Naneghat

Nanaghat pass stretches over the Western Ghats, through an ancient stone laid hiking trail to the Nanaghat plateau. The pass was the fastest key passage that linked the Indian west coast seaports of Sopara, Kalyan and Thana with economic centers and human settlements in Nasik, Paithan, Ter and others, according to Archaeological Survey of India.[http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_maha_junnarcaves.asp Lenyadri Group of Caves, Junnar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410125940/http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_tktd_maha_junnarcaves.asp |date=10 April 2009 }}, Archaeological Survey of India Near the top is large, ancient manmade cave. On the cave's back wall are a series of inscriptions, some long and others short. The high point and cave is reachable by road via Highways 60 or 61. The cave archaeological site is about {{convert|120|km}} north of Pune and about {{convert|165|km}} east from Mumbai.{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=53-54}} The Naneghat Cave is near other important ancient sites. It is, for example, about {{convert|35|km}} from the Lenyadri Group of Theravada Buddhist Caves and some 200 mounds that have been excavated near Junnar, mostly from the 3rd-century BCE and 3rd-century CE period. The closest station to reach Naneghat is Kalyan station which lies on the Central Line.

File:Naneghat caves.jpg

During the reign of the Satavahana (c. 200 BCE – 190 CE), the Naneghat pass was one of the trade routes that connected the Konkan coast communities with Deccan high plateau through Junnar.{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=53-54}} Literally, the name nane means "coin" and ghat means "pass". The name is given because this path was used as a tollbooth to collect toll from traders crossing the hills. According to Charles Allen, there is a carved stone that from distance looks like a stupa, but is actually a two-piece carved stone container by the roadside to collect tolls.{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}}

The scholarship on the Naneghat Cave inscription began after William Sykes found them while hiking during the summer of 1828.{{sfn|Shobhana Gokhale|2004|pp=239-260}}{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|p=170}} Neither an archaeologist nor epigraphist, his training was as a statistician and he presumed that it was a Buddhist cave temple. He visited the site several times and made eye-copy (hand drawings) of the script panel he saw on the left and the right side of the wall. He then read a paper to the Bombay Literary Society in 1833 under the title, Inscriptions of the Boodh caves near Joonur,{{sfn|Shobhana Gokhale|2004|pp=239-260}} later co-published with John Malcolm in 1837.John Malcolm and W. H. Sykes (1837), [https://www.jstor.org/stable/25207501 Inscriptions from the Boodh Caves, near Joonur], The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 4, No. 2, Cambridge University Press, pages 287-291 Sykes believed that the cave's "Boodh" (Buddhist) inscription showed signs of damage both from the weather elements as well as someone crudely incising to desecrate it.{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}} He also thought that the inscription was not created by a skilled artisan, but someone who was in a hurry or not careful.{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}} Sykes also noted that he saw stone seats carved along the walls all around the cave, likely because the cave was meant as a rest stop or shelter for those traveling across the Western Ghats through the Naneghat pass.{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}}{{sfn|Shobhana Gokhale|2004|pp=239-260}}

File:1833 published Nana Ghat inscription eye copy by Sykes, Sanskrit, Brahmi script.png

Sykes proposed that the inscription were ancient Sanskrit because the statistical prevalence rate of some characters in it was close to the prevalence rate of same characters in then known ancient Sanskrit inscriptions.{{sfn|Shobhana Gokhale|2004|pp=239-260}}{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-172}} This suggestion reached the attention of James Prinsep, whose breakthrough in deciphering Brahmi script led ultimately to the inscription's translation. Much that Sykes guessed was right, the Naneghat inscription he had found was indeed one of the oldest Sanskrit inscriptions.{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}} He was incorrect in his presumption that it was a Buddhist inscription because its translation suggested it was a Hindu inscription.{{sfn|Theo Damsteegt|1978|p=206}} The Naneghat inscription were a prototype of the refined Devanagari to emerge later.{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}}

Georg Bühler published the first version of a complete interpolations and translation in 1883.{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=59-64}} He was preceded by Bhagvanlal Indraji, who in a paper on numismatics (coins) partially translated it and remarked that the Naneghat and coin inscriptions provide insights into ancient numerals.{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=59-64}}{{cite book|author=Bhagavanlal Indraji|title=Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_GgoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA303 |year=1878 |publisher=Asiatic Society of Bombay|pages=303–314}}

