Most importantly, the inscription mentions the reign of the Kushan ruler Kanishka, and a regnal date, allowing to date precisely the statue, based on the conventionally agreed date of 127 CE for the start of the reign of Kanishka: "Year 4 of the Great King Kanishka" appears in Brahmi at the beginning of the inscription on the pedestal, implying a date of 131 CE for the dedication of the statue.