Yūpa

Yūpa sacrificial pillar of the time ofVasishka,third century CE, Isapur, nearMathura.Mathura Museum.

AYūpa(यूप), orYūpastambha,was aVedicsacrificial pillar used inAncient India.^[1]It is one of the most important elements of theVedic ritualsforanimal sacrifice.^[2]

The execution of a victim (generally an animal), who was tied at the yūpa, was meant to bring prosperity to everyone.^[1]^[2]

Most yūpa, and all from the Vedic period, were in wood, and have not survived. The few stone survivals seem to be a later type of memorial using the form of the wooden originals. The Isapur Yupa, the most complete, replicates in stone the rope used to tether the animal. The topmost section is missing; texts describe a "wheel-like headpiece made of perishable material", representing the sun, but the appearance of that is rather unclear from theGupta periodcoins that are the best other visual evidence.^[3]

Isapur Yūpa

The Isapur Yūpa, now in theMathura Museum,was found at Isapur (27°30′41″N77°41′21″E/ 27.5115°N 77.6893°E/27.5115; 77.6893) in the vicinity ofMathura,and has an inscription in the name of the third century CEKushanrulerVāsishka,and mentions the erection of the Yūpa pillar for a sacrificial session.^[4]^[5]

Vāsishkainscription on the Isapur Yūpa.
Translation of the inscription mentioning the usage of the sacrificial pillar.
The word "Yūpaḥ" (𑁊) inBrahmi scriptin the Isapur pillar inscription.
Isapur Yūpa with sculpture of a rope and noose to be tied to the sacrificial animal.^[6]

Yūpa in coinage

During theGupta Empireperiod, theAshvamedhascene of a horse tied to a yūpa sacrificial post appears on the coinage ofSamudragupta.On the reverse, the queen is holding achowriefor the fanning of the horse and a needle-like pointed instrument, with legend "One powerful enough to perform the Ashvamedha sacrifice".^[7]^[8]

Samudraguptacoin with horse standing in front of a yūpa sacrificial post, with legend "The King of Kings, who had performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice, wins heaven after conquering the earth".^[7]^[8]
The queen, reverse of last, is holding achowriefor the fanning of the horse and a needle-like pointed instrument, with legend "One powerful enough to perform the Ashvamedha sacrifice".^[7]^[8]
Another version of the Ashvamedha scene. Coinage of Samudragutpa.

Yūpa inscription in Indonesia

The oldest known Sanskrit inscriptions in theNusantaraare those on seven stone pillars, orYūpa( "sacrificial posts" ), found in the eastern part ofBorneo,in the historical area ofKutai,East Kalimantanprovince.^[9]They were written byBrahminsusing the earlyPallava script,in theSanskritlanguage, to commemorate sacrifices held by a generous mighty king calledMulavarmanwho ruled theKutai Martadipura Kingdom,the first Hindu kingdom in presentIndonesia.Based on palaeographical grounds, they have been dated to the second half of the 4th century CE. They attest to the emergence of anIndianized statein the Indonesian archipelago prior to 400 CE.^[10]

In addition toMulavarman,the reigning king, the inscriptions mention the names of his fatherAswawarmanand his grandfatherKudungga(the founder of the Kutai Martadipura Kingdom). Aswawarman is the first of the line to bear aSanskritname in the Yupa which indicates that he was probably the first to adhere to Hinduism.^[10]

One of the yūpaMulavarmaninscriptions fromKutai,at theNational Museumin Jakarta
Mulavarman inscription on a yūpa, 5th century CE
Mulavarman inscription on a yūpa, 5th century CE
The word "Yūpo"in Brahmi in a Mulavarman Inscription, Muara Kaman, Kalimantan, 5th century CE

Text

The four Yupa inscriptions founded are classified as "Muarakaman" s and has been translated by language experts as follows:

Muarakaman I^[11]
srimatah sri-narendrasya,
kundungasya mahatmanah,
putro svavarmmo vikhyatah,
vansakartta yathansuman,
tasya putra mahatmanah,
trayas traya ivagnayah,
tesan trayanam pravarah,
tapo-bala-damanvitah,
sri mulawarmma rajendro,
yastva bahusuvarnnakam,
tasya yajnasya yupo 'yam,
dvijendrais samprakalpitah.

Muarakaman II^[12]
srimad-viraja-kirtteh
rajnah sri-mulavarmmanah punyam
srnvantu vipramukhyah
ye canye sadhavah purusah
bahudana-jivadanam
sakalpavrksam sabhumidanan ca
tesam punyagananam
yupo 'yan stahapito vipraih

Muarakaman III^[12]
sri-mulavarmmano rajnah
yad dattan tilla-parvvatam
sadipa-malaya sarddham
yupo 'yam likhitas tayoh

Muarakaman IV^[13]
srimato nrpamukhyasya
rajnah sri-mulawarmmanah
danam punyatame ksetre
yad dattam vaprakesvare
dvijatibhyo' gnikalpebhyah.
vinsatir ggosahasrikam
tansya punyasya yupo 'yam
krto viprair ihagataih.

Translation

Translation according to theIndonesia University of Education:^[14]

Muarakaman I
TheMaharaja Kudungga,who was very noble, had a famous son, the Aswawarman his name, who like the Ansuman (the sun god) grew a very noble family. The Aswawarman had three sons, like three (holy) fire. The foremost of the three sons was theMulavarman,akingwho was civilized, strong and powerful. TheMulavarmanhas held a feast (salvation called) a lot of gold. For commemoration of the feast (salvation) that this stone monument was erected by thebrahmins.