File:Naneghat Pass Entrance (Pratik Butte Patil).jpg

The inscriptions are attributed to a queen of the Satavahana dynasty. Her name was either Nayanika or Naganika, likely the wife of king Satakarni. The details suggest that she was likely the queen mother, who sponsored this cave after the death of her husband, as the inscription narrates many details about their life together and her son being the new king.{{sfn|Upinder Singh|2008|pp=381-384}}

The Naneghat cave inscriptions have been dated by scholars to the last centuries of the 1st millennium BCE. Most scholars date it to the early 1st-century BCE, some to 2nd-century BCE, a few to even earlier.{{sfn|Richard Salomon|1998|p=144}}{{sfn|Upinder Singh|2008|pp=381-384}} Sircar dated it to the second half of the 1st-century BCE.{{sfn|D.C. Sircar|1965|p=184}} Upinder Singh and Charles Higham date 1st century BCE.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H1c1UIEVH9gC&pg=PA299 |title=Encyclopedia of Ancient Asian Civilizations |author=Charles Higham |publisher=Infobase Publishing |year=2009 |isbn=9781438109961 |page=299 }}

The Naneghat records have proved very important in establishing the history of the region.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} Vedic Gods like Dharma Indra, Chandra and Surya are mentioned here. The mention of Samkarsana (Balarama) and Vasudeva (Krishna) indicate the prevalence of Bhagavata tradition of Hinduism in the Satavahana dynasty.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

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Two long Nanaghat inscriptions are found on the left and right wall, while the back wall has small inscriptions on top above where the eight life-sized missing statues would have been before somebody hacked them off and removed them.{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}}

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1. sidhaṃ ... no dhaṃmasa namo īdasa namo saṃkaṃsana-vāsudevānaṃ caṃda-sūtānaṃ mahimāvatānaṃ catuṃnaṃ caṃ lokapālānaṃ yama-varuna-kubera-vāsavānaṃ namo kumāravarasa vedisirisa raño
2. ......vīrasa sūrasa apratihatacakasa dakhināpaṭhapatino raño simukasātavāhanasa sunhāya ......
3. mā ..... bālāya mahāraṭhino aṃgiya-kulavadhanasa sagaragirivaravalayāya pathaviya pathamavīrasa vasa ... ya va alaha ......salasu ..ya mahato maha ...
4. .... sātakaṇi sirisa bhāriyā devasa putadasa varadasa kāmadasa dhanadasa vedisiri-mātu satino sirimatasa ca mātuya sīma .... pathamaya .....
5. variya ....... ānāgavaradayiniya māsopavāsiniya gahaṭāpasāya caritabrahmacariyāya dikhavratayaṃñasuṃḍāya yañāhutādhūpanasugaṃdhāya niya .......
6. rāyasa ........ yañehi yiṭhaṃ vano | agādheya-yaṃño dakhinā dinā gāvo bārasa 12 aso ca 1 anārabhaniyo yaṃño dakhinā dhenu .........
7. ...... dakhināya dinā gāvo 1700 hathī 10 .....
8. ......... as ..... sasataraya vāsalaṭhi 289 kubhiyo rupāmayiyo 17 bhi ......
9. .......... riko yaṃño dakhināyo dinā gāvo 11,000 asā 1,000 pasapako ..............
10. ............. 12 gamavaro 1 dakhinā kāhāpanā 24,400 pasapako kāhāpanā 6,000 | rājasūya-yaṃño ..... sakaṭaṃ

The missing characters do not match the number of dots; Bühler published a more complete version.{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=59-64}}

File:Samkasana and Vasudeva in the Naneghat cave inscription.jpg (𑀲𑀁𑀓𑀲𑀦) and Vāsudeva (𑀯𑀸𑀲𑀼𑀤𑁂𑀯𑀸) in the Naneghat cave inscription]]

