Banpur plates of Indraratha year 6

Metadata

Current Version:  draft, 2026-05-06Z

Editor:   Amandine Wattelier-Bricout.

DHARMA Identifier: INSSomavamsin00013

Summary: Gift by the king Indraratha of a village called Laghukumbhi situated in the subdivision (khaṇḍa) of Saghṛtakhallā in the district (viṣaya) of Thoraṇa which belonged to Koṅgoda-maṇḍala, for defraying the expenses on the bali, caru, naivedya and dōla of the goddess Khadiravanī-bhaṭṭarikā. Written by Amṛta Candra and engraved by a smith called Vāheruka.

Hand Description:

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Additional Metadata

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Corresponding Artefact:

Layout: -71 lines are observed/preserved on the artifact.

Edition

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tasmāt śrī-yayāti-nagarāt⟨.⟩

parama-māheśvara-mā ²⁹tāpitr̥-pādānudhyāta-parama-bhaṭṭāraka-mahārājādhirāja-parameśvara-soma-kula-
³⁰-tilaka-trikaliṅgādhipati-śrīmad-indraratha^👤-rāja-devaḥ kuśalī| ko¿ngo?⟨ṅga⟩da-maṇḍalīya-(tho)ra-
³¹ṇa-viṣaya-sagh¿a?⟨r̥⟩ta-khallīkhaṇḍīya-laghukumbhi-grāme| Atas tad viṣayīya-vrāhmaṇān āpūjya samā-
³²ha⟨r⟩tr̥-sannidhātr̥-niyuktādhikārika-dāṇḍapāśika-piśuna-vetrikāvarodhajana-rājñī-rāṇaka-rāja-
³³-putra-rāja-vallabha-bhogijana-pramukha-samasta-janapadān samājñāpayati| viditam astu bhava-
³⁴tāṁ yathā ’smābhir ayaṁ grāmaḥ sa-pratīhāraḥ sarvva-vādhāvarjjitaḥ{|} padātijīvya-Andharūpā-pratyandha-
³⁵-rūpa-Adattādāna-hasti-daṇḍa-ciṭṭola-diśāvara-dāna-karaṇa-chāyā-Anatarāva(ḍḍi)-varavalīvarda-sa-
³⁶rvvoparikarādāna-sahitaḥ sa-jala-sthala⟨ḥ⟩ sagartto¿s?⟨ṣ⟩ar¿a c?⟨ś c⟩atuḥ sīmā-paryantaḥ sāmra-madh¿u?⟨ū⟩ka-prabhr̥ti
^{⎘ plate 2v 37}nānāvr̥kṣaḥ sa-nidhiḥ sopanidhiḥ śrī-khadiravaṇī-bhaṭṭārikāyā¿ṁ?⟨ḥ⟩ valicaru-naivedya-pradīpa-do-
³⁸lopac¿e?⟨a⟩yo Ācandrārka-kṣiti-samakālopabhogāya mātā-pitror ātmanaś ca puṇya-yaśo ’bhivr̥ddha-
³⁹ye salila-dhārā-puraḥsarasa¿ran tām?⟨ram tām⟩{v}ra{v}ra-śāsanenākarīkr̥tya pratipādita Ity avagatya samucita
⁴⁰kara-bhoga-bhāgādikam upanayadbhi⟨ḥ⟩ bhavadbhiḥ sukhena prativastavyam iti| bhāvibhiś ca bhūpatibhiḥ
⁴¹dattir iyam asmadīy¿ā?⟨a⟩-dharma-gauravād asmad anurodhāc ca sudattir ivānupālanīyā| tath¿o?⟨ā⟩ cokta⟨ṁ⟩ dharma-śā-
⁴²stre|

⁴⁸

parama-māheśvara-mahārājādhirāja-śrīmad-indraratha^👤-rāja-devasya pravarddhamāna-
⁷⁰-vijaya-rājye ṣaṣṭhe samvatsare kārttika-māsi śukla-pakṣa-dvitīyāyāṁ tithau likhitam i-
⁷¹dam yatrānkenāpi samvat 6 kārttika śudi 2 vijñāni vāherukeṇa Utkīrṇṇaṁ|

