Babbēpalli plates, time of Kumāraviṣṇuvarman, year 13

Editor: Emmanuel Francis.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSPallava00377.

Summary: ...

Hand description:

...

Language: Sanskrit.

Repository: Pallava (tfa-pallava-epigraphy).

Version: (b3f937e), last modified (37429fa).

Edition

Seal

Plates

⟨Page 1r⟩

⟨Page 1v⟩ ⟨1v1=1⟩ svasti jitaṁ bhagavatā{t}

kāñc¡i!⟨ī⟩purādhiṣṭhān¿a?⟨ā⟩t

  • parama-brahmaṇyasya sva-bāhu-ba[lā]⟨1v2=2⟩rjjitorjjita-kṣātra-taponidhe(r) vvidhi-vihita-sarvva-maryyādasya mahārājasya ⟨1v3=3⟩ śrī-vīrakorccavarmmaṇaḥ prapautro
  • ’bhyutthita-śakti-siddhi-saṁpa⟨n⟩nasya prat(ā)¿t?⟨p⟩o⟨1v4=4⟩panata-rāja-maṇḍalasya vasudhā-talaika-vīrasya mahārājasya śrī-karā⟨Page 2r⟩⟨2r1=5⟩ḷavarmmaṇaḥ pautro
  • deva-dvija-guru-vṛ¿dh?⟨ddh⟩¿ā?⟨o⟩pacāyina⟨ḥ⟩ pravṛ¿dh?⟨ddh⟩a-⟨dha⟩rmma-sañcaya⟨2r2=6⟩sya prajā-pāla⟨na⟩-dakṣasya lokapāl¿a?⟨ā⟩nāṁ pañcamasya lokapāla¿nāṁ?⟨sya⟩ satyā⟨2r3=7⟩tmano mahārājasya śrī-skanda-mūlavarmmaṇaḥ putro
  • bhagavat-pādānu⟨2r4=8⟩ddhyāto bappa-bhaṭ¿ṭh?⟨ṭ⟩āraka-pāda-bhakta⟨ḥ⟩ parama-bhāgavato bhāradvāja-sago⟨Page 2v⟩⟨2v1=9⟩tra¿a?⟨o⟩ yathāvad-āhṛ¿d?⟨t⟩āne⟨kā⟩śvame¿th?⟨dh⟩ānāṁ pallav¿a?⟨ā⟩n¿a?⟨ā⟩ṁ pallava-śrī-mahārāja¿sya?⟨ḥ⟩ ⟨2v2=10⟩ śrīmāN kum¿a?⟨ā⟩ra-viṣṇu-varmmā
Imam arttham ¿a?⟨ā⟩jñāpayati

tad yathā karmmarāṣṭre

  • ka⟨2v3=11⟩ligoṇḍa-nāma-grāma-vīri-grāma-pa¡te!⟨thaḥ⟩ pūrvvataḥ
  • cuṇoprāḷu-grāma-sī¿nm?⟨mn⟩a ⟨2v4=12⟩ ¿pu?⟨U⟩ttarataḥ
  • koṇḍamujunūru-grāma-pa¡te!⟨thaḥ⟩ paścimataḥ
  • sarppāḷa(ya)-dakṣiṇata
⟨Page 3r⟩ ⟨3r1=13⟩ Eta⟨c⟩ catur-avadhi-dakṣiṇ¿a ?⟨e⟩ sukṣetre
  • doṇāvadi-grāma-sī¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ paścimataḥ
  • cuṇoḷū⟨3r2=14⟩prāḷu-grāma-s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ Uttara[taḥ]
  • sarppagṛh¡e!⟨a⟩-pūrvvataḥ
  • vṛ¡dh!⟨ddh⟩a-taṭāka-dakṣiṇata
Eta⟨c⟩⟨3r3=15⟩catur-avadh¡ī!⟨i⟩-dakṣiṇa-pūrvve sukṣetre
  • sarppagṛh¡e!⟨a⟩-pūrvvataḥ
  • mahiṣaśira-grām¡e!⟨a⟩⟨3r4=16⟩-s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩a(ḥ) dakṣiṇata⟨ḥ⟩
  • pullaḷūru-grām¡e!⟨a⟩-s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ paścimata⟨ḥ⟩
  • kaṁsāri-taṭāka⟨sya⟩ Uttararataḥ
⟨Page 3v⟩ ⟨3v1=17⟩ Eta⟨c⟩ catur-avadh¡ī!⟨i⟩-pūrvvottare sukṣetre trai-bhūmyā(ṁ) cauṣaṣṭi nivarttanāni kāśy¿ā?⟨a⟩⟨3v2=18⟩pa-gotrāya Isara-¿s?⟨ś⟩armmaṇ(e) dattavāN

