Rīsthal inscription

Rīsthal inscription
Rīsthal inscription
MaterialStone
Createdc.515 CE
Discovered24°07′55″N 75°20′10″E / 24.1319°N 75.3360°E / 24.1319; 75.3360
Rīsthal
Location of the Rīsthal inscription. Actual image of the inscription

The Rīsthal inscription is a stone-slab inscription which was discovered in 1983 in the area of Rīsthal near Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh, India.

The inscription says that in 515 CE the Aulikara king Prakashadharma of Malwa defeated the Alchon Huns ruler Toramana in his campaigns into Central India, and took away the tusks of his elephants and his harem.

The portion of the inscription related to Toramana reads:

"He (Prakashadharman);
Who in battle rendered the title "Lord" of the Huna king false, (though it) had been firmly established on earth up to Toramana, whose footstool had glittered with the sparkling jewels in the crown of kings (that had bowed at his feet);
By whom auspicious seats were offered to the ascetics, splendid ones, made of the long tusks of that same (king's) elephants, whose rut was dripping (from their temples) while they were being shot down by (his) arrows at the battle front;

And by whom were carried off a choice of ladies of the harem of that same (king), whom he had defeated by his vigour in the thick of battle, after which he offered them to Lord Vrsabhadhvaja (Shiva) to mark the strength of the arms of the "Light of the World" (Lokaprakasa, i.e. Prakashadharman)

Rīsthal inscription of Aulikara Prakashadharman, Year 570 (515 CE), translated by Richard Salomon (1989)

This ended the First Hunnic War in Indian territory, until Toramana's son Mihirakula attacked Central India a few years later.