Metadata

Support
Five copper plates, not furnished with original plate numbering; h. 7 ×  w. 22-23 cm. The left side of every plate is pierced by a hole through which runs a ring, to which is soldered “a roughly oval seal, which is worn out completely” ( Ramachandra Murthy 1999: 114 ).
Text
Sanskrit, Southern Brāhmī script. Middle Indo-Aryan, in the same script. 25 lines of text beginning on face 1b, 3 lines per face except the last line which stands alone on face 5b.
Date
Unspecified regnal year of Siri-Ehavalacāntamūlavamma, i.e., approximately between 250 and 300 CE.
Origin
Original place of preservation unknown.
Provenance
Discovery at a hamlet called Patagandigudem reported in the Indian newspaper The Hindu in March 1998. Identified at Telangana State Museum (acc. no. 98-15) in January 2016.
Visual Documentation
Photo(s):
  • IS/VT 2016
    • Photo(s) of estampage(s):
  • ARIE 1997-98: pl. I
    • Editors
    Stefan Baums, Arlo Griffiths, Ingo Strauch and Vincent Tournier.
    Publication history
    First edited by Ramachandra Murthy 1999 ; improved edition in Falk 1999-2000 . Re-edited here from our own photographs.

    Edition

    1b (1) siddham· || namo bhagavatos sarvvajñāyā || vijayakkhaṁ(2)dhāvārā ◊ dhaṁṇakaḍāto ◊ māhārājā ◊ °asamedha(3)yāji°akkhayahiraṁṇakoḍippadāyiḥ °ikkhākūṇaṁ 2a (4) raṁño sirī°ehavalacāntamūlavaṁmmā °aṇavetī (5) °ettha pithuṁḍe ◊ sābhittāṇehi ◊ mahāvihārasa °ava(6)raddāre ◊ cātusāle °amhehi kāritaṁ ◊ °etassa ya ◊ khaṇḍa2b (7)pullasaṇṭhappasa cātusāle ◊ °āgaṁtukavatthavvāṇa pavva(8)yitāṇaṁ ◊ vissāmaṇatthaṁ ◊ rañ[o] °ehalavatthamāṇavattha(9)vehi ◊ pavvayitehi avaraddāraseliyehi ◊ 3a (10) °aryyayakkhapamuhehi °aṇuṭṭhiya ◊ sāsanaṁ (11) kāritaṁ ◊ °akkhayanivviṁ ◊ kātūṇaṁ ◊ raño °appaṇo (12) puṇṇappāyaṇāyubalavaddhaṇatṭhaṁ °ayandatāraka⟨ṁ⟩ 3b (13) kātūṇa ◊ pithuṇḍe ◊ mahāvihārasa ◊ nagarassa ◊ °uttaradi(14)sāye ◊ mahāsetīye ◊ mahācelakasa °eṭṭhassa ◊ k[ū]la(15)tthapaddaggāmapatthe ◊ halaṁkkhettasa niyattāṇā bat[t]ī(sa) 4a (16) 30 2 nidejaṁ ◊ nipoli || pithuṇḍassa ◊ °uttaradisāye va (17) hatthivārī ◊ pachimadisāye ◊ pupphakalase ha(18)laṁkkhettasa niyattaṇacatusaṭṭhi 60 4 ◊ nidejaṁ nippoli 4b (19) °avaraddārī ◊ cātusālassa ◊ halo bhikhubhogaṁ ◊ kātūṇa (20) samyadattaṁ °āṇattī ◊ mahātalavara °aggasūro ◊ saṁvacharaṁ (21) himā 4 divasaṁ 3 jeca ◊ °ettakā ◊ rājāṇo ◊ raja(22)mattā 5a vā ◊ talavaramahātalavarā vā jo ◊ °etassa ◊ halaṁbhi⟨kkhu⟩(23)bhogassa ◊ rāgeṇa kodhena vā ◊ lobheṇa ◊ moheṇa vā ◊ (24) harati harāveti vā ◊ haraṁntaṁ vā °aṇuvattati so ◊ 5b (25) [paṁ]ca[ma]ha[pāta]k[e]ṇa sa[ṁy]ujyatītt[i]
    plate 1b
    (1) siddham· || namo bhagavatos sarvvajñāyā ||     vijayakkhaṁ-
    (2)dhāvārā ◊ dhaṁṇakaḍāto ◊ māhārājā ◊ °asamedha-
    (3)yāji°akkhayahiraṁṇakoḍippadāyiḥ °ikkhākūṇaṁ plate 2a
    (4) raṁño sirī°ehavalacāntamūlavaṁmmā °aṇavetī
    (5) °ettha pithuṁḍe ◊ sābhittāṇehi ◊ mahāvihārasa °ava-
    (6)raddāre ◊ cātusāle °amhehi kāritaṁ ◊ °etassa ya ◊ khaṇḍaplate 2b -
    (7)pullasaṇṭhappasa cātusāle ◊ °āgaṁtukavatthavvāṇa pavva-
    (8)yitāṇaṁ ◊ vissāmaṇatthaṁ ◊ rañ[o] °ehalavatthamāṇavattha-
    (9)vehi ◊ pavvayitehi avaraddāraseliyehi ◊ plate 3a
    (10) °aryyayakkhapamuhehi °aṇuṭṭhiya ◊ sāsanaṁ
    (11) kāritaṁ ◊ °akkhayanivviṁ ◊ kātūṇaṁ ◊ raño °appaṇo
    (12) puṇṇappāyaṇāyubalavaddhaṇatṭhaṁ °ayandatāraka⟨ṁ⟩ plate 3b
    (13) kātūṇa ◊ pithuṇḍe ◊ mahāvihārasa ◊ nagarassa ◊ °uttaradi-
    (14)sāye ◊ mahāsetīye ◊ mahācelakasa °eṭṭhassa ◊ k[ū]la-
    (15)tthapaddaggāmapatthe ◊ halaṁkkhettasa niyattāṇā bat[t]ī(sa) plate 4a
    (16) 30 2 nidejaṁ ◊ nipoli || pithuṇḍassa ◊ °uttaradisāye va
    (17) hatthivārī ◊ pachimadisāye ◊ pupphakalase ha-
    (18)laṁkkhettasa niyattaṇacatusaṭṭhi 60 4 ◊ nidejaṁ nippoli plate 4b
    (19) °avaraddārī ◊ cātusālassa ◊ halo bhikhubhogaṁ ◊ kātūṇa
    (20) samyadattaṁ °āṇattī ◊ mahātalavara °aggasūro ◊ saṁvacharaṁ
    (21) himā 4 divasaṁ 3 jeca ◊ °ettakā ◊ rājāṇo ◊ raja-
    (22)mattā plate 5a vā ◊ talavaramahātalavarā vā jo ◊ °etassa ◊ halaṁbhi⟨kkhu⟩ -
    (23)bhogassa ◊ rāgeṇa kodhena vā ◊ lobheṇa ◊ moheṇa vā ◊
    (24) harati harāveti vā ◊ haraṁntaṁ vā °aṇuvattati so ◊ plate 5b
    (25) [paṁ]ca[ma]ha[pāta]k[e]ṇa sa[ṁy]ujyatītt[i] 
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					          <pb type="plate" n="2a"/>
					          <lb n="4"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3129">raṁño</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3130">sirī°ehavalacāntamūlavaṁmmā</w>
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					          <w xml:id="tok3140">cātusāle</w>
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                  <lb n="7" break="no"/>pullasaṇṭhappasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3148">cātusāle</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3150">°āgaṁtukavatthavvāṇa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3151">pavva<lb n="8" break="no"/>yitāṇaṁ</w>
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					          <w xml:id="tok3153">vissāmaṇatthaṁ</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3155">rañ<unclear>o</unclear>
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					          <w xml:id="tok3156">°ehalavatthamāṇavattha<lb n="9" break="no"/>vehi</w>
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					          <w xml:id="tok3158">pavvayitehi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3159">avaraddāraseliyehi</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <pb type="plate" n="3a"/>
					          <lb n="10"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3161">°aryyayakkhapamuhehi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3162">°aṇuṭṭhiya</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3164">sāsanaṁ</w>
					          <lb n="11"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3165">kāritaṁ</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3167">°akkhayanivviṁ</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3169">kātūṇaṁ</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3171">raño</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3172">°appaṇo</w>
