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The Heliodorus Pillar of Vidisha. History students must have studied about the Besnagar inscription of the Sunga period. And here we have it, among the first instances of a Vishnu Dhwaja anywhere in India. #ThisHeartWasMeantToWander 
Situated on the confluence of the Bes and the Betwa rivers just outside the historical town of Vidisha, this pillar was erected in 113 BCE by Heliodorus, the Greek ambassador from the IndoGreek king Antialcidas to the Sunga Emperor, Bhagabhadra.
The Ambassador Heliodorus calls himself Vishnu Bhagawata on the Inscription, a clear indication that he had embraced Vaishnavism and the Bhagwata Cult. Perhaps among the earliest converts to Hinduism.
1/n #Heliodorus pillar, erected at Besnagar around 2.134 kybp (113 BCE).
It was raised by Heliodorus, an ambassador of the Indo-#Greek king Antialcidas from #Taxila.
He called it the Garuda Pillar, in honor of VÄsudeva #Vishnu (#Krishna )
It was raised by Heliodorus, an ambassador of the Indo-#Greek king Antialcidas from #Taxila.
He called it the Garuda Pillar, in honor of VÄsudeva #Vishnu (#Krishna )
2/n The interpretation of #Heliodorus stambha is:
"it symbolizes joining earth, space and swarg, thereby bringing connotation the "cosmic axis" by expressing the cosmic totality of the VÄsudeva, Supreme Deity. "
Source: Approaches to Iconology, Vol 4-6, Hans Gerhard Kippenberg
"it symbolizes joining earth, space and swarg, thereby bringing connotation the "cosmic axis" by expressing the cosmic totality of the VÄsudeva, Supreme Deity. "
Source: Approaches to Iconology, Vol 4-6, Hans Gerhard Kippenberg
3/n The inscriptions of #Heliodorus stambha is very interesting written in Brahmi script (Sunga period), language being Central-western epigraphic Prakrit, with Sanskritized spellings (Richard Solomon).
It praises VÄsudeva, the God of Gods & has verse from Mahabharata.
It praises VÄsudeva, the God of Gods & has verse from Mahabharata.