Āyur-bala-puṇyārogya-nimi¿t?⟨tt⟩a(M) saṁ⟨3v3=19⟩pra⟨tta⟩s

tad avagamya rāja-valla¿v?⟨bh⟩a-naiyogika-gopāla-vatsapāla-sañcara⟨3v4=20⟩ntakā⟨ḥ⟩ parih¿a?⟨ā⟩rai⟨ḥ⟩ pa⟨ri⟩ha⟨ra⟩ntu parihārayantu ca

yo ’smac chā¿ś?⟨s⟩anam atikra-⟨Page 4r⟩⟨4r1=21⟩me⟨t⟩ saḥ pāpaḥ śār(ī)raṁ daṇḍam arhati

Api cātrārṣā⟨ḥ⟩ ¿śu?⟨ślo⟩¿kl?⟨k⟩āḥ

I. Anuṣṭubh

bhūmi-dānā ⟨4r2=22⟩ t paraṁ dānaṁ

a

na bhūtaṁ na bhaviṣyati

b

tasyaiva haraṇ¿a?⟨ā⟩t pāpaṁ

c

na bhūtaṁ na bhaviṣya⟨4r3=23⟩ti ||

d
II. Anuṣṭubh

bahu{r}bhi⟨r v⟩vasudhā datt¿a?⟨ā⟩

a

bahubhiś cānupālitā

b

yasya yasya ya⟨4r4=24⟩dā bhūmi⟨s⟩

c

tasya tasya tadā ¿p?⟨ph⟩ala⟨ṁ⟩ ||

d
III. Anuṣṭubh

sva-datt¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨ṁ⟩ para-datt¿a?⟨ā⟩¿ṇ?⟨ṁ⟩ v¿a?⟨ā⟩

a

yo hareta ⟨Page 4v⟩ ⟨4v1=25⟩ vasundharā⟨ṁ⟩

b

g¿ā?⟨a⟩vāṁ śata-sahasrasya

c

hantuḫ pibati kil¡v!⟨b⟩iṣa(M)

d
IV. Anuṣṭubh

brahma⟨4v2=26⟩-svan tu viṣa⟨ṁ⟩ ghoraṁ

a

na viṣaṁ viṣam ucyate

b

viṣam ekākinaṁ hant¿u?⟨i⟩

c

⟨4v3=27⟩ brahma-sva⟨ṁ⟩ putra-pautrika¡ṁ!⟨m⟩

d
V. Anuṣṭubh

kāñcīpurādhip¿o?⟨ena⟩ datta(M)

a

bhaktena brāhma⟨4v4=28⟩ṇāya ca

b

rakṣaṇārtthaṁ y¿ā?⟨a⟩dā bhūmi-

c

-vallabha-pallava⟨ḥ⟩ sadā (||)

d

⟨Page 5r⟩ ⟨5r1=29⟩ pravarddhamāna-vijaya-rājya-saṁvatsare trayoda(śe) mahā-kā⟨5r2=30⟩rttik¿ā?⟨a⟩-māse śukla-pakṣa-pañcamy¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨ṁ⟩ viśā¿k?⟨kh⟩¿a?⟨ā⟩-nakṣatre guruv¿a?⟨ā⟩re ⟨5r3=31⟩ lāḍarāj¿a?⟨ā⟩¿ā?⟨a⟩ptyā rudraśarmm¿ā?⟨a⟩¿a?⟨ā⟩ (l)i(kh)i(tam i)daṁ ¿s?⟨ś⟩ā¿ś?⟨s⟩anaṁ Ācandra⟨5r4=32⟩-¿d?⟨t⟩ārakaṁ kṛtvā dattavā(N)

svasti go-brāhmaṇebhyaḥ @ ||

⟨Page 5v⟩

Apparatus

Plates

⟨1⟩ jitaṁ ⬦ jitam EI. — ⟨1⟩ kāñc¡i!⟨ī⟩° ⬦ kāñcī° EI. — ⟨1⟩ °ba[lā]° ⬦ °balā° EI.

⟨2⟩ °taponidhe(r)°taponidher EI.

⟨3⟩ °prat(ā)¿t?⟨p⟩o⟨1v4=4⟩panata° ⬦ pratā(p)o⟨1v4=4⟩panata° EI.

⟨5⟩ pravṛ¿dh?⟨ddh⟩a-⟨dha⟩rmma° ⬦ pravṛ⟨ddha⟩-dharmma° EI.

⟨8⟩ bhāradvāja° ⬦ bhāradvaja° EI.

⟨9⟩ °⟨kā⟩śvame¿th?⟨dh⟩ānāṁ ⬦ °⟨kā⟩śvamedhānāṁ EI. — ⟨9⟩ pallav¿a?⟨ā⟩n¿a?⟨ā⟩ṁ ⬦ pallav¿a?⟨ā⟩n¿am?⟨ām⟩ EI.

⟨10⟩ °viṣṇuvarmmā ⬦ °viṣṇuvar¿mma?⟨mā⟩ EI. — ⟨10⟩ ¿a?⟨ā⟩jñāpayati ⬦ ¿a?⟨ā⟩jñapayati EI.

⟨11⟩ cuṇoprāḷu° • Emend to cuṇolūprāḷu (see line 13)?