					          <lb n="12"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3173">puṇṇappāyaṇāyubalavaddhaṇatṭhaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3174">°ayandatāraka<supplied reason="omitted">ṁ</supplied>
					          </w>
					          <pb type="plate" n="3b"/>
					          <lb n="13"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3175">kātūṇa</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3177">pithuṇḍe</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3179">mahāvihārasa</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3181">nagarassa</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3183">°uttaradi<lb n="14" break="no"/>sāye</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3185">mahāsetīye</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3187">mahācelakasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3188">°eṭṭhassa</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3190">k<unclear>ū</unclear>la<lb n="15" break="no"/>tthapaddaggāmapatthe</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3192">halaṁkkhettasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3193">niyattāṇā</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3194">bat<unclear>t</unclear>ī<supplied reason="lost">sa</supplied>
					          </w>
					          <pb type="plate" n="4a"/>
					          <lb n="16"/>
					          <num xml:id="cmp35" value="32">
						            <num xml:id="tok3195" value="30">30</num>
						            <num xml:id="tok3196" value="2">2</num>
					          </num>
					          <w xml:id="tok3197">nidejaṁ</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3199">nipoli</w>
					          <pc>||</pc>
					          <w xml:id="tok3201">pithuṇḍassa</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3203">°uttaradisāye</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3204">va</w>
					          <lb n="17"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3205">hatthivārī</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3207">pachimadisāye</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3209">pupphakalase</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3210">ha<lb n="18" break="no"/>laṁkkhettasa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3211">niyattaṇacatusaṭṭhi</w>
					          <num xml:id="cmp36" value="64">
						            <num xml:id="tok3212" value="60">60</num>
						            <num xml:id="tok3213" value="4">4</num>
					          </num>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3215">nidejaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3216">nippoli</w>
					          <pb type="plate" n="4b"/>
					          <lb n="19"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3217">°avaraddārī</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3219">cātusālassa</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3221">halo</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3222">bhikhubhogaṁ</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3224">kātūṇa</w>
					          <lb n="20"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3225">samyadattaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3226">°āṇattī</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3228">mahātalavara</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3229">°aggasūro</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3231">saṁvacharaṁ</w>
					          <lb n="21"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3232">himā</w>
					          <num xml:id="tok3233" value="4">4</num>
					          <w xml:id="tok3234">divasaṁ</w>
					          <num xml:id="tok3235" value="3">3</num>
					          <w xml:id="tok3236">jeca</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3238">°ettakā</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3240">rājāṇo</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3242">raja<lb n="22" break="no"/>mattā</w>
					          <pb type="plate" n="5a"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3243">vā</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3245">talavaramahātalavarā</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3246">vā</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3247">jo</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3249">°etassa</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3251">halaṁbhi<supplied reason="omitted">kkhu</supplied><lb n="23" break="no"/>bhogassa</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3253">rāgeṇa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3254">kodhena</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3255">vā</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3257">lobheṇa</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3259">moheṇa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3260">vā</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <lb n="24"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3262">harati</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3263">harāveti</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3264">vā</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3266">haraṁntaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3267">vā</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3268">°aṇuvattati</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3269">so</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <pb type="plate" n="5b"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok3271">
						            <lb n="25"/>
						            <unclear>paṁ</unclear>ca<unclear>ma</unclear>ha<unclear>pāta</unclear>k<unclear>e</unclear>ṇa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok3272">sa<unclear>ṁy</unclear>ujyatītt<unclear>i</unclear>
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    Apparatus

