- Support
- Five copper plates found with a ring and a damaged seal and furnished with original plate numbering inscribed vertically in the left margin; h. 4.83 × w. 22.86 × d. unavailable cm.
- Text
- Middle Indo-Aryan, Southern Brāhmī script. Sanskrit language, Southern Brāhmī script. h. unavailable × w. unavailable cm.
- Date
- Issued during the reign of king Hastivarman (the numeral indicating the regnal year has become illegible.) This set of copper plates is attributed to a Śālaṅkāyana king even though the grant does not mention the name of this dynasty or their capital Veṅgī. We tentatively follow Sircar (1963-1964c: 147-8) on the association with this dynasty, but the use of Middle Indo-Aryan suggests to us that the king is Hastivarman I and not Hastivarman II. An alternative attribution would be to Hastivarman of the dynasty of Ānandagotra kings (see EIAD 170), but again the grant does not mention the term Ānandagotra. Whatever be the truth on these question, the grant may be dated approximately to the second half of the 4th century.
- Origin
- Penugoṇḍa, West Godavari district.
- Provenance
- Found in the village of Penugoṇḍa, at an undetermined date before 1953. Not identified during fieldwork from February 2016 onward. The whereabouts of the original plates is unknown.
- Visual Documentation
-
Photo(s) of estampage(s):
- Sircar 1963-1964c No published facsimile of the seal.
- Editors
- Emmanuel Francis and Arlo Griffiths.
- Publication history
- First described and translated by Sircar 1963-1964c . The text is re-edited here from Sircar’s facsimiles.
Seal
śrīha(stivarmmā)
1b
(dextrorotatory-spiral)
(1)
vijayajayapurā
bhagavannārāyaṇacaraṇāravinda(2)rajovaguṇḍitaśirassa
vāsasatāyukassa
mahārājasirī2a
2
(3)hatthivammassa
vayaṇeṇa
kānīrāhāre
◊
°appaṇo
(4)
dhammāyubalavivaddhaṇatthaṁ
◊
svarnnayanārtthañ
ca
2b
(5)
°amhapunnappāyananimitte
◊
°mulukul[i]mududappamu(6)hā
gāmo
bhāṇitavvo
°etaṁ
g⟨ā⟩maṁ
nānāgotracaraṇa3a
3
(7)tapasajjhāyahomavrataniyamaratāṇaṁ
vedavedāṅgeti(8)hāsapurāṇanirogachandovicitapavayaṇapāragāṇaṁ
3b
(9)
yajanayājanāddhyayanāddhyāpanadānapratigrahaṣaṭka(10)rmmaniradāṇaṁ
◊
saṭthibamhaṇāṇ[āṁ]
◊
°amhehi
prathama4a
4
(11)kalyāṇadakṣiṇ⟨ā⟩nimitte
saṁ[pa]dat[t]aṁ
◊
tad
evan
nātūṇa
(12)
savvabādhaparīhārehi
pariharadha
◊
°ācandatāraka[ṁ]
4b
(13)
bhuñjant[u]
+ +
[sa]vacchare
jeṭṭhamāsakālaṭṭhamiya
[sā]
(14)
sa◯muhāṇattī
◊
bhadrapadanakṣa[tre]
saṁpaddataṁ
||
IAnuṣṭubh
a
bahubhir
vvasu(15)dhā
dattā
◊
b
bahubhiś
c[ān]upāli[t]ā
c
5a
(16)
yasya
yasya
yadā
[bhū]mis
d
tasya
tasya
tadā
phala[m·]
IIAnuṣṭubh
°am[āt]yajaya[sv]ām[īnā]
a
(17)
ṣaṣṭivarṣasaha[s]r[āṇ]i
b
svargge
modati
[bhū]midaḥ
c
°apaharttā
cānumantā
ca
d
(18)
tāvan
narakam
r̥[c]chati
|
Seal
śrīha(stivarmmā)
plate 1b
(dextrorotatory-spiral)
(1) vijayajayapurā bhagavannārāyaṇacaraṇāravinda-
(2)rajovaguṇḍitaśirassa vāsasatāyukassa mahārājasirīplate 2a 2 -
(3)hatthivammassa vayaṇeṇa kānīrāhāre ◊ °appaṇo
(4) dhammāyubalavivaddhaṇatthaṁ ◊ svarnnayanārtthañ ca plate 2b
(5) °amhapunnappāyananimitte ◊ °mulukul[i]mududappamu-
(6)hā gāmo bhāṇitavvo °etaṁ g⟨ā⟩maṁ nānāgotracaraṇaplate 3a 3 -
