Banpur plates of Indraratha year 6

Version: (39eae9b), last modified (704efae).

Edition

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⟨1⟩ Indu jaṭāsu viśado ’gniśikhā-piśaṅgī lālāṭa-cakṣuṣi gale viṣam añjan¿ā? hatya sattvaṁ rajas tama I-

⟨2⟩ ti triguṇasya tasya sthāna-kramaṅ gatavate ’stu namaḥ śivāya svasti śrīmati yatra saudha-śikhara-nyastai-

⟨3⟩ r atīva-sphurad bhābhiḥ kāñcana-kumbhakair atiśaya-proddīpita vyomani| lokair utkaṭa-vismaya-vyati-

⟨4⟩ kara-sphārībhaval-locanaiḥ sthāna-sthāna-gati-krameṇa katham apy ālakṣyate ’har-patiḥ prāsāda-mauliṣu

⟨5⟩ karā¡v!ja-paramparābhir ākr̥ṣyamāṇa-parilam¡v!i-nabhaḥ-pracāraM| yasmin niśāsu niśita-dyuti-ca-

⟨6⟩ ndra-¡v!im¡v!am āyojyate makura-kr̥tya-vidhau vadhūbhiḥ yasminn aspr̥śataḥ kṣitiṁ khurapuṭair vāhā-

⟨7⟩ n asaṁkhyān api pratyeti sudr̥śī jano na tu rājobhāraiḥ samutsarpibhiḥ| Anyad yasya ja-

⟨8⟩ lāśayeṣu yugapad dantāvalānāṅgaṇair anyonya-pratipanna-ḍiṇḍima-ravair amvaḥ sugapādya-

⟨9⟩ (te) yad bhūmīvalayasya bhūṣaṇa-vidhir yasyāpi saudha-śriyo yat saudhasya mr̥gīdr̥śo

⟨10⟩ (mr̥ga)dr̥śām yad varttinīnā¿n? na{n}vaḥ| ya¿d? toraṇa-citra-karma-kanaka-graiveyakādi-sphu-

⟨11⟩ ṭam vīthībhūtam athedam apy anumuhuḥ krīḍeti sampā{d}dyate tasmāt śrī-yayāti-nagarāt.

⟨12⟩ pinākī lokebhyaḥ kṣiti-parisare dharma-vigatim viditvaivāhūya svayam anayad ādeśa-padavīM|

⟨13⟩ vivasvan-nāmani khacaram acirād eva bhavatā dharitrī gantavyā śamayitum adharmorjitam iti Akṣa-

⟨14⟩ triyakule bhūtvā sakuṭum¡v!o mahādbhutaM| kariṣyāmīti tenāpi pratijajñe śivāgrataḥ tasya

⟨15⟩ tanayeṣu madhye mahānubhāvo maheśvare bhaktaḥ| bhagavantam am¡v!ikāpatim avatāre pūrvajo da-

⟨16⟩ dhyau bhagavati ca sānukampe nija-kula-bhūṣāñ cāyācitari candre| pitur āśayasya ca ¡v!alād a[*]-

⟨17⟩ lam(bi/bhi)tenendra-rājya-vara-lābhaḥ śirasi kr̥ta-śivājño martya-loke vivasvān ajani ca kula-putro bhīma-

⟨18⟩ nāmottama-śrīḥ| Ayam alabhata durgā-pūrva-patnīñ ca patnīm ajanayad atha tasyāṁ pūrva-putrīś ca putrāN

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⟨19⟩ śrimān indraratho ’jani prathamataḥ saundarya-¿s?aurya-kṣamā-dharma-tyāga-dayā-viveka-vinaya-prāga-

⟨20⟩ lbhya-satyāśrayaḥ| prābhūtām atha vikramādika-guṇa-grāmaika-līlāspade pūrvam vaṅkaratho ’tha

⟨21⟩ śaṅkararathas tasyānurūpānujau yo ’sāv indraratho rathāṅgi-mahimā somā¿dv?aya-kṣmāpatiḥ śrī-

⟨22⟩ mad-dharmarathasya vallabhatayā lebhe kaliṅga-śriyaM| sañjagrāha ca vigrahe bhuja-¡v!alāt tām vajra-

⟨23⟩ -hastād aho. vikrāntir mahatī-padāti-¡v!ahutālpatve tu nyastādaraḥ svarga¿n? dharma-dharā-patau

⟨24⟩ gatavati śrī-vatsarājo nr̥p¿ā? bhr̥tyān sādayati prajām iti muhuḥ śrutvā janebhyo giraḥ| ya

⟨25⟩ Āgatya kaliṅgato nija-bhujādarpeṇa dr̥ptātmak¿a? vyāhr̥tyainam udātta-vr̥tti-hr̥dayo dhatt¿a?

