are (hereby) honored
— Opening inscription in Gandhari Prakrit on the Silver Buddhist reliquary of Prince Indravarma.[4]

In the Bajaur casket inscription, Vispavarma is further described as king of the Apracas by his son Indravarma, the date of the dedication being 5-6 CE:

In the sixty third year of the late great king Aya (Azes), on the sixteenth day of the month of Kartia (Kartika), at this auspicious (?) time, Prince Indravarma (Indravarman), son of the king of Apraca, establishes these bodily relics of Lord Sakyamuni; …. He produces brahma-merit together with his mother, Rukhunaka, daughter of Aji…. And these bodily relics having been brought in possession from the Muraka cave stupa, were established in a secure (?), safe, deep (?), depository…
— Text of the Bajaur casket, Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Since the Bajaur casket indicates that Vispavarma was king as of 5-6 CE, his reign is usually dated to around 0-20 CE.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Metropolitan Museum of Art notice
  2. ↑ A Kharosthī Reliquary Inscription of the Time of the Apraca Prince Visnuvarma, by Richard Salomon, South Asian Studies 11 1995, Pages 27–32, Published online: 09 Aug 2010
  3. ↑ An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman, Richard Salomon, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1996), pp. 441-442
  4. ↑ The World's Writing Systems, Peter T. Daniels, William Bright, Oxford University Press, 1996, p.382
Indo-Scythian kings, territories and chronology
Territories/
dates 		Western India Western Pakistan
Balochistan		 Paropamisadae
Arachosia
 Bajaur Gandhara Western Punjab Eastern PunjabMathura
INDO-GREEK KINGDOM
90–85 BCE Nicias Menander II Artemidoros
90–70 BCE Hermaeus Archebius
85-60 BCE INDO-SCYTHIAN KINGDOM
Maues
75–70 BCE Vonones
Spalahores		 Telephos Apollodotus II
65–55 BCE Spalirises
Spalagadames		 Hippostratos Dionysios
55–35 BCE Azes I Zoilos II
55–35 BCE Azilises
Azes II		 Apollophanes Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
NORTHERN SATRAPS
Hagamasha
25 BCE – 10 CE Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
APRACHARAJAS
Vijayamitra
(ruled 12 BCE - 15 CE)[1]		 Liaka Kusulaka
Patika Kusulaka
Zeionises		 Kharahostes
(ruled 10 BCE– 10 CE)[2]
Mujatria		 Strato II and Strato III Hagana
10-20CE INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM
Gondophares		 Indravasu INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM
Gondophares		 Rajuvula
20-30 CE Ubouzanes
Pakores		 Vispavarma
(ruled c.0-20 CE)[3]		 Sarpedones Bhadayasa Sodasa
30-40 CE KUSHAN EMPIRE
Kujula Kadphises		 Indravarma Abdagases ... ...
40-45 CE Aspavarma Gadana ... ...
45-50 CE Sasan Sases ... ...
50-75 CE ... ...
75-100 CE Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
WESTERN SATRAPS
Chastana		 Vima Takto ... ...
100-120 CE Abhiraka Vima Kadphises ... ...
120 CE Bhumaka
Nahapana		 PARATARAJAS
Yolamira		 Kanishka I Great Satrap Kharapallana
and Satrap Vanaspara
for
Kanishka I
130-230 CE

Jayadaman
Rudradaman I
Damajadasri I
Jivadaman
Rudrasimha I
Isvaradatta
Rudrasimha I
Jivadaman
Rudrasena I

Bagamira
Arjuna
Hvaramira
Mirahvara

Vāsishka (c. 140 – c. 160)
Huvishka (c. 160 – c. 190)
Vasudeva I (c. 190 – to at least 230)

230-280 CE

Samghadaman
Damasena
Damajadasri II
Viradaman
Yasodaman I
Vijayasena
Damajadasri III
Rudrasena II
Visvasimha

Miratakhma
Kozana
Bhimarjuna
Koziya
Datarvharna
Datarvharna

INDO-SASANIANS
Ardashir I, Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 230 – 250)
Peroz I, "Kushanshah" (c. 250 – 265)
Hormizd I, "Kushanshah" (c. 265 – 295)

Kanishka II (c. 230 – 240)
Vashishka (c. 240 – 250)
Kanishka III (c. 250 – 275)

280-300 Bhratadarman Datayola II

Hormizd II, "Kushanshah" (c. 295 – 300)

 Vasudeva II (c. 275 – 310)
300-320 CE

Visvasena
Rudrasimha II
Jivadaman

Peroz II, "Kushanshah" (c. 300 – 325)

Vasudeva III
Vasudeva IV
Vasudeva V
Chhu (c. 310? – 325)

320-388 CE

Yasodaman II
Rudradaman II
Rudrasena III
Simhasena
Rudrasena IV

Shapur II Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 325)
Varhran I, Varhran II, Varhran III "Kushanshahs" (c. 325 – 350)
Peroz III "Kushanshah" (c. 350 –360)
HEPHTHALITE/ HUNAS invasions

Shaka I (c. 325 – 345)
Kipunada (c. 345 – 375)

GUPTA EMPIRE
Chandragupta I Samudragupta

388-396 CE Rudrasimha III Chandragupta II
  1. ↑ From the dated inscription on the Rukhana reliquary
  2. ↑ An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman, Richard Salomon, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1996), pp. 442
  3. ↑ A Kharosthī Reliquary Inscription of the Time of the Apraca Prince Visnuvarma, by Richard Salomon, South Asian Studies 11 1995, Pages 27-32, Published online: 09 Aug 2010
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