Malhār Plates of Śūrabala, Year 8

Version: (048a990), last modified (f94ae3a).

Edition

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(śrīpuruṣaḥ)

Plates

⟨Page 1r⟩

⟨Page 1v⟩

⟨1v1⟩ svasty aparimitaguṇasamudayasya bhagavatas t¿?śūlapāṇer vva-

⟨1v2⟩ ravṛṣabhavāhanasya sphuradbhujagaparikarasyānaṅgāṅgavidhva¡t!sinaḥ

⟨1v3⟩ t¿?daśapatinutacaraṇā{}bjayugalasya śrījayeśvarabhaṭṭārakasye-

⟨1v4⟩ ¡v!aṁ śāsanaṁ{} likhyate śrī-Udīrṇṇavairānumatyayā tataḥ Ā-

⟨1v5⟩ sīd yaḥ pāṇḍavānā¡! suvim¿i?layaśā⟨⟨a⟩⟩sām anvaye bhūridhāmnāṁ

⟨1v6⟩ rājābhū¡t! mekalāyāṁ{} kṣitipatitilakaḥ saṁprasūtorukī-

⟨1v7⟩ rttiḥ śrīmā¡! śrīsaṁvidhātā jayabala Iti yaḥ khyāpyate s¡ya!r yya-

⟨1v8⟩ śobhir llokesmi¡! sarvvadaiva pravaraguṇagaṇāla{}ṅkṛtaś cārumūrtti

⟨1v9⟩ tasyāsīd vatsarājaḥ svabhujabalaguṇāk{k}rāntaśatrupratāpa

⟨1v10⟩ śrīmān vatsādhipeva kṣitipatitilako vatsarājaḥ kṣitīśa

⟨1v11⟩ putra sadva¡!śaketur mmaṇir iva sumahān unnataḥ śrīniketaḥ

⟨Page 2r⟩

⟨2r1⟩ keyūrodbhāsitāt saḥ sphuritamaṇirucā cārup¿i?norubāhuḥ

⟨2r2⟩ tasya putras tatpādānudhyāt{t}aḥ paramamāheśvaraḥ paramabrahmaṇya

⟨2r3⟩ paramagurudevatādhidaivataviśeṣaḥ śrīmā¡! śrīmatyāṁ devyā droṇabha-

⟨2r4⟩ ṭṭārikāyām utpannaḥ śrīmahārāj¿ā?nāgabalaḥ nāgai() kṣaratpra-

⟨2r5⟩ srutadānagaṇḍaiḥ bhramatpatākākulitāntarāl¿a?ḥ sainya()-

⟨2r6⟩ sphura{}cchastrarucā par¿i?taṁ virājate yasya raṇāgryabhūmau

⟨2r7⟩ tata{()}s tasya putras tatp¿a?dānudhy¿a?taḥ paramamāheśvaraḥ

⟨2r8⟩ paramabrahmaṇyaḥ paramagurudevatādhidaivataviśeṣa

⟨2r9⟩ śrīmā¡! śrīmatyāṁ devyām indrabhaṭṭārikāyām utpannaḥ śrī-

⟨2r10⟩ mahārājabharataḥ Indro dayāśīlaguṇānvitā-

⟨2r11⟩ yā AUdāryyacāturyyasamanvitāyāḥ putra

⟨Page 2v⟩

⟨2v1⟩ prasūto malacārukāntiḥ ś¿i?lendraputryā Iva kārttikeya daśara-

⟨2v2⟩ thakulaja¡t!mād rāghavasyānujobhūd bharata Iti samantād g¿i?yate ya

⟨2v3⟩ kṣitīśaiḥ tadanu guṇagaṇo ’pi praśrayānamramūrttir bharatanṛpat¿e?-

⟨2v4⟩ r asmi¡bh! bhūtal¿a?nduprakāśaḥ tasya putras tatpādānudhyātaḥ paramamāheśva

⟨2v5⟩ raḥ paramabrahmaṇyaḥ paramagur¿a?devatādhidaivataviśeṣaḥ śrīmā¡! śrī

⟨2v6⟩ matyāṁ mah¿a?devyām utpanna śrīmahārājaśūrabalaḥ śrīmaccandrā¡!śu-

⟨2v7⟩ kīrtter bharatabalanṛpasyottamā rājapatnī jātā yā kosalāyā-

⟨2v8⟩ m amarajakulajā kīrttim uccair ddadhānā śaśvaddharmmādhikāraprativi-

⟨2v9⟩ hitata¡y!ātīva lok¿ā?prakāśā yātā{} p¿u?trai prapautrair nnayavina-

⟨2v10⟩ yaratai rājasi¡ṅgh!aiḥ pratiṣṭāṁ yo ’sau saṁpūrṇaśaktitrayavini-

⟨2v11⟩ patitānekasāmantamūrddhapro¡!gh¿ra?ṣṭotphullapadmadyuticalana¡yatā!-

⟨2v12⟩ k{k}rāntadikcak{k}ravālaḥ saumyaḥ somasya va¡!śaḥ prabhava Iti jan¿e?

