# Pāṭṇā plates of Mahāśivagupta Yayāti year 8 Amandine Wattelier-Bricout Author of digital edition: Amandine Wattelier-Bricout Contributor: Amandine Wattelier-Bricout Identifier: DHARMA_INSSomavamsin00022 Repository: Somavaṁśin (tfb-somavamsin-epigraphy) File path: texts/DHARMA_INSSomavamsin00022.xml Language: Sanskrit [Script (unspecified)] Commit: 2026-10-07 18:12 (dbc7acc), last modified 2026-10-07 18:12 (dbc7acc) ## Summary Grant by the king of a piece of land situated in the northern part of the village Talakajja included in the Sanūlā viṣaya in the Kosala country together with the bed of the lower flow of the river and extending to its borders on all the four sides in favour of a brahmin Kāmadeva, son of Narasiṁha and grandson of Harṣam belonged to the Kaśyapa gotra zith the pravaras Kāśyapa, Āvatsarā and Naidhruva, student of the Mādhyandina śākhā of the Vājasaneya caraṇa, immigrant from Mādhvāka and resident of Jalajaḍḍa situated in Kosala. Written with the permission of the Mahāsandhivigrahin Rāṇaka Dhāradatta, by Utsavanāga, son of Āllava and incised by the vijñānin Mādhava, son of Vāsu. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ## Edition ⟨Page 1v⟩ ⟨1⟩ Oṁ svasti| śrī-vin¿i?⟨ī⟩ta-p¿ū?⟨u⟩rāt kaṭakāt para(ma)-māhe¿s?⟨ś⟩vara-parama-bha⟨2⟩ṭṭāraka-mahārājādhirāja-śrī-mahābhavagupta-rāja-deva-pā(dā)n¿ū?⟨u⟩dhyāyī ⟨3⟩ parama-māhe¿s?⟨ś⟩vara-parama-bhaṭṭāraka-mahārājādhirāja-parame¿s?⟨ś⟩vara-so⟨4⟩ma-k¿ū?⟨u⟩la-tilaka-trikaliṅgādhipati-śrī-mahā¿s?⟨ś⟩ivag¿ū?⟨u⟩pta-rāja-devaḥ k¿ū?⟨u⟩¿s?⟨ś⟩a⟨5⟩lī{ḥ}⟨.⟩ ko¿s?⟨ś⟩ala-deśe{|} sanulāviṣayoya-talakaj jagrāmasambandhī ⟨6⟩ turadāśānarīya nadī sameta-bhūmiś catu¿s?⟨ś⟩īmayākṣi¿pre?⟨pta⟩⟨7⟩vataḥ[…]brāhmaṇān sampūjya ¿ca?⟨ta⟩dviṣayīya ⟨8⟩ niṣiddha cāṭabhaṭapraveśakasya⟨.⟩ gotrayakaśyapāvatsānaidhru(va)prava⟨9⟩rāya⟨.⟩ vā¿da?⟨ja⟩śena madhyandina ś¿a?⟨ā⟩khādhyay¿ī?⟨i⟩ne⟨.⟩ mādhvīlavini(rga)tāya ⟨10⟩ kosalajalajaḍḍavāstavyāya⟨.⟩ śrīkāmadevanāmne⟨.⟩ harṣanaptre na⟨11⟩rasiṁhasutāya⟨saliladhārā⟩p¿ū?⟨u⟩raḥsaramācandratārārkkakṣitisamakālopabho⟨12⟩gārthaṁ mātāpitror ātmanaś ca puṇyayaśo ’bhivgaddhaye tāmraśāsanenā⟨13⟩karīkr̥tya pratipād¿ī?⟨i⟩ta Ity avagatya yathā dīyamāna karahiraṇya⟨Page 2r⟩⟨14⟩bhogabhāgādikaṁ dadadbh¿ī?⟨i⟩ḥ bhavadbhiḥ sukhena prativastavyam iti| bhāvibhiś ca bhū⟨15⟩patibhir da¿nt?⟨tt⟩ir iyam asmadīyā dharmm¿ā?⟨a⟩gauravādasmadanurodhāc ca svada¿nt?⟨tt⟩ir i⟨16⟩vānupālanīyā| tathā coktaṁ dharmmaśāstre⟨.⟩ 1. Anuṣṭubh ¡v!⟨b⟩ahubhir ¡vv!⟨b⟩asudhā dattā rājabhiḥ saga⟨17⟩rādibhiḥ| yasya yasya yadā bhūmis tasya tasya tadā phala¿ḥ?⟨ṁ⟩⟨.⟩ 2. Anuṣṭubh mā bhūd a-phala-¿s?⟨ś⟩a⟨18⟩ṅkā vaḥ para-datteti pārthivā¿ṁ?⟨ḥ⟩| sva-d¿attā?⟨ānāt⟩ phalam ānantyaṁ pa¿da?⟨ra⟩-dattānupā⟨19⟩lane| 3. Anuṣṭubh Āsphoṭayanti pitaro valgayanti pitāmahāḥ⟨.⟩ bhūmi-dātā kule ⟨20⟩ jātaḥ sa nas trātā bhaviṣyati| 4. Anuṣṭubh ṣa¿ṣṭhi?⟨ṣṭi⟩⟨ṁ⟩ varṣasahasrāṇi svargge mo⟨21⟩dati bhūmidaḥ⟨.