A New Brahmi Inscription From Mathura

A newly discovered Brahmi inscription from Mathura, discovered in May 1926 and deposited in the Mathura Museum, provides significant insights into pre-Kushan epigraphy. The inscription, on a 4'3" x 6" pillar fragment, features well-preserved Brahmi script with letter heights ranging between 2 and 17 mm. It commemorates a gift by Gotami Mitra, daughter of Visyomitra and mother of Indragibhadra, to a pillar. The text exhibits Prakrit language with a notable linguistic feature: the elongated vowel in *Indragibhadra* (Prakrit *Indragibhadra*), corresponding to the Sanskrit form. The inscription's palmography aligns it with the Utaradasaka inscription from the Kankalitila mound, though comparative analysis suggests a later date than previously assumed for pre-Kushan Mathura inscriptions. The letters display transitional characteristics between Mauryan and later Kushan forms, particularly in the angularity of *b* and the equalization of verticals in *m* and *ch*. These features, alongside the absence of older Mauryan letter types (e.g., *ksh*), position the inscription chronologically after the Parkham image inscription but before Saka satrap inscriptions. The discovery supports the classification of pre-Kushan Mathura inscriptions into three groups: early (Utaradasaka), Saka satrap, and "archaic." However, Bihler's distinction between the second and third groups is debated, as their alphabets are nearly identical. The inscription's script reflects an advanced stage of letter equalization, a trend evident in later Saka and Kushan epigraphy. Post-public

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