1. Sidham{{refn|group=note|Variously translated to "Success" or "Om adoration"".{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=59-64 with footnotes}}{{sfn|Mirashi|1981|p=231}}}} to Dharma, adoration to Indra, adoration to Samkarshana and Vāsudeva,{{refn|group=note|Samkarshana and Vasudeva are synonyms for Balarama and Krishna.{{sfn|Mirashi|1981|pp=232}}}} the descendants of the Moon ("Chandra") endowed with majesty, and to the four guardians of the world ("Lokapalas"), Yama, Varuna, Kubera and Vāsava; praise to Vedisri, the best of royal princes (kumara)!{{refn|group=note|Kumaravarasa translated to "royal princes" or "Kartikeya".{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=59-64}}{{sfn|Mirashi|1981|pp=232}}}} Of the king.
2. .... of the brave hero, whose rule is unopposed, the lord of Dakshinapath, King Simuka the Satavahana......
3. By ..... the daughter of the Maharathi, the increaser of the Amgiya race, the first hero of the earth that is girdled by the ocean and the best of mountains....
4. wife of . . . Sri, the lord who gives sons, boons, desires and wealth, mother of Yedisri and the mother of the illustrious Sakti.....
5. Who gave a . . . most excellent nagavaradayiniya,{{refn|group=note|Buhler states that its translation is uncertain, can be either "who gave a most excellent image of a snake deity" or "who gave a most excellent image of an elephant deity" or "who gave a boon of a snake or elephant deity".{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=59-64 with footnotes}}}} who fasted during a whole month, who in her house an ascetic, who remained chaste, who is well acquainted with initiatory ceremonies, vows and offerings, sacrifices, odoriferous with incense, were offered......
6. O the king ........ sacrifices were offered. Description - An Agnyadheya sacrifice, a dakshina{{refn|group=note|variously translated as "sacrificial fee" or "donation".{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=59-64}}{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}}}} was offered twelve, 12, cows and 1 horse; - an Anvarambhaniya sacrifice, the dakshina, milch-cows.....
7. ...... dakshina were given consisting of 1700 cows, 10 elephants,
8. .... 289.....17 silver waterpots.....
9. ..... a rika-sacrifice, dakshina were given 11,000 cows, 1000 horses
10. ......12 . . 1 excellent village, a dakshina 24,400 Karshapanas, the spectators and menials 6,001 Karshapanas; a Raja ........ the cartReport On The Elura Cave Temples And The Brahmanical And Jaina Caves In Western India by Burgess [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.57069/2015.57069.Report-On-The-Elura-Cave-Temples-And-The-Brahmanical-And-Jaina-Caves-In-Western-India]

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| footer = {{center|The two deities Samkarshana and Vāsudeva on the coinage of Agathocles of Bactria, circa 190-180 BCE.{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Upinder |title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century |date=2008 |publisher=Pearson Education India |isbn=978-81-317-1120-0 |pages=436–438 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&pg=PA437 |language=en}}{{cite journal |last1=Srinivasan |first1=Doris |title=Early Vaiṣṇava Imagery: Caturvyūha and Variant Forms |journal=Archives of Asian Art |date=1979 |volume=32 |page=50 |issn=0066-6637|jstor=20111096 }}}}

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1. [Om adoration] to Dharma [the Lord of created beings], adoration to Indra, adoration to Samkarshana and Vāsudeva, the descendants of the Moon (who are) endowed with majesty, and to the four guardians of the world, Yama, Varuna, Kubera and Vasava; praise to Vedisri, the best of royal princes! Of the king.
2. .... of the brave hero, whose rule is unopposed, of the lord of the Deccan, King Simuka the first of the Satavahanas......
3. By ..... the daughter of the Maharathi, the increaser of the Amgiya race, the first hero of the earth that is girdled by the ocean and the best of mountains....
4. (who is the) wife of . . . Sri, the lord who gives sons, boons, (the fulfillment of) desires and wealth, (who is the) mother of Yedisri and the mother of the illustrious Sakti.....
5. Who gave a . . . most excellent (image of) a snake (deity), who fasted during a whole month, who (even) in her house (lived like) an ascetic, who remained chaste, who is well acquainted with initiatory ceremonies, vows and offerings, sacrifices, odoriferous with incense, were offered......
6. O the king ........ sacrifices were offered. Description - An Agnyadheya sacrifice (was offered), a dakshina was offered (consisting of) twelve, 12, cows and 1 horse; - an Anvarambhaniya sacrifice (was offered), the dakshina (consisted of) , milch-cows.....
7. ...... dakshina were given consisting of 1700 cows, 10 elephants,
8. .... (289?).....17 silver waterpots.....
9. ..... a rika-sacrifice, dakshina were given (consisting of) 11,000 cows, 1000 horses
10. ......12 . . 1 excellent village, a dakshina (consisted of) 24,400 Karshapanas, (the gifts to) the spectators and menials (consisted of) 6,001 Karshapanas; a Raja [suya-sacrifice]........ the cart