⟨26⟩ ’bhimanyau mataḥ yo vidvān abhimanyum apy anucita() prāptādhipatyam bhuvo va¿?śasyānadhikāriṇa

⟨27⟩ raṇa-bhuvi vyāpādayad dveṣiṇa| tal-lakṣmī dvijasattamair anumatām āsādya se()-

⟨28⟩ ¿dyapa? trairājyañ ca turaṅgake¿?a jagr̥he yenātha rājyāntaraM parama-māheśvara-mā-

⟨29⟩ tāpitr̥-pādānudhyāta-parama-bhaṭṭāraka-mahārājādhirāja-parameśvara-soma-kula-

⟨30⟩ -tilaka-trikaliṅgādhipati-śrīmad-indraratha-rāja-devaḥ kuśalī ko¿ngo?da-maṇḍalīya-(tho)ra-

⟨31⟩ ṇa-viṣaya-sagh¿a?ta-khallīkhaṇḍīya-laghukumbhi-grāme| Atas tad viṣayīya-vrāhmaṇān āpūjya samā-

⟨32⟩ hartr̥-sannidhātr̥-niyuktādhikārika-dāṇḍapāśika-piśuna-vetrikāvarodhajana-rājñī-rāṇaka-rāja-

⟨33⟩ -putra-rāja-vallabha-bhogijana-pramukha-samasta-janapadān samājñāpayati| viditam astu bhava-

⟨34⟩ tāṁ yathā ’smābhir ayaṁ grāmaḥ sa-pratīhāraḥ sarvva-vādhāvarjjitaḥ{|} padātijīvya-Andharūpā-pratyandha-

⟨35⟩ -rūpa-Adattādāna-hasti-daṇḍa-ciṭṭola-diśāvara-dāna-karaṇa-chāyā-Anatarāva(ḍḍi)-varavalīvarda-sa-

⟨36⟩ rvvoparikarādāna-sahitaḥ sa-jala-sthala sagartto¿s?ar¿a c?atuḥ sīmā-paryantaḥ sāmra-madh¿u?ka-prabhr̥ti

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⟨37⟩ nānāvr̥kṣaḥ sa-nidhiḥ sopanidhiḥ śrī-khadiravaṇī-bhaṭṭārikāyā¿? valicaru-naivedya-pradīpa-do-

⟨38⟩ lopac¿e?yo Ācandrārka-kṣiti-samakālopabhogāya mātā-pitror ātmanaś ca puṇya-yaśo ’bhivr̥ddha-

⟨39⟩ ye salila-dhārā-puraḥsarasa¿ran tām?{v}ra{v}ra-śāsanenākarīkr̥tya pratipādita Ity avagatya samucita

⟨40⟩ kara-bhoga-bhāgādikam upanayadbhi bhavadbhiḥ sukhena prativastavyam iti bhāvibhiś ca bhūpatibhiḥ

⟨41⟩ dattir iyam asmadīy¿ā?-dharma-gauravād asmad anurodhāc ca sudattir ivānupālanīyā tath¿o? cokta dharma-śā-

⟨42⟩ stre vahubhir vasudhā dattā rājabhiḥ sagarādibhiḥ| yasya yasya yadā bhūmis tasya tasya tadā pha-

⟨43⟩ laṁ mā bhūd a-phala-śaṅkā vaḥ para-datteti pārthivāḥ| sva-d¿att?āt phalam ānantyaṁ para-dattānupā-

⟨44⟩ lane ṣaṣṭhiṁ varṣasahasrāṇi svargge modati bhūmidaḥ| Ākṣeptā cānumantā ca ca dvau tau nara-

⟨45⟩ ka-gāminau Agner apatyaṁ prathamaṁ suvarṇṇaṁ bhūr vaiṣṇavī sūrya-sutāś ca gāvaḥ| yaḥ

⟨46⟩ kāñcana¿? gāñ ca mahīñ ca dadyād dattās trayas tena bhavanti lok¿e? Āsphoṭayanti

⟨47⟩ pitaro valgayanti pitāmahāḥ| bhūmi-dātā kule jātaḥ sa nas trātā bhaviṣyati

⟨48⟩ bhūmiṁ yaḥ pratigr̥h¡n!āti yaś ca bhūmi¿?yacchati| Ubhau tau puṇya-ka(r)māṇau niyataṁ svarga-gā-

