Malgā Plates of Indrabala, Year 11

Metadata

Current Version:  draft, 2024-05-31Z

Editor:   Natasja Bosma.

DHARMA Identifier: INSDaksinaKosala00018

Hand Description:


Additional Metadata

Alternative identifier: Year 11"

Origin:

Classification:

Languages:

  1. Secondary language is late_Brahmi, script and

Corresponding Artefact: CONARTDaksinaKosala00016

Layout: engraved-31 lines are observed/preserved on the artifact.

Edition

Seal

śr¡ī-I!⟨ī⟩ndrarājaḥ

Plates

⎘ plate 1v 1v1spiralR svasti

I. Śārdūlavikrīḍita
ās¿i?⟨ī⟩d indrasamaḥ kṣitaukṣit¿a?⟨i⟩pati⟨ḥ⟩ śaktyā k{t}riyābhir guṇai-
r u1v2tphullāmalacāru¡v!⟨b⟩im¡v!⟨b⟩avadanā ya⟨ṁ⟩ śrī⟨ḥ⟩ sadā sevatecomma
yo devadvijasādhupa1v3ṇḍitajanasyā⟨⟨dhā⟩⟩rabhūto¡ha vā!⟨bhavat⟩
siddhādhyāsitahematuṅgaśikharaḥ śail¿ai?⟨e⟩ndrarāj¿ā?⟨o⟩ yathā

II. Sragdharā
1v4jāta⟨s ta⟩syātmaj¿ā?⟨o⟩ ’pi prakaṭa¡gha!⟨ga⟩jaghaṭ¿a?⟨ā⟩ghaṭṭana{ḥ}ś cārumūrtti-
⟨r⟩ nitya⟨ṁ⟩ dātābhimā1v5nī raṇacapalapa(ṭu)¡ḥ!⟨r⟩ bhrāntaparyanta(kī)rti⟨ḥ⟩
nirjit¡v!⟨y⟩ārātipakṣa¡ḥ!⟨ṁ⟩ prasabham apah¿i?⟨ṛ⟩1v6t¿o?⟨ā⟩ ye¡c!⟨n⟩a lakṣmī viśālā
sa śrīmā⟨n⟩ ◯śrīniketaḥ pratimatisuciraḥ Indra1v7rāj¿ā?⟨o⟩ narendraḥ

maṇḍakāt para⟨ma⟩māheśvar¿ā?⟨o⟩ mātāpitṛpādānudhyātaḥ śrī-
⎘ plate 2r 2r1sām¿ā?⟨a⟩nta-Indrarājaḥ {c}cheṇḍaparaṅgaviṣayaprati¡vaddhaḥ!⟨baddhe⟩ Ākāśarāṣṭre gula-
2r2grāmakedashConvex sā⟦lekhyā⟧⟨⟨lagrāmā⟩⟩mantamarake ◯ ⟦buḍayyake⟧ grāmak¿u?⟨ū⟩ṭadroṇāg¡ī!⟨ra⟩ka-
2r3gaṇḍak¿ā?⟨a⟩nāyakadevavārik¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨n⟩ sarvvā¡m!⟨n⟩ eva pramukhā⟨n⟩ yathā prativāsina¡ṁ!⟨ḥ⟩ samājñā-
2r4payati

viditam astu bhavatā⟨ṁ⟩ yathāsmābhir aya⟨ṁ⟩ grāma⟨ḥ⟩ sodraṅgaḥ s¿a?⟨o⟩parikaraḥ-
2r5Acāṭabhaṭapraveś¡ī!⟨aḥ⟩ sanidhiḥ sopanidhi{ḥ}ś coradaṇḍa¡yalitaḥ!⟨varjitaḥ⟩ catuḥ¡ś!⟨s⟩ī-
2r6mādhānaparyanta Ācandr¿a?⟨ā⟩rkakṣititārakānirodh¡ena!⟨aṁ⟩ mātāpitror ātmanaś ca pu¡n!⟨ṇ⟩yā-
2r7bhivṛddhayecomma ś¿a?⟨ā⟩ṇḍilyagotravājasaneyamā{d}dhyandinanāgasvāmipu¡v!⟨tr⟩a-
⎘ plate 2v 2v1bhavasvāmin¡asya!⟨e⟩ pratipādit¡e!⟨a I⟩ty

avagamyadashConvex yathocitabhogam upana-
2v2yantaḥ Ājñāśravanavidheyair bhūtvā sukhaṁ prativ¿ā?⟨a⟩stavyam iti svayam ā-
2v3jñāpanādashConvex ye cāsmadva¡ṅ!⟨ṁ⟩śe sam¿ū?⟨u⟩tpadyante rājāna{ḥ}s tair ap¡anīya!⟨īyaṁ⟩ dattir anu-
2v4pālanīyā¡t!⟨n⟩umodanīyā cacomma yaś cem¿o?⟨āṁ⟩ datti⟨ṁ⟩ vilopam āpādayiṣyati sa-
2v5pañcabhir mahāpātakaiḥ saha saṁyukta¡ṁ!⟨ḥ⟩ sy¿a?⟨ā⟩T

