Junvānī Plates of Śivagupta, Year 57

Metadata

Current Version:  draft, 2024-05-31Z

Editor:   Natasja Bosma.

DHARMA Identifier: INSDaksinaKosala00047

Hand Description:


Additional Metadata

Alternative identifier:

Origin:

Classification:

Languages:

    Corresponding Artefact:

    Layout:

    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⟩śavidyābhyāsaviśeṣāsāditamahan¿i?⟨ī⟩ya{naya}vinayasaṁ-
    1v2patsampāditasakalavijigīṣuguṇo guṇavatsamāśrayaḥ prakṛṣṭataraśau-
    1v3ryyaprajñāprabhāvasaṁbhāvitamahābhyudayaḥ kārttikeya Iva kṛttivāsas¿au?⟨o⟩ rā-
    1v4jñaḥ śrīharṣa◯guptasya sūnuḥ somava¡ṅ!⟨ṁ⟩śasaṁbhavaḥ {t}paramamāheśvaro mātā-
    1v5pitṛpādānu◯{nu}dhyātaḥ śrīmahāśivaguptarājadevaḥ kuśalīddandaHooked ¿u?⟨o⟩ṇi-
    1v6bhogīyagrām¿a?⟨e⟩ pāśipadrake kurapadrakasahitedandaPlain brāhmaṇāṁ sa{ṁ}mp¿u?⟨ū⟩jya ta-
    1v7tpratinivāsikuṭumbino yathākālādhyāsinaḥ samāhartṛsannidhātṛpra-
    1v8bhṛt¿i?⟨ī⟩n asmatpādopajīvinaḥ sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩arājapuruṣā¡ṁ!⟨n⟩ samājñāpayati

    viditam a-
    ⎘ plate 2r 2r1stu bhavatāṁ yathāsmābhir ayaṁ grāmaḥ sakurapadrakaḥ vājasaneyaca-
    2r2raṇād abhyarthya bhāṇḍāgāratulapadrakam oṇ¿ī?⟨i⟩bhogīyaṁ parivarttena dat⟨t⟩vā
    2r3sa¡t!⟨m⟩prati sanidhānaḥ sopanidhānaḥ sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩akarādānasametaḥ sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩apīḍāvi-
    2r4va⟨r⟩jj¿a?⟨i⟩tas sa◯da¡s!⟨ś⟩āparādhaḥ prat¿a?⟨i⟩ṣiddhacāṭabhaṭaprave¡g!⟨ś⟩aḥ asyā{ṁ}-
    2r5m ¡āpu!⟨phālguna⟩pau◯rṇṇamā¡ś!⟨s⟩yām atraivātmakāritaśrībāleśvarabhaṭṭārakatapo-
    2r6vanapratipālanārtham āropitebhyaḥ śivasya mūrtt¿i?⟨ī⟩nām aṣṭau vigraheśvarāṇāṁ ga-
    2r7haneśasya mūrttayo rudrāḥ ṣaṭ¡ś!⟨ṣ⟩aṣṭy anugrāhakā yuge yuge parivarttamā-
    2r8nā Adhunā kalikālam āsādya śrīmallakulīśanātho ’vatīryya soma¡s!⟨ś⟩a-
    ⎘ plate 2v 2v1rmmākhyabrāhmaṇakule bhūtvā mahā¡b!⟨v⟩ratena dīkṣito jagadindus tenāpi
    2v2mugalisas tataḥ somādipāraṁparyakrameṇa sthān¿e?⟨a⟩guruśr¿i?⟨ī⟩rudra¡ś!⟨s⟩omapra-
    2v3śiṣyaśr¿i?⟨ī⟩teja¡ś!⟨s⟩omaśiṣ⟨y⟩ebhya⟨ḥ⟩ śr¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨ma⟩dbh¿i?⟨ī⟩masomapādebhya⟨ḥ⟩ śiṣyapraśiṣyāṇā⟨ṁ⟩
    2v4yāgad¿i?⟨ī⟩kṣā◯¡b!⟨v⟩yākhyān¿ā?⟨a⟩{n}vasat{r}¿a?⟨i⟩pravarttanāya bhagnavid¿i?⟨ī⟩rṇṇadevakula-
    2v5saṁskṛtaye ◯cadandaPlain mātāpitror ātmanaś ca puṇyābhi¡b!⟨v⟩ṛddhaye samakālopa-
    2v6bhogārtham ācandratārakārkkam udakapūr¡bb!⟨vv⟩akaṁ tām{b}raśāsanena pratipādi-
    2v7ta Ity

    avagatya samucita⟨ṁ⟩ bhogabhāgādikam upanayanto bhavantaḥ sukhaṁ prati-
    2v8vasantuddandaHooked bhāvinaś ca bh¿u?⟨ū⟩mipālān ud⟨d⟩iśyedam abhidhīyate