⟨49⟩ minau taḍāgānāṁ sahasreṇa vāja-peya-śatena ca| gavāṅ koṭi-pradānena bhūmi-hartā

⟨50⟩ na śudhyati| suvarṇam ek¿a?ṅ gām ekā bhūmer apy arddham aṅgulaṁ| haran narakam āyāti

⟨51⟩ yāvad ābhūta-saṁplavaM harate hārayed yas tu manda-vuddhis tamo-vr̥taḥ| sa vaddho

⟨52⟩ vāruṇaiḥ pāśais tiryag-yoni¿s?u gacchati sva-dattām para-dattām vā yo hareta vasu-

⟨53⟩ ndharāM| sa viṣṭhāyāṅ kr̥mir bhūtvā pitr̥bhiḥ saha pacyate Ādityo varu{r}ṇo vi-

⟨54⟩ ṣṇu vrahmā somo hutāśanaḥ| śulpāṇis ca bhagavān abhinandanti bhūmidaM sāmā-

⟨55⟩ nyo ’yaṁ dharma-setur nr̥pāṇāṁ kāle kāle pālanīyo bhavadbhiḥ| sarvān etān bhāvi-

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⟨56⟩ naḥ pārthivendrān bhūyo bhūyo yācate rāmabhadraḥ Iti kamala-dalāmvu-vindu-

⟨57⟩ -lolāṁ śriyam anucintya manuṣya-jīvittañ ca| sa-kalam idam udāhr̥tañ ca vuddhvā

⟨58⟩ na hi puruṣaiḥ para-kīrttayo vilopyāḥ yad vāṇāḥ pakṣapālī-pavana-ra-

⟨59⟩ ya-pariṣvaṅga-sandīpta-vidyud vahni-jvālā-samūhair anumita-jalada-vyūha-saṁcā-

⟨60⟩ ra-līlāḥ| Udgacchanto ghanebhyas tad-anu ca ¿s?ikhayā gumphitān eka-tārā santāna-

⟨61⟩ -granthitās te katham api dharaṇī-pr̥ṣṭha-paryantam īyuḥ tasyānta sthita-candra-¿s?ekhara-

⟨62⟩ -pada-dvandvasya mandākinī toyād abhy-adhikādaraṁ dvija-padābhobhiḥ samabhyukṣitaḥ| vidyā-

⟨63⟩ yāṁ nija-veśmano jalanidhir lokānukampā-matir viśvārādhini ¿ś?sandhivigraha-pa-

⟨64⟩ de svāmi-priye jāgrati Udghāṭya pratikumbhi-kumbha-pha¿ru?¿kantan?mauktika-śreṇi-

⟨65⟩ (bhiḥ) kr̥tv ātho nija-deha-maṇḍana-vidhiṁ yad khaḍga-lekhā-naṭī| saṅgrāmāṅgaṇa-raṅga-bhūmi-

⟨66⟩ ¿s?u muhuḥ svacchandato līlayā nr̥tyanti hr̥dayaṅgamā samabhavad vidveṣi-bhūmī-bhujāM Asau

⟨67⟩ nija-bhujā¿s?ani-kṣapita-vairi-bhūbhr̥t-kul¿ā?o mahākṣapaṭalī yaśaḥ paṭala-kaumudī-candramāḥ| ka-

⟨68⟩ lā-nivaha-janma-bhūr amr̥ta-candra-nāmā nidhiḥ samasta-guṇa-sampadām idam alīlikhac chāsa-

⟨69⟩ naM parama-māheśvara-mahārājādhirāja-śrīmad-indraratha-rāja-devasya pravarddhamāna-

⟨70⟩ -vijaya-rājye ṣaṣṭhe samvatsare kārttika-māsi śukla-pakṣa-dvitīyāyāṁ tithau likhitam i-

⟨71⟩ dam yatrānkenāpi samvat 6 kārttika śudi 2 vijñāni vāherukeṇa Utkīrṇṇaṁ

Apparatus

⟨1⟩ ’gniśikhā-piśaṅgī T S’gniśikṣā-piśaṅgī B. — ⟨1⟩ viṣam añjan¿ā?e hatyaviṣabhañjanābhaM|° S; viṣam añjanābhaM T B. — ⟨1⟩ sattvaṁ T Ssatvam B.

⟨2⟩ gatavate ’stu B’stu is omitted in Shastri 1995’s edition, while it is clearly legible on the photo.

⟨3⟩ °sphuradbhābhiḥ S°sphurad ābhaiḥ B. — ⟨3⟩ proddīpita Bproddīpita S.