Apparatus

¹ ’gniśikhā-piśaṅgī T ◇ ’gniśikṣā-piśaṅgī B — ¹ viṣam añjan¿ā?⟨e⟩ hatya⟨ḥ⟩ ◇ viṣabhañjanābhaM|° S; viṣam añjanābhaM T — ¹ sattvaṁ T ◇ satvam B
² gatavate ’stu B • ’stu is omitted in Shastri 1995’s edition, while it is clearly legible on the photo.
³ °sphuradbhābhiḥ S ◇ °sphurad ābhaiḥ B — ³ proddīpita⟨ḥ⟩ B ◇ proddīpita S
⁴ karasphā° S ◇ kar¿aḥ?⟨aiḥ⟩ sphā° B — ⁴ sthāna-sthāna-gati- B ◇ sthāna-rathāna-gati- S — ⁴ ’ha⟨r⟩-patiḥ ◇ (’haḥ) patiḥ S; ’har patiḥ B
⁶ makura° S ◇ mukura° B
⁸ °valānāṅgaṇair S ◇ °valaṅ gaṇair B — ⁸ amvaḥ ◇ °vair a¿ma?⟨mbhaḥ⟩ S; °vair a⟨ṁ⟩bhaḥ B — ^8–9 sugapādya/(te)| ◇ sa¿gapā?⟨muptī⟩ya(te)| B; samu⟨t⟩pītate| S
¹⁰ yad vartti° S ◇ yat vartti° B — ¹⁰ °nīnā¿n?⟨ṃ⟩ na{n}vaḥ ◇ °nīnānnavaḥ S; °nī¿nānnanvaḥ?⟨nām ānvayaḥ⟩ B
¹¹ vīthībhūtam S ◇ vīdhībhūtam B
¹² viditvaivāhūya S ◇ viditvaivāktaṁ(?) T; viditv evāhūya B
¹³ vivasvan-nāmani ◇ vivasvannīmāna- T; vivasvant¿ā?⟨aṁ⟩ mā¿na?⟨nyaṁ⟩ B; vikavasva¿nnī?⟨ntaṁ⟩ mā¿na?⟨nyaṁ⟩ S — ¹³ śamayitum ◇ śamayeT tam; śama¿yetta?⟨yitu⟩m B S
¹⁵ avatāre ◇ avatār¿e?⟨i⟩⟨ṇam⟩ T • For the meaning of the root √dhā with a locative case, see Monier-Williams 1872: page 452.
¹⁶ °dhyau T ◇ °dhau B — ¹⁶ cāyāvitari ◇ ca pāvitari T; ca paṇitari B — ¹⁶ ¡v!⟨b⟩alād a[?1×] ◇ valād a° T; valād ā° B • There is enough space for an additional akṣara at the end of the line. For my emendation, see below.
¹⁷ °lam(bi/bhi)tenendra° ◇ lambhi tena Indra° T; lambhi tenendra°; [la]mbhitenendra° B • I suggest the following emendation: avalambitenendra°. — ¹⁷ śivājño T ◇ śivājñ¿ā?⟨o⟩ B
¹⁸ durgā° ◇ durgā⟨ṁ⟩ B — ¹⁸ pūrva-putrīś ca ◇ pūrva-putrīṁśca; pūrva-put¿rī?⟨raṁ⟩ ca S; pūrva-put¿rī(ṁ)?⟨rān⟩ B
¹⁹ saundarya-¿s?⟨ś⟩aurya° S ◇ saundarya-śaurya° T
²⁰ °lbhya-satyā° S ◇ °lbha-satyā° B — ²⁰ vikramādika-guṇa° T ◇ vikramādi-su-guṇa B — ²⁰ °līlāspade T ◇ °līlāspad¿e?⟨au⟩ B
²¹ yo ’sāv indra° T ◇ yośāv indra° B — ²¹ ratho S ◇ °ratha⟨ḥ⟩ T — ²¹ rathāṅgi° ◇ rathāṅga° B; rathāṅka° T — ²¹ somā¿dv?⟨nv⟩aya° ◇ somānvaya° T — ²¹ śrī° T ◇ śri° B
²³ vikrāntir mahatī S ◇ vikrānti⟨m⟩ mahatīṁ B — ²³ nyasthādaraḥ S ◇ ¿nya?⟨nira⟩sthādaraḥ B • The correction suggested by Behera 1988 is unmetrical. — ²³ svarga¿n?⟨ṁ⟩ S ◇ svarga⟨m⟩ B
²⁴ vatsarājo nr̥p¿ā?⟨o⟩ S ◇ vatsarāj¿o?⟨e⟩ nr̥p¿a?⟨e⟩ B — ^24–25 ya / Āgatya S ◇ y¿a?⟨o⟩ / Āgatya B
²⁵ bhujādarpeṇa B S • Shastri 1995 suggests with a question mark bhujāddarpeṇa.
²⁶ °patpyam bhuvo B ◇ °patpya¿n?⟨ṁ⟩ bhuvo S — ²⁶ va¿ṅ?⟨ṁ⟩śasyā° S ◇ va¿ṅ?⟨ṁ⟩śyasyā° B
²⁷ āsādya se(nā)° B ◇ āsādya stamyase(nā) S • The reading suggested by Shastri 1995 is unmetrical.
²⁸ ¿dyapa?⟨dhipaiḥ⟩ trairājyañ S ◇ ¿dyapattrai?⟨dhipair taṁ⟩ rājyañ B — ²⁸ turaṅgake¿ṇ?⟨n⟩a ◇ turaṅgakeṇa S; turungakena B — ²⁸ yenātha S ◇ yenāsya B
³¹ sagh¿a?⟨r̥⟩ta-khallīkhaṇḍīya- S ◇ sadyata(kha)llīkhaṇḍīya- B
³⁴ Andharūpā- B ◇ Andharūvā- S — ^34–35 pratyandha/-rūpa- B ◇ pratyandhā/rūva- S
³⁶ sa-jala-sthala⟨ḥ⟩ S ◇ sa-jala-sthala- B — ³⁶ sagartto¿s?⟨ṣ⟩ar¿a c?⟨ś c⟩atuḥ S ◇ garttoṣara-catuḥ- B
³⁷ bhaṭṭārikāyā¿ṁ?⟨ḥ⟩ B ◇ bhaṭṭārikāyā S — ³⁷ valicaru- B ◇ valicarū- S
³⁸ Ācandrārka° T ◇ Ācandrārkka B
³⁹ sa¿ran tām?⟨ram tām⟩{v}ra ◇ sara¿m?⟨ṁ⟩ tāmra- S; sa¿rat tam?⟨ram tām⟩ra- B
⁴¹ asmadīy¿ā?⟨a⟩-dharma- B ◇ asmadīyā dharma- S — ⁴¹ anurodhāc ca sudattir B ◇ anurodhacci svadattir S
⁴³ sva-d¿att?⟨ān⟩āt ◇ sva-dattāt B S
⁴⁵ sūrya S ◇ sū⟨r⟩ya B • Tripathy 1966 did not reproduce the text of the imprecatory stanzas in his edition.
⁴⁶ lok¿e?⟨āḥ⟩ S ◇ loke B
⁴⁸ bhūmi¿mā?⟨m pra⟩yacchati ◇ bhūmim prayacchati S; bhūmiṁ ¿mā?⟨pra⟩yacchati B • Tripathy 1966 does not edit the imprecatory stanzas.
⁴⁹ pradānena S ◇ hradānena B
⁵⁰ śudhyati S ◇ śudhyate B
⁵¹ ā⟨b⟩hūta-saṁplavaM ◇ āhūta-saṁplavaM B S
⁵⁷ jīvittañ S ◇ jīvinañ B
⁶⁰ gumphitān S ◇ gumbhitān B
⁶¹ -granthitās B ◇ -granthilās S
⁶² -dvandvasya S ◇ -dvandasya B — ⁶² abhy-adhikādaraṁ dvi B ◇ asyadhikādaradvi S
⁶⁴ -priye B ◇ -śriye S
⁶⁶ ¿s?⟨ṣ⟩u muhuḥ B ◇ ¿m?⟨ṣ⟩u muhuḥ S • Shastri 1995 suggests reading bhūmiṣu mudā. — ⁶⁶ nr̥tyanti B ◇ nr̥tyantī S

