Bamhanī Plates of Śūrabala, Year 2

Metadata

Current Version:  draft, 2024-05-31Z

Editor:   Natasja Bosma.

DHARMA Identifier: INSDaksinaKosala00019

Hand Description:

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Additional Metadata

Alternative identifier: Year 2"

Origin:

Classification:

Languages:

1. Secondary language is late_Brahmi, script and

Corresponding Artefact: CONARTDaksinaKosala00017

Layout: engraved-49 lines are observed/preserved on the artifact.

Edition

^{⎘ plate 1v 1v1}spiralR svasti{ḥ}

tasya putras tatpādānudhyātaḥ pa-
^1v9ramamāheśvaraḥ paramabrahmaṇyaḥ paramagurudevatādhidaivataviśeṣa⟨ḥ⟩-
^1v10śrīmā¡ṁ!⟨n⟩ śrīmatyāṁ devyāṁ droṇabhaṭṭārikāyām utpannaḥ śrīmahārājanā-
^1v11gabalaḥ

tatas tasya putras tatpādā-
^2r2nudhyātaḥ paramamāheśvaraḥ parama◯bra⟨h⟩maṇyaḥ paramagurudevatādhidaivata-
^2r3viśeṣaḥ śrīmatyāṁ devyām indrabhaṭṭārikāyām ¿a?⟨u⟩tpannaḥ śrīmahārājabharata⟨ḥ⟩

ekaiva

tataḥ mekalāy¿a?⟨ā⟩ṁ Uttararā(ṣ)ṭre pā¡ṇḍ!⟨ñc⟩aga-
^2v10rttāviṣaye varddhamānakedashPlain grāmakūṭadroṇāgrakanāyakadevavārikagaṇḍaka-
^2v11pramukhā¡ṁ!⟨n⟩ sarvā{ṁ}n eva yathāprativāsinaḥ samājñāpayati

viditam astu-
^2v12ma¡haiya!⟨hya⟩pādair ayaṁ grā¡sā!⟨maḥ⟩ s¿ā?⟨o⟩dra⟨ṅ⟩g¿ā?⟨a⟩ḥ soparikaraḥ Acāṭabhaṭaprave¡śī!⟨śyaḥ⟩ sani-
^2v13dhiḥ sopanidhi{ḥ}ś coradaṇḍavarj¡ataṁ!⟨itaś⟩ ◯catuḥs¿i?⟨ī⟩māparyyanta Ācandrārkakṣit¿a?⟨i⟩-
^{⎘ plate 3r 3r1}tārakānirodhena māt¿a?⟨ā⟩pitror ātmana◯ś ca puṇyābhivṛ⟨d⟩dhaye vatsasagotraśrīmā-
^3r2ddhy¿i?⟨a⟩ndinalohitasarasv¿a?⟨ā⟩min¡aḥ!⟨e⟩ pra◯tipādit¡e!⟨a I⟩ty

avagamya yathocitabhāgabho-
^3r3genājñāśravaṇavidheyair bhavitavyam iti svayam ājñāpanā ye cāsmadva¡ṅ!⟨ṁ⟩śe samutpa-
^3r4dyante rājāna{ḥ}s tair apīyaṁ dattir anumodanīyānupālanīyā ca ya{ḥ}ś caimāṁ datti⟨ṁ⟩ vilopam ā-
^3r5p¿a?⟨ā⟩dayiṣyati sa pañcabhir mahā⟨pā⟩takaiḥ saṁyukta⟨ḥ⟩ sy¿a?⟨ā⟩d iti

^3r9samāptaṁ cedaṁ śāsanaṁ pravarddhamāna{dashPlain}vijayarājyasaṁvatsare 2 bh¿a?⟨ā⟩drapadakṛṣṇatra-
^3r10yodaśyāṁ puṣyanakṣatreṇa likhita{ṁ}ñ cedaṁ śāsanaṁ rāhasikeśānaputreṇa śiveno-
^3r11tkīrṇañ ca suvarṇṇakāreśvaraputreṇa mihirake¡n!⟨ṇ⟩etidashPlain