    • (1) bhagavatos Understand bhagavatas or bhagavate. Cf. same form in EIAD 54.
    • (1) sarvva- sarva- HF .
    • (3) hiraṁṇakoḍi- hiraṇakoḍi- HF .
    • (4) raṁño rāñāṁ HF .
    • (5) cātusāle cātusālaṁ HF .
    • (8) vissāmaṇatthaṁ vissamaṇatthaṁ HF .
    • (10) sāsanaṁ sāsaṇa HF .
    • (12) °ayandatāraka⟨ṁ⟩ °ayandatārakaṁ HF .
    • (14-15) k[ū]latthapaddaggāmapatthe kulatthapaṭṭaggāmapanthe HF .
    • (15) bat[t]ī(sa) batī[sa] HF .
    • (16) nidejaṁ ◊ nipoli ti dejaṁ ◊ ti poli HF .
    • (17) puppha- puppa- HF . Cf. puppa- in EIAD 53, l. 1. But it seems possible to read puppha- here.
    • (18) nidejaṁ nippoli ti dejaṁ ti ppoli HF .
    • (21) raja- rāj[ā]- HF .
    • (22-23) halaṁbhi⟨kkhu⟩bhogassa HF . The restoration of akṣara <kkhu> is imposed by halo bhikhubhogaṁ in l. 19.
    • (24) harāveti hārāveti HF .
    • (24) haraṁntaṁ haraṁttaṁ HF .
    • (25) [paṁ]ca[ma]ha[pāta]k[e]ṇa + + mahāpātareṇa HF .
    • (25) sa[ṁy]ujyatītt[i] + ujjati ti HF . The last akṣara might also be read <ttī>. We in fact expect ti.