III. Anuṣṭubh
⟨ba⟩hubhir vasudhā bhūtvā raj¿a?⟨ā⟩ne 2v6sagarā¡j!⟨d⟩ibhi⟨ḥ⟩
yasya yasya yadā ◯bhūmi⟨s⟩ tasya tasya tadā phalaṁcomma

IV. Anuṣṭubh
ṣaṣṭi2v7var{i}ṣasahasrāṇi svarge modati bhūmidaḥ
Ā⟨c⟩chettā cānumantā ⎘ plate 3r 3r1ca {t}tāny eva na⟨⟨ra⟩⟩ke vaseT

V. Anuṣṭubh
svadattāṁ paradattām vā yo haret¿i?⟨a⟩ vasundharā⟨ṁ⟩
kapilāśataghā3r2tīnām enasā pratipadyate

VI. Anuṣṭubh
khilabhugnā tu yā ◯bh¿u?⟨ū⟩mi⟨r⟩ yā ca bhuktā daśāpar¿e?⟨ā⟩
śata⟨ṁ⟩ yā3r3(va)¡n!⟨t⟩ tu yā bhuktā na rājā ha¡n!⟨r⟩tum ar{a}hati

VII. Anuṣṭubh
Āsphoṭayanti pitara⟨ḥ⟩ pravalgant¿a?⟨i⟩ pitāmahā⟨ḥ⟩
3r4tvam ekosm¿i?⟨a⟩tkule jā¡tā!⟨taḥ⟩ sa ¡mattrā!⟨nas trātā⟩ bhaviṣyati

VIII. Anuṣṭubh
prāpsyase vipulā⟨n⟩ bhogā⟨n⟩ pūrvvadatt¿e?⟨a⟩sya tat pha3r5laṁ
punar dehīti dānā¡bhi!⟨d dhi⟩ punar bhogī bhaviṣyasi

IX. Anuṣṭubh
Iha lokakṛtaṁ karma tat pa⟨ra⟩ttrop¿i?⟨a⟩3r6bhujyat¿i?⟨e⟩comma
talasiktasya vṛkṣasya phalaṁ śākhāsu dṛśy¿i?⟨a⟩t¿i?⟨e⟩comma

likhitañ ca rājapu¡ttā!⟨tra⟩deve⟨na⟩
3r7Utkīrṇa⟨ṁ⟩ suvarṇak¿a?⟨ā⟩r¡a-Is!⟨eś⟩varaputre⟨⟨ṇa⟩⟩ droṇākena samāptañ c¿a?⟨e⟩da⟨ṁ⟩ śāsana⟨ṁ⟩ jy¿a?⟨ā⟩ṣṭapra⟨⟨tha⟩⟩-
⎘ plate 3v 3v1mapakṣa U{ra}ttarabhādrapad¿a?⟨e⟩comma Aṅgār¿ā?⟨a⟩vār¿a?⟨e⟩ {d}divasa Ekādaś¿a?⟨e⟩comma prava⟨r⟩ddhamāna-
3v2vijayarājyasamvat¡p!⟨s⟩araḥ 11

Apparatus

Seal

Plates

1v3 °rāj¿ā?⟨o⟩°rāj¿ā?⟨o⟩ SS; °rājo AMS
2r5 praveś¡ī!⟨aḥ⟩praveś¡ā!⟨aḥ⟩ SS; praveś¡ī!⟨aḥ⟩ AMS
2r6 °pitror°pittror SS; °pitror AMS
2v4 āpādayiṣyatiāpādayiṣyat SS; āpādayiṣyati AMS
2v5 bhūtvā raj¿a?⟨ā⟩nebhūtvā rajāne SS; bhūtvā raj¿a?⟨ā⟩ne AMS • Presumably, bhuktā rājabhiḥ was intended.
3r2 bh¿u?⟨ū⟩mi⟨r⟩bh¿u?⟨ū⟩mi⟨r⟩ SS; bhūmi⟨r⟩ AMS
3r4 ¡mattrā!⟨nas trātā⟩¡mattrā!⟨nas trātā⟩ SS; ¡matrā!⟨nas trātā⟩ AMS3r4 vipulā⟨n⟩vipula⟨n⟩ SS; vipulā⟨n⟩ AMS
3r5 pa⟨ra⟩ttro°pa⟨ra⟩ttro° SS; pa⟨ra⟩tro° AMS
3r6 dṛśy¿i?⟨a⟩t¿i?⟨e⟩dṛśy¿i?⟨a⟩t¿i?⟨e⟩ SS; dṛśyat¿i?⟨e⟩ AMS3r6 likhitañlikhitan SS; likhitañ AMS
3v2 111dashPlain SS; 1dashPlain AMS

Translation by Natasja Bosma

Seal

The illustrious Indrarāja.