⟩ Ākṣeptā cānumantā ca dvau tau narakāvāsinau⟨.⟩ ⟨22⟩ 5. Indravajrā Agner apatyaṁ prathamaṁ suvarṇṇaṁ bhūr vvaiṣṇavī sūrya-sutā¿s?⟨ś⟩ ca gāvaḥ⟨.⟩ yaḥ kāñca⟨23⟩naṅ gāṁ ca mahīñ ca dadyād dattās trayas tena bhavanti lokāḥ| 6. Anuṣṭubh bhūmi⟨ṁ⟩ yaḥ pratigr̥⟨24⟩hṇāti yaś ca bhūmi⟨ṁ⟩ prayacchati| Ubhau tau puṇya-karmmāṇau niyataṁ svargga-gā⟨25⟩minau| 7. Anuṣṭubh taḍāgānā⟨ṁ⟩ sahasreṇa vāja-peya-¿s?⟨ś⟩atena ca| gavāṁ koṭi-pradā⟨26⟩nena bhūmi-harttā na ¿s?⟨ś⟩udhyati| 8. Anuṣṭubh harat¿i?⟨e⟩ hārayed yas tu manda-vuddhis tamo-vr̥taḥ⟨.⟩ ⟨27⟩ sa vaddho vāruṇaiḥ pā¿s?⟨ś⟩ais tiryag-yoniṁ sa gacchati∥ ⟨Page 2v⟩ 9. Anuṣṭubh ⟨28⟩ s¿ū?⟨u⟩varṇṇam ekā⟨ṁ⟩ gām ekāṁ ⟨vā⟩ bhūmer apy arddham aṅgulaṁ| haran narakam āyāti yāvad ā⟨29⟩{b}hūt¿i?⟨a⟩-saṁplavaṁ∥ 10. Anuṣṭubh sva-dattām para-dattām vā yo hareta vasundharāṁ| sa viṣṭhāyāṁ kr̥mi⟨r⟩ bhūtvā ⟨30⟩ pitr̥bhiḥ saha pacyate∥ 11. Anuṣṭubh Ādityo varuṇo viṣṇu⟨ḥ⟩ vrahmā somo hutā¿s?⟨ś⟩anaḥ⟨.⟩ ⟨31⟩ ¿s?⟨ś⟩ulpāṇis tu bhagavān abhinandanti bhūmida¿ḥ?⟨M⟩⟨.⟩ 12. Śālinī sāmānyo ’ya¿n?⟨ṁ⟩ dharmma-se⟨32⟩tur nr̥pāṇā⟨ṁ⟩ kāle kāle pālanīyo bhavadbhiḥ⟨.⟩ sa⟨r⟩v¿a?⟨ā⟩n etān{a} bh¿a?⟨ā⟩vina⟨ḥ⟩ pā⟨33⟩rthive¿ndā?⟨drāN⟩ bhūyo bhūyo yācate rāmabhadraḥ| 13. Puṣpitāgrā Iti kamala-dalāmbu⟨34⟩-vindu-lolā⟨ṁ⟩ śriyam anucintya manuṣya-jīvitañ ca| sa-kalam idam u⟨35⟩dāhr̥tañ ca vuddhvā na hi puruṣaiḥ para-kīrttayo vilopyāḥ∥ parama-māhe⟨36⟩śvara-paramabhaṭṭāraka-mahārājādhirāja-parame¿s?⟨ś⟩vara-soma-kula-ti⟨37⟩laka-trikaliṅgādhipati-śrīmad-yayāti-deva-rājasya vijayarājye sāmva⟨38⟩tsarāṣṭame m¿a?⟨ā⟩rggaśiramāse śuklapakṣe trayodasyāmaṅke samvaT 8 ⟨39⟩ mārgga śudi 13 likhitam idaṁ tāmraśāsanaṁ mahāsandhivigrahi rāṇa⟨40⟩kadhāradatta¿smā?⟨syā⟩vagatena Uthītāsanī śrī Ucchava¿ṇ?⟨n⟩āgasa⟨Page 3r⟩⟨41⟩rmpaṇāllavasutena⟨.⟩ Utkīrṇṇa⟨ṁ⟩ vijñānī mādhavena vāsusuteneti| 14. Svāgatā sambe⟨42⟩do jalaja-parṇṇa-jala⟨ṁ⟩bhā jīvitaṁ maraṇa-santata-sasthaṁ⟨.⟩ bhoga-muktīratināṁ ⟨43⟩ pravilokyāḥ kīrttayo nr̥patibhir na vilopyā Iti{ḥ}| 15. Upajāti so bhū-nr̥paḥ so⟨44⟩ma-kulā¡v!⟨b⟩ja-bhānuḥ svabhāvatuṅgo nija-p¿au?⟨u⟩ruṣeṇa| yaḥ ko¿s?⟨ś⟩alā⟨45⟩-pālana-kaumudindu vijitya ¿cau?⟨cai⟩dyānvitatāna lakṣmīṁ∥ 16. Upajāti rāmāha⟨46⟩rāścedipa paddha […] ṭāN sa bhaṭ⟨ṭ⟩apeḍi prabhr̥tiN […] muṇḍaṁ niha⟨47⟩ṇyāhita śarvva-rāmañ sa lakṣmaṇo rāma Ivāptase⟨48⟩tuḥ| 17. Upajāti tasmāt{a} suto viṣṇur ivājaneṣu sa durga-rājaṁ ¿mbī?⟨vi⟩ghaṭa-pralā⟨49⟩paṁ tr̥ṇāya ¿ca I?⟨cai⟩dhya⟨ṁ⟩ vata manyamāno dagdhāṁ ḍahālā vijanī⟨50⟩ñ cakāra⟨.⟩ ## Translation by Rajaguru 1966 15. He, who shines as bright as the sun in the Soma-kula, compared with the lotus flower, is naturally high (svabhāvatuṅga) for his prowess. His reign in the Kośala country is as pleasant as the sweet beams of the full-moon, and he acquired the goddess of wealth (Lakṣmī) by defeating the Cedis. 