Sirpur Plates of Śivagupta, Year 46

Editor: Natasja Bosma.

Identifier: DHARMA_INSDaksinaKosala00039.

Language: Sanskrit.

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

Version: (048a990), last modified (d59dd56).

Edition

Seal

I. Anuṣṭubh

rājña⟨ḥ⟩ śrīharṣaguptasya sūno⟨ḥ⟩ sadguṇaśālina⟨ḥ⟩

ab

śāsanaṁ śivaguptasya sthitam ā bhuvanasthite⟨ḥ⟩

cd

Plates

⟨Page 1r⟩

⟨Page 1v⟩ ⟨1v1⟩ @ svasty aśeṣakṣit¿i?⟨ī⟩¡ṣ!⟨ś⟩avidyābhyāsaviśeṣāsāditamahanīya{ḥ}vi⟨1v2⟩nayasampatsampāditasakalavijig¿i?⟨ī⟩¡ś!⟨ṣ⟩uguṇo guṇavatsamāśraya⟨ḥ⟩ ⟨1v3⟩ prakṛṣṭataraśauryyaprajñāprabhāvasambhāvitamahābhyudaya⟨ḥ⟩ kārt⟨t⟩ike⟨1v4⟩ya Iva kṛt⟨t⟩ivāsa¡ś!⟨s⟩o rājña⟨ḥ⟩ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩harṣadevasya ¡ś!⟨s⟩¿u?⟨ū⟩nu⟨ḥ⟩ somava¡ṅ!⟨ṁ⟩śasambha⟨1v5⟩va⟨ḥ⟩ paramamāheśvaro mātāpit¡ri!⟨ṛ⟩pādānudhyāta⟨ḥ⟩ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩mahāśivagupta⟨1v6⟩rāja⟨ḥ⟩ kuśal¿i?⟨ī⟩|| dev¿i?⟨ī⟩bhog¿i?⟨ī⟩yabhāṇḍāgāratakkaḍaṅgake brāhma⟨1v7⟩ṇā⟨ṁ⟩ saṁp¿u?⟨ū⟩jya tatpratinivāsinaś ca sapradhānān a¡ṇ!⟨n⟩¡n!⟨ṁ⟩ś ca yathākāla⟨Page 2r⟩⟨2r1⟩bhāvina⟨ḥ⟩ sam¿a?⟨ā⟩ha⟨r⟩t¡ri!⟨ṛ⟩san⟨n⟩idhātṛprabhṛt¿i?⟨ī⟩n asmatpādopaj¿i?⟨ī⟩vina⟨ḥ⟩ sarvvarā⟨ja⟩⟨2r2⟩puruṣā⟨n⟩ samājñāpayati

viditam astu bhavatā⟨ṁ⟩ yathāsmābhi⟨ḥ⟩ sa⟨ṁ⟩praty a⟨2r3⟩yaṁ gr¿a?⟨ā⟩ma⟨ḥ⟩ sanidhāna⟨ḥ⟩ sopanidhāna⟨ḥ⟩ sarvvakarādānasameta⟨ḥ⟩ sarvvap¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨2r4⟩ḍāvivarjita⟨ḥ⟩ sadaśāparādha⟨ḥ⟩ pratiṣiddhacāṭabhaṭapraveśa⟨ḥ⟩ Ihai⟨2r5⟩va śr¿i?⟨ī⟩puratalakāritaśr¿i?⟨ī⟩bāleśvarabhaṭṭārakamaṭhikāntasvakārit¿o?⟨a⟩⟨2r6⟩dayeśvarabhaṭṭārakāya pratiṣṭhāyām eva khaṇḍasphuṭitasa⟨ṁ⟩sk¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨2r7⟩rtha⟨ṁ⟩ t{t}adupayogiparikarapratipālanārtha¡ma!⟨ṁ⟩ hara{ha}p¿u?⟨ū⟩⟨Page 2v⟩⟨2v1⟩sa⟨ṁ⟩g¿i?⟨ī⟩takapravarttan¿a?⟨ā⟩rtha¡ñ!⟨ṁ⟩ ca mātāpitror ātmanaś ca puṇyābhi¡b!⟨v⟩ṛddha⟨2v2⟩ye samakālopabhogārtham udakapūrvvakam ¿a?⟨ā⟩candratārakārkka⟨ṁ⟩ tām{v}raśā⟨2v3⟩sanena sat⟨t⟩rāya gorasapat⟨t⟩ra¡ga!⟨śā⟩kakalpayitvā pratipādita Ity

avaga⟨2v4⟩mya samucita⟨ṁ⟩ bhogabhāgādikam upanaya¡m!⟨d⟩bhir bhava¡m!⟨d⟩bhi⟨ḥ⟩ sukhaṁ pra⟨2v5⟩tivasta¡b!⟨v⟩yam iti|| bhāvinaś ca bhūmipālān ud⟨d⟩iśyedam abhidh¿i?⟨ī⟩yate