⟨13⟩ dakṣiṇ¿a ?⟨e⟩ sukṣetre ⬦ dakṣiṇa-sukṣetre EI • ...

⟨14⟩ s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ ⬦ ¿nm?⟨mn⟩aḥ EI.

⟨15⟩ °avadh¡ī!⟨i⟩° ⬦ °avadhi° EI.

⟨16⟩ s¡i!⟨ī⟩¿nm?⟨mn⟩a(ḥ)¿nm?⟨mn⟩a(ḥ) EI.

⟨17⟩ °avadh¡ī!⟨i⟩° ⬦ °avadhi° EI. — ⟨17⟩ °pūrvvottare ⬦ °pūr¿v?⟨vv⟩ottare EI.

⟨19⟩ rāja-valla¿v?⟨bh⟩a° ⬦ (ja-va)lla¿v?⟨bh⟩a EI.

⟨21⟩ śār(ī)raṁ ⬦ śārīraṁ EI. — ⟨21⟩ ¿śu?⟨ślo⟩¿kl?⟨k⟩āḥ ⬦ ¿śu?⟨ślo⟩kāḥ EI.

⟨24⟩ ¿p?⟨ph⟩ala⟨ṁ⟩¿p?⟨ph⟩ala(m) EI.

⟨25⟩ kil¡v!⟨b⟩iṣa(M)kilbiṣam EI.

⟨26⟩ ekākinaṁ ⬦ ekākina⟨ṁ⟩ EI.

⟨27⟩ datta(M)dattaṁ EI.

⟨28⟩ °pallava⟨ḥ⟩°pallava EI. — ⟨28⟩ sadā ⬦ EI • Maybe emend to tādā.

⟨29⟩ °da(śe)°daśe EI.

⟨31⟩ lāḍa° ⬦ (ḍa) EI. — ⟨31⟩ rudraśarmm¿ā?⟨a⟩¿a?⟨ā⟩rudraśarmm¿e?⟨a⟩¿a?⟨ā⟩ EI. — ⟨31⟩ ¿s?⟨ś⟩ā¿ś?⟨s⟩anaṁ Ācandra° ⬦ ¿s?⟨ś⟩ā¿ś?⟨s⟩anam ācandra° EI.

Translation by Emmanuel Francis

(1) Prosperity! The Lord is victorious

(1) From the residence of Kāñcīpura:

(1–10)

  • great grand-son of the glorious mahārāja Vīrakorcavarman ...
  • grand-son of the glorious mahārāja Karāḷavarman ...
  • son of the glorious mahārāja Skandamūlavarman ...
  • the glorious Kumāraviṣṇuvarman, the glorious Pallava mahārāja, ...
orders ...:

(10–18) This thus in the Karmmarāṣṭra,

  • east of ...
  • north of ...
  • west of ...
  • south of ...
in the good field south within these four boundaries
  • east of ...
  • north of ...
  • west of ...
  • south of ...
in the good field south(est within these four boundaries
  • east of ...
  • north of ...
  • west of ...
  • south of ...
in the good field north-east within these four boundaries, from [these] three land plots, he gave to Īśvaraśarman of the kāsyapagotra sixty-four nivartanas.

(18–19) It was given for the purpose of ...

(19–20) ...

(20–21) Who ...

(21) ...

I

A gift superior to the gift of land

?

There has not been and there won’t be.

?

Therefore a sin [superior] to seizing it

?

There has not been and there won’t be.

?
II

Land has been given by many

?

And by many it has been protected.

?

Whoever owns a land at a given moment,

?

To him does the fruit then belong.

?
III

Who seizes land

?

Given by oneself or given by another,

?

Drinks the sin of killing

?

One hundred thousand cows.

?
IV

The property of a Brahmin is indeed a terrible poison.

?

It is not poison ...

?

Poison kills a single person.

?

The property of a Brahmin [also] kills the son and the grandson.

?
V

This has been given by the king of Kāñcī,

?

Who is a devotee, to a Brahmin.

?

When it is a matter of protection

?

There is always a Pallava, a favourite of the earth.

?

(29–32) ...

(32) Prosperity for cows and Brahmins!

Bibliography

Edited in Parabrahma Sastry [1992] 1977–1978 (EI 42.5), with visual documentation.

This revised edition by Emmanuel Francis, based on photos (2008, by Emmanuel Francis, by courtesy of Andhra Pradesh State Department of Archaeology and Museums; 2016, kindly supplied by Valérie Gillet).

Primary

[EI] Parabrahma Sastry, P. V. [1992] 1977–1978. “Babbēpalli plates of Pallava Kumāravishṇu.” EI 42, pp. 44–54.

Secondary

Francis, Emmanuel. 2013. Le discours royal dans l'Inde du Sud ancienne : inscriptions et monuments Pallava, IVème-IXème siècles. Tome I : Introduction et sources. Publications de l'Institut orientaliste de Louvain 64. Louvain-la-Neuve; Paris: Université catholique de Louvain, Institut orientaliste; Peeters. Pages 266–267, item IR 13.