⟨4⟩ karasphā° Skar¿aḥ?aiḥ sphā° B. — ⟨4⟩ sthāna-sthāna-gati- Bsthāna-rathāna-gati- S. — ⟨4⟩ ’har-patiḥ(’haḥ) patiḥ S; ’har patiḥ B.

⟨6⟩ makura° Smukura° B.

⟨8⟩ °valānāṅgaṇair S°valaṅ gaṇair B. — ⟨8⟩ amvaḥ°vair a¿ma?mbhaḥ S; °vair abhaḥ B. — ⟨8⟩ sugapādya⟨9⟩(te)sa¿gapā?muptīya(te) B; samutpītate S.

⟨10⟩ yad vartti° Syat vartti° B. — ⟨10⟩ °nīnā¿n? na{n}vaḥ°nīnānnavaḥ S; °nī¿nānnanvaḥ?nām ānvayaḥ B.

⟨11⟩ vīthībhūtam Svīdhībhūtam B.

⟨12⟩ viditvaivāhūya Sviditvaivāktaṁ(?) T; viditv evāhūya B.

⟨13⟩ vivasvan-nāmanivivasvannīmāna- T; vivasvant¿ā?aṁ¿na?nyaṁ B; vikavasva¿nnī?ntaṁ¿na?nyaṁ S. — ⟨13⟩ śamayitumśamayeT tam T; śama¿yetta?yitum B S.

⟨15⟩ avatāreavatār¿e?iṇam T B SFor the meaning of the root √dhā with a locative case, see Monier-Williams 1872, p. 452.

⟨16⟩ °dhyau T S°dhau B. — ⟨16⟩ cāyāvitarica pāvitari T S; ca paṇitari B. — ⟨16⟩ ¡v!balād a[ca. 1×]valād a° T S; valād ā° BThere is enough space for an additional akṣara at the end of the line. For my emendation, see below.

⟨17⟩ °lam(bi/bhi)tenendra°lambhi tena Indra° T; lambhi tenendra° Shastri 1995; lambhitenendra° BI suggest the following emendation: avalambitenendra°.⟨17⟩ śivājño Tśivājñ¿ā?o B Shastri 1995.

⟨18⟩ durgā°durgā B. — ⟨18⟩ pūrva-putrīś capūrva-putrīṁśca bib.Tripathy1966_01; pūrva-put¿?raṁ ca S; pūrva-put¿()?rān B.

⟨19⟩ saundarya-¿s?śaurya° Ssaundarya-śaurya° T B.

⟨20⟩ °lbhya-satyā° S°lbha-satyā° B. — ⟨20⟩ vikramādika-guṇa° T Svikramādi-su-guṇa B. — ⟨20⟩ °līlāspade T S°līlāspad¿e?au B.

⟨21⟩ yo ’sāv indra° T Syośāv indra° B. — ⟨21⟩ ratho S°ratha T B. — ⟨21⟩ rathāṅgi°rathāṅga° B; rathāṅka° T S. — ⟨21⟩ somā¿dv?nvaya°somānvaya° T B S. — ⟨21⟩ śrī° T Sśri° B.

⟨23⟩ vikrāntir mahatī Svikrāntim mahatīṁ B. — ⟨23⟩ nyasthādaraḥ S¿nya?nirasthādaraḥ BThe correction suggested by Behera 1988 is unmetrical.⟨23⟩ svarga¿n? Ssvargam B.

⟨24⟩ vatsarājo nr̥p¿ā?o Svatsarāj¿o?e nr̥p¿a?e B. — ⟨24⟩ ya ⟨25⟩ Āgatya Sy¿a?o ⟨25⟩ Āgatya B.

⟨25⟩ bhujādarpeṇa B SShastri 1995 suggests with a question mark bhujāddarpeṇa.

⟨26⟩ °patpyam bhuvo B°patpya¿n? bhuvo S. — ⟨26⟩ va¿?śasyā° Sva¿?śyasyā° B.

⟨27⟩ āsādya se()° Bāsādya stamyase() SThe reading suggested by Shastri 1995 is unmetrical.

⟨28⟩ ¿dyapa?dhipaiḥ trairājyañ S¿dyapattrai?dhipair taṁ rājyañ B. — ⟨28⟩ turaṅgake¿?naturaṅgakeṇa S; turungakena B. — ⟨28⟩ yenātha Syenāsya B.

⟨31⟩ sagh¿a?ta-khallīkhaṇḍīya- Ssadyata(kha)llīkhaṇḍīya- B.

⟨34⟩ Andharūpā- BAndharūvā- S. — ⟨34⟩ pratyandha⟨35⟩-rūpa- Bpratyandhā⟨35⟩rūva- S.

