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Hinduism: What Really Happenned in India (PDF) - Oration

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<strong>H<strong>in</strong>duism</strong>: <strong>What</strong> <strong>Really</strong> Happened <strong>in</strong> <strong>India</strong> – M. M. N<strong>in</strong>an<br />

Earliest Archaeological Evidence for Vishnu<br />

“The earliest <strong>in</strong>vocation to Vishnu, and not to Vasudeva, Krishna,<br />

Keshava or Samkarshana, occurs <strong>in</strong> a Sanskrit Inscription of 404 A.D.<br />

and discovered at Mandsor <strong>in</strong> Gwalior district (Sircar).<br />

(i) Earliest extant representation of Sheshashayi Vishnu is from 5th<br />

century brick temple at Bhitargav <strong>in</strong> Kanpur district.<br />

(ii) The next is on a relief at half ru<strong>in</strong>ed temple at Devgadha <strong>in</strong> Lalitpur<br />

district, of 6th century. A.D.<br />

(iii) Red stone relief at Badami of last quarter of 6th century A.D.<br />

(iv) Aihole <strong>in</strong> Bijapur is from end of 8th century A.D.<br />

(v) Pallava representation of this forms of Vishnu <strong>in</strong> the temple at<br />

Mahabalipuram is of middle of 8th century A.D.<br />

In the reign of Vikramaditya (5th monarch of Gupta l<strong>in</strong>e), Boar Vishnu<br />

was sculptured <strong>in</strong> the cave at Udayagiri near Bhilsa and Bhopal <strong>in</strong><br />

M.P.,and nearby at Eran a feudatory of Gupta under suzera<strong>in</strong>ty of Hunas<br />

erected a stone temple hav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>scription of 500-515 A.D.to this deity <strong>in</strong><br />

Boar form. Later Vijayanagar monarchs <strong>in</strong> 14-16th centuries adopted<br />

Varaha form, adoption be<strong>in</strong>g so complete that their co<strong>in</strong>s were called<br />

varahas.<br />

Gajendra Moksha Vishnu is seen Deogadh temple of 6th century A.D.<br />

We do not know about the sectarian affiliation of the first four Gupta<br />

k<strong>in</strong>gs. Fifth k<strong>in</strong>g Chandragupta II was described as Param Bhagwata.<br />

Sixth and seventh were named after Skanda. Skanda Gupta Junagadh<br />

<strong>in</strong>scription of 455-458 A.D.refers to Vamana or Trivikrama. Skanda<br />

Gupta hav<strong>in</strong>g won great victory over Hunas created statue of Vishnu at<br />

Bhitar <strong>in</strong> Gazipur district of U.P.,<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>scription he likens himself to<br />

Krishna.”<br />

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