Nahna Plates of Sudevarāja, Year 2

Metadata

Current Version:  draft, 2024-05-31Z

Editor:   Natasja Bosma.

DHARMA Identifier: INSDaksinaKosala00008

Hand Description:


Additional Metadata

Alternative identifier: Year 2"

Origin:

Classification:

Languages:

  1. Secondary language is late_Brahmi, script and

Corresponding Artefact: CONARTDaksinaKosala00007

Layout: engraved-25 lines are observed/preserved on the artifact.

Edition

Seal

I. Anuṣṭubh
prasannārṇavasambhūtamānamātrendujanmana⟨ḥ⟩
śrīma(tsude)varājasya sthiraṁ jagati (śāsanaṁ)

Plates

⎘ plate 1v 1v1svasti śarabhapurād vikkramopanatasāmantamakuṭacūḍāmaṇi-
1v2prabhāprasekāmbudhautapādayugalo ripuvilāsinīsīmantoddharaṇa-
1v3hetur vvasu◯vasudhāgopradaḫ paramabhāgavato mātāpitṛ{i}pādānuddhyā-
1v4taś śrīmahāsudevarājaḥ kṣitimaṇḍāhārīyanavannaka-Etatprāveśya-
1v5śāmbilakayoḫ prativāsikuṭumbinas samājñāpayatidashDouble

viditam astu
⎘ plate 2r 2r1vo yathāsmābir etad grāmadvayaṁ ¡tṛ!⟨tri⟩daśapatisadanasukhapratiṣṭhākaro yāva-
2r2d raviśaśitārākiraṇapratihataghorāndhakāraṁ jagad avatiṣṭhate tāvad upa-
2r3bhogyas sani◯dhis sopanidhir acāṭabhaṭaprāveśya⟨s⟩ sarvvakaravisarjji-
2r4to mātāpitror ātmanaś ca puṇyābhivṛddhaye vāj¡i!⟨a⟩saneyakauśikasagotra-
2r5viṣṇusvāminas tā¡mbra!⟨mra⟩śāsanenātisṛṣṭaḥ

te yūyam evam upalabhyāsyā-
⎘ plate 2v 2v1jñāśravaṇavidheyā bhūtvā yathocitaṁ bhogabhāgam upanayantas sukhaṁ prati-
2v2vatsyatha bhaviṣyataś ca bhūmipān anudarśayati

I. Vasantatilakā
dānād viśiṣṭam anupā2v3la⟨⟨na⟩⟩jaṁ purā◯ṇā
dharmmeṣu niścitadhiyaḫ pravadanti dharmma⟨ṁ⟩dashDouble
tasmā⟨d⟩ dvijā2v4ya suviśuddhakulaśrutāya
dattāṁ bhuvaṁ bhavatu vo matir eva goptu⟨ṁ⟩dashDouble


2v5tad bhavadbhir apy eṣā dattir anupālayitavyā vyāsagītāṁś cātra ślokān u-
⎘ plate 3r 3r1dāharantidashDouble

II. Indravajrā
Agner apatya⟨ṁ⟩ prathamaṁ suvarṇṇaṁ
bhūr vvaiṣṇavī sūryya3r2sutāś ca gāvaḥ
dattās trayas tena bhavanti lokā
yaẖ kāñcanaṁ gāṁ ca mahī⟨ṁ⟩ ca da3r3dyāT

III. Anuṣṭubh
ṣaṣṭi◯varṣasahasrāṇi svargge modati bhūmidaḥ
Ācchettā 3r4cānumantā ca tāny eva narake vaseT

IV. Anuṣṭubh
bahubhir vvasudhā dattā rājabhi3r5s sagarādibhiḥ
yasya yasya yadā bhūmiḥ tasya tasya tadā phalaṁdashDouble

V. Anuṣṭubh
⎘ plate 3v 3v1svadattāṁ paradattāṁ vā yatnād rakṣa yudhiṣṭhira
mahī¡m!⟨ṁ⟩ mahīmatāñ ¿cch?⟨ch⟩reṣṭha 3v2dānāc chreyo ’nupālana¡m!⟨M⟩

¡i!⟨I⟩ti

svamukhājñayā ¡savva!⟨saṁva⟩tsara 2 śrāvaṇa di 20 ⟨⟨9⟩⟩
3v3Utkīrṇṇaṁ 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

1v1-1v5Hail! 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:

1v5-2r5Let 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.

2r5-2v2Having 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.

2v5-3r1This 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!

3v2-3v3By 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].

Bibliography

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

Primary

Konow, Sten. 1907–1908. “Khariar Copper Plates of Maha-Sudeva.” EI 9: 170–73.
[siglum SK]
Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1995. Inscriptions of the Śarabhapurīyas, Pāṇḍuvaṁśins and Somavaṁśins, Part II: Inscriptions. New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research; Motilal Bandarsidass.
28–31. [siglum AMS]

Secondary

Bosma, Natasja. 2018. Dakṣiṇa Kosala: A Rich Centre of Early Śaivism. Groningen: Barkhuis. [https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=1937261].
16, 234.