    I. Vasantatilakā
    bhūmipradā divi ⎘ plate 3r 3r1lalanti patanti hanta
    hṛtvā mahī⟨ṁ⟩ nṛpatayo narake nṛśa¡t!⟨ṁ⟩sā⟨T⟩
    Etad ⟨d⟩vaya⟨ṁ⟩ pari3r2kalayya calāñ ca lakṣmīm
    āyus tathā kuruta yad bhavatām abh¿i?⟨ī⟩ṣṭaṁdandaPlain

    Api ca

    II. Anuṣṭubh
    ra3r3kṣāpālanayos tāvat phalaṁ sugatidurggatī
    ko nāma svarggam utsṛjya narakaṁ pra3r4tipadyateddandaHooked

    ¡b!⟨v⟩yāsag¿i?⟨ī⟩tāṁś cāt{t}ra ślokān udāharanti

    III. Indravajrā
    Agner apatyaṁ pratha3r5maṁ suvarṇṇaṁ
    ◯bhūr ¡bb!⟨vv⟩aiṣṇavī sūryasutāś ca gāvaḥ
    dattās trayas tena bhavanti 3r6lokā
    yaḥ kāñcanaṁ gāñ ca mahīñ ca dadyā⟨T⟩dandaPlain

    IV. Anuṣṭubh
    ṣaṣṭi{ṁ}varṣasahasrāṇi svarge 3r7modati bhūmidaḥ
    ¡Atsettā!⟨Ākṣeptā⟩ cānumantā ca tāny eva narake vase⟨T⟩dandaPlain

    V. Anuṣṭubh
    bahubhi⟨r⟩ va3r8sudhā dattā rājabhiḥ sagarādibhiḥ
    yasya yasya yadā bhūmi⟨s⟩ tasya tasya tadā pha⎘ plate 3v 3v1la⟨ṁ⟩

    VI. Anuṣṭubh
    svadattā⟨ṁ⟩ paradattām ¡b!⟨v⟩ā yatnād rakṣa yudhiṣṭhira
    mah¿i?⟨ī⟩ṁ mahī¿ma?tāṁ śreṣṭha dānāt ¡s!⟨ś⟩re3v2yo ’nupālanaṁddandaHooked

    pūr¡bb!⟨vv⟩āyā¡n!⟨ṁ⟩ diśi nady¿ā?⟨a⟩rddheṇa uttaradakṣiṇāyatena ha-
    3v3stasahasrāṇi saptaśatatrayapañcāśābhyadhikañ cadandaPlain dakṣiṇāyā¡n!⟨ṁ⟩ diśi
    3v4p¿u?⟨ū⟩r¡bb!⟨vv⟩apaści◯māyatena ṣaṭsahasrāṇi śatam ekapañcāśad uttare
    3v5paścimāyā⟨ṁ⟩ diśi dakṣiṇottarāyatena sahasrāṇi saptadandaPlain uttarāyā¡n!⟨ṁ⟩ diśi
    3v6paścimapūr¡bv!⟨vv⟩āyatena ṣaṭsahasrāṇi śatatrayapañcāśābhyadhikañ cadandaPlain
    3v7catur¡bbiṅ!⟨vviṁ⟩śāṅgu¡le!⟨lair⟩ hastair mmānam eta⟨d a⟩nusa⟨ṁ⟩khyayādandaPlain pravarddhamānavijayarājye
    3v8sam¡b!⟨v⟩atsare saptapañcāśattame ph¿a?⟨ā⟩⟨l⟩gunakṛṣṇapakṣaprathamadvādaśyām ¿ā?⟨a⟩ṅkena
    ⎘ plate 1r 1r1sam¡b!⟨v⟩aT 50 7 ¡phagguṇa!⟨phālguna⟩ dina ⟨10⟩ 2

