Arakan Library - Dedicatory inscriptions of Niticandra and Viracandra of Vesali

Arakan: - One Who Preserves and Takes Care of Their Own Nationality.

Publication by Arakan Action Association (AAA.)

The Buddhist Art of Ancient Arakan

By U SAN THA AUNG

Dedicatory inscriptions of Niticandra and Viracandra of Vesali

The first inscription, which is the inscription of the time of Niticandra, is engraved on a slab recovered from the ruins of an old Stupa on the Unhissaka hill situated to the east of Vesali in 1956.

The second inscription, which is the inscription of Viracandra, is engraved on a slab belonged to what is called the Anandacandra Stupa standing on Thinkyattaw hill which is closely situated to the Unhisaka hill. It was found about the same time.

The name of Niticandra and Viracandra are mentioned in Anandacandra inscription inscribed on the west face of the pillar now at Shitthaung Pagoda at Mrauk-Oo, Arakan. The first part of this inscription contains three sections quoting the names of the kings together with the durations of their reigns.

In the second section of the first part, we found the names of Niticandra and Viracandra. The verses 28 and 29 described them strife by policy, reigned like Mahendra for 55 years. After him, King Viryacandra reigned three years; then King Priticandra (ruled) for 12 years.” Dr. Sircar’s chronology gives Niticandra’s ruling period as 520 - 575 A.D. and Viracandra’s 575 - 578 A.D.

The alphabets of both the records has a close resemblance with the alphabets used in certain Eastern Indian inscriptions of the fifth and sixth centuries A.D. However, a certain amount of local development is noticed in the palaeography of these inscriptions. Careful study of the consonants, initial vowels and medial vowels revealed this. The inscriptions can also be dated palaeographically as those belong to the last quarter of the sixth century. Comparative studies of the alphabets, initial and medial vowels of Arakanese script with those of Eastern India will reveal a very interesting information about the Arakanese scripts.

Inscription of the time of Niticandra (See Picture. Go)

TEXT

1 ) Ye dharma hetu-prabhava hetum tesha tathagata

2 ) aha tesham ca yo nirodho evam vadi Mahasramana

3 ) sri Niticandra sya candravat-pachi na sya devi savitam

4 ) Candrasriya nama pa re mo pa si ka sya

5 ) deyya dharmmo yam sarvva satvanamm anuka (tta) ma

Translation

Out of all the laws, the law of cause is the origin. Tathagato (i.e. Buddha) ha spoken of their cessation. This is the doctrine of the great Sramana (i.e Buddha).

This is the pious gift of the queen of Sri Niticandra, who is likened to the moon. The queen by the name of Savitam Candrasriya, is a devout lay worshiper of the Buddha. Let all creatures acquire the best knowledge (acquiring Nirvana) as a result of having given this meritorious gift.

Inscription of Viracandra ( See Picture. Go)

TEXT

1 ) Satya-dharmmanu ragena Kritamsvarthena bhubhuja

2 ) paratha ghatanodyoga samyanni hita ceti sa

3 ) Sri-Viracandradevena mahi mandala mandanam

4 ) dharma dhigata rajyena Buddha stupa satam (ceti)

Translation

Sri Viracandra deva, the king who obtained sovereignty through righteousness, whose heart is fully set on exertions for effecting good to others, constructed a hundred Buddha stupas, which are the ornaments of the earth, with his own wealth, owing to his love for the true law.

These two dedicatory inscriptions are very important for us as they are the only epigraphic records so far found of kings Niticandra and Viracandra of the Buddhist royal family of the Candras of Arakan. Of course, the names of these rulers are known from the coins issued by them as well as from the Anandacandra inscription of Shitthaung Pagoda in Mrauk-Oo as mentioned above. See Plate 4 again.

The inscriptions give us the following informations.

1 ) Flourishing of Buddhism in Arakan during the sixth century A.D.

2 ) The existence of many Buddha-Stupas built by the kings of that period.

3 ) Partial confirmation of the genealogy of the Candras of Arakan given in the Anandacandra inscription.

4 ) The name of the queen of King Niticandra.

5 ) Type of scripts used during the sixth century A.D.

6 ) The use of Sanskrit Literature by royal families.

Arakan Library was founded by a group of Arakan Action Association (AAA) in exile in Thailand from Burma in 2007 doing to voice for the knowledge, the people democratic and human rights.

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