File:380 CE Chandragupta II Mathura Lakulisa Pillar Inscription.jpg

English: The pilaster / pillar with Lakulisha inscription was found near a well in Mathura. The Sanskrit text is in Gupta script. The epigraphy matches with script style of 4th-century.

An important inscription from ancient India, it mentions the Lakulisa gurus, and two Shiva lingas dedicated to a temple in honor of the gurus.

The stone inscription establishes the existence of Shiva temple, it uses the word "puja" (worship) and it implies Lakulisa tradition was in vogue by 380 CE in Mathura. This Shaiva pillar inscription of Mathura provides a floruit for Lakulisa, the founder of Pashupata Shaivism. Scholars have used it to date Lakulisha to either the first half of the 2nd century, or earlier. The dispute in dating arises from one of the guru names (Kushika) in the inscription, whether this is Kushika I or Kushika II.

This is a photograph of an ancient 2D-Art (4th century CE), and therefore PD-Art-100-70 guidelines apply. The photograph was made from a personal copy of Epigraphia Indica Volume 21, Plate 1 between pages 8 and 9, which in itself falls under PD-Art-100-70. Any rights I have is herewith donated to wikimedia under creative commons 4.0.