Muarakaman II
Listen to all of you, eminentBrahmins,and all other good people, about the virtues of theMulavarman,the great king who is very noble. This kindness is in the form of a lot of alms, as if the alms of life or just a kalpa tree (which gives all desires), with land alms (which is given). It is with this goodness that this monument was erected by theBrahmins(for a memorial).

Muarakaman III
This monument was written for (commemorating) two (cases) that have been donated by KingMulavarman,namely a mountain of oil (thick), with lamps and flower panicles.

Muarakaman IV
TheMulavarman,the noble and eminent king, has given alms of 20,000cowsto thebrahminswho is like fire, (located) in the holy land (named) Waprakeswara.^[15]For (remembrance) of the kindness of the king, this monument has been made by the Brahmins who came to this place.

The Yupas are now kept in theNational Museum of IndonesiainJakarta.

References

^^a ^bBonnefoy, Yves (1993).Asian Mythologies.University of Chicago Press. pp. 37–39.ISBN 978-0-226-06456-7.
^^a ^bSAHOO, P. C. (1994). "On the Yṻpa in the Brāhmaṇa Texts".Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute.54/55: 175–183.ISSN 0045-9801.JSTOR 42930469.
^Irwin, John, "The Heliodorus Pillar: A Fresh Appraisal", p. 8, AARP,Art and Archaeology Research Papers,December, 1974,Internet archive,(also published inPurātattva,8, 1975-1976, pp. 166-178)
^Catalogue Of The Archaeological Museum At Mathura.1910. p. 189.
^Rosenfield, John M. (1967).The Dynastic Arts of the Kushans.University of California Press. p. 57.
^Singh, Upinder (2008).A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century.Pearson Education India. pp. 431–433.ISBN 978-81-317-1677-9.
^^a ^b ^cHouben, Jan E. M.; Kooij, Karel Rijk van (1999).Violence Denied: Violence, Non-Violence and the Rationalization of Violence in South Asian Cultural History.BRILL. p. 128.ISBN 978-90-04-11344-2.
^^a ^b ^cGanguly, Dilip Kumar (1984).History and Historians in Ancient India.Abhinav Publications. p.152.ISBN 978-0-391-03250-7.
^Kulke, Hermann (1998).A History of India.p. 145.
^^a ^bS. Supomo, "Chapter 15. Indic Transformation: The Sanskritization ofJawaand the Javanization of theBharata"in Peter S. Bellwood, James J. Fox,Darrell T. Tryon(eds.),The Austronesians: Historical and Comparative Perspectives,Australian National University, 1995
^R.M. Poerbatjaraka,Riwayat Indonesia,I, 1952, hal. 9.
^^a ^bR. M. Poerbatjaraka, Ibid., hal. 10.
^R. M. Poerbatjaraka, Ibid., hal. 11.
^Sumantri, Yeni Kurniawati. Rangkuman Materi Perkuliahan:Sejarah Indonesia Kuno.Fakultas Pendidikan Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.
^Note: archaeologists and historical experts has stated that "Waprakeswara" referred to a field dedicated to worship the Lord Shiva

[YB-1] Bonnefoy, Yves (1993).Asian Mythologies.University of Chicago Press. pp. 37–39.ISBN 978-0-226-06456-7.

[PCS-2] SAHOO, P. C. (1994). "On the Yṻpa in the Brāhmaṇa Texts".Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute.54/55: 175–183.ISSN 0045-9801.JSTOR 42930469.

[3] Irwin, John, "The Heliodorus Pillar: A Fresh Appraisal", p. 8, AARP,Art and Archaeology Research Papers,December, 1974,Internet archive,(also published inPurātattva,8, 1975-1976, pp. 166-178)

[4] Catalogue Of The Archaeological Museum At Mathura.1910. p. 189.

[5] Rosenfield, John M. (1967).The Dynastic Arts of the Kushans.University of California Press. p. 57.

[US431-6] Singh, Upinder (2008).A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century.Pearson Education India. pp. 431–433.ISBN 978-81-317-1677-9.

[JEH-7] Houben, Jan E. M.; Kooij, Karel Rijk van (1999).Violence Denied: Violence, Non-Violence and the Rationalization of Violence in South Asian Cultural History.BRILL. p. 128.ISBN 978-90-04-11344-2.

[DKG-8] Ganguly, Dilip Kumar (1984).History and Historians in Ancient India.Abhinav Publications. p.152.ISBN 978-0-391-03250-7.

[9] Kulke, Hermann (1998).A History of India.p. 145.

[SS-10] S. Supomo, "Chapter 15. Indic Transformation: The Sanskritization ofJawaand the Javanization of theBharata"in Peter S. Bellwood, James J. Fox,Darrell T. Tryon(eds.),The Austronesians: Historical and Comparative Perspectives,Australian National University, 1995

[11] R.M. Poerbatjaraka,Riwayat Indonesia,I, 1952, hal. 9.

[Poerbatjaraka10-12] R. M. Poerbatjaraka, Ibid., hal. 10.

[13] R. M. Poerbatjaraka, Ibid., hal. 11.

[14] Sumantri, Yeni Kurniawati. Rangkuman Materi Perkuliahan:Sejarah Indonesia Kuno.Fakultas Pendidikan Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.

[15] Note: archaeologists and historical experts has stated that "Waprakeswara" referred to a field dedicated to worship the Lord Shiva

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