The first epigraphic evidence of sati comes from which inscription?

The Eran inscription dated 510 CE, from the time of Bhanugupta, records the death of Goparaja and his wife’s self-immolation and is widely cited as the earliest clear epigraphic evidence of sati. The Bhitari inscription concerns Skandagupta, Junagadh records the Sudarshana lake repair, and Mandsaur is famous for the silk-weavers’ guild. The safest method is to identify the evidence category first and then test every option against chronology. Ask whether the clue comes from an inscription, coin, text, monument or later tradition. This evidence-based sequence is more dependable than selecting a familiar name.