    Translation

    (1) Success! Homage to the Bhagavant, the Omniscient One!
    (1–4) From the victorious royal headquarters, from Dhaṇṇakaḍa (Dhānyakaṭaka), the King Siri-Ehavalacāntamūlavamma of the Ikṣvākus, Great King, sacrificer of the Aśvamedha, giver of unperishing tens of millions of (pieces of) gold, gives (the following) order:
    (5–11) “Here in Pithuṇḍa we caused to be made by sābhittānas (?) a quadrangular compound at the western gate of the Great Monastery. For its repair of broken and shattered (parts), for the repose of renunciants who (will) arrive and who (presently) reside in the quadrangular compound, the (following) royal order was issued, to be carried out (anuṣṭheya ?) by the Avaraddāraseliya renunciants residing in the plot of King Eha[va]la, headed by Aryayakkha (Āryayakṣa):
    (11–20) ‘Having made a permanent endowment, having made (it permanent) as long as moon and stars, in order to expand the king’s own merit and to increase his lifespan and power, to the Great Monastery in Pithuṇḍa 32 nivartanas of plowable land are to be given (nideya) (and) registered (?), in the northern direction of the town, at the Great Shrine of the mahācelaka Eṭṭha, on the road (leading to) the village Kulatthapadda. North of Pithuṇḍa, west of the elephant grove, in Pupphakalasa, sixty-four — 64 — nivartanas of plowable land are to be given (and) registered (?). Having made (this) plowable land (hala) the revenue of the monks of the quadrangular compound at the western gate, the gift is completed (samyagdattam).’
    (20–25)The executor is the Great Talavara Aggasūra (Agraśūra). In the year, in the 4th (fortnight) of winter, on the 3rd day. Who (among) the local kings and king’s officers, or Talavaras and Great Talavaras, out of passion, anger, greed or delusion, takes away or causes to be taken away plowable land from this monks’ revenue, or accepts one who takes away, is endowed with the five great sins.”

    Commentary

    • (5) sābhittāṇehi Falk 1999-2000: 276 relates this word to abhitrāṇa, and proposes to interpret it as “preservation worker”.
    • (14) mahāsetīye The reading <tī> is secure, although Falk 1999-2000: 279 contemplates reading <khī>. Since alternation of spellings <c>/<s> is not unknown in South India, we are inclined to agree with Ramachandra Murthy 1999: 114 that we should understand mahācetīye, a term commonly occurring in the Nagarjunakonda inscriptions.
    • (14) mahācelakasa This epithet may be interpreted as either pointing to a prominent standard-bearer (PD, s.v. celaka), as Falk 1999-2000: 279 did, or as a religious figure, since P./BSkt. cellaka (also BSkt. cailaka) occurs in Buddhist texts, where it qualifies either novices or monks. Cf. BHSD, s.v. celaka; PD, s.v. celaka; Oguibénine 2005: 48 . Hence, Ramachandra Murthy 1999: 114 translates this compound as “chief mendicant”. We tentatively favor the second interpretation.
    • (16) nipoli We tentatively assume that this hapax legomenon is an abbreviation for a MIA expression equivalent to Sanskrit nibandhapustake likhitavyam (cf. Arthaśāstra 2.7.1–2 nibandha-pustaka).
    • (17) hatthivārī Cf. MW, s.v. vāri: “a place for tying or catching an elephant”. The Sanskrit equivalent hastivārī is also found in EIAD 188, l. 20.

    Secondary bibliography