Sirpur Plates of Śivagupta, undated (presumably year 55 or later)

Metadata

Current Version:  draft, 2024-05-31Z

Editor:   Natasja Bosma.

DHARMA Identifier: INSDaksinaKosala00044

Hand Description:


Additional Metadata

Alternative identifier: undated"

Origin:

Classification:

Languages:

  1. Secondary language is late_Brahmi, script and

Corresponding Artefact: ARTDaksinaKosala000009

Layout: engraved-8 lines are observed/preserved on the artifact.

Edition

Seal

I. Anuṣṭubh
rājña⟨ḥ⟩ śrīharṣaguptasya sūno⟨ḥ⟩ sadguṇaśālina⟨ḥ⟩
śāsanaṁ śivaguptasya sthitam ā bhuvanasthite⟨ḥ⟩

Plates

⎘ plate 1v 1v1spiralR svasty aśeṣakṣit¿i?⟨ī⟩¡ṣ!⟨ś⟩avidyābhyāsaviśeṣāsāditamahan¿i?⟨ī⟩yavinaya-
1v2sa{ṁ}mpatsampāditasakalavijig¿i?⟨ī⟩ṣuguṇo guṇa⟨va⟩{TdandaPlain}tsamāśraya⟨ḥ⟩ pra-
1v3kṛṣṭataraśauryyaprajñāprabhāvasambhāvitam¿ā?⟨a⟩h¿a?⟨ā⟩bhyudaya⟨ḥ⟩ kārt⟨t⟩ikeya I-
1v4va kṛt⟨t⟩ivā◯sa¡ś!⟨s⟩o r¿a?⟨ā⟩jñaḥ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩harṣadevasya s¿u?⟨ū⟩nu⟨ḥ⟩ somava¡ṅ!⟨ṁ⟩śasa⟨ṁ⟩bhava-
1v5¡t!⟨ḥ⟩ paramamāheśvaro mātāpi¡rti!⟨tṛ⟩pādānudhy¿a?⟨ā⟩ta⟨ḥ⟩ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩mahāśivaguptarā-
1v6ja⟨ḥ⟩ kuśal¿i?⟨ī⟩ddandaHooked svalpaśa⟨r⟩kkarāmārgg¿i?⟨ī⟩yakośam¡v!⟨b⟩rake brāhmaṇā⟨ṁ⟩ sa⟨ṁ⟩pū-
1v7jya tatpratinivāsikuṭum¡v!⟨b⟩inaḥ sapradhānān a¡ṇ!⟨n⟩y¿a?⟨ā⟩n api yathākālabhā-
⎘ plate 2r 2r1vina⟨ḥ⟩ samāhartṛsannidhātṛprabhṛt¿i?⟨ī⟩n asmatpādopaj¿i?⟨ī⟩vina⟨ḥ⟩ sarvva-
2r2rājapuruṣā¡t!⟨n⟩ samājñāpayati

viditam astu bhavatā⟨ṁ⟩ yathāsmābhi⟨ḥ⟩ sa⟨ṁ⟩pra-
2r3ty ayaṁ grāma⟨ḥ⟩ sanidhānaḥ sopanidhāna⟨ḥ⟩ sarvvakarādānasametaḥ sarvvap¿i?⟨ī⟩ḍā-
2r4vivarjjita⟨ḥ⟩ ◯sadaśāparādha⟨ḥ⟩ pratiṣiddhacāṭabhaṭaprave¡g!⟨ś⟩aḥ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩puratala-
2r5pratiṣṭhitaśr¿i?⟨ī⟩bāleśvarasam¿i?⟨ī⟩pasth¿a?⟨ā⟩ya śr¿i?⟨ī⟩-Ammādev¿i?⟨ī⟩kāritāya A-
2r6mmeśvarāyatanabhaṭṭ¿a?⟨ā⟩rakāya Asyām evāt¿i?⟨ī⟩tamāghamāsottarāya¡n!⟨ṇ⟩avi¡s!⟨ṣ⟩u-
2r7va¡ś!⟨s⟩a¡ṅ!⟨ṁ⟩kr¿a?⟨ā⟩ntyam¿a?⟨ā⟩syā⟨ṁ⟩ Eva⟨ṁ⟩ paramatprayaśyā dharmmapatnyā śr¿i?⟨ī⟩madammade¡b!⟨v⟩y¿a?⟨ā⟩-
⎘ plate 2v 2v1vijñaptyā khaṇḍasphuṭitasa⟨ṁ⟩skārārtham ¡v!⟨b⟩alicarusa¡ṅ!⟨ṁ⟩g¿i?⟨ī⟩takadh¿u?⟨ū⟩papūjā-
2v2pravarttanāya sa¡n!⟨m⟩mārjjanopalepanārthañ ca mātāpitror ātmanaś ca- dandaPlain
2v3puṇyābhi¡b!⟨v⟩ṛddhaye samakālopabhogārtham ¿a?⟨ā⟩candrat{t}ārakārkkam uda-
2v4kapūrvvaka⟨ṁ⟩ ◯tām{v}ra¡s!⟨ś⟩āsanena pratipādita Ity

