Lodhiā Plates of Śivagupta, Year 57

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

Edition

Seal

rājñaḥ śrīharṣaguptasya sūnoḥ sadguṇaśālinaḥ śāsanaṁ śivaguptasya sthitam ā bhuvanasthiteḥ

Plates

⟨Page 1r⟩

⟨Page 1v⟩

⟨1v1⟩ @ svasty aśeṣakṣitīśavidyābhyāsaviśeṣāsādita{ḥ}mahanīya{ḥnaya}vi-

⟨1v2⟩ nayasampa⟨t⟩sampāditasakalav¿ī?j¿ī?gīṣuguṇo guṇavatsamāśrayaḥ prakṛṣṭa-

⟨1v3⟩ taraś¿o?rya{ḥ}prajñāprabhāvasambhāvitamahābhyudayaḥ kārttikeya Iva kṛtti-

⟨1v4⟩ vāsaso rājñaḥ ¡śṛī!harṣadevasya s¿u?nuḥ somava¡ṅ!śasambhava⟨ḥ⟩ parama-

⟨1v5⟩ māheśvaro m¿a?tāpitṛpādānudhyātaḥ ¡śṛī!m¿ā?hāśivaguptarājadeva⟨ḥ⟩ kuśalī-

⟨1v6⟩ Oṇibhog¿i?yagrāmavaidyapadrake| brāhmaṇā⟨ṁ⟩ samp¿u?jya tatpratinivāsikuṭumbi-

⟨1v7⟩ no yathākālādhyāsinaḥ samāharttṛsannidhāttṛprabhṛtīn asmatpādopajīvina⟨ḥ⟩

⟨1v8⟩ sar¡bv!arājapuruṣā⟨n⟩ samājñāpayati| viditam astu bhavatāṁ yathā grāmo ‘yam asmā-

⟨Page 2r⟩

⟨2r1⟩ bhiḥ samprati sanidhānaḥ sopanidhānaḥ sar¡bv!akar¿a?dānasametaḥ sar¡bv!ap(ī)ḍāviva-

⟨2r2⟩ ⟨r⟩jitaḥ sadaśāparādhaḥ pratiṣiddhacāṭabhaṭapraveśaḥ Asyāṁ kārttikap¿o?rṇṇamā-

⟨2r3⟩ syāṁ pattanakhadirapadratalapratiṣṭhita¡śṛī!madīśāneśvarabhaṭṭārakāya| ba-

⟨2r4⟩ l¿ī?carunivedyasat⟨t⟩ranṛttavāditrakhaṇḍasphuṭitasa⟨ṁ⟩skārārthaṁ dvaitavanī-

⟨2r5⟩ ya¡śṛi!matpañcayajñatapovanavinirggata{ṅ}capalagocariṇaḥ bhagavacchr¿i?-

⟨2r6⟩ pramathācāryaśiṣya¡śṛī!śūlapāṇibhagavatpādaprārthana{ṁ}yā mātāpitro-

⟨2r7⟩ r ¿a?tmanaś ca puṇyābhi¡b!ṛddhaye samak¿a?lopabhogārtham ācandratārakārkka⟨ṁ⟩ paya⟨ḥ⟩-

⟨2r8⟩ p¿u?r¡bv!akaṁ tām{b}raśāsanena pratipādito {y}ato ’vagatya samu¿c?ita⟨ṁ⟩ bhogabhāgādika-

⟨Page 2v⟩

⟨2v1⟩ m upanayanto bhavantaḥ sukhaṁ prativasantu|| bhāvinaś ca bhūmipālān ud⟨d⟩i-

⟨2v2⟩ śyedam abhidhīyate bhūmipradā divi lalanti patanti hanta hṛtvā mah¿i?

⟨2v3⟩ nṛpatayo narake nṛ¡tsāḥ! Etad ⟨d⟩vayaṁ parikalayya calāñ ca l{l}akṣm¿i?m āyus ta-

⟨2v4⟩ thā kuruta yad bhavatām abh¿i?ṣṭa⟨ṁ⟩| Api ca rakṣāpāla¡natyavat! phalaṁ suga-

⟨2v5⟩ tidurggatī ko n¿a?ma svarggam utsṛjya narakaṁ pratipadyate|| ¡b!yāsag¿i?-

⟨2v6⟩ ¡ṅ!⟨ś⟩ cātra ślokān udāharanti| Agner apatya⟨ṁ⟩ prathama⟨ṁ⟩ suvarṇṇaṁ bhūr ¡bv!ai-

