A tomb was made to the
sramana, still visible in the time of
Plutarch ( AD 119), which bore the epitaph "ΖΑΡΜΑΝΟΧΗΓΑΣ ΙΝΔΟΣ ΑΠΟ ΒΑΡΓΟΣΗΣ" ("Zarmanochegas, Indian from
Bargosa"). Plutarch, in his
Life of Alexander, after discussing the self-immolation of
Calanus of India (
Kalanos), writes: The same thing was done long after by another Indian who came with Caesar to Athens, where they still show you "the Indian's Monument."
Strabo's ( AD 24) account at
Geographia xv, i, 4 is as follows: From one place in India, and from one king, namely, Pandian, or, according to others, Porus, presents and embassies were sent to Augustus Caesar. With the ambassadors came the Indian
Gymnosophist, who committed himself to the flames at Athens, like
Calanus, who exhibited the same spectacle in the presence of
Alexander. Strabo adds (at xv, i, 73): To these accounts may be added that of
Nicolaus Damascenus. This writer states that at
Antioch, near
Daphne, he met with ambassadors from the Indians, who were sent to
Augustus Caesar. It appeared from the letter that several persons were mentioned in it, but three only survived, whom he says he saw. The rest had died chiefly in consequence of the length of the journey. The letter was written in Greek upon a skin; the import of it was, that Porus was the writer, that although he was sovereign of six hundred kings, yet that he highly esteemed the friendship of Caesar; that he was willing to allow him a passage through his country, in whatever part he pleased, and to assist him in any undertaking that was just. Eight naked servants, with girdles round their waists, and fragrant with perfumes, presented the gifts which were brought. The presents were a Hermes (i. e. a man) born without arms, whom I have seen, large snakes, a serpent ten cubits in length, a river tortoise of three cubits in length, and a partridge larger than a vulture. They were accompanied by the person, it is said, who burnt himself to death at Athens. This is the practice with persons in distress, who seek escape from existing calamities, and with others in prosperous circumstances, as was the case with this man. For as everything hitherto had succeeded with him, he thought it necessary to depart, lest some unexpected calamity should happen to him by continuing to live; with a smile, therefore, naked, anointed, and with the girdle round his waist, he leaped upon the pyre. On his tomb was this inscription: ::ZARMANOCHEGAS, AN INDIAN, A NATIVE OF BARGOSA, HAVING IMMORTALIZED HIMSELF ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOM OF HIS COUNTRY, HERE LIES. == Interpretation of the inscription in regard to religious affiliation ==