avagamyāsya samuci-
2v5ta⟨ṁ⟩ bhogabhāgādikam upanayanto bhavantaḥ sukhaṁ prativasta¡b!⟨v⟩yam itiddandaHooked bhā-
2v6vinaś ca bhūmipālān ud⟨d⟩iśyedam abhidh¿i?⟨ī⟩yate

I. Vasantatilakā
bh¿u?⟨ū⟩mipradā divi lala2v7nti patanti hanta
hṛtvā mah¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨ṁ⟩ nṛpatayo narake nṛ¡saṅś!⟨śaṁs⟩āTdandaPlain
Etad ⟨d⟩va⎘ plate 3r 3r1ya⟨ṁ⟩ parikal¿ai?⟨a⟩y⟨y⟩a calāñ ca lakṣm¿i?⟨ī⟩m
āyus tathā kuruta yad bhavatām abh¿i?⟨ī⟩3r2ṣṭa⟨ṁ⟩

Api ca

II. Anuṣṭubh
rakṣāpālanayos tāvat phalaṁ sugatidurggat¿i?⟨ī⟩
ko nāma svarggam u3r3¡cchri!⟨tsṛ⟩jya naraka⟨ṁ⟩ pratipadyateddandaHooked

¡b!⟨v⟩yāsag¿i?⟨ī⟩tā⟨ṁ⟩ś cātra ślokān udāharanti

III. Indravajrā
A3r4gner apatya⟨ṁ⟩ ◯prathama⟨ṁ⟩ ¡ś!⟨s⟩uvarṇṇa⟨ṁ⟩
bhūr vvaiṣṇav¿i?⟨ī⟩ sūryya¡ś!⟨s⟩utāś ca gāvaḥ
datt¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨s⟩ traya3r5s tena bhavanti lokā
yaḥ kāñcanaṁ gāñ ca mah¿i?⟨ī⟩ñ ca dadyā⟨T⟩

IV. Anuṣṭubh
¡ś!⟨ṣ⟩aṣṭivarṣasa3r6ha¡ś!⟨s⟩rāṇi svargge modati bh¿u?⟨ū⟩mida⟨ḥ⟩
¿A?⟨Ā⟩cchet⟨t⟩ā ⟨cā⟩numantā ca tāny eva narak¿a?⟨e⟩ va¡TdandaPlain!⟨se⟩>3r7¡se!⟨TdandaPlain

V. Anuṣṭubh
bah¿a?⟨u⟩bhi⟨r⟩ vasudhā dat⟨t⟩ā rājabhi⟨ḥ⟩ sagarādibhi⟨ḥ⟩
yasya yasya yadā bhūmi⟨s⟩ tasya ⎘ plate 3v 3v1{sya} tasya tadā phalaṁ

VI. Anuṣṭubh
svadattā⟨ṁ⟩ paradatt¿a?⟨ā⟩m ¡b!⟨v⟩ā yatnād rakṣa yudhiṣṭhira
ma3v2h¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨ṁ⟩ mah¿i?⟨ī⟩matā⟨ṁ⟩ śreṣṭha dānā⟨t⟩ śreyo ’nupālana¡m!⟨M⟩