⟨2v13⟩ kīrtyate yasya

⟨Page 3r⟩

⟨3r1⟩ coccai saḥ śrīmā¡! saṁ¡v!abhūv¿a?pratimaguṇagaṇ¿a?dīrṇṇavairo narendraḥ tataḥ me-

⟨3r2⟩ kalāyāṁ dakṣiṇarāṣṭre sa{}ṅgamagrāmake grāmakūṭapramukhā¡! nāyaka-

⟨3r3⟩ pramukhāṁś ca grāmaṁ samājñāpayati viditam a¡ts!u vo ’¡msā!bhir aya grāmaḥ-

⟨3r4⟩ sodraṅgaḥ soparikaraḥ ¿Ā?cāṭabhaṭapraveś¡ī! sanidhi sopanidhiḥ cora-

⟨3r5⟩ daṇḍavarjjitaḥ catuḥs¿i?māparyyantaḥ Ācandrārkakṣititārakānirodhena mā-

⟨3r6⟩ tāpitr¿ā?r ātmanaś ca puṇyābhivṛddhaye yatra vaṇikamanorathapautrasya bo-

⟨3r7⟩ ṭaputrasya narasi¡ṅgh!asya prasādīkṛtas tad anenāpy asmadanumatyā bha-

⟨3r8⟩ gavataḥ śrījayeśvarabhaṭṭārakasya pratipādit¡e!ty avagamya yad ucitam upanayana-

⟨3r9⟩ sukhaṁ prativatsyatheti svayam ājñāpan¿a? ye cāsmadva¡ṅg!śe samutpadyante rājānas tair apī-

⟨3r10⟩ yaṁ dattir anumodanīyānu{t}pālanīyā ca yaś c¿ai?māṁ dattiṁ vilopam āpādayiṣya-

⟨3r11⟩ ti sa pañcabhir mmahāpātakaiḥ sayukta sy¿a?T bahubhir vvasudh¿a? bhuktā rāj¿ā?bhi sa-

⟨3r12⟩ garādi¡d!iḥ yasya yasya yadā bhūmis tasya tasya tadā phala ṣaṣṭi-

⟨3r13⟩ varṣasahasrāṇi svargge modati bhūm¿o?daḥ Ācchettā cānumantā ca tā-

⟨3r14⟩ ny eva narake vase¡d! ¡i!ti samāptañ cedaṁ śāsana

⟨Page 3v⟩

⟨3v1⟩ pravarddhamān¿ā?vijayarājyasavatsare ’ṣṭame kārttikakṛ-

⟨3v2⟩ ṣṇapakṣ¿e?kādaśyā pūrvvaphālguṇyāṁ budhadineneti likhita-

⟨3v3⟩ ñ cedaṁ śāsanaṁ śivenotk¿i?rṇṇañ ca m¿a?hirakeneti

Apparatus

⟨1v3⟩ °caraṇā{}bja°°caraṇābja° SS; °caraṇā{}bja° AMS.

⟨1v8⟩ llokesmi¡!nllokeśmi¡!n SS; llokesmi¡!n AMS. — ⟨1v8⟩ °āla{}ṅkṛtaś°ālaṅkṛtaś SS; °āla{}ṅkṛtaś AMS. — ⟨1v8⟩ cārumūrtticārumūrtti SS; cārumūrtti AMS.

⟨1v11⟩ putraputra SS; putta AMS.

⟨2r1⟩ °p¿i?īno°°pīno° SS; °p¿i?īno° AMS.

⟨2r2⟩ putrasputras SS; puttas AMS.

⟨2r3⟩ śrīmā¡!n śrīmatyāṁśrīmā¡d!n śrimatyāṁ SS; śrīmā¡!n śrīmatyāṁ AMS.

⟨2r4⟩ °mahārāj¿ā?a°°mahārāja° SS; °mahārāj¿ā?a° AMS.

⟨2r7⟩ putrasputras SS; puttas AMS.

⟨2r9⟩ indra°indra° SS; indrā° AMS.

⟨2r11⟩ °samanvitāyāḥ°samanvitāyaḥ SS; °samanvitāyāḥ AMS. — ⟨2r11⟩ putraputra SS; putta AMS.

