Malhār Plates of Jayarāja, Year 5

Editor: Natasja Bosma.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSDaksinaKosala00005.

Hand description:

Language: Sanskrit.

Repository: Dakṣiṇa Kosala (tfb-daksinakosala-epigraphy).

Version: (048a990), last modified (34884f5).

Edition

⟨Page 1r⟩

⟨Page 1v⟩ ⟨1v1⟩ svasti śarabhapurā{T}d vikkramopanatasāma¡ṁtta!⟨nta⟩cūḍāmaṇiprabhāprasekāmbu⟨1v2⟩bhir dhautapādayugalo ripuvilāsinīsīma¡tto!⟨nto⟩ddharaṇahetur vvasuvasudhā⟨1v3⟩gopradaḫ paramabhāgavato mātāpit¡ri!⟨ṛ⟩pādānuddhyātaḥ śrīmahājayarājaḥ ⟨1v4⟩ a¡ṁtta!⟨nta⟩ranālakīyakada{ṁ}mbapadrullake prativāsikuṭumbina{ḥ}s samā⟨1v5⟩jñāpayati°

viditam astu vo yathāsmābhir ayaṁ grāmas tridaśapati⟨1v6⟩sadanasukhapratiṣṭhākaro yāvad raviśaśitārākiraṇapratihata⟨Page 2r⟩⟨2r1⟩ghorā¡ddha!⟨ndha⟩kāra⟨ṁ⟩ jagad avatiṣṭhate tāvad upabho¡j!⟨g⟩ya⟨ḥ⟩ sanidhis sopanidh⟦ī⟧⟨⟨i⟩⟩⟨2r2⟩r acāṭabhaṭaprāv¿ai?⟨e⟩śya⟨s⟩ sarvvakaravisarjjitaẖ k(au)tsasagotrabrāhmaṇakapa⟨2r3⟩rddisvāmi¡nas!⟨ne⟩ somoparāge mātāpitror ātmanaś ca puṇyābhiv¿ra?⟨ṛ⟩ddha⟨2r4⟩ye Udakapūrvva(ṁ) tā¡mbra!⟨mra⟩śāsanenātisṛṣṭa{ḥ}s

te yūyam evam upala ⟨2r5⟩ bhyāsyājñāśravaṇavidheyā bhūtvā yathocitaṁ bhogabhāgam upanaya¡ṁtta!⟨nta⟩ḥ sukhaṁ ⟨2r6⟩ prativa⟨t⟩syatha~ bhaviṣyataś ca bhūmipān anudarśayati~

I. Vasantatilakā

dānād viśi(ṣṭa)⟨Page 2v⟩⟨2v1⟩m anupālanajaṁ purāṇā{T}

a

dharmmeṣu niścitadhiyaḫ pravada¡ṁtti!⟨nti⟩ dharma⟨ṁ⟩

b

⟨2v2⟩ tasmā⟨d⟩ dvijāya suviśuddhakulaśrutāya

c

dattāṁ bhuvaṁ bhavatu vo mati⟨2v3⟩r eva goptuṁ ⟦matir eva goptum⟧

d

bhavad¿v?⟨bh⟩ir apy eṣā dattir anupāla⟨2v4⟩yitavyā~ vyāsagītāṁś cātra ślokān udāhara¡ṁtti!⟨nti⟩~

II. Indravajrā

Agner apatyaṁ ⟨2v5⟩ prathamaṁ suvarṇṇaṁ~

a

bhūr vvaiṣṇavī sūryyasutāś ca gāvaḥ

b

dattās traya⟨2v6⟩s tena bhava¡ṁtti!⟨nti⟩ lokā~

c

yaẖ kāñcanaṁ gā{ṁ}ñ ca mahīñ ca dadyā⟨T⟩~

d
III. Anuṣṭubh

⟨Page 3r⟩ ⟨3r1⟩ ṣa{ṁ}ṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi svargge modati bhūmidaḥ

ab

Ācchettā cānuma¡ṁ!⟨n⟩⟨3r2⟩{t}tā ca tā{ṁ}ny eva narake vase⟨T⟩

cd
IV. Anuṣṭubh

bahubhir vvasudhā dattā rāja{ḥbh}bhis sa⟨3r3⟩garādibhiḥ

ab

yasya yasya yadā bhūmis tasya tasya tadā ⟨3r4⟩ phala{ṁ}¡m!⟨M⟩

cd

¡i!⟨I⟩ti

svamukhājñayā~ U¡kt!⟨tk⟩īrṇṇaṁ Acalasiṅghena ⟨3r5⟩ pravarddhamānavijaya¡saṁvva!⟨saṁva⟩tsara pa{ṁ}ñca 5 kārttika di¡so!⟨vasaḥ⟩ 5

⟨Page 3v⟩

Apparatus

⟨1v2⟩ dhauta° • The shape of the vowel marker for au is slightly irregular, but is the same as in other copperplate charters of the kings of Śarabhapura.

