The Kahaum Stone Pillar Inscription of Skandagupta
By R. B. Pandey
Summary
This article reinterprets the Kahaum stone pillar inscription found in a village in the Salempur tahsil of present‑day Deoria district. Previous scholars such as Fleet and Bhagwanlal Indraji assumed that the five standing figures carved on the pillar represented the five Tirthankaras mentioned in the inscription. The author argues that this view overlooks two key terms: “sthāpya‑yitva” (having installed) and “dharaṇi‑dhara‑maya” (made of stone). These expressions indicate that the images were independent stone idols ceremoniously installed in a temple, not merely carvings on the pillar. Topographical evidence supports this interpretation: to the west of the pillar lie the ruins of a brick foundation indicative of a temple, and around the pillar are scattered fragments of broken Jain images. The article suggests that the pillar was likely erected as a ceremonial structure (perhaps a lamp‑post or marker) in front of the temple and that the carvings depict representations of the idols installed within. Therefore, the five images referred to in the inscription should be understood as full‑fledged idols originally housed in the now‑ruined temple rather than the reliefs on the column itself.
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Conclusion
By analysing the terminology of the inscription and the local archaeological context, the author concludes that the Kahaum pillar once stood before a Jain temple where five Tirthankara idols were installed. The carved figures on the pillar are thus representations of these idols rather than the images mentioned in the text. This interpretation corrects earlier assumptions and illustrates the importance of integrating textual and topographical evidence in epigraphic studies.