WBCS.LIVE practice question

In which of the following inscriptions we find earliest reference to 'Sati'?

Solve this multiple-choice question and check the correct answer with its explanation below.

Answer options

  1. Asokan inscription of Girnar
  2. Aihole inscription
  3. Eran inscription
  4. Damodarpur inscription

Correct answer and explanation

Correct answer: Eran inscription

Explanation: The Eran inscription provides the earliest reference to the practice of Sati (self-immolation of a widow). 📚 Other Information: ▪️ The Eran inscription belongs to the time of Gupta ruler Bhanugupta (510 CE). ▪️ It describes the death of Goparaja’s widow, who performed Sati on her husband’s pyre. ▪️ The inscription is written in Sanskrit using the Gupta script. ▪️ The site of Eran is located in Madhya Pradesh (Sagar district). ▪️ The Sati system symbolised patriarchal traditions and the concept of loyalty in later society. ▪️ It became more widespread during Rajput and medieval periods. ▪️ The practice was finally abolished by Lord William Bentinck in 1829. ▪️ The Eran inscription is an important epigraphic source for early medieval India.