    Apparatus

    Seal

    ab rājña⟨ḥ⟩rājña⟨ḥ⟩ RS; rājñaḥ AMS; rājña⟨ḥ⟩ BJ; rājñaḥ SBMab sūno⟨ḥ⟩sūno⟨ḥ⟩ RS; sūnoḥ AMS; sūno⟨ḥ⟩ BJ; sūnoḥ SBMab sadguṇaśālina⟨ḥ⟩sadguṇaśālina⟨ḥ⟩ RS; sadguṇaśālinaḥ AMS; sadguṇaśālina⟨ḥ⟩ BJ; sadguṇaśālinaḥ SBM
    cd °sthite⟨ḥ⟩°sthite⟨ḥ⟩ RS; °sthiteḥ AMS; °sthite⟨ḥ⟩ BJ; °sthiteḥ SBM

    Plates

    1v6 °bhogīya°°bhogīya° RS; °bhog¿i?⟨ī⟩ya° AMS; °bhogiya° BJ; °bhogīya° SBM1v6 brāhmaṇāṁbrāhmaṇāṁ RS; brāhmaṇā⟨n⟩ AMS; brāhmaṇāṁ BJ; brāhmaṇā⟨n⟩ SBM
    1v7 °kālā°°kālā° RS; °kālā° AMS; °kālā° BJ; °kalā° SBM
    1v8 sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩arājapuruṣā¡ṁ!⟨n⟩sar¡vb!⟨vv⟩arājapuruṣāṁ RS; sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩arājapuruṣāṁ AMS; sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩arājapuruṣā⟨n⟩ BJ; sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩arājapuruṣā⟨n⟩ SBM
    2r2 bhāṇḍāgāra°bhāṇḍāgāra° RS; bhāṇḍāgāra° AMS; bhāṇḍāgāra° BJ; bhāṇḍagāra° SBM2r2 °bhogīyaṁ°bhogīyaṁ RS; °bhogīyaṁ AMS; °bhogīyaṁ BJ; °bhogiyaṁ SBM
    2r3 sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩akarā°sar¡vb!⟨vv⟩akarā° RS; sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩akarā° AMS; sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩akarā° BJ; sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩akara° SBM2r3 sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩apīḍā°sar¡vb!⟨vv⟩apīḍa° RS; sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩apīḍā° AMS; sar¡bv!⟨vv⟩apīḍā° BJ; sar¡bb!⟨vv⟩apīḍā° SBM
    2r4 °prave¡g!⟨ś⟩aḥ°prave¡g!⟨ś⟩aḥ RS; °praveśaḥ AMS; °prave¡g!⟨ś⟩aḥ BJ; °praveśaḥ SBM
    2v2 °pāraṁparya°°pāraṁparya° RS; °pāraṁparya° AMS; °pāraṁparya° BJ; °pāramparya° SBM
    2v4 °¡b!⟨v⟩yākhyān¿ā?⟨a⟩{n}vasat{r}¿a?⟨i⟩°°vyākhyānānvasatṛ° RS; °vyākhyān¿ā?⟨a⟩{n}vasat¡ṛ!⟨i⟩° AMS; °vyākhyānānvasatṛ° BJ; °vyākhyānānn{v}asattra° SBM
    2v6–2v7 pratipādi/tapratipādi/ta RS; pratipādi/ta AMS; pratipādi/ta BJ; pratipād¿ī?⟨i⟩/ta SBM
    3r1 nṛśa¡t!⟨ṁ⟩sā⟨T⟩nṛśastā RS; nṛśa⟨ṁ⟩{n}sā⟨ḥ⟩ AMS; nṛśastā BJ; nṛśa⟨ṁ⟩sā⟨ḥ⟩ SBM3r1–3r2 pari/kalayyapari/kalayya RS; pari/kalpayya AMS; pari/kalayya BJ; pari/kalayya SBM