I. Vasantatilakā

bhū⟨2v6⟩mipradā divi lalanti patanti hanta

a

hṛtvā mah¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨ṁ⟩ nṛpatayo narake ⟨2v7⟩ nṛ¡saṅś!⟨śaṁs⟩āT|

b

Etad ⟨d⟩vaya⟨ṁ⟩ parikal¿ai?⟨a⟩yya calāñ ca lakṣm¿i?⟨ī⟩m

c

āyus tathā kuru⟨Page 3r⟩⟨3r1⟩ta yad bhavatām abh¿i?⟨ī⟩ṣṭaṁ

d

A¡ṣ!⟨p⟩i ca

II. Anuṣṭubh

rakṣāpālanayos tāvat phalaṁ sugatidu⟨3r2⟩rggat¿i?⟨ī⟩

ab

ko nāma svarggam u¡cchri!⟨tsṛ⟩jya narakaṁ pratipadyate||

cd

¡b!⟨v⟩yāsag¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨ṁ⟩ś cātra śl¿a?⟨o⟩⟨3r3⟩kān udāharanti

III. Indravajrā

Agner apatyaṁ prathamaṁ suvarṇṇaṁ

a

bhūr vvaiṣṇav¿i?⟨ī⟩ ¡g!⟨s⟩ū⟨3r4⟩ryyasutāś ca gāva⟨ḥ⟩

b

dattā⟨s⟩ trayas tena bhavanti lokā

c

yaḥ kāñcana⟨ṁ⟩⟨3r5⟩ñ ca mah¿i?⟨ī⟩ñ ca dadyāT|

d
IV. Anuṣṭubh

ṣaṣ¡ṭh!⟨ṭ⟩ivarṣasaha¡ś!⟨s⟩rāṇi svargge modati bhū⟨3r6⟩mida⟨ḥ⟩

ab

Ācchettā cānumantā ca tāny eva narake vaseT|

cd
V. Anuṣṭubh

bahubhi⟨3r7⟩r vvasudhā dattā rājabhi⟨ḥ⟩ ¡ś!⟨s⟩agarādibhi⟨ḥ⟩

ab

yasya yasya yadā bh¿u?⟨ū⟩mi⟨s⟩ tasya ⟨Page 3v⟩ ⟨3v1⟩ tasya tadā phalaṁ

cd
VI. Anuṣṭubh

svadattā⟨ṁ⟩ paradat⟨t⟩¿a?⟨ā⟩m ¡b!⟨v⟩ā yatnād rakṣa yudhi⟨3v2⟩ṣṭhira

ab

mahī⟨ṁ⟩ mah¿i?⟨ī⟩mat{t}ā⟨ṁ⟩ śreṣṭha dān¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨t⟩ ¡g!⟨ś⟩reyo ’nupālana¡m!⟨M⟩

cd

¡i!⟨I⟩ti||

⟨3v3⟩ pravarddhamānavijayarājye sam¡b!⟨v⟩atsare ṣadcattvāri¡ṅ!⟨ṁ⟩śe śrāvaṇapau ⟨3v4⟩ rṇṇamā¡ś!⟨s⟩yām aṅkenāpi sam¡b!⟨v⟩aT|4 6 śrāvaṇa di rla

Apparatus

Seal

Plates

⟨1v1⟩ °mahanīya{ḥ}° ⬦ °mahan¿i?⟨ī⟩ya° BJ.

⟨1v2⟩ °vijig¿i?⟨ī⟩¡ś!⟨ṣ⟩u° ⬦ °vijig¿i?⟨ī⟩ṣu° BJ.

⟨1v4⟩ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩° ⬦ śrī° BJ.

⟨1v5⟩ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩° ⬦ śrī° BJ.

⟨2r5⟩ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩° ⬦ śrī° BJ. — ⟨2r5⟩ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩° ⬦ BJ.

⟨2v5⟩ ud⟨d⟩iśyedam ⬦ udiṣyedam BJ.

⟨2v7⟩ lakṣm¿i?⟨ī⟩m ⬦ lakṣmīm BJ. — ⟨2v7⟩ kuru⟨Page 3r⟩⟨3r1⟩ta ⬦ k¿ū?⟨u⟩ru⟨Page 3r⟩⟨3r1⟩ta BJ.

⟨3r2⟩ ko nāma ⬦ ko ¡māna!⟨nāma⟩ BJ. — ⟨3r2⟩ ¡b!⟨v⟩yāsag¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨ṁ⟩ś ⬦ vyāsagītāś BJ.

⟨3r3⟩ suvarṇṇaṁ ⬦ suvarṇṇa BJ. — ⟨3r3⟩ vvaiṣṇav¿i?⟨ī⟩vvaiṣṇavī BJ.

