Eran is an ancient town in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. It was the capital of Erakina Pradesha in the Gupta Empire. The inscription of Eran dates back to the era of Gupta King Bhanu Gupta and mentions the story of Goparaja, a warrior under Gupta ruler Bhanugupta who died in battle. His wife performed Sati, i.e., she burned herself on the funeral pyre of her late husband. This is the earliest recorded mention of Sati in India, dating to 510 AD. The inscription explains: “He went to heaven, becoming equal to Indra, the best of the Gods, and his devoted, attached, beloved, and beautiful wife, clinging to him, entered into the mass of fire (funeral pyre).” It is one of the oldest documented cases of Sati.
The inscription details the battle fought by Bhanu Gupta as well as the death of his son, Goparaja. The identity of Bhanu Gupta’s enemy is unclear; it might have been the Maitraka Dynasty or King Toramana Hun. Goparaja perished courageously in the battle, ascending to heaven, and his wife committed Sati.
The English translation of the Eran inscription is given below:
(Lines 1-2) Om! When a century of years, increased by ninety-one, (had elapsed) on the seventh lunar day of the dark fortnight of the month of Sravana.
Verse I – There was a ruler, renowned as Raja, sprung from the Sulakha lineage, and his son (was) valorous by the name of Madhava.
Verse II – His son was the illustrious Goparaja, renowned for manliness, the daughter’s son of the Sarabha King I who became the ornament of his family.
Verses III-IV – (There is) the glorious Bhanugupta, a distinguished hero on earth, a mighty ruler, brave and equal to Partha. And along with him, Goparaja, following him without fear, having ever taken the Maitras and having fought a very big and famous battle, went to heaven, becoming equal to Indra, the best of the gods, and his devoted, attached, beloved, and beautiful wife (clinging to him entered into the mass of fire (funeral pyre)).
[Eran Inscription of Bhanu Gupta, 510 AD]
Some additional details are as follows:
Line 7 – “Bhakta anurakta ch priya cha kanta”—(His) devoted, attached, beloved, and beautiful wife, in close companionship, accompanied (him onto the funeral pyre).
The Eran site has yielded additional Sati stones. Alexander Cunningham mentioned three inscribed Sati stones in and around the Eran site, including villages across the river, in his Archaeological Survey of India report for 1874-75.
Sati was an inhuman practice. Many Muslim rulers, including Akbar, attempted its abolition but were unsuccessful. Finally, in 1828, Lord William Bentinck, along with Raja Ram Mohan Roy, abolished it.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own.)
Radhakanta Seth is an Income tax officer in Sambalpur. He is a Freelance writer and his articles have been published in some Oriya dailies like Sambad, Samaj, Dharitri and English dailies like The Telegraph and in a sociological journal ‘Folklore’ published from Kolkata.