Study Guide · Chapter 14
Landmark Inscriptions of Ancient & Medieval India
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Inscriptions are a standalone, high-yield micro-topic — questions often ask which ruler/dynasty an inscription belongs to, or what unique historical fact it alone establishes.
| Inscription | Ruler/Period | Language/Script | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashokan Rock & Pillar Edicts | Ashoka, Maurya | Prakrit in Brahmi (Kharosthi/Greek/Aramaic in the northwest) | Earliest deciphered corpus of Indian inscriptions; record Dhamma policy; Rock Edict XIII uniquely records the Kalinga War's toll and Ashoka's remorse in the ruler's own voice |
| Junagadh (Girnar) Inscription of Rudradaman I | Shaka Western Satrap, 2nd century CE | Sanskrit (earliest known long inscription in chaste/classical Sanskrit) | Records repair of the Sudarshana Lake (originally built under the Mauryas); shows Sanskrit's rising administrative use and a Shaka ruler's active public-works patronage |
| Allahabad Prashasti (Prayaga Prashasti) | Samudragupta, Gupta | Sanskrit, composed by Harishena | Eulogy on an Ashokan pillar recording Samudragupta's conquests and personal accomplishments — the single richest source for his reign |
| Aihole Inscription | Pulakeshin II, Chalukyas of Badami; composed by court poet Ravikirti | Sanskrit | Eulogises Pulakeshin II's reign, including his victory over Harshavardhana at the Narmada |
| Uttaramerur Inscriptions | Parantaka Chola I, Imperial Cholas, 10th century | Tamil | Detail the procedure (eligibility, disqualification, selection by lot — kudavolai) for constituting village Sabhas — the richest surviving evidence of local self-government in early medieval India |
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