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1. ..dhaṃñagiritaṃsapayutaṃ sapaṭo 1 aso 1 asaratho 1 gāvīnaṃ 100 asamedho bitiyo yiṭho dakhināyo dinā aso rupālaṃkāro 1 suvaṃna ..... ni 12 dakhinā dinā kāhāpanā 14,000 gāmo 1 haṭhi ........ dakhinā dinā
2. gāvo ... sakaṭaṃ dhaṃñagiritaṃsapayutaṃ ...... ovāyo yaṃño ..... 17 dhenu .... vāya +satara sa
3. ........... 17 aca .... na ..la ya ..... pasapako dino ..... dakhinā dinā su ... pīni 12 tesa rupālaṃkāro 1 dakhinā kāhāpanā 10,000 ... 2
4. ......gāvo 20,000 bhagala-dasarato yaṃño yiṭho dakhinā dinā gāvo 10,000 | gargatirato yaño yiṭho dakhinā ..... pasapako paṭā 301 gavāmayanaṃ yaṃño yiṭhodakhinā dinā gāvo 1100 | .............. gāvo 1100 pasapako kāhāpanā +paṭā 100 atuyāmo yaṃño .....
5. ........ gavāmayanaṃ yaño dakhinā dinā gāvo 1100 | aṃgirasāmayanaṃ yaṃño yiṭho dakhinā gāvo 1,100 | ta ............. dakhinā dinā gāvo 1100 | satātirataṃ yaṃño ........ 100 ......... yaño dakhinā gāvo 110 aṃgirasatirato yaṃño yiṭho dakhinā gāvo
6. ......... gāvo 1,002 chaṃdomapavamānatirato dakhinā gāvo 100 | aṃgirasatirato yaṃño yiṭho dakhinā ....... rato yiṭho yaño dakhinā dinā ....... to yaṃño yiṭho dakhinā ......... yaṃño yiṭho dakhinā dinā gāvo 1000 | ............
7. ......... na +sayaṃ .......... dakhinā dinā gāvo .......... ta ........ aṃgirasāmayanaṃ chavasa ........ dakhinā dinā gāvo 1,000 ........... dakhinā dinā gāvo 1,001 terasa ... a
8. ........ terasarato sa ......... āge dakhinā dinā gāvo ......... dasarato ma .......... dinā gāvo 1,001 u ........... 1,001 da ...........
9. ........ yaño dakhinā dinā .........
10. .......... dakhinā dinā ..........

The missing characters do not match the number of dots; Bühler published a more complete version.{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|pp=59-64}}

1. ...used for conveying a mountain of grain, 1 excellent dress, 1 horse, 1 horse-chariot, 100 kine. A second horse-sacrifice was offered; dakshina were given 1 horse with silver trappings, 12 golden...... an(other) dakshina was given 14,000 (?) Karshapanas, 1 village . . elephant, a dakshina was given
2. ....cows, the cart used for conveying a mountain of grain..... an..... Ovaya sacrifice.......... 17 milch cows (?)....
3. ........ 17 ....... presents to the spectators were given.... a dakshina was given 12..... 1 silver ornaments for them, a dakshina was given consisting of 10,000 Karshapanas............
4. ..... 20,000(?) cows ; a Bhagala-Dasharatha sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given 10,001 cows; a Gargatriratra sacrifice was offered ...... the presents to the spectators and menials 301 dresses; a Gavamayana was offered, a dakshina was given 1,101 cows, a .... sacrifice, the dakshina 1,100 (?) cows, the presents to the spectators and menials . . Karshapanas, 100 dresses; an Aptoryama sacrifice .....
5. ..... ;a Gavamayana sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given 1,101 cows; an Angirasamayana sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given 1,101 cows; was given 1,101 cows; a Satatirata sacrifice ...... 100 ......... ; ......sacrifice was offered, the dakshina 1,100 cows; an Angirasatriratra sacrifice was offered; the dakshina .... cows ....
6. ........ 1,002 cows; a Chhandomapavamanatriratra sacrifice was offered, the dakshina .... ; a ....... ratra sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given; a ...... tra sacrifice was offered, a dakshina ... ; a ..... sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given 1,001 cows
7. .......... ; a dakshina was given ..... cows ........; an Angirasamayana, of six years ....... , a dakshina was given, 1,000 cows ..... was given 1,001 cows, thirteen ........
8. ........... a Trayoclasaratra ......... a dakshina was given, .... cows ......... a Dasaratra .... a ...... sacrifice, a dakshina was given 1,001 cows....
9. Report On The Elura Cave Temples And The Brahmanical And Jaina Caves In Western India

by Burgess [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.57069/2015.57069.Report-On-The-Elura-Cave-Temples-And-The-Brahmanical-And-Jaina-Caves-In-Western-India]