    3r2 abh¿i?⟨ī⟩ṣṭaṁabh¿i?⟨ī⟩ṣṭaṁ RS; abhīṣṭaṁ AMS; abh¿i?⟨ī⟩ṣṭaṁ BJ; abh¿i?⟨ī⟩ṣṭaṁ SBM
    3r4 cāt{t}racāt{t}ra RS; cāt{t}ra AMS; cāt{t}ra BJ; cātra SBM
    3r5 bhūr ¡bb!⟨vv⟩aiṣṇavī sūryasutāśbhur baiṣṇavī sūryyasutāś RS; bhūr ¡bb!⟨vv⟩aiṣṇavī sūryyasutāś AMS; bhur baiṣṇavī sūryyasutāś BJ; bhūr ¡bb!⟨vv⟩aiṣṇavī sūryasutāś SBM
    3r6 ṣaṣṭi{ṁ}°ṣaṣṭiṁ° RS; ṣaṣṭi⟨ṁ⟩° AMS; ṣaṣṭi° BJ; ṣaṣṭiṁ° SBM
    3r7 ¡Atsettā!⟨Ākṣeptā⟩Astettā RS; ¡Atsetettā!⟨Ākṣeptā⟩ AMS; Astettā BJ; ¡Atsetettā!⟨Akṣeptā⟩ SBM
    3v1 mah¿i?⟨ī⟩ṁ mahī¿ma?tāṁmah¿i?⟨ī⟩ mahi¡v!⟨m⟩atāṁ RS; mah¿i?⟨ī⟩ṁ mah¿i?⟨ī⟩¡v!⟨m⟩atāṁ AMS; mah¿i?⟨ī⟩ mahi¡v!⟨m⟩atāṁ BJ; mah¿i?⟨ī⟩⟨ṁ⟩ mahi¡y!⟨m⟩atāṁ SBM3v1–3v2 dānāt ¡s!⟨ś⟩re/yodānās te/yo RS; dānāt se/yo AMS; dānās te/yo BJ; dānās te/yo SBM
    3v3 °pañcāśābhyadhikañ°pañcāśābhyadhikañ RS; °pañcāśābhyadhikañ AMS; °pañcāśābhyadhikañ BJ; °pañcāsābhyadhikañ SBM3v3 dakṣiṇāyā¡n!⟨ṁ⟩dakṣiṇayān RS; dakṣiṇāyā¡n!⟨ṁ⟩ AMS; dakṣiṇayān BJ; dakṣiṇāya¡n!⟨ṁ⟩ SBM
    3v4 p¿u?⟨ū⟩r¡bb!⟨vv⟩pūr¡vb!⟨vv⟩a° RS; pūr¡bb!⟨vv⟩a° AMS; pūr¡bb!⟨vv⟩a° BJ; pūr¡bb!⟨vv⟩a° SBM
    3v6 °pūr¡bv!⟨vv⟩ā°°pūr¡vb!⟨vv⟩ā° RS; °pūr¡bb!⟨vv⟩ā° AMS; °pūr¡bb!⟨vv⟩ā° BJ; °pūr¡bb!⟨vv⟩ā° SBM3v6 °pañcāśābhyadhikañ°pañcāśābhyadhikañ RS; °pañcāśābhyadhikañ AMS; °pañcāśābhyadhikañ BJ; °pañcāśebhya dhikañ SBM
    3v8 sam¡b!⟨v⟩atsaresambatsare RS; sa¡m!⟨ṁ⟩vatsare AMS; sambatsare BJ; sa¡m!⟨ṁ⟩vatsare SBM
    1r1 ¡phagguṇa!⟨phālguna⟩¡phagguṇa!⟨phālguna⟩ RS; ¡phāgguṇa!⟨phālguna⟩ AMS; ¡phagguṇa!⟨phālguna⟩ BJ; ¡phāgguṇa!⟨phālguna⟩ SBM1r1 ⟨10⟩ 210 2 RS; 10 2 AMS; 1 2 BJ; 10 2 SBM

    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

    1v1-1v8Success! Hail! The illustrious and great rājadeva Śivagupta who has been born in the Lunar Dynasty as the son of a king, the illustrious Harṣagupta, 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 Pāśipadraka together with [the village of] Kurapadraka situated in the Oṇi bhoga, [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]:

