Gunaighar Charter of Vainyagupta

Editors: Dániel Balogh, Amandine Wattelier-Bricout.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSBengalCharters00001.

Language: Sanskrit.

Repository: Bengal Copper Plates (tfb-bengalcharters-epigraphy).

Version: (3b1ee6e), last modified (32b4399).

Edition

Seal

⟨1⟩ mahārāja-śrī-vai(nyaguptaḥ)

Plates

⟨Page 1r⟩ ⟨1⟩ svasti⟨.⟩ mahā-nau-hasty-aśva-jayaskandhāvārāt krīpurād bhagavan-mahādeva-pādānuddhyāto mahārāja-śrī-vainyaguptaḥ ⟨2⟩ kuśalī [ca. 8×] sva-pādopajīvinaś ca kuśalam āśaṁsya samājñāpayati

viditaṁ bhavatām astu yathā ⟨3⟩ mayā mātā-pittror ātmanaśca pu(ṇyā)bhivr̥(ddha)ye ’smat-pāda-dāsa-mahārāja-rudradatta-vijñāpyād anenaiva māhāyānika-śākya-bhikṣv-ā⟨4⟩cāryya-śāntidevam uddiśya (gopa?) [ca. 8×] (digbhāge?) kāryyamāṇa-kāryyāvalokiteśvarāśrama-vihāre Anenai⟨5⟩vācāryyeṇa pratipādita(ka?)-māhāyānika-vaivarttika-bhikṣu-saṁgh¿a?⟨ā⟩nām parigrahe bhagavato buddhasya satataṁ tri¿ṣ?-kālaṁ ⟨6⟩ gandha-puṣpa-dīpa-dhūpādi-pra(varttanāya ta?)sya bhikṣu-saṁghasya ca cīvara-piṇḍa-pāta-śayanāsana-glāna-pratyaya-bhaiṣajyādi- ⟨7⟩ paribhogāya vihāre (ca) khaṇḍa-phuṭṭa-pratisaṁskāra-karaṇāya Uttara-māṇḍalika-kānteḍadaka-grāme sarvato bho⟨8⟩genāgrahāratvenaikādaśa-khila-pāṭakāḥ pañcabhiḥ khaṇḍais tāmra-paṭṭenātisr̥ṣṭāḥ

Api ca khalu śruti-smr̥tī⟨9⟩(ti)hā(sa)-vihitāṁ puṇya-bhūmidāna-śrutim aihikāmuttrika-phala-viṣeṣe smr̥to bhāvataḥ samupagamya svatas tu pī⟨10⟩ḍām apy ūrīkr̥tya pāttrebhyo bhūmiṁ [ca. 4+] (dviṣa?)dbhir asmad-vacana-gauravāt sva-yaśo-dharmmāvāptaye caite ⟨11⟩ pāṭakā Asmi(n vi?)hāre śaśvat-kālam abhya(nupālayitavyāḥ?)⟨.⟩ Anupālanam prati ca bhagavatā parāśarātmajena veda-vyā⟨12⟩sena vyāsena gītāḥ ślokā bhavanti

I. Anuṣṭubh

ṣaṣṭiṁ varṣa-sa(hasrā)ṇi

a

svargge modati bhūmidaḥ

b

Ākṣeptā cānumantā ca

c

tā⟨13⟩ny eva na(ra)ke vaseT

d
II. Anuṣṭubh

sva-dattāṁ para-dattām vā

a

yo hareta (vasu)ndharāṁ

b

(sa) viṣṭhāyāṁ kr̥mir bhūtvā

c

pitr̥bhiḥ saha pacyate

d
III. Anuṣṭubh

⟨14⟩ pūrva-dattāṁ dvijātibhyo

a

yatnād rakṣa yudhiṣṭhira

b

mahīṁ mahimatāṁ śreṣtha

c

dānā¿t ś?⟨c ch⟩reyo ’nupālanaṁ

d

varttamānāṣṭāśīty-u⟨15⟩ttara-śata-saṁvatsare pauṣa-māsasya caturvvi¿n?śatitama-divase dūtakena mahā-pratīhāra-mahā-pīlupati-pañcādhi⟨16⟩karaṇoparika-pāṭy-uparika-(pura?)-purapāloparika-mahārāja-śrī-mahā-sāmanta-vijayasenenaitad ekādaśa-pāṭaka-dā⟨17⟩nāyājñām anubhāvitāḥ kumārāmātya-revajjasvāmī bhāmaha-vatsa-bhogikāḥ⟨.⟩ likhitaṁ sandhi-vigrahā¿r?⟨dh⟩ikaraṇa-kāya⟨18⟩stha-naradattena

yattraika-kṣettrakhaṇḍe nava-droṇa-vāpādhika-sapta-pāṭaka-parimāṇe sīmā-liṅgāni⟨.⟩ pūrvveṇa guṇekā⟨19⟩grahāra-grāma-sīmā viṣṇuvardhaki-kṣetra¿ś? ca⟨.⟩ dakṣiṇena (miduvilāla?)-kṣettraṁ rāja-vihāra-kṣetra¿ś? ca⟨.⟩ paścimena sūrīnāśīrampūrṇṇeka- ⟨20⟩ kṣettraṁ⟨.⟩ Uttareṇa doṣī-bhoga-puṣkariṇ(ī) [ca. 15×] vampiyākāditya-vandhu-kṣetrāṇāñ ca sīmā