¡i!⟨I⟩tiddandaHooked

Apparatus

Seal

Plates

1v1 °āsādita°°āsād¿a?⟨i⟩ta° BJ
1v2 °sa{ṁ}mpat°°sampat° BJ1v2 °vijig¿i?⟨ī⟩ṣu°°vijigīṣu° BJ1v2 guṇa⟨va⟩{TdandaPlain}t°guṇa¡ddandaPlain!⟨va⟩t° BJ
1v4 śr¿i?⟨ī⟩°śrī° BJ
1v5 °pi¡rti!⟨tṛ⟩°°pitri° BJ1v5 śr¿i?⟨ī⟩°śrī° BJ
1v6 °mārgg¿i?⟨ī⟩ya°°mārggīya° BJ
2r1 °opaj¿i?⟨ī⟩vina⟨ḥ⟩°opajīvina BJ
2r3 °p¿i?⟨ī⟩ḍā°°pīḍā° BJ
2r4 śr¿i?⟨ī⟩°śrī° BJ
2r5 °śr¿i?⟨ī⟩°°śrī° BJ2r5 °sam¿i?⟨ī⟩pasth¿a?⟨ā⟩ya°°samīpasthaya° BJ2r5 śr¿i?⟨ī⟩°śrī° BJ
2r6 °bhaṭṭ¿a?⟨ā⟩rakāya°bhaṭṭārakāya BJ
2r7 Eva⟨ṁ⟩Evaṁ BJ2r7 śr¿i?⟨ī⟩mad°śrīmad° BJ
2v2 ārthañ caārthan ca BJ
2v3 °opabhogārtham°opabhorgārtham BJ
2v5 °bhāgādikam°bhogādikam BJ
2v6 ud⟨d⟩iśyedamudiṣyedam BJ
2v7 mah¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨ṁ⟩mahī BJ
3r1 lakṣm¿i?⟨ī⟩mlakṣmī BJ
3r3 °g¿i?⟨ī⟩tā⟨ṁ⟩ś°gītāś BJ
3r4 vvaiṣṇav¿i?⟨ī⟩vaiṣṇavī BJ3r4 °¡ś!⟨s⟩utāś°sutāś BJ
3r5 mah¿i?⟨ī⟩ñmahīñ BJ3r5–3r6 ¡ś!⟨ṣ⟩aṣṭivarṣasa/ha¡ś!⟨s⟩rāṇi svarggeṣaṣṭhivarṣasa/hastrāṇi svarge BJ
3v1–3v2 ma/h¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨ṁ⟩ mah¿i?⟨ī⟩matā⟨ṁ⟩ma/hī mahīmatā BJ

Translation by Natasja Bosma

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

1v1-2r2Success! Hail! The illustrious and great king 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 Kośambraka situated in the Svalpa-Śarkkarā mārga, [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] with their headman:

2r2-2v4Let 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 Ammeśvara-bhaṭṭāraka temple that was erected by the illustrious [queen] Ammādevī in the vicinity of the illustrious Bāleśvara temple, the latter being established in the plains of Śrīpura. [The grant of the village took place] at the end of this saṁkrānti day of Viṣuva and uttarāyaṇa in the month of Māgha, and was requested by the illustrious Ammādevī, [our] lawful wife, with the purpose of [financing] the repair of the temple’s dilapidations and [to sponsor] offerings of bali, caru, music, incense, and worship, as well the bathing and anointing [of images]. [The grant]), which is meant to be enjoyed as long as the moon, the stars, and the sun will endure, 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.

2v4-2v6Having taken note of that, you should render the proper [shares of] periodical offerings, produce, and the like to the donee, while living happily [in this village]. And this is said for the instruction of the future kings:

2v6-3r2
[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!

And also:

3r2-3r3
Fortune and misfortune are truly the fruit of protecting and not protecting [the land]; who then discards heaven and resorts to hell?

3r3And in this respect they quote the [following] stanzas sung by Vyāsa:

3r3-3r5
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

3r5-3r7
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!

3r7-3v1
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!

Commentary

Despite being a complete set of three copperplates, the content of this charter is unfinished: The text ends abruptly after the exhortatory verses, which means that there is no concluding section with a date in regnal years. The verso side of the first copperplate, both sides of the second plate, and the recto side of the third plate are all enscribed with seven lines of text, whereas the verso side of the third copperplate bears only two lines of text. Perhaps this third plate turned out to be too thin to use on both sides, for the characters of the recto side can be clearly seen on the verso side.

Bibliography

First edited by Jain et al. 2005: 196–217 from the original plates; published again by Bosma 2013; re-edited here by Natasja Bosma from the original plates (edition of the seal based on Jain).

Primary

Bosma, Natasja. 2013. “The Bāleśvara Temple Complex of Śivagupta: Epigraphical Evidence for the Śaiva Siddhānta and Soma Siddhānta Traditions in Dakṣiṇa Kosala.” IIJ 56 (3–4): 245–61. [DOI: 10.1163/15728536-13560309].
[siglum NB]
Jain, Balchandra, Girdhari L. Raikwar & Rahul Kumar Singh. 2005. Utkīrṇa lekha. Second edition. Chhattīsgarh (India): Culture & Archaeology Department.
196–217. [siglum BJ]

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].
37, 80, 255–256.
Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1992. “Balesvara-Bhattaraka, a Hitherto Unknown Saiva Establishment at Sripura.” JESI 18: 15–23.

Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 1995. Inscriptions of the Śarabhapurīyas, Pāṇḍuvaṁśins and Somavaṁśins, Part II: Inscriptions. New Delhi: Indian Council of Historical Research; Motilal Bandarsidass.
196–217.