What is the date of Sarnath Budhhist image inscription of Kanishka ?

The correct answer is B) 81 AD. The Sarnath Buddha image inscription is dated to the third year of Kanishka's reign. Scholars convert this to 81 AD by taking the Kanishka era as beginning in 78 AD, so year 3 falls in 81 AD.

Why the others fail:

• A) 78 AD is the conventional starting point of the Kanishka era (Year 1), not the date of this inscription.
• C) 98 AD has no link to this record. It is not the year of the Sarnath image.
• D) 121 AD is not the date of this inscription. Kushan chronology is debated, so treat any single date with caution.

Core concept: Kushan chronology and era reckoning. Kanishka's dates appear on coins, the Mathura and Sarnath inscriptions, and the Rabatak inscription, and the absolute dating of his reign is still disputed among historians. For Mains, this links to Kushan patronage of Mahayana Buddhism, Gandhara and Mathura art, and the Fourth Buddhist Council.

Trap: Candidates often pick 78 AD because it is the famous Kanishka era date. The question asks for the inscription's date, which is year 3 of his reign, i.e. 81 AD.