Huvishka as Mahāsena

Summary

This essay investigates why the Kushan king Huvishka is referred to in some inscriptions as Mahāsena, a title traditionally associated with the war‑god Skanda/Kārtikeya. It compares Huvishka’s use of the epithet with earlier rulers and explores its meaning. Drawing on a Brāhmī inscription from Mathurā, the author analyses a passage that reads ‘sarvatatva‑mahārāja’, noting that the language of the record blends Prakrit with Sanskrit. By breaking down the compound sarva‑tatva, he argues that it derives from the Sanskrit sat‑tva‑tva, meaning ‘existing’ or ‘living’, and thus conveys the sense of ‘existing in all essences’. The article links this expression to the epithet Mahāsena, suggesting that Huvishka sought to identify himself with Skanda, who was born among reeds and known for his martial prowess. Additional evidence comes from a Kharoṣṭhī inscription from Peshawar, where Huvishka is called Mahāsena in connection with a casket containing relics of the Buddha. The author discusses how the adoption of the title reflects the syncretic religious environment of the Kushan empire, where rulers embraced Buddhist, Śaiva and local cults. The article concludes that Huvishka’s epithet Mahāsena emphasised his role as a universal sovereign and patron of multiple faiths.