⟨21⟩ dvitīya-khaṇḍasyāṣṭāvi¿n?śati-droṇa-vāpa-parimāṇasya sīmā⟨.⟩ pūrvveṇa guṇikāgrahāra-grāma-sīmā⟨.⟩ dakṣiṇena pakka⟨22⟩(vilāla?)-kṣettraṁ⟨.⟩ paścimena rāja-vihāra-kṣettraṁ⟨.⟩ Uttareṇa (vaidya?)-kṣettraṁ

tr̥tīya-khaṇḍasya trayovi¿n?śati-droṇa-vāpa- ⟨23⟩ parimāṇasya sīmā⟨.⟩ pūrvveṇa [ca. 15×] kṣettraṁ⟨.⟩ dakṣiṇena (nakhaddārccarika?)-kṣettra-sīmā⟨.⟩ paścimena ⟨Page 1v⟩ ⟨24⟩ j(a/o/c)lārī-kṣettraṁ⟨.⟩ Uttareṇa nāgī-joḍāka-kṣettraṁ

caturthasya triṁśad-droṇa-vāpa-parimāṇa-kṣettra-khaṇḍasya sīmā⟨.⟩ pūrvveṇa ⟨25⟩ buddhāka-kṣettra-sīmā⟨.⟩ dakṣiṇena kālāka-kṣettraM⟨.⟩ paścimena (sū)ryya-kṣettra-sīmā⟨.⟩ Uttareṇa mahīpāla-kṣettraṁ

(pa)ṇcamasya ⟨26⟩ pādona-pāṭaka-dvaya-parimāṇa-kṣettra-khaṇḍasya sīmā⟨.⟩ pūrvveṇa khaṇḍa-vi(ḍu)ggurika-kṣettraṁ⟨.⟩ dakṣiṇena maṇibhaddra- ⟨27⟩ kṣettraṁ⟨.⟩ paścimena yajñarāta-kṣettra-sīmā⟨.⟩ Uttareṇa nādaḍadaka-grāma-sīmeti

vihāra-tala-bhūmer api sīmā-liṅgāni⟨.⟩ ⟨28⟩ pūrvveṇa cūḍāmaṇi-nagara-śrī-nau-yogayor mmaddhye jolā⟨.⟩ dakṣiṇena gaṇeśvara-vilāla-puṣkariṇyā nau-khāṭaḥ(|) ⟨29⟩ paścimena pradyumneśvara-deva-kula-kṣettra-prāntaḥ⟨.⟩ Uttareṇa praḍāmāra-nauyoga-khātaḥ

Etad-vihāra-prāvesya-śūnya-pratikara⟨30⟩-hajjika-khila-bhūmer api sīmā-liṅgāni⟨.⟩ pūrvveṇa pradyumneśvara-deva-kula-kṣettra-sīmā⟨.⟩ dakṣiṇena śākya-bhikṣv-ācāryya-jita⟨31⟩sena-vaihārika-kṣettrāva(sā?)naḥ⟨.⟩ paścimena (ha?)cāta-gaṁga⟨.⟩ Uttareṇa daṇḍa-puṣkariṇī ceti|

saṁ 100 80 8 poṣṣa di 20 4

Apparatus

⟨5⟩ -saṁgh¿a?⟨ā⟩nām B S ⬦ -saṁghanām G; -saṁgh(ā)nām A DB. — ⟨5⟩ tri¿ṣ?-kālaṁ DB ⬦ ¿triṣ?⟨tri⟩kālaṁ S; triṣkālaṁ B A G • Sircar 1965 suggests reading tri-kālaṁ and understands this word as a synonym for trisanddhyaṁ.

⟨6⟩ -pra(varttanāya ta?)sya B S A G DB • Ghose 1930 suggests another restoration of the text : -pra(dānāya ta?)sya.

⟨9⟩ °(ti)hā(sa)-vihitāṁ MG S A G DB ⬦ hāpavihitā ⟨.⟩ B. — ⟨9⟩ -viṣeṣe smr̥to B S A G DB • Bhattacharyya 1930 suggests reading smr̥tau or smr̥tāṁ. Agrawala 1983 notes that smr̥to should be corrected to smr̥tāṁ, or to viśeṣeṇa smr̥tau. Balogh et al. 2019 suggests viśeṣa-smr̥tau as a less invasive option.