⟨2v7⟩ ṣṇav¿i? s¿u?⟨r⟩yasutāś ca gāva⟨ḥ⟩ dattās trayas tena bhavanti lok¿a? yaḥ kāñcanaṁ gāñ ca ma-

⟨2v8⟩ hīñ ca dadyāT| ṣaṣṭi{r}¡bv!arṣasahasrāṇi svargge modati bh¿u?midaḥ ¿A?cchettā cā-

⟨Page 3r⟩

⟨3r1⟩ numantā ca tāny eva narake vaseT| bahubhir ¡bv!asudhā dattā rājabhi⟨ḥ⟩ sagarādi-

⟨3r2⟩ bhi⟨ḥ⟩ yasya yasya yadā bhūmis tasya tasya tadā phalaṁ| svadattā⟨ṁ⟩ paradattām ¡b!ā ya-

⟨3r3⟩ tnād rakṣa yudhiṣ¡ṭ!ira mah¿i?⟨ṁ⟩ mah¿i?bhṛtāṁ śreṣṭha{ḥ} dānā⟨t⟩ śreyo ’nupālanaṁ|| Asmā-

⟨3r4⟩ kam uparodhena nityaṁ dharmmasya g¿o?ravād asmad⟨d⟩atti⟨ḥ⟩ svak¿i?yeva pālyā bhā-

⟨3r5⟩ vikṣit¿i?śvarai⟨ḥ⟩|| Iti kamaladalāmbubindulolā⟨ṁ⟩ ¡śṛi!yam anuc¿ī?-

⟨3r6⟩ ntya manuṣyaj¿i?vita{ṁ}¡ṅ! ca sakalam idam udāhṛta¡ṅ! ca bu⟨d⟩dhvā na hi pur¿a?-

⟨3r7⟩ ṣaiḥ par¿i?k¿i?rttayo vilopyā⟨ḥ⟩|| pravarddhamānavijayarājye sam¡b!atsare sapta

⟨3r8⟩ pañcāśattame kārttikap¿o?rṇṇam¿a?syāṁ Aṅkena sam¡b!aT| 50 7 kārttika dina 30

Apparatus

Seal

⟨ab⟩ śrī° ⬦ śrī° LPP; ¡śṛī!⟨śrī⟩° AMS.

Plates

⟨1v7⟩ samāharttṛsannidhāttṛ° ⬦ samāharttṛsannidhātṛ° LPP; samāhartṛsannidhāttṛ° AMS.

⟨1v8⟩ sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩a° ⬦ sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩ LPP; sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩ AMS. — ⟨1v8⟩ asmā⟨Page 2r⟩⟨2r1⟩bhiḥ ⬦ asmā⟨Page 2r⟩⟨2r1⟩bhi LPP; asmā⟨Page 2r⟩⟨2r1⟩bhiḥ AMS.

⟨2r1⟩ sampratisanidhānaḥ ⬦ sampratisanidhānaḥ LPP; sampratisanidh¿a?⟨ā⟩naḥ AMS. — ⟨2r1⟩ sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩a° ⬦ sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩ LPP; sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩ AMS. — ⟨2r1⟩ sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩a° ⬦ sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩ LPP; sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩ AMS.

⟨2r2⟩ °p¿o?⟨au⟩rṇṇa° ⬦ °p¿o?⟨au⟩rṇṇa° LPP; °¡y!⟨p⟩¿o?⟨au⟩rṇṇa° AMS.

⟨2r3⟩ °bhaṭṭārakāya ⬦ °bhaṭṭārakāya LPP; °bhaṭṭārakāra AMS.

⟨2r5⟩ °¡śṛi!⟨śrī⟩mat° ⬦ °¡śṛī!⟨śrī⟩mat° LPP; °¡śṛi!⟨śrī⟩mat° AMS. — ⟨2r5⟩ °chr¿i?⟨ī⟩° ⬦ °ch⟨r⟩¿i?⟨ī⟩° LPP; °chr¿i?⟨ī⟩° AMS.

⟨2r6⟩ °prārthana{ṁ}yā ⬦ °prārthanayā LPP; °prārthana{ṁ} AMS.

⟨2r8⟩ °p¿u?⟨ū⟩r¡bv!⟨vv⟩akaṁ ⬦ °p¿u?⟨ū⟩r¡bb!⟨vv⟩akaṁ LPP; °p¿u?⟨ū⟩r¡bv!⟨vv⟩akaṁ AMS.

⟨2v5⟩ °durggatī ⬦ °durggat¿i?⟨ī⟩ LPP; °durggatī AMS.