⟨2v2⟩ g¿i?īyategīyate SS; g¿i?īyate AMS.

⟨2v4⟩ asmi¡bh!n bhūtal¿a?e°asmi¡bh!n bhūtale° SS; asmi¡m!n bhūtal¿a?e° AMS. — ⟨2v4⟩ putrasputras SS; puttas AMS.

⟨2v8⟩ amaraja°amaraja° SS; amarajā° AMS.

⟨2v9⟩ yātā{} p¿u?autraiyāta{} putrai¡h! SS; yātā{} puttai AMS.

⟨2v10⟩ pratiṣṭāṁpratiṣṭ¿a?ā SS; pratiṣṭāṁ AMS.

⟨2v12⟩ jan¿e?aijan¿ī?ai SS; jan¿e?ai AMS.

⟨3r5⟩ °s¿i?īmā°°sīmā° SS; °s¿i?īmā° AMS.

⟨3r6⟩ °ābhivṛddhaye°ābhivṛddhaya SS; °ābhivṛddhaye AMS.

⟨3r10⟩ c¿ai?emāṁc¿ai?emaṁ SS; c¿ai?emāṁ AMS. — ⟨3r10⟩ vilopam āpādayiṣyavilopenāpādayiṣya SS; vilopam āpādayiṣya AMS.

⟨3r11⟩ vvasudh¿a?āvvasudhā SS; vvasudh¿a?ā AMS. — ⟨3r11⟩ rāj¿ā?abhi sa⟨3r12⟩garādi¡d!bhiḥrājābhi()⟨3r12⟩garādi¡d!bhiḥ SS; rājabhis sa⟨3r12⟩garādi¡d!bhiḥ AMS.

⟨3r12⟩ phalaphalaṁ SS; phala AMS.

⟨3v2⟩ °¿e?aikādaśyā°¿e?aikādaśyāṁ SS; °¿e?aikādaśyā AMS. — ⟨3v2⟩ pūrvva°pūrvva° SS; pūrv¡b!v AMS.

⟨3v3⟩ °otk¿i?īrṇṇañ°otkīrṇṇañ SS; °otk¿i?īrṇṇañ AMS.

Translation

⟨1v1–1v4⟩ Success! Hail! This charter of the illustrious Jayeśvara-bhaṭṭāraka (i.e. Śiva), the god who is furnished with unlimited qualities; who carries the trident in his hand; who has an excellent bull for his vehicle and quivering snakes for his retinue; who destroyed the body of Kāma; and whose pair of lotus-like feet are praised by the Lord of the gods (Indra) is written with the permission of the illustrious Udīrṇavaira (i.e. Śūrabala). Consequently;

1v4–1v8.

There was in the lineage of the Pāṇḍavas, who are of flawless glory and possess great splendour, a king of Mekalā who was an ornament among kings and whose fame was widely known; who was illustrious and a disposer of fortune; who was decorated with a multitude of most excellent qualities; whose appearance was handsome; and who, by his own glorious deeds, was well-known in this world for all times as Jayabala!

1v9–2r1.

His son was the illustrious Vatsarāja, the glory of whose enemies was attacked by his virtues and the power of his arms; who was an ornament among kings like king Vatsarāja the king of Vatsa; the banner of a noble race; a jewel like a huge prominent lotus-flower; whose large and muscular arms were glowing through the lustre of the sparkling jewels from his ornamented armlets.

⟨2r2–2r4⟩ His (i.e. Vatsarāja’s) son — who was favoured by him (i.e. his respected father), who was entirely devoted to Śiva, who was the foremost patron of brahmins, the distinguished one who was entirely devoted to his teacher/elders and deities – was the illustrious mahārāja Nāgabala, born from the illustrious queen Droṇabhaṭṭārikā.

2r4–2r6.

He whose army – surrounded by the glittering of flashing weapons, with elephants that have their temples moist with the flow of rut-fluid and the space in between their temples filled with fluttering banners – shines on the van of the battlefield.

⟨2r7–2r10⟩ After him, his (i.e. Nāgabala’s) son – who was favoured by him (i.e. his respected father), who was entirely devoted to Śiva, who was the foremost patron of brahmins, the distinguished one who was entirely devoted to his teacher/elders and deities – was the illustrious mahārāja Bharata, born from the illustrious queen Indrabhaṭṭārikā.

2r10–2v1.

Like Kārttikeya to Śailendraputrī, to her (i.e. Indrabhaṭṭārikā) – who possessed the virtues of compassion and integrity, and who was fully endowed with generosity and amiability – was born a son, Indra, whose beauty was spotless and lovely.

2v1–2v4.