Apparatus

^1v1 svasti{ḥ} ◇ svasti{ḥ} BCC; svasti{ḥ} VVM; svastidotDouble AMS
^1v4 °mūrttiḥ ◇ °mūrtt¿ī?⟨i⟩ḥ BCC; °mūrtt¿ī?⟨i⟩ḥ VVM; °mūrtti{ṁ}ḥ AMS
^1v5 putro° ◇ puttro° BCC; putro° VVM; putro° AMS
^1v7 °praśaṁ{n}sī ◇ °praśaṁ{n}sī BCC; °praśaṁ{n}s¿i?⟨ī⟩ VVM; °praśaṁ{n}sī AMS
^1v8 putras ◇ puttras BCC; putras VVM; putras AMS
^1v10 droṇabhaṭṭārikāyām ◇ droṇabhaṭṭārikāyām BCC; droṇabhaṭṭārikāyām VVM; droṇabhaṭṭārikāyam AMS
^1v11 °mārggā ◇ °mārggā BCC; °mārgā VVM; °mārggā AMS — ^1v11 dharitr¡iṁ!⟨ī⟩ ◇ dharittr¡iṁ!⟨ī⟩ BCC; dharitr¡iṁ!⟨ī⟩ VVM; dhar¿ī?⟨i⟩t⟨t⟩rī AMS
^2r1 putras ◇ puttras BCC; puttras VVM; putras AMS
^2r3 ¿a?⟨u⟩tpannaḥ ◇ utpannaḥ BCC; ¿a?⟨u⟩tpannaḥ VVM; ¿a?⟨u⟩tpannaḥ AMS
^2r4–2r5 pu/tra⟨ḥ⟩ ◇ pu/ttra⟨ḥ⟩ BCC; pu/ttra⟨ḥ⟩ VVM; pu/ttra⟨ḥ⟩ AMS
^2r5 °putryā ◇ °puttryā BCC; °putryā VVM; °putryā AMS
^2r6 tejo° ◇ tejo° BCC; ttejo° VVM; ttejo° AMS
^2r10 vyāk¿ri?⟨ṛ⟩ṣya ◇ vyāk¿ri?⟨ṛ⟩ṣya BCC; vyāk¿ri?⟨ṛ⟩ṣya VVM; vyak¿ri?⟨ṛ⟩ṣya AMS — ^2r10–2r11 vidhaceṣṭ¿a?⟨i⟩tasya nṛ/pateḥ ◇ vidhaceṣṭ¿a?⟨i⟩tasya nṛ/pataḥ BCC; vidhaceṣṭ¿a?⟨i⟩tasya nṛ/pateḥ VVM; vidhaceṣṭ¿a?⟨i⟩tasya nṛ/pateḥ AMS • Chhabra 1947-1948 suggests to emend to vidhaceṣṭitaṁ sa nṛpatiḥ.
^2r11 ādadhātu • Chhabra 1947-1948 suggests to emend to ādadhāti.
^2r12 °pradāḥ • Chhabra 1947-1948 suggests to emend to °pradām.
^2v1 °niya¡tu!⟨ma⟩° ◇ °n¿ī?⟨i⟩ya¡tu!⟨ma⟩° BCC; °niya¡tu!⟨ma⟩° VVM; °niya¡tu!⟨ma⟩° AMS
^2v2 °prav¿a?⟨ā⟩haṁ ◇ °prav¿a?⟨ā⟩haṁ BCC; °pravāhaṁ VVM; °prav¿a?⟨ā⟩haṁ AMS
^2v3 āgatā ◇ āgatā BCC; āgatā VVM; agatā AMS
^2v4–2v5 °¡dharmā-E!⟨dharmādhi⟩ /kāra° ◇ °¡dharmmā-E!⟨dharmmārtha⟩/kā¡r!⟨m⟩a° BCC; °¡dharmā-E!⟨dharmārtha⟩/kā¡r!⟨m⟩a° VVM; °¡dharmāra!⟨dharmmādhi⟩/kāra° AMS
^2v5 ¡pu!⟨pra⟩pautrair ◇ ¡pu!⟨pra⟩pautrair BCC; prapautrair VVM; ¡pu!⟨pra⟩pautrair AMS
^2v6 °sāma{ṁ}nta° ◇ °sāma{ṁ}nta° BCC; °sāma{ṁ}nta° VVM; °sāmanta° AMS
^2v7–2v8 so / ya¡ṇ!⟨ñ⟩ ca ◇ so / yañ ca BCC; so / ya¡ṇ ya!⟨ñ ca⟩ VVM; so / yañ ca AMS • The intended character is ñca, but ṇca is written here (the correct form is used, for example, in line 3r5). In another record of the same king (Dk00020), somasya is used instead so yañ ca. It is possible that this was the intended text here as well.
^2v8 k¿ā?⟨ī⟩rty¿e?⟨a⟩te ◇ k¿ā?⟨ī⟩rty¿e?⟨a⟩te BCC; kīrty¿e?⟨a⟩te VVM; k¿ā?⟨ī⟩rty¿e?⟨a⟩te AMS
^2v9 n¿e?⟨a⟩rendraḥ ◇ n¿e?⟨a⟩rendraḥ BCC; narendraḥ VVM; n¿e?⟨a⟩rendraḥ AMS — ^2v9 pā¡ṇḍ!⟨ñc⟩a° ◇ pāñca° BCC; pā(ñc)a° VVM; pāñca° AMS • The character ṇḍa is written here (in the same form as it appears in lines 2r11, 2v10, and 2v13), but ñca seems to be the intended character because Pañcagarttā is a more sensible name of a district than Pāṇḍagarttā.
^2v10 grāmakūṭa° ◇ grāmak¿u?⟨ū⟩ṭa° BCC; grāmakūṭa° VVM; grāmakūṭa° AMS
^2v12 s¿ā?⟨o⟩dra⟨ṅ⟩g¿ā?⟨a⟩ḥ ◇ s¿ā?⟨o⟩dra⟨ṅ⟩gaḥ BCC; s¿ā?⟨o⟩dra⟨ṅ⟩g¿ā?⟨a⟩ḥ VVM; s¿ā?⟨o⟩dra⟨ṅ⟩g¿ā?⟨a⟩ḥ AMS
^2v13 coradaṇḍa° ◇ coradaṇḍa° BCC; ¡v!⟨c⟩oradaṇḍa° VVM; coradaṇḍa° AMS
^3r6 sagarādibhiḥ ◇ sagarādibhiḥ BCC; sāgarādibhiḥ VVM; sagarādibhiḥ AMS
^3r8 narādh¿a?⟨i⟩pa ◇ narādhipa BCC; narādh¿a?⟨i⟩pa VVM; narādh¿a?⟨i⟩pa AMS
^3r10 °nakṣatreṇa ◇ °nakṣattreṇa BCC; °nakṣatreṇa VVM; °nakṣatreṇa AMS