16. (This verse renders two meanings, viz. one referring to Rāmacandra (of the Rāmāyaṇa age) and the other referring to the king of Cedis (Lakṣmaṇa)) Rāmacandra entered into the forest with his brother Lakṣmaṇa by tying jaṭā on his head, by losing his wife Sītā (Lakṣmī), by considering Virādha (a giant of that name) to be his enemy, and arrived at a far of place in South Asia named Setu, near Rāmeśvara (Sarvarāma).So also, the king of Cedi (Lakṣmaṇa) tied jaṭā on his head like on ascetic and entered into the jungle in the fear of the Somavaṁśin king, Svabhāvatuṅga. He (Lakṣmaṇa) also considered Bhaṭṭapeḍi and other Virādhas (the arboriginals) as the enemies, (for which reason) he lost his Lakṣmī or the kingdom and wealth and went to the far south where he took shelter in a Śaivakṣetra (sarvvārāma) 17. His (Svabhāvatuṅga’s) son was born like the Viṣṇu, and, having valued the turbulant Caidyas (the kings of Cedi) or Durgarāja nothing more than mere straw, burnt that country, ruining it to desolation. Svabhāvatuṅga’s son has been compared with the divine Viṣṇu who killed the epic - Caidya or Śiśupāla in the Rājasūya-yajña, performed by Yudhiṣṭhira. ## Bibliography The set is preserved in the Odisha State Museum. The photos are available here. ### Primary [L] Laskar, Ganga Mohan. 1905. “Four new Copper-Plate Charters of the Somavaṁśī Kings of Kośala (and Kaṭaka?)” JASB 1 (1), pp. 1–26. Item H, pages 6–7, pages 14–16. [Si] Sircar, D. C. 1953. “Balangir Museum Plates of Mahāśivagupta Yayāti Regnal Year 8.” Journal of the Asiatic Society, Letters XIX (2), pp. 117–124. [R] Rajaguru, Satyanarayan. 1966. Inscriptions of Orissa, vol. 4. No place: Sri Sarada Press. [URL]. Item 27, pages 167–175. [Sh] Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1995. Inscriptions of the Śarabhapurīyas, Pāṇḍuvaṁśins and Somavaṁśins, Part II: Inscriptions. New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research; Motilal Bandarsidass. Item XIII, pages 226–231. ### Secondary Bhandarkar, Devadatta Ramakrishna. 1927–1936. A list of the inscriptions of northern India in Brahmi and its derivative scripts, from about 200 A. C.: Appendix to Epigraphia Indica and record of the Archaeological Survey of India, volumes XIX to XXIII. Calcutta: Archaeological Survey of India. [URL]. Entry 1565. ARIE 1952–53. Annual report on Indian epigraphy for 1952-53. Edited by Dines Chandra Sircar. Delhi: Manager of Publications (Department of Archaeology), 1958. Item 19. Gai, Govind Swamirao. 1986. Dynastic list of copper plate inscriptions noticed in annual reports on Indian epigraphy from 1887 to 1969. Mysore: Archaeological Survey of India. Item 952. Tripathy, Snigdha. 2010. Descriptive topographical catalogue of Orissan inscriptions. New Delhi: Manohar. Pages 126–128. Acharya, Subrata Kumar. 2014. Copper-plate inscriptions of Odisha: a descriptive catalogue (circa fourth century to sixteenth century CE). New Delhi: D. K. Printworld. Item 24, page 255.