⟨3r5⟩ mah¿i?⟨ī⟩ñ ⬦ mahīñ BJ. — ⟨3r5⟩ °saha¡ś!⟨s⟩rāṇi svargge ⬦ °sahastrāṇi svargga BJ.

⟨3v2⟩ mah¿i?⟨ī⟩mat{t}ā⟨ṁ⟩mahīmattā BJ.

⟨3v4⟩ sam¡b!⟨v⟩aT ⬦ samba⟨T⟩ BJ.

Translation by Natasja Bosma

Seal

The charter of Śivagupta, son of the illustrious king Harṣagupta, who is possessed of good qualities, endures as long as the existence of the world

Plates

(1v1–2r2) Success! Hail! The illustrious and great king Śivagupta who has been born in the Lunar Dynasty as the son of a king, the illustrious Harṣadeva, like Kārttikeya is of Kṛttivāsas (i.e., Śiva); who is entirely devoted to Maheśvara; who is favoured by his father and mother; and who is in good health: He has acquired all the qualities of a conqueror through the perfection of praiseworthy discipline, effected in particular by implementing all the "political sciences"; he is a refuge for the virtuous; and his great prosperity has been brought about by his superior valour, intelligence, and strength! After having saluted the Brahmins in the village of Bhāṇḍāgāra-Takkaḍaṅgaka situated in the Devī bhoga, [the king] issues [the following command] to all royal officers who are dedicated to our service, beginning with the collector and the receiver; to those who are temporarily posted [in the village]; and to the other inhabitants of that [village] with their headman:

(2r2–2v3) 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 today for the increase of religious merit of father, mother, and ourselves, to the Dayeśvara-bhaṭṭāraka temple that was erected by ourselves (i.e., Śivagupta) inside the maṭhikā of the illustrious Bāleśvara-bhaṭṭāra temple, the latter being erected by ourselves [as well] here in the plains of Śrīpura. [The grant of the village took place] on the occasion of the establishment [of the Dayeśvara temple] and was made for the purpose of [financing] the repair of the temple’s [future] dilapidations; to sustain the shrine’s entourage and to sponsor music and worship for Hara. [The grant]), which is meant to be enjoyed as long as the moon, the stars, and the sun will endure, was issued after having furnished the sattra with milk and vegetables [and] comes along with [the right to] hidden treasures and deposits; [the right to collect] all taxes [payable to the king]; the exemption from all kinds of unpaid labour; [the right to] punish and realise fines for the ten offences; and the exemption from being entered by irregular or regular troops.

(2v3–2v5) Having taken note of that, you should render the proper [shares of] periodical offerings, produce, and the like, while living happily [in this village]. And this is said for the instruction of the future kings:

2v5–3r1
[Kings] who donate land sport in heaven, [but] look, kings who have taken land fall into hell for their wickedness. After having taken to heart these two rules and taken hold of Lakṣmī, you should live you life as you wish!

And also:

3r1–3r2
Fortune and misfortune are truly the fruit of protecting and not protecting [the land]; who then discards heaven and resorts to hell?

(3r2–3r3) And in this respect they quote the [following] stanzas sung by Vyāsa:

3r3–3r5
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
3r5–3r6
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!
3r6–3v1
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!

(3v3–3v4) [The copperplate charter has been engraved] on the day of the full moon in the month of Śrāvaṇa, in the forty-sixth year of the increasingly victorious reign [of Śivagupta]. In numbers: Year 46, [Month] Śrāvaṇa, Day 30.

Commentary

Bibliography

First edited by Jain et al. 2005, pp. 196–217 from the original plates; published again by Bosma 2013; re-edited here by Natasja Bosma from the original plates (edition of the seal based on Jain).

Primary

[NB] Bosma, Natasja. 2013. “The Bāleśvara temple complex of Śivagupta: epigraphical evidence for the Śaiva Siddhānta and Soma Siddhānta traditions in Dakṣiṇa Kosala.” IIJ 56 (3-4), pp. 245–261. DOI: 10.1163/15728536-13560309. [URL].

[BJ] Jain, Balchandra, Girdhari L. Raikwar and Rahul Kumar Singh. 2005. Utkīrṇa lekha. Second edition. Chhattīsgarh (India): Culture & Archaeology Department. Pages 196–217.

Secondary

Bosma, Natasja. 2018. Dakṣiṇa Kosala: A rich centre of early Śaivism. Groningen: Barkhuis. [URL]. Pages 78, 252–253.

Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1992. “Balesvara-Bhattaraka, a hitherto unknown Saiva establishment at Sripura.” JESI 18, pp. 15–23.

Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1995. Inscriptions of the Śarabhapurīyas, Pāṇḍuvaṁśins and Somavaṁśins, Part II: Inscriptions. New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research; Motilal Bandarsidass. Pages 196–217.