Translation by Natasja Bosma

Success! Hail!

There was in the lineage of the Pāṇḍavas, who are of flawless glory and possess great splendour, a king of Mekalā who was an ornament among kings and whose fame was widely known; who was illustrious and a disposer of fortune; who was decorated with a multitude of most excellent qualities; whose appearance was handsome; and who, by his own glorious deeds, was well-known in this world for all times as Jayabala!

His son was victorious in battle, famous, and compassionate; equal to the king of Vatsa (i.e., Udayana), endowed with good qualities, and learned in [religious] rituals; and he made the gardens of the houses of his enemies crowded with wild beasts!

He was generous and praised the good deeds [of others]; was able to differentiate between virtues [and vices] and was serviceable to people; and was righteous and devoted to good policy: [That] king was the illustrious Vatsarāja!

^1v8-1v11His (i.e. Vatsarāja’s) son — who was favoured by him (i.e. his respected father), who was entirely devoted to Śiva, who was the foremost patron of brahmins, the distinguished one who was entirely devoted to his teacher/elders and deities – was the illustrious mahārāja Nāgabala, born from the illustrious queen Droṇabhaṭṭārikā.

At the time of his (Nāgabala’s) march, the roads having been pounded down by the hoof-beats of his steeds, the earth darkens [all] the quarters, dust making every corner dry and dreary, [but] his elephants, with their temples soiled by the ichor, instantly restore serenity, having moistened it (the earth) with the spray (which they habitually emit from their trunks).

