Ṭhākurdīya Plates of Pravararāja, Year 3

Seal

Plates

^1v2 dotMid • Mirashi 1933-1934 interprets this superfluous dot symbol as a visarga
^1v4 tuṇḍa° ◇ tuṇḍā° VVM; tuṇḍa° AMS
^2r3 vājasaney¿ī?⟨i⟩ne ◇ vājasaneyine VVM; vājasaney¿ī?⟨i⟩ne AMS
^2r6 anudar{ī}śayat¿ī?⟨i⟩ ◇ anudariśayati VVM; anudar{ī}śayat¿ī?⟨i⟩ AMS — ^2r6 v¿ī?⟨i⟩śiṣṭam ◇ viśiṣṭam VVM; v¿ī?⟨i⟩śiṣṭam AMS
^2v1 dharmm¿a?⟨e⟩ṣu ◇ dharmmeṣu VVM; dharmm¿a?⟨e⟩ṣu AMS — ^2v1 dharmma⟨ṁ⟩ ◇ dharmmaṁ VVM; dharmma⟨ṁ⟩ AMS
^3r5 golasiṅghena ◇ golasiṅghena VVM; golasiṅghena AMS

Seal

The enemy-chastising charter belongs to the illustrious Pravararāja, who was the son of Prasanna and who acquired his kingdom by his own arms.

Plates

^1v1-1v5Success! Hail! From Śrīpura, the illustrious great Pravararāja 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 residents of [the village of] Āṣāḍhaka situated in the Tuṇḍa rāṣṭra:

^1v5-2r4Let it be known to you that by means of [this] copperplate charter, this village has been granted by us for the increase of religious merit of father, mother, and ourselves, to bhaṭṭaka Purandarasvāmin, belonging to the Parāśara 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.

^2r4-2r6Having 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:

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.

^2v2-2v3This gift is to be protected by you as well! And they quote the [following] stanzas sung by Vyāsa:

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.

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!

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!

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

^3r4-3r5By the order from the king’s own mouth, [the copperplate charter] has been engraved by Golasiṅgha [on] the day 2 [of] the month of Mārgaśīrṣa [in] the increasingly victorious year 3 [of Pravararāja’s reign].