Plates

Success! Hail!

1v1-1v3
There was on earth a king (or Kṣitipati as a personal name) who was equal to Indra through his power, deeds, and good qualities; who is continously served by [the goddess] Śrī whose face is pure and beautiful like [the splendour of] the full moon; who was supportive of gods, twice-born, Sādhus, Pandits, and men, in the same manner as king Śailendra whose lofty golden peaks are inhabited by Siddhas.

1v4-1v7
To him was born a son whose impact was as clear as that of a troop of elephants; who had a handsome appearance; with a mind that is always set on giving; who is strong and unpredictable in battle; and whose fame has extended in all directions. That illustrious king, an abode of beauty, who takes pleasure in worship, was Indrarāja!

1v7-2r4From Maṇḍaka, the illustrious sāmanta Indrarāja, who is entirely devoted to Viṣṇu and is favoured by his father and mother, issues [the following command] to all the residents and chief persons of [the settlements] Sālagrāma and Amantamaraka (or Mantamaraka) in the village of Gulagrāmaka situated in the Ākāśa rāṣṭra and forming part of the Cheṇḍaparaṅga viṣaya, (the chief persons) including the superintendent of the temple (devavārika), the military officer (nāyaka), minting officer (gaṇḍaka), tax officer (droṇāgraka), and village headman (grāmakūṭa):

2r4-2v1Let it be known to you that for the increase of religious merit of father, mother, and ourselves, this village extending to its four boundaries has been granted by us to Bhavasvāmin, son of Nāgasvāmin of the Śāṇḍilya gotra and the Vājasaneya-Mādhyandina [school]. [The grant of the village comes] along with [the right to] tax on permanent and temporary tenants, [the right] not to be entered by irregular or regular troops, and [the right to] hidden treasures and deposits, with the exception of the fines imposed on thieves, and is to be enjoyed as long as the moon, the sun, the earth, and the stars will endure.

2v1-2v5Knowing this, [you] should be obedient to the orders received [from the donee] and render the proper [shares of] periodical offerings, while living happily [in this village]. This grant [was issued] by my own order and those kings who will be born in our family should also consent to it and protect it! And whoever will cause the obstruction of [the enjoyment of] this gift, he will bring upon himself [the guilt of] the five great sins!

2v5-2v6
The earth has been enjoyed by many kings, beginning with Sagara: Whoever possesses the land at any time, to him belong the fruits at that time!

2v6-3r1
A giver of land dwells 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
He who would steal land, either given by himself or by others, would commit the crime [equal to] the killing of one hundred brown cows.

3r2-3r3
Waste land what has [newly] been taken up for cultivation and [cultivated] land what has been enjoyed for more than ten years up to a hundred years, [that land] a king is not entitled to confiscate!

3r3-3r4
Fathers [in the world of the dead] clap their hands upon their arms, [and] grandfathers leap [from joy], [saying]: You are the one who has been born in our family; you shall become our deliverer!

3r4-3r5
You will receive great merit as that fruit of what has been given before. From that gift, give again! Truly you will become again an enjoyer!

3r5-3r6
Work done here in this world, that is enjoyed in the other world; [just as] the fruit of a tree, watered at its roots, is observed on its branches!

3r6-3v2This charter has been written by the rājaputra Deva; has been engraved by Droṇāka, son of the goldsmith Īśvara; and has been completed in the first fortnight of the month of Jyeṣṭa, in the Uttarabhādrapada nakṣatra, on a Tuesday, the eleventh day, in the year 11 of the increasingly victorious reign (of Indrarāja, presumably).

Commentary

There is uncertainty about the reading of the year. The inscription ends with two slightly curved horizontal strokes, together expressing the number eleven. The second stroke could also be taken as a punctuation mark. In the latter case, the charter would have been issued in the first regnal year. Since the stroke deviates from the other punctuation marks in the charter, the year eleven is accepted here.

Bibliography

First edited by Sircar and Sankaranarayanan 1959-1960 from the original plates; published again by Shastri 1995: 86–92; re-edited here by Natasja Bosma based on the published photographs (edition of the seal based on Sircar and Sankaranarayanan).

Primary

Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1995. Inscriptions of the Śarabhapurīyas, Pāṇḍuvaṁśins and Somavaṁśins, Part II: Inscriptions. New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research; Motilal Bandarsidass.
86–92. [siglum AMS]
Sircar, Dines Chandra & S. Sankaranarayanan. 1959–1960. “Malga Plates of Samanta Indraraja.” EI 33: 209–14.
[siglum SS]

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].
22–24, 46, 239–240.
Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1978–1979. “A Note on the Malga Plates of Sāmanta Indrarāja.” Sri Venkateswara University Oriental Journal 21–22: 19–25.