1. Used for conveying a mountain of grain, 1 excellent dress, 1 horse, 1 horse-chariot, 100 kine. A second horse-sacrifice was offered; dakshina were given (consisting of) 1 horse with silver trappings, 12 golden...... an(other) dakshina was given (consisting of) 14,000 (?) Karshapanas, 1 village . . elephant, a dakshina was given
2. ....cows, the cart used for conveying a mountain of grain..... an..... Ovaya sacrifice.......... 17 milch cows (?)....
3. ........ 17 ....... presents to the spectators were given.... a dakshina was given (consisting of) 12..... 1 (set of) silver ornaments for them, an(other) dakshina was given consisting of 10,000 Karshapanas............
4. ..... 20,000(?) cows ; a Bhagala-Dasharatha sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given (consisting of) 10,001 cows; a Gargatriratra sacrifice was offered ...... the presents to the spectators and menials (consisted of) 301 dresses; a Gavamayana was offered, a dakshina was given (consisting of) 1,101 cows, a .... sacrifice, the dakshina (consisted of) 1,100 (?) cows, the presents to the spectators and menials (consisted of) . . Karshapanas, 100 dresses; an Aptoryama sacrifice (was offered).....
5. ..... ;a Gavamayana sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given (consisting of) 1,101 cows; an Angirasamayana sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given (of) 1,101 cows; (a dakshina) was given (consisting of) 1,101 cows; a Satatirata sacrifice ...... 100 ......... ; ......sacrifice was offered, the dakshina (consisted of) 1,100 cows; an Angirasatriratra sacrifice was offered; the dakshina (consisted of) .... cows ....
6. ........ 1,002 cows; a Chhandomapavamanatriratra sacrifice was offered, the dakshina .... ; a ....... ratra sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given; a ...... tra sacrifice was offered, a dakshina ... ; a ..... sacrifice was offered, a dakshina was given (consisting of) 1,001 cows
7. .......... ; a dakshina was given (consisting of) ..... cows ........; an Angirasamayana, of six years (duration) ....... , a dakshina was given, (consisting of) 1,000 cows ..... (a sacrificial fee) was given (consisting of) 1,001 cows, thirteen ........
8. ........... a Trayoclasaratra ......... a dakshina was given, (consisting of) .... cows ......... a Dasaratra .... a ...... sacrifice, a dakshina was given (consisting of) 1,001 cows....

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| footer={{center|The back wall, with regnal inscriptions (left). At right: "Simuka" portion of the inscription (photograph and rubbing) in early Brahmi script:
𑀭𑀸𑀬𑀸 𑀲𑀺𑀫𑀼𑀓 𑀲𑀸𑀢𑀯𑀸𑀳𑀦𑁄 𑀲𑀺𑀭𑀺𑀫𑀢𑁄
Rāyā Simuka - Sātavāhano sirimato
"King Simuka Satavahana, the illustrious one"{{cite book |last1=Burgess |first1=Jas |title=Report on the Elura Cave temples and the Brahmanical and Jaina Caves in Western India |date=1883 |url=https://archive.org/stream/in.gov.ignca.1544/1544#page/n5/mode/1up}}}}

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The back wall of the cave has a niche with eight life-size relief sculptures. These sculptures are gone, but they had Brahmi script inscriptions above them that help identify them.{{harvnb|Upinder Singh |2008 |pp=382–384 }}

1. Raya Simuka - Satavahano sirimato
2. Devi-Nayanikaya rano cha
3. Siri-Satakanino
4. Kumaro Bhaya ........
5. (unclear)
6. Maharathi Tranakayiro.
7. Kumaro Hakusiri
8. Kumaro Satavahano

The Nanaghat inscription has been a major finding. According to Georg Bühler, it "belongs to the oldest historical documents of Western India, are in some respects more interesting and important than all other cave inscriptions taken together".{{sfn|Georg Bühler|1883|p=59}}{{sfn|Mirashi|1981|p=231}}