    1v8-2v7Let it be known to you that by means of [this] copperplate charter and preceded by a libation of water, this village together with [the village of] Kurapadraka has been granted by us today for the increase of religious merit of father, mother, and ourselves, to the illustrious and venerable Bhīmasoma, the pupil of the illustrious Tejasoma and grand-pupil of the illustrious sthānaguru Rudrasoma. The villages were retrieved from [brahmins of] the Vājasaneya caraṇa, who were given the village of Bhāṇḍāgāratulapadraka situated in the Oṇi bhoga in return. There are eight embodiments of Śiva, the Vigraheśvaras; the embodiments of Gahaneśa are the sixty-six Rudras who bestow grace (i.e., initiation) and who roam about in each yuga. Now the Kali age has come and the illustrious Lakulīśanātha has descended: He was born in the family of a Brahmin named Somaśarman. By him (i.e., Lakulīśanātha) he (i.e., Somaśarman) was initiated in the Great Vow and [came to be] a “Moon on Earth”. By him again (i.e., Somaśarman), Mugalisa [was initiated]. Then, in due succession of the lineage that started with the Moon, [the aforementioned Bhīmasoma] was raised [to a position] in charge of the tapovana of the Bāleśvara-bhaṭṭāraka temple that was erected by ourselves (i.e., Śivagupta) here (i.e., in the plains of Śrīpura). [The grant of the village took place] on this day of the full moon in the month of Phālguna, for the purpose of meeting the expenses of offering ceremonies, initiations, teaching and housing for the pupils and grand-pupils; as well as [to finance] the repairs of the temple’s broken parts. [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.

    2v7-2v8Having taken note of that, you should render the proper [shares of] periodical offerings, produce, and the like, while living happily [in this village]. And this is said for the instruction of the future kings:

    2v8-3r2
    [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:

    3r2-3r4
    Fortune and misfortune are truly the fruit of protecting and not protecting [the land]; who then discards heaven and resorts to hell?

    3r4And in this respect they quote the [following] stanzas sung by Vyāsa:

    3r4-3r6
    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

    3r6-3r7
    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!

    3v2-3v7[The extent of the granted land] is 7350 hastas in the east, [measured] from the middle of the river and stretching from north to south; it is 6151 hastas in the south, stretching from east to west; it is 7000 hastas in the west, stretching from south to north; and it is 6350 hastas in the north, stretching from west to east. The measure of one hasta is equivalent to twenty-four aṅgulas.

    3v7-1r1[The copperplate charter has been engraved] on the twelfth [day] of the first, dark, fortnight of the month of Phālguna, in the fifty-seventh year of the increasingly victorious reign [of Śivagupta]. In numbers: Year 57, [Month] Phālguna, Day 12.

    Commentary

    It was clearly the intention to leave the recto side of the first copperplate blank, but in the end the scribe was forced to use this empty space to finish the last sentence of the inscription.

    Bibliography

    First edited by Raikwar and Singh 1994 from the original plates; published again by Shastri 2001, Jain et al. 2005: 188–192, and Majumdar 2007; re-edited here by Natasja Bosma from the original plates.

    Primary

    Jain, Balchandra, Girdhari L. Raikwar & Rahul Kumar Singh. 2005. Utkīrṇa lekha. Second edition. Chhattīsgarh (India): Culture & Archaeology Department.
    188–192. [siglum BJ]
    Basu Majumdar, Susmita. 2007. “Re-Editing the Junwani Copper Plate Inscription of Mahāsivagupta Bālārjuna, Regnal Year 57.” Kalhār (white water-lily): Studies in art, iconography, architecture and archaeology of India and Bangladesh—Professor Enamul Haque felicitation volume (the volume is presented on the 70th birthday of Prof Enamul Haque), 286–95. New Delhi: Kaveri Books.
    [siglum SBM]
    Raikwar, Girdhari L & Rahul Kumar Singh. 1994. “Mahāśivagupta Bālārjuna kā 57 veṃ rājya varṣa kā junavānī (malhār) tāmralekha.” Purātan 9: 146–47.
    [siglum RS]
    Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 2001. “Malhar Plates of Mahāsivagupta, Year 57.” JESI 27: 25–48.
    [siglum AMS]

    Secondary

    Bakker, Hans T. 2000. “Somaśarman, Somavaṃśa and Somasiddhānta: A Pāśupata Tradition in Seventh-Century Dakṣiṇa Kosala—Studies in de Skandapurāṇa III.” Harānandalaharī: Volume in honour of professor Minoru Hara on his seventieth birthday, 1–19. Reinbek: Verlag für Orientalische Fachpublikationen.
    [siglum HTB]
    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].
    83, 257.
    Shastri, Ajay Mitra. 2001. “Malhar Plates of Mahāsivagupta, Year 57.” JESI 27: 25–48.