Nahna Plates of Sudevarāja, Year 2

Editor: Natasja Bosma.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSDaksinaKosala00008.

Hand description:

Language: Sanskrit.

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

Version: (048a990), last modified (a38304d).

Edition

Seal

I. Anuṣṭubh

prasannārṇavasambhūtamānamātrendujanmana⟨ḥ⟩

ab

śrīma(tsude)varājasya sthiraṁ jagati (śāsanaṁ)

cd

Plates

⟨Page 1r⟩

⟨Page 1v⟩ ⟨1v1⟩ svasti śarabhapurād vikkramopanatasāmantamakuṭacūḍāmaṇi⟨1v2⟩prabhāprasekāmbudhautapādayugalo ripuvilāsinīsīmantoddharaṇa⟨1v3⟩hetur vvasuvasudhāgopradaḫ paramabhāgavato mātāpitṛ{i}pādānuddhyā⟨1v4⟩taś śrīmahāsudevarājaḥ kṣitimaṇḍāhārīyanavannaka-Etatprāveśya⟨1v5⟩śāmbilakayoḫ prativāsikuṭumbinas samājñāpayati~

viditam astu ⟨Page 2r⟩ ⟨2r1⟩ vo yathāsmābir etad grāmadvayaṁ ¡tṛ!⟨tri⟩daśapatisadanasukhapratiṣṭhākaro yāva⟨2r2⟩d raviśaśitārākiraṇapratihataghorāndhakāraṁ jagad avatiṣṭhate tāvad upa⟨2r3⟩bhogyas sanidhis sopanidhir acāṭabhaṭaprāveśya⟨s⟩ sarvvakaravisarjji⟨2r4⟩to mātāpitror ātmanaś ca puṇyābhivṛddhaye vāj¡i!⟨a⟩saneyakauśikasagotra⟨2r5⟩viṣṇusvāminas tā¡mbra!⟨mra⟩śāsanenātisṛṣṭaḥ

te yūyam evam upalabhyāsyā⟨Page 2v⟩⟨2v1⟩jñāśravaṇavidheyā bhūtvā yathocitaṁ bhogabhāgam upanayantas sukhaṁ prati⟨2v2⟩vatsyatha bhaviṣyataś ca bhūmipān anudarśayati

I. Vasantatilakā

dānād viśiṣṭam anupā⟨2v3⟩la⟨⟨na⟩⟩jaṁ purāṇā

a

dharmmeṣu niścitadhiyaḫ pravadanti dharmma⟨ṁ⟩~

b

tasmā⟨d⟩ dvijā⟨2v4⟩ya suviśuddhakulaśrutāya

c

dattāṁ bhuvaṁ bhavatu vo matir eva goptu⟨ṁ⟩~

d

⟨2v5⟩ tad bhavadbhir apy eṣā dattir anupālayitavyā vyāsagītāṁś cātra ślokān u⟨Page 3r⟩⟨3r1⟩dāharanti~

II. Indravajrā

Agner apatya⟨ṁ⟩ prathamaṁ suvarṇṇaṁ

a

bhūr vvaiṣṇavī sūryya⟨3r2⟩sutāś ca gāvaḥ

b

dattās trayas tena bhavanti lokā

c

yaẖ kāñcanaṁ gāṁ ca mahī⟨ṁ⟩ ca da⟨3r3⟩dyāT

d
III. Anuṣṭubh

ṣaṣṭivarṣasahasrāṇi svargge modati bhūmidaḥ

ab

Ācchettā ⟨3r4⟩ cānumantā ca tāny eva narake vaseT

cd
IV. Anuṣṭubh

bahubhir vvasudhā dattā rājabhi⟨3r5⟩s sagarādibhiḥ

ab

yasya yasya yadā bhūmiḥ tasya tasya tadā phalaṁ~

cd
V. Anuṣṭubh

⟨Page 3v⟩ ⟨3v1⟩ svadattāṁ paradattāṁ vā yatnād rakṣa yudhiṣṭhira

ab

mahī¡m!⟨ṁ⟩ mahīmatāñ ¿cch?⟨ch⟩reṣṭha ⟨3v2⟩ dānāc chreyo ’nupālana¡m!⟨M⟩

cd

¡i!⟨I⟩ti

svamukhājñayā ¡savva!⟨saṁva⟩tsara 2 śrāvaṇa di 20 ⟨⟨9⟩⟩ ⟨3v3⟩ Utkīrṇṇaṁ tā¡mbra!⟨mra⟩śāsanaṁ droṇasiṅghe¡ṇ!⟨n⟩a

Apparatus

Seal

Plates

⟨1v2⟩ °dhauta° ⬦ °dhota° SK; °dhauta° AMS • 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⟩ °kauśika° ⬦ °kośika° SK; °kauśika° AMS • 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.

Translation by Natasja Bosma

Seal

The permanent charter belongs to the illustrious Sudevarāja, who was born from the moon that was Mānamātra, who was born from the sea that was Prasanna.

Plates

(1v1–1v5) Hail! From Śarabhapura, the illustrious great Sudevarāja whose feet are washed by the sprinkling water that is the brilliance of the crest-jewels on the crests 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] Śāmbilaka along with the village of Navannaka situated in the Kṣitimaṇḍa āhāra:

(1v5–2r5) Let it be known to you that by means of [this] copperplate charter, these two villages have been granted by us for the increase of religious merit of father, mother, and ourselves, to Viṣṇusvāmin, belonging to the Kauśika 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), 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.

(2r5–2v2) 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:

2v2–2v4
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.

(2v5–3r1) This gift is to be protected by you as well! And in this respect they quote the [following] stanzas sung by Vyāsa:

3r1–3r3
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.
3r3–3r4
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!
3r4–3r5
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!
3v1–3v2
O Yudhiṣṭhira, zealously protect the land which was given by yourself or by others! O best of kings, protection is superior to giving!

(3v2–3v3) By the order from the king’s own mouth, the copperplate charter has been engraved by Droṇasiṅgha [on] the day 29 [of] the month of Śrāvaṇa [in] the year 2 [of Sudevarāja’s reign].

Commentary

Bibliography

First edited by Konow 1907–1908 from the original plates; published again by Shastri 1995, pp. 28–31; re-edited here by Natasja Bosma from the original plates (edition of the seal based on Konow).

Primary

[SK] Konow, Sten. 1907–1908. “Khariar copper plates of Maha-Sudeva.” EI 9, pp. 170–173.

[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 28–31.

Secondary

Bosma, Natasja. 2018. Dakṣiṇa Kosala: A rich centre of early Śaivism. Groningen: Barkhuis. [URL]. Pages 16, 234.