King Bharata, whose fame spread wide and far, like the moon illuminating the face of the earth; who was the embodiment of propitiousness and modesty, along with many more good qualities; who was glorified by kings everywhere, as was Bharata, the younger brother of Rāghava and born in the family of Daśaratha.

⟨2v4–2v6⟩ His (i.e. Bharatabala’s) son – who was favoured by him (i.e. his respected father), who was entirely devoted to Śiva, who was the foremost patron of brahmins, the distinguished one who was entirely devoted to his teacher/elders and deities – was the illustrious mahārāja Śūrabala, born from the illustrious chief queen (Mahādevī).

2v6–2v10.

Peerless, the chief queen of king Bharatabala, whose fame resembles the illustrious rays of the moon! She, being born in Kosalā and holding high the fame of the family descending from Amara, and being very much the Lustre of the World (Lokaprakāsā), by whom darkness has been counteracted by continuous meritorious acts, she has attained pre-eminence owing to her grandsons and great-grandsons, princes like lions, devoted to good policy and conduct.

2v10–3r1.

He who overcame all regions with his pair of feet, having the splendour of a full-blown lotus flower, that were touched by the heads of many feudatory chiefs paying homage to the threefold powers with which he was endowed: That illustrious king is Udīrṇavaira, whose numerous good qualities are unparalleled and whose birth is celebrated by people highly with the words: The famous Lunar Race, belonging to the moon!

⟨3r1–3r3⟩ He (i.e., Śūrabala Udīrṇavaira) issues the following command to the collective inhabitants of the village of Saṅgama in the Dakṣiṇa rāṣṭra of Mekalā, headed by the village headmen (grāmakūṭa) and the military officers(nāyaka):

⟨3r3–3r8⟩ Let it be known to you that for the increase of religious merit of father, mother, and ourselves, this village extending to its four boundaries has been graciously granted by us to Narasiṁha, son of Boṭa and grandson of the merchant (vaṇik) Manoratha; and by him, also with our permission, that village has been granted to the illustrious god Jayeśvarabhaṭṭāraka. The grant of the village comes along with the right to tax on permanent and temporary tenants, the right not to be entered by irregular or regular troops, and the right to hidden treasures and deposits, with the exception of the fines imposed on thieves, and is to be enjoyed as long as the moon, the sun, the earth, and the stars will endure.

⟨3r8–3r11⟩ Knowing this, you should live happily in this village, while rendering the proper shares of periodical offerings and produce. This grant was issued by my own order and those kings who will be born in our family should also protect it and consent to it! And whoever will cause the obstruction of the enjoyment of this gift, he will bring upon himself the guilt of the five great sins!

3r11–3r12.

The earth has been enjoyed by many kings, beginning with Sagara: Whoever possesses the land at any time, to him belong the fruits at that time!

3r12–3r14.

A giver of land dwells in heaven for sixty thousand years; he who confiscates it or allows another to confiscate it will dwell for the same period in hell!

⟨3r14–3v3⟩ This charter has been completed in the eighth year of the increasingly victorious reign (i.e., of Śūrabala Udīrṇavaira), on the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of the month of Kārttika, when the nakṣatra was Pūrva-phālguṇī, on a Wednesday; and this charter has been written by Śiva; and has been engraved by Mihiraka.

Bibliography

First edited by Sitaraman and Sharma 1977 from the original plates; published again by Shastri 1995, pp. 80–85; re-edited here by Natasja Bosma based on the published photographs.

Primary

[AMS] Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1995. Inscriptions of the Śarabhapurīyas, Pāṇḍuvaṁśins and Somavaṁśins, Part II: Inscriptions. New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research; Motilal Bandarsidass. Pages 80–85.

[SS] Sitaraman, B. and M.J. Sharma. 1977. “Malhar plates of Pāṇḍava king Śūrabala: year 8.” JESI 3, pp. 183–193.

Secondary

Ahmad, Nisar. 1992. “The records of the Pandavas of Mekala: some observations.” JESI 18, pp. 55–61.

Bosma, Natasja. 2018. Dakṣiṇa Kosala: A rich centre of early Śaivism. Groningen: Barkhuis. [URL]. Pages 24–26, 39–40, 53, 64–65, 240–241, 273–277.

Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1980. “The date of the Bamhani and Mallar plates of Śūrabala Udīrṇavaira.” In: Bhāratī-bhānam = Light of indology: being Dr. K.V. Sarma felicitation volume. Panjab University Indological Series 26. Hoshiarpur: Vishveshvaranand Vishva Bandhu Inst. of Sanskrit and Indolog. Studies, Panjab Univ., pp. 439–443.