⟨10⟩ [ca. 4+] B DB ⬦ [ca. 7+]⟨.⟩[ca. 3+] S G; [ca. 4+]⟨.⟩[…] A • Ghose 1930 and Goyal 1993 suggest na haret for the lacuna. Sircar 1965 considers the gap more long and offers nāpahareT ⟨.⟩ vādhañca kuryāt.

⟨11⟩ abhya(nupālayitavyāḥ?) MG S A G DB ⬦ abhya[ca. 5×] B.

⟨13⟩ na(ra)ke DB ⬦ na⟨ra⟩ke B S A G.

⟨14⟩ dānā¿t ś?⟨c ch⟩reyo S A ⬦ dānā¿t ś?reyo DB; dānāt śreyo B G. — ⟨14⟩ varttamānāṣṭāśīty-u° B A DB ⬦ varttamānāṣṭāśītty-u° S G.

⟨16⟩ (pura?)-purapāloparika- G DB ⬦ {(pura?)}-purapāloparika- B S A.

⟨19⟩ -kṣetra¿ś? ca DB ⬦ -kṣetra¿ś ca?⟨ñ ca⟩ S A; -kṣetraś ca B G.

⟨29⟩ kula-kṣettra- A DB ⬦ -kula-kṣetra- B S G. — ⟨29⟩ -khātaḥ S A G DB ⬦ -khāṭaḥ B. — ⟨29⟩ -prāvesya- S DB ⬦ -prāveśya- B A G.

⟨31⟩ poṣṣa di G DB ⬦ p¿oṣya di?⟨auṣa-di⟩ B; p¿oṣṣa di?⟨auṣa-di⟩ S A.

Translation by Amandine Wattelier-Bricout

I
The giver of land enjoys sixty thousand years in heaven; the one who challenges [a donation] as well as the one who approves [of the challenge] will reside as many [years] in hell.1
II
The one who would steal land given by himself or another becomes a worm in excrement and is cooked with his ancestors.2
III
You, Yudhiṣṭhira, most excellent of kings, must strenuously protect land previously given to brahmins. Safeguarding is even better than giving.3

Commentary

Bibliography

First reported and edited (with plate) in Bhattacharyya 1930. Corrections in Ghose 1930. Recorded in Sircar 1958, p. 26, s.v. 36, appendix A. Discussed in Tewari 1980. The text has been encoded by Amandine Wattelier-Bricout using a digital edition created by Dániel Balogh for the Siddham project as starting point.

Primary

[B] Bhattacharyya, Dinesh Chandra. 1930. “A newly discovered copperplate from Tippera: The Gunaighar grant of Vainyagupta: the year 188 current (Gupta era).” IHQ 6, pp. 45–60.

[MG] Ghose, Monomohan. 1930. “The newly discovered Gunaighar Grant.” IHQ 6, p. 561.

[S] Sircar, Dines Chandra. 1965. Select inscriptions bearing on Indian history and civilization. Volume I: from the sixth century B.C. to the sixth century A.D. 2nd edition revised and enlarged. Calcutta: University of Calcutta. Pages 340–345, entry 37.

[A] Agrawala, Prithvi Kumar. 1983. Imperial Gupta Epigraphs (गुप्ताधिराजलेखमण्डल). Ancient Indian Epigraphical Sources (प्रत्नाभिलेखसंहिता) X.1. Varanasi: Books Asia. Entry 57.

[G] Goyal, Śrīrām. 1993. गुप्तकालीन अभिलेख/Guptakālīna Abhilekha (Inscriptions of the Gupta Age). Jodhpur: Kusumanjali Prakashan. Pages 307–313.

[DB] Balogh, Dániel, Csaba Kiss and Eszter Somogyi. 2019. “Siddham Epigraphic Archive - Texts in EpiDoc [Data set].” Zenodo. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.2574901. [URL]. Item IN00070.

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]. Pages 283–284, entry 2038.

Sircar, Dines Chandra. 1958. Annual report on Indian epigraphy for 1952-53. Delhi: Manager of Publications (Department of Archaeology). Page 26, entry 36, appendix A.

Tewari, S. P. 1980. “A Note on Patyuparika.” JESI 7, pp. 54–57.

Tsukamoto Keishō 塚本啓祥. 1996. インド仏教碑銘の研究 I, Text, Note, 和訳 Indo Bukkyō himei no kenkyū I: Text, Note, Wayaku [A comprehensive study of the Indian Buddhist inscriptions, Part I: Text, Notes and Japanese Translation]. Kyōto: Heirakuji Shoten.

Notes

  1. 1. This verse corresponds to the verse numbered 123 among the Stanzas on Bhūmidāna listed by Sircar (see Sircar 1965, appendix II, pp. 170–200).
  2. 2. This verse corresponds to the verse numbered 132 among the Stanzas on Bhūmidāna listed by Sircar (see Sircar 1965, appendix II, pp. 170–200).
  3. 3. This verse corresponds to the verse numbered 131 among the Stanzas on Bhūmidāna listed by Sircar (see Sircar 1965, appendix II, pp. 170–200).