Translation by Amandine Wattelier-Bricout

Homage to Śiva, who gradually establishes the three gunas: sattva, clear as the moon in his matted hair; rajas, red as the flame in his third eye; and tamas, by destroying the poison in his blackened throat!

When Pinākī was told of the decline of virtue (dharma) near the earth, he went there in person and put a guide, whom he instructed: ‘In the name of Visvavat, may you reach the earth swiftly by crossing the heavens to stop the rise of evil conduct (adharma).’

In the presence of Śiva, he made the following promise: ‘Having been born into a non-Kṣatriya lineage, I shall perform a great miracle together with my family!’

Among his sons, the magnanimous devotee of Maheśvara, the eldest focused his attention on the blessed consort of Ambikā for his descent to earth.

When the Blessed One became compassionate, and whilst the moon implored to be the eternal adornment of that clan, and by virtue of his father’s strong good intentions, he immediately won the favour of a kingship (like that) of Indra.

Having humbly received Śiva’s command, Visvasvat took birth as a son of (this) lineage under the famous and excellent name Bhīma; he took Durgā as his first wife and (another) wife; by the latter he first begot daughters and then sons.

Bibliography

First published by Tripathy 1967 in 1967 and then reedited by the same author in the Journal of the Asiatic Society, 8, pp.271-276 with only one plate as facsimiles and without line numbers. The text was reedited by Shastri 1995 in his appendix. The plates are currently preserved at the Archaeological Museum, Departments of History and Ancient Indian History Culture and Archaeology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar (see Wattelier-Bricout 2024: pages 10–12). The photos are available here.

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