“Inscribed, propagandized the teachings of Mahabharata”: Emergence of Vaishnava edifices
Apurva Sinha is an Archaeologist and an ardent lover of the ancient past explores the Vidisa region, junction point of ancient Indian trade route.
Road transport is the best way to get acquainted with the local traditions. With local music, dialect and delicacies, my mind and soul was filled with vibrant energy. I started off on the SH 9 of Madhya Pradesh to turn another page of our rich past. The scorching heat of the month of May had already made me nauseous but the uncontrollable eagerness to locate one of the earliest remnants of ‘Vaishnava edifices’ propelled me to explore the ‘Heliodorus Pillar’ and its surroundings at Vidisa, Madhya Pradesh. In the midst of a hamlet is located the famous pillar and my destination point.
The ancient city popular for many aeons is credited for the nascence of Vaishnava edifices, testified by the colossal, ‘Garuda-Pillar of Heliodorus’ of 2nd century BCE, locally known as ‘Khambaba’. It is the most important surviving record of the political and social history of ancient India and is a momentous traceable evidence of the Vaishnava sect of Hinduism. The slender pillar, fashioned in the Mauryan style, once was surmounted by a Garuda (‘vahana’of Vishnu). The inscription in Brahmi script and Prakrit language speaks about Heliodorus, an ambassador from the court of Antialkidas (Greek ruler), Taxila. He starts with Vishnu’s incantation, ‘Devadevasa Vasudevas’ and further claims to have erected the pillar during the regime of 14thSunga ruler, Bhagbhadra, showing a sheer devotion toward the Bhagwat sect. The notable feature present in the second part of the inscription is the verse from Mahabharata, “Trini amutapadani‹[su] anuthitani nayamti svaga damo chago apramado” that can be translated as “Three immortal precepts (footsteps), when practiced lead to heaven: self-restraint, charity, consciousness”. It clearly indicates towards the prevalence of the teachings of Mahabharata and leaves us with a valuable message that the epic played pivotal role in the ancient Indian society and Vidisa marks the emergence of Vaishnava edifices.
The pillar stood in front of a Vaishnava temple, no more into existence. A team of Archaeologists, from the Archaeological Survey of India, Bhopal Circle carried out excavations and unearthed few sculptures of deities of which some can be seen displayed in its precincts. After a deep study, an apsidal plan of the temple was derived. Apart from the Garuda pillar, there were seven other pillars of which only the capital remains.
The popularity and expanse of Vaishnava tradition cannot be dismissed as a Greek envoy from the north-west frontiers of the Indian subcontinent (Taxila) practised Vaishnavism that led to the erection of a commemorative pillar. Vaishnavism is a sect of Hinduism in which Vishnu and Dasavatara (ten-incarnations) are of central importance. Now the question is what could possibly be reason of erection of pillar at Vidisa?
Vidisa (Vaishyanagar) or ‘Vedisgiri’, located at the confluence of river Betwa & Bes, in the ancient times was a junction point of the trade routes going to-and-fro from north to south and was also a hub for ivory carvers. It held an important position during the Mauryan times (3rd Century BCE), the Great Emperor Asoka was its governor before ascending over the Mauryan throne at Magadha and his chief queen too hailed from here.
By the crack of dusk, the urge of an explorer was fulfilled and the mind was in sync with the philosophical leaning. Hare Ram !!! Hare Krishna !!!