(7)tapasajjhāyahomavrataniyamaratāṇaṁ vedavedāṅgeti-
(8)hāsapurāṇanirogachandovicitapavayaṇapāragāṇaṁ plate 3b
(9) yajanayājanāddhyayanāddhyāpanadānapratigrahaṣaṭka-
(10)rmmaniradāṇaṁ ◊ saṭthibamhaṇāṇ[āṁ] ◊ °amhehi prathamaplate 4a 4 -
(11)kalyāṇadakṣiṇ⟨ā⟩nimitte saṁ[pa]dat[t]aṁ ◊ tad evan nātūṇa
(12) savvabādhaparīhārehi pariharadha ◊ °ācandatāraka[ṁ] plate 4b
(13) bhuñjant[u] + + [sa]vacchare jeṭṭhamāsakālaṭṭhamiya [sā]
(14) sa◯muhāṇattī ◊ bhadrapadanakṣa[tre] saṁpaddataṁ || bahubhir vvasu-
(15)dhā dattā ◊ bahubhiś c[ān]upāli[t]ā plate 5a
(16) yasya yasya yadā [bhū]mis tasya tasya tadā phala[m·]
(17) ṣaṣṭivarṣasaha[s]r[āṇ]i svargge modati [bhū]midaḥ °apaharttā cānumantā ca
(18) tāvan narakam r̥[c]chati | °am[āt]yajaya[sv]ām[īnā]
(1) vijayajayapurā bhagavannārāyaṇacaraṇāravinda-
(2)rajovaguṇḍitaśirassa vāsasatāyukassa mahārājasirīplate 2a 2 -
(3)hatthivammassa vayaṇeṇa kānīrāhāre ◊ °appaṇo
(4) dhammāyubalavivaddhaṇatthaṁ ◊ svarnnayanārtthañ ca plate 2b
(5) °amhapunnappāyananimitte ◊ °mulukul[i]mududappamu-
(6)hā gāmo bhāṇitavvo °etaṁ g⟨ā⟩maṁ nānāgotracaraṇaplate 3a 3 -
(7)tapasajjhāyahomavrataniyamaratāṇaṁ vedavedāṅgeti-
(8)hāsapurāṇanirogachandovicitapavayaṇapāragāṇaṁ plate 3b
(9) yajanayājanāddhyayanāddhyāpanadānapratigrahaṣaṭka-
(10)rmmaniradāṇaṁ ◊ saṭthibamhaṇāṇ[āṁ] ◊ °amhehi prathamaplate 4a 4 -
(11)kalyāṇadakṣiṇ⟨ā⟩nimitte saṁ[pa]dat[t]aṁ ◊ tad evan nātūṇa
(12) savvabādhaparīhārehi pariharadha ◊ °ācandatāraka[ṁ] plate 4b
(13) bhuñjant[u] + + [sa]vacchare jeṭṭhamāsakālaṭṭhamiya [sā]
(14) sa◯muhāṇattī ◊ bhadrapadanakṣa[tre] saṁpaddataṁ || bahubhir vvasu-
(15)dhā dattā ◊ bahubhiś c[ān]upāli[t]ā plate 5a
(16) yasya yasya yadā [bhū]mis tasya tasya tadā phala[m·]
(17) ṣaṣṭivarṣasaha[s]r[āṇ]i svargge modati [bhū]midaḥ °apaharttā cānumantā ca
(18) tāvan narakam r̥[c]chati | °am[āt]yajaya[sv]ām[īnā]
Seal
<ab xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0">
<w xml:id="tok5559">śrīha<supplied reason="lost">stivarmmā</supplied>
</w>
</ab><ab xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xml:lang="pra-Latn">
<pb type="plate" n="1b"/>
<fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
<g type="dextrorotatory-spiral"/>
</fw>
<lb n="1"/>
<w xml:id="tok5560">vijayajayapurā</w>
<w xml:id="tok5561">bhagavannārāyaṇacaraṇāravinda<lb n="2" break="no"/>rajovaguṇḍitaśirassa</w>
<w xml:id="tok5562">vāsasatāyukassa</w>
<w xml:id="tok5563">mahārājasirī<pb type="plate" n="2a"/>
<fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
<num value="2">2</num>
</fw>
<lb n="3" break="no"/>hatthivammassa</w>
<w xml:id="tok5564">vayaṇeṇa</w>
<w xml:id="tok5565">kānīrāhāre</w>
<space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<w xml:id="tok5566">°appaṇo</w>
<lb n="4"/>
<w xml:id="tok5567">dhammāyubalavivaddhaṇatthaṁ</w>
<space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<w xml:id="tok5568">svarnnayanārtthañ</w>
<w xml:id="tok5569">ca</w>
<pb type="plate" n="2b"/>
<lb n="5"/>
<w xml:id="tok5570">°amhapunnappāyananimitte</w>
<space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<w xml:id="tok5571">°mulukul<unclear>i</unclear>mududappamu<lb n="6" break="no"/>hā</w>
