A Yūpa (यूप), or Yūpastambha, was a

Vedic upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

sacrificial pillar used in

Ancient India According to consensus in modern genetics, anatomically modern humans first arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa between 73,000 and 55,000 years ago. Quote: "Y-Chromosome and Mt-DNA data support the colonization of South Asia by ...

. It is one of the most important elements of the Vedic ritual. The execution of a victim (generally an animal), who was tied at the Yūpa, was meant to bring prosperity to everyone.

Isapur Yūpa

The Isapur Yūpa, now in the Mathura Museum, was found at Isapur () in the vicinity of

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the states and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the to ...

, and has an inscription in the name of the third century CE

Kushan The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, ...

ruler Vāsishka, and mentions the erection of the Yūpa pillar for a sacrificial session. Isapur pillar inscription of Vasishka.jpg, Vāsishka inscription on the Isapur Yūpa. Isapur inscription of Vasishka Year 24.jpg, Translation of the inscription mentioning the usage of the sacrificial pillar. File:Yuupah in Brahmi.jpg, The word "Yūpaḥ" ( Gupta ashoka yuu

𑁊) in

Brahmi script Brahmi (; ; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system of ancient South Asia. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such ...

in the Isapur pillar inscription. File:Isapur Yupa with sculpture of a rope and noose to be tied to the sacrificial animal.jpg, Isapur Yūpa with sculpture of a rope and noose to be tied to the sacrificial animal.

Yūpa in coinage

During the

Gupta Empire The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed from the early 4th century CE to late 6th century CE. At its zenith, from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent. This period is considered as the Go ...

period, the

Ashvamedha The Ashvamedha ( sa, अश्वमेध, aśvamedha, translit-std=IAST) was a horse sacrifice ritual followed by the Śrauta tradition of Vedic religion. It was used by ancient Indian kings to prove their imperial sovereignty: a horse accomp ...

scene of a horse tied to a yūpa sacrificial post appears on the coinage of

Samudragupta Samudragupta ( Gupta script: ''Sa-mu-dra-gu-pta'', (c. 335–375 CE) was the second emperor of the Gupta Empire of ancient India, and is regarded among the greatest rulers of the dynasty. As a son of the Gupta emperor Chandragupta I and the ...

. On the reverse, the queen is holding a '' chowrie'' for the fanning of the horse and a needle-like pointed instrument, with legend "One powerful enough to perform the Ashvamedha sacrifice". File:Dinar of Samudragupta LACMA M.84.110.1 (1 of 2).jpg,

coin 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". File:Dinar of Samudragupta LACMA M.84.110.1 (2 of 2).jpg, The queen, reverse of last, is holding a '' chowrie'' for the fanning of the horse and a needle-like pointed instrument, with legend "One powerful enough to perform the Ashvamedha sacrifice". File:Samudragupta_circa_335-380_CE_Ashvameda_type.jpg, Another version of the Ashvamedha scene. Coinage of Samudragutpa.

Yūpa inscription in Indonesia

The oldest known Sanskrit inscriptions in the Nusantara are those on seven stone pillars,or ''Yūpa'' (“sacrificial posts”), found in the eastern part of

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java Isl ...

, in the historical area of Kutai,

East Kalimantan East Kalimantan (Indonesian: ) is a province of Indonesia. Its territory comprises the eastern portion of Borneo. It had a population of about 3.03 million at the 2010 census (within the current boundary), 3.42 million at the 2015 census, and 3 ...

province. They were written by

Brahmins Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (gur ...

using the early

Pallava script The Pallava script or Pallava Grantha, is a Brahmic script, named after the Pallava dynasty of South India, attested since the 4th century AD. As epigrapher Arlo Griffiths makes clear, however, the term is misleading as not all of the relevant ...

, in the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominalization, nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cul ...

language, to commemorate sacrifices held by a generous mighty king called Mulavarman who ruled the Kutai Martadipura Kingdom, the first Hindu kingdom in present

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

. Based on palaeographical grounds, they have been dated to the second half of the

4th century CE The 4th century (per the Julian calendar and Anno Domini/Common era) was the time period which lasted from 301 ( CCCI) through 400 ( CD). In the West, the early part of the century was shaped by Constantine the Great, who became the first Rom ...

. They attest to the emergence of an Indianized state in the Indonesian archipelago prior to 400 CE. In addition to Mulavarman, the reigning king, the inscriptions mention the names of his father Aswawarman and his grandfather Kudungga (the founder of the Kutai Martadipura Kingdom). Aswawarman is the first of the line to bear a

name in the Yupa which indicates that he was probably the first to adhere to Hinduism.S. Supomo, "Chapter 15. Indic Transformation: The Sanskritization of ''Jawa'' and the Javanization of the ''Bharata'' in Peter S. Bellwood, James J. Fox, Darrell T. Tryon (eds.), ''The Austronesians: Historical and Comparative Perspectives'', Australian National University, 1995 File:Prasasti-Yupa02.jpg, One of the yūpa Mulavarman inscriptions from Kutai, at the

National Museum A national museum is a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In other countries a much greater numbe ...

in Jakarta File:153 Mulavarman Inscription, Muara Kaman, Kalimantan, 5th c (23406879131).jpg, Mulavarman inscription on a yūpa, 5th century CE File:154 Mulavarman Inscription, Muara Kaman, Kalimantan, 5th c (22862209853).jpg, Mulavarman inscription on a yūpa, 5th century CE File:The word Yupa in the 154 Mulavarman Inscription, Muara Kaman, Kalimantan, 5th century CE.jpg, 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
''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 IIR. M. Poerbatjaraka, Ibid., hal. 10.
''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
''sri-mulavarmmano rajnah''
''yad dattan tilla-parvvatam''
''sadipa-malaya sarddham''
''yupo 'yam likhitas tayoh'' Muarakaman IV
''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 the Indonesia University of Education: Muarakaman I
The

Maharaja Mahārāja (; also spelled Maharajah, Maharaj) is a Sanskrit title for a "great ruler", "great Monarch, king" or "high king". A few ruled states informally called empires, including ruler raja Sri Gupta, founder of the ancient Indian Gupta Em ...

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 the Mulavarman, a

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...

who was civilized, strong and powerful. The Mulavarman has held a feast (salvation called) a lot of gold. For commemoration of the feast (salvation) that this stone monument was erected by the

brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...

s. Muarakaman II
Listen to all of you, eminent

Brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...

s, and all other good people, about the virtues of the Mulavarman, 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 the

s (for a memorial). Muarakaman III
This monument was written for (commemorating) two (cases) that have been donated by King Mulavarman, namely a mountain of oil (thick), with lamps and flower panicles. Muarakaman IV
The Mulavarman, the noble and eminent king, has given alms of 20,000 cows to the

s who is like fire, (located) in the holy land (named) Waprakeswara.Note: archaeologists and historical experts has stated that "Waprakeswara" referred to a field dedicated to worship the Lord Shiva 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 the National Museum of Indonesia in Jakarta.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yupa Mathura art Vedic animal sacrifice