^2r1-2r3After him, his (i.e. Nāgabala’s) son – who was favoured by him (i.e. his respected father), who was entirely devoted to Śiva, who was the foremost patron of brahmins, the distinguished one who was entirely devoted to his teacher/elders and deities – was the illustrious mahārāja Bharata, born from the illustrious queen Indrabhaṭṭārikā.

Like Kārttikeya to Śailendraputrī, to her (i.e. Indrabhaṭṭārikā) – who possessed the virtues of compassion and integrity, and who was fully endowed with generosity and amiability – was born a son, Indra, whose beauty was spotless and lovely.

He (i.e. Bharatabala) is indeed Indra as he is the fire at birth from the kindle sticks, flaming with heat/valour and being possessed of oil/love; he who is one who gained the excellence of authority that was sustained by the counsel of Brahmans who observe good conduct; one whose sight inspires joy in [the hearts of] good people and brings to fruition the merit and wealth of the common men; one to whom offerings of riches are made on the altar ready for sacrifice, and who is always respected by worthy persons.

By whom the regions were all covered with [the bodies of] numerous imposing and roaring enemies who were forcibly overthrown, like a large and excellent elephant of the quarters [when he pulls down and tears apart the dense and lofty thundering] trees; who is capable of such feats, that king establishes prosperity through good government throughout the world, ensuring abundant righteousness, wealth, and pleasure.

The illustrious king Bharata, who was an ornament among kings and whose valour was equal to that of the king of gods (i.e., Indra); who bore the Fortune of the multitude of enemies slain [by him], when she fled into his arms for protection.

Peerless, the chief queen of king Bharatabala, whose fame resembles the illustrious rays of the moon! She, being as it were the river Gaṅgā herself descended to earth from the world of the gods, who purifies the people, carrying the waters of her good character, bright and spotless like cristal, her pure stream contained within the two banks formed by self-control and good conduct, and her waves being a mass of virtues and tranquillity. She, being born in Kosalā and holding high the fame of the family descending from Amara, and being very much the Lustre of the World (Lokaprakāsā), by whom darkness has been counteracted by continuous meritorious acts, she has attained pre-eminence [owing to] her grandsons and great-grandsons, princes like lions, devoted to good policy and conduct.

He who overcame all regions with his pair of feet, having the splendour of a full-blown lotus flower, that were touched by the heads of many feudatory chiefs paying homage to the threefold powers with which he was endowed: That illustrious king is Udīrṇavaira, whose numerous good qualities are unparalleled and whose birth is celebrated by people highly [with the words]: The famous Lunar Race, belonging to the moon!

^2v9-2v11He (i.e., Śūrabala Udīrṇavaira) issues [the following command] to all the residents of the village of Varddhamānaka situated in the Pañchagarttā viṣaya of the Uttara rāṣṭra of Mekalā, headed by village headman (grāmakūṭa), tax officer (droṇāgraka), military officer (nāyaka), superintendent of the temple (devavārika), and minting officer (gaṇḍaka):

^2v11-3r2Let 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 the highly honoured king to the Mādhyandina Yajurvedin Lohitasarasvāmin of the Vatsa gotra. [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.

^3r2-3r5Knowing this, [you] should be obedient to the orders received [from the donee and render] the proper [shares of] periodical offerings and produce. This grant [was issued] by my own order and those kings who will be born in our family should also protect it and consent to 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!

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!

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!

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

^3r9-3r11This charter has been completed in the year two of the increasingly victorious reign (i.e., of Śūrabala Udīrṇavaira), on the thirteenth [day] of the dark [fortnight] of the month of Bhādrapada, when the nakṣatra was Puṣya; and this charter has been written by Śiva, son of the private secretary (rāhasika) Īśāna; and has been engraved by Mihiraka, son of the goldsmith (suvarṇakāra) Īśvara.

Commentary

There is no trace of any emblem or legend on the seal that belongs to this charter, but it is possible that these were originally present and have been worn away over time.

The phrase ekaiva at the end of line 2r13 refers to bharatabalanṛpasyottamā rājapatnī in line 2v3, who is introduced in the two verses following ekaiva.

Bibliography

First edited by Chhabra 1947-1948 from the original plates; published again by Mirashi 1963 and Shastri 1995: 73–79; re-edited here by Natasja Bosma based on the published photographs.

Primary

Secondary