⟨36⟩ sa-jala-sthala Ssa-jala-sthala- B. — ⟨36⟩ sagartto¿s?ar¿a c?ś catuḥ Sgarttoṣara-catuḥ- B.

⟨37⟩ bhaṭṭārikāyā¿? Bbhaṭṭārikāyā S. — ⟨37⟩ valicaru- Bvalicarū- S.

⟨38⟩ Ācandrārka° T Shastri 1995Ācandrārkka B.

⟨39⟩ sa¿ran tām?ram tām{v}rasara¿m? tāmra- S; sa¿rat tam?ram tāmra- B.

⟨41⟩ asmadīy¿ā?a-dharma- Basmadīyā dharma- S. — ⟨41⟩ anurodhāc ca sudattir Banurodhacci svadattir S.

⟨43⟩ sva-d¿att?ānātsva-dattāt B S.

⟨45⟩ sūrya Srya BTripathy 1966 did not reproduce the text of the imprecatory stanzas in his edition.

⟨46⟩ lok¿e?āḥ Sloke B.

⟨48⟩ bhūmi¿?m prayacchatibhūmim prayacchati S; bhūmiṁ ¿?prayacchati BTripathy 1966 does not edit the imprecatory stanzas.

⟨49⟩ pradānena Shradānena B.

⟨50⟩ śudhyati Sśudhyate B.

⟨51⟩ ābhūta-saṁplavaMāhūta-saṁplavaM B S.

⟨57⟩ jīvittañ Sjīvinañ B.

⟨60⟩ gumphitān Sgumbhitān B.

⟨61⟩ -granthitās B-granthilās S.

⟨62⟩ -dvandvasya S-dvandasya B. — ⟨62⟩ abhy-adhikādaraṁ dvi Basyadhikādaradvi S.

⟨64⟩ -priye B-śriye S.

⟨66⟩ ¿s?u muhuḥ B¿m?u muhuḥ SShastri 1995 suggests reading bhūmiṣu mudā.⟨66⟩ nr̥tyanti Bnr̥tyantī S.

Translation

1.

Homage to Śiva, who gradually establishes the three gunas: sattva, clear as the moon in his matted hair; rajas, red as the flame in his third eye; and tamas, by destroying the poison in his blackened throat!

6.

When Pinākī was told of the decline of virtue (dharma) near the earth, he went there in person and put a guide, whom he instructed: ‘In the name of Visvavat, may you reach the earth swiftly by crossing the heavens to stop the rise of evil conduct (adharma).’

7.

In the presence of Śiva, he made the following promise: ‘Having been born into a non-Kṣatriya lineage, I shall perform a great miracle together with my family!’

8.

Among his sons, the magnanimous devotee of Maheśvara, the eldest focused his attention on the blessed consort of Ambikā for his descent to earth.

9.

When the Blessed One became compassionate, and whilst the moon implored to be the eternal adornment of that clan, and by virtue of his father’s strong good intentions, he immediately won the favour of a kingship (like that) of Indra.

10.

Having humbly received Śiva’s command, Visvasvat took birth as a son of (this) lineage under the famous and excellent name Bhīma; he took Durgā as his first wife and (another) wife; by the latter he first begot daughters and then sons.

Bibliography

First published by Tripathy 1967 in 1967 and then reedited by the same author in the Journal of the Asiatic Society, 8, pp.271-276 with only one plate as facsimiles and without line numbers. The text was reedited by Shastri 1995 in his appendix. The plates are currently preserved at the Archaeological Museum, Departments of History and Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar (see WattelierBricout2024_01). The photos are available here.

Primary

[T] Tripathy, Kunja Behari. 1966. “Bāṇpur Copperplate Inscription of Somavaṁśī Indraratha.” JAS VIII (4), pp. 271–278.

[B] Behera, K. S. 1988. “Banpur plates of Somavamsi Indraratha.” JESI XV, pp. 37–46.

[S] Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1995. Inscriptions of the Śarabhapurīyas, Pāṇḍuvaṁśins and Somavaṁśins, Part II: Inscriptions. New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research; Motilal Bandarsidass. Appendix I, pages 325–331.

Secondary

Tripathy, Snigdha. 2010. Descriptive topographical catalogue of Orissan inscriptions. New Delhi: Manohar. Pages 336–337.

Acharya, Subrata Kumar. 2014. Copper-plate inscriptions of Odisha: a descriptive catalogue (circa fourth century to sixteenth century CE). New Delhi: D. K. Printworld. Pages 266–268.