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Vaishnavism in antiquity: Heliodorus

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Submitted on behalf of

 

Tirumanjanam Kannan

c/o ranga

 

---------

 

I am from Srirangam and an extensive traveller visiting

Vaishnava centres.

 

While on a tour in Madhya Pradesh, near Bhopal in India,

I visited the Udayagiri caves in Vidisha District. I have

videotaped my visit to this place.

 

A stone pillar known locally as "khamb baba" is being

worshipped. The Archaeological Survey of India has inscribed

its history on a white marble slab. It reads as follows:

 

History of This Pillar

----------------------

 

This column is locally called KHAMB BABA. It bears

two inscriptions in Brahmi characters and Prakrit

language.

 

One of these inscriptions records that the column was

set up as a Garuda Pillar in honour of God Vasudeva

(Vishnu) by Heliodorus, a Greek inhabitant of Taxila

(Takshasila), who had come to the court of

Bhagashadra, king of central India, as an ambassador

from ANTIALCIDOS, an Indo-Bactrian king of the Punjab.

Heliodorus had evidently adopted Hinduism as he has

styled himself a BHAGAVATA, i.e., a follower of the

Vaishnava sect.

 

The approximate date of the column is 150 B.C.

 

 

The exact location of this pillar is near the Udayagiri

caves, 30 miles past Sanchi stupa as you proceed from

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

 

vENum dAsan,

Koil Tirumanjanam Kannan

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