⟨2r4⟩ ⟦matir eva goptum⟧ DCS

⟨2r5⟩ yathocitaṁ ⬦ yathocita° DCS; yathocitaṁ AMS.

⟨2v1⟩ pravada¡ṁtti!⟨nti⟩ ⬦ pravada{ṁ}nti DCS; pravada¡ṁtti!⟨nti⟩ AMS.

⟨3r2⟩ rāja{ḥbh}bhis ⬦ rāja{ḥbh}bhis DCS; rāja{ḥ}bhis AMS.

Translation by Natasja Bosma

(1v1–1v5) Hail! From Śarabhapura, the illustrious great Jayarāja whose feet are washed by the sprinkling water that is the brilliance of the crest-jewels of his feudatories who have been brought into submission by his prowess; who made the women of his enemies tear out their parted hair; who is a giver of riches, land, and cattle; who is entirely devoted to Viṣṇu; and favoured by his father and mother, issues [the following command] to the landholders settled in [the village of] Kadambapadrullaka situated in the Antaranālaka bhukti:

(1v5–2r4) Let it be known to you that by means of [this] copperplate charter [and] preceded by a libation of water, this village has been granted by us for the increase of religious merit of father, mother, and ourselves, to the Brahmin Kaparddisvāmin, belonging to the Kautsa gotra and to the Vājasaneya [school]. [The grant of the village], which leads to happiness and fame in the abode of the lord of the gods (i.e., Indra’s heaven), [took place] on the occasion of a lunar eclipse; is to be enjoyed as long as the world will endure, [the world] of which the darkness of the night is removed by the rays of the sun, moon and stars; [comes along with the right to] hidden treasures and deposits; is not to be entered by irregular or regular troops; and is exempt from all taxes.

(2r4–2r6) Having taken note of that, you should be obedient to the command received from him (i.e., the donee) and render the [proper shares of] periodical offerings and produce, while living happily [in this village]. And [the king] instructs the future rulers:

2r6–2v3
The ancients, reflecting on virtue, proclaim that the religious merit arising from the protection [of a grant] is more excellent than [that which arises] from the giving [itself]; therefore, your intent should indeed be to protect the earth that has been granted to a Brahmin of perfectly pure family and religious learning.

(2v3–2v4) This gift is to be protected by you as well! And in this respect they quote the [following] stanzas sung by Vyāsa:

2v4–2v6
Gold is the first child of Agni, land is born of Viṣṇu, and cows are the offspring of Sūrya: [Therefore], whoever would give gold, a cow, and land would give the three worlds.
3r1–3r2
A giver of land rejoices in heaven for sixty thousand years; he who confiscates it or allows [another to confiscate it] will dwell for the same period in hell!
3r2–3r4
The earth has been granted by many kings, beginning with Sagara; whoever possesses the land at any time, to him belong the fruits at that time!

(3r4–3r5) By the order from the king’s own mouth, [the copperplate charter] has been engraved by Acalasiṅgha [on] the day 5 [of] the month of Kārttika [in] the increasingly victorious year five 5 [of Jayarāja’s reign].

Commentary

The seal that used to be attached to these plates is lost.

Bibliography

First edited by Sircar 1961–1962 from the original plates and their impressions; published again by Shastri 1995, pp. 17–19; re-edited here by Natasja Bosma based on the published photographs.

Primary

[DCS] Sircar, Dines Chandra. 1961–1962. “Bonda plates of Mahasiva Tivara, year 5.” EI 34, pp. 111–116.

[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 17–19.

Secondary

Bosma, Natasja. 2018. Dakṣiṇa Kosala: A rich centre of early Śaivism. Groningen: Barkhuis. [URL]. Pages 19, 232–233.