The inscription mentions both Balarama (Samkarshana) and Vāsudeva-Krishna, along with the Vedic deities of Indra, Surya, Chandra, Yama, Varuna and Kubera.{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}} This provided the link between Vedic tradition and the Hinduism .{{cite book|author=Joanna Gottfried Williams|title=Kalādarśana: American Studies in the Art of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-qoeAAAAIAAJ |year=1981|publisher=BRILL Academic|isbn=90-04-06498-2|pages=129–130}}{{sfn|Mirashi|1981|pp=131-134}}{{cite book|author=Edwin F. Bryant|title=Krishna: A Sourcebook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HVDqCkW1WpUC |year=2007|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-972431-4|pages=18 note 19}} Given it is inscribed in stone and dated to 1st-century BCE, it also linked the religious thought in the post-Vedic centuries in late 1st millennium BCE with those found in the unreliable highly variant texts such as the Puranas dated to later half of the 1st millennium CE. The inscription is a reliable historical record, providing a name and floruit to the Satavahana dynasty.{{sfn|Charles Allen|2017|pp=169-170}}{{sfn|Mirashi|1981|pp=131-134}}{{cite book|author=Vincent Lefèvre|title=Portraiture in Early India: Between Transience and Eternity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nnsQwG_T86sC|year=2011|publisher=BRILL Academic|isbn=978-9004207356|pages=33, 85–86}}

File:1911 sketch of numerals script history ancient India, mathematical symbols shapes.jpg

The Naneghat inscriptions have been important to the study of history of numerals.{{sfn|Norton|2001|pp=175-176}} Though damaged, the inscriptions mention numerals in at least 30 places.Bhagvanlal Indraji (1876), On Ancient Nagari Numeration; from an Inscription at Naneghat, Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. 12, pages 404-406 They present the world's oldest known numeration symbols for "2, 4, 6, 7, and 9" that resemble modern era numerals, particularly the modern Nāgarī script

.{{cite book|author=Anne Rooney|author-link=Anne Rooney|title=The History of Mathematics|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=5O67iqeIHZ8C |year=2012|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|isbn= 978-1-4488-7369-2|pages= 17–18}} The numeral values used in the Naneghat cave confirm that the point value had not developed in India by the 1st century BCE.{{sfn|David E. Smith|1978|pp=65-68}}{{cite book|author=Stephen Chrisomalis|title=Numerical Notation: A Comparative History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kXZhBAAAQBAJ |year=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-48533-3|pages=189–190}}

The inscription is also evidence and floruit that Vedic ideas were revered in at least the northern parts of the Deccan region before the 1st-century BCE. They confirm that Vedic srauta sacrifices remained in vogue among the royal families through at least the 1st-century BCE.{{sfn|Carla Sinopoli|2001|pp=168-169}} The Naneghat cave is also evidence that Hindu dynasties had sponsored sculptures by the 1st-century BCE, and secular life-size murti (pratima) tradition was already in vogue by then.{{cite book|author=Vidya Dehejia|title=The Body Adorned: Sacred and Profane in Indian Art|url=https://archive.org/details/bodyadorneddisso0000dehe |url-access=registration|year=2008|publisher=Columbia University Press|isbn=978-0-231-51266-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/bodyadorneddisso0000dehe/page/50 50]}}{{refn|group=note|The eight statues were missing when William Sykes visited the cave in 1833.}}

According to Susan Alcock, the Naneghat inscription is important for chronologically placing the rulers and royal lineage of the Satavahana Empire. It is considered on palaeographical grounds to be posterior to the Nasik Caves inscription of Kanha dated to 100-70 BCE. Thus, Naneghat inscription helps place Satakarni I after him, and Satavahanas as a Hindu dynasty whose royal lineage performed many Vedic sacrifices.Empires: Perspectives from Archaeology and History by Susan E. Alcock [https://books.google.com/books?id=MBuPx1rdGYIC&pg=PA168 pp. 168–169], Cambridge University Press

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• Hindu temple
• Kanheri Caves

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{reflist}}

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• {{citation|author=D.C. Sircar|title=Select Inscriptions, Volume 1|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=S1hmAAAAMAAJ | year=1965 | publisher=University of Calcutta}}
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• {{cite journal| author= Alice Collet|title= Reimagining the Sātavāhana Queen Nāgaṇṇikā|journal= Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies|volume= 41| year=2018|pages= 329–358 | doi=10.2143/JIABS.41.0.3285746}}

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Category:Sanskrit inscriptions in India

Category:1st-millennium BC inscriptions

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