⟨2v6⟩ cātra ⬦ c¿a?⟨ā⟩tra LPP; cātra AMS. — ⟨2v6⟩ ¡bv!⟨vv⟩ai⟨2v7⟩ṣṇav¿i?⟨ī⟩¡bv!⟨vv⟩ai⟨2v7⟩ṣṇav¿i?⟨ī⟩ LPP; ¡bb!⟨vv⟩ai⟨2v7⟩ṣṇav¿i?⟨ī⟩ AMS.

⟨2v7⟩ lok¿a?⟨ā⟩lokā LPP; lok¿a?⟨ā⟩ AMS. — ⟨2v7⟩ ma⟨2v8⟩hīñ ⬦ ma⟨2v8⟩hiñ LPP; ma⟨2v8⟩hīñ AMS.

⟨2v8⟩ ṣaṣṭi{r}¡bv!⟨v⟩arṣa° ⬦ ṣaṣṭi{r}¡bb!⟨v⟩arṣa° LPP; ṣaṣṭi{r}¡bv!⟨v⟩arṣa° AMS.

⟨3r1⟩ ¡bv!⟨vv⟩asudhā ⬦ ¡bb!⟨vv⟩asudhā LPP; ¡bv!⟨vv⟩asudhā AMS.

⟨3r4⟩ bhā⟨3r5⟩vi° ⬦ bhā⟨3r5⟩(ki)° LPP; bhā⟨3r5⟩vi° AMS.

⟨3r6⟩ manuṣya° ⬦ manuṣya° LPP; manuṣyā° AMS. — ⟨3r6⟩ pur¿a?⟨u⟩⟨3r7⟩ṣaiḥ ⬦ puru⟨3r7⟩ṣaiḥ LPP; pur¿a?⟨u⟩⟨3r7⟩ṣaiḥ AMS.

Translation

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

⟨1v1–1v8⟩ Success! Hail! The illustrious and great rājadeva 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 Vaidyapadraka situated in the Oṇi 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 householders being inhabitants of that [village]:

⟨1v8–2r8⟩ 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 illustrious [god] Īśāneśvara-bhaṭṭāraka [in the temple] established in the plains of Pattana-Khadirapadra. [The grant of the village took place] on this day of the full moon in the month of Kārttika, [and] was made for the purpose of [financing] the repair of the temple’s dilapidations, as well as worship through dance and music, the performance of bali and caru offerings and to provide for a sattra. [The grant], which is meant to be enjoyed as long as the moon and the sun will endure, was requested by the venerable Śūlapāṇi, pupil of the venerable ācārya Pramatha, who was a constant wanderer hailing from the celebrated Pañcayajña penance grove situated in the Dvaitavana [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.

⟨2r8–2v2⟩ Therefore, 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:

2v2–2v4.

[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!

⟨2v4⟩ And also:

2v4–2v5.

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

⟨2v5–2v6⟩ And in this respect they quote the [following] stanzas sung by Vyāsa:

2v6–2v8.

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

2v8–3r1.

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!

3r1–3r2.

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!

3r2–3r3.

O Yudhiṣṭhira, zealously protect the land which was given by yourself or by others! O best of kings, protection is superior to giving!

3r3–3r5.

With our protection and out of respect for the eternal dharma, future kings must protect our gift as if it is their own!

3r5–3r7.

After thus considering that wealth and human life are unstable as a drop of water on a lotus petal and [also] knowing all that is said, the glories of others should not be violated by human beings.

⟨3r7–3r8⟩ [The copperplate charter has been engraved] on the day of the full moon in the month of Kārttika, in the fifty-seventh year of the increasingly victorious reign [of Śivagupta]. In numbers: Year 57, [Month] Kārttika, Day 30.

Bibliography

First edited by Pandeya 1947–1948 from the original plates; published again by Shastri 1995, pp. 128–133; re-edited here by Natasja Bosma based on the published photographs (edition of the seal based on Pandeya).

Primary

[LPP] Pandeya, L.P. 1947–1948. “Lodhia plates of Maha-Sivagupta; year 57.” EI 27, pp. 319–325.

[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 128–133.

Secondary

Bosma, Natasja. 2018. Dakṣiṇa Kosala: A rich centre of early Śaivism. Groningen: Barkhuis. [URL]. Pages 65, 256–257.

Mirashi, Vasudev Vishnu. 1952. “A note on the Lodhia plates of Mahāsivagupta-Bālārjuna.” OHRJ 1 (1), pp. 63–65.