<w xml:id="tok5572">gāmo</w>
<w xml:id="tok5573">bhāṇitavvo</w>
<w xml:id="tok5574">°etaṁ</w>
<w xml:id="tok5575">g<supplied reason="omitted">ā</supplied>maṁ</w>
<w xml:id="tok5576">nānāgotracaraṇa<pb type="plate" n="3a"/>
<fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
<num value="3">3</num>
</fw>
<lb n="7" break="no"/>tapasajjhāyahomavrataniyamaratāṇaṁ</w>
<w xml:id="tok5577">vedavedāṅgeti<lb n="8" break="no"/>hāsapurāṇanirogachandovicitapavayaṇapāragāṇaṁ</w>
<pb type="plate" n="3b"/>
<lb n="9"/>
<w xml:id="tok5578">yajanayājanāddhyayanāddhyāpanadānapratigrahaṣaṭka<lb n="10" break="no"/>rmmaniradāṇaṁ</w>
<space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<w xml:id="tok5579">saṭthibamhaṇāṇ<unclear>āṁ</unclear>
</w>
<space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<w xml:id="tok5580">°amhehi</w>
<w xml:id="tok5581">prathama<pb type="plate" n="4a"/>
<fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
<num value="4">4</num>
</fw>
<lb n="11" break="no"/>kalyāṇadakṣiṇ<supplied reason="omitted">ā</supplied>nimitte </w>
<w xml:id="tok5582">saṁ<unclear>pa</unclear>dat<unclear>t</unclear>aṁ</w>
<space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<w xml:id="tok5583">tad</w>
<w xml:id="tok5584">evan</w>
<w xml:id="tok5585">nātūṇa</w>
<lb n="12"/>
<w xml:id="tok5586">savvabādhaparīhārehi</w>
<w xml:id="tok5587">pariharadha</w>
<space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<w xml:id="tok5588">°ācandatāraka<unclear>ṁ</unclear>
</w>
<pb type="plate" n="4b"/>
<lb n="13"/>
<w xml:id="tok5589">bhuñjant<unclear>u</unclear>
</w>
<gap reason="lost" quantity="2" unit="character"/>
<w xml:id="tok5589bis">
<unclear>sa</unclear>vacchare</w>
<w xml:id="tok5590">jeṭṭhamāsakālaṭṭhamiya</w>
<w xml:id="tok5591">
<unclear>sā</unclear>
</w>
<lb n="14"/>
<w xml:id="tok5592">sa<space type="binding-hole"/>muhāṇattī</w>
<space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
<w xml:id="tok5593">bhadrapadanakṣa<unclear>tre</unclear>
</w>
<w xml:id="tok5594">saṁpaddataṁ</w>
<pc>||</pc>
</ab><lg xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xml:id="seq3029" met="Anuṣṭubh" n="I" xml:lang="san-Latn">
<l xml:id="seq2530" n="a">
<w xml:id="tok5595">bahubhir</w>
<w xml:id="tok5596">vvasu<lb n="15" break="no"/>dhā</w>
<w xml:id="tok5597">dattā</w>
<space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
</l>
<l xml:id="seq2531" n="b">
<w xml:id="tok5598">bahubhiś</w>
<w xml:id="tok5599">c<unclear>ān</unclear>upāli<unclear>t</unclear>ā</w>
</l>
<l xml:id="seq2532" n="c">
<pb type="plate" n="5a"/>
<lb n="16"/>
<w xml:id="tok599bis">yasya</w>
<w xml:id="tok5600">yasya</w>
<w xml:id="tok5601">yadā</w>
<w xml:id="tok5602">
<unclear>bhū</unclear>mis</w>
</l>
<l xml:id="seq2533" n="d">
<w xml:id="tok5603">tasya</w>
<w xml:id="tok5604">tasya</w>
<w xml:id="tok5605">tadā</w>
<w xml:id="tok5606">phala<unclear>m·</unclear>
</w>
</l>
</lg><lg xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xml:id="seq3030" met="Anuṣṭubh" n="II" xml:lang="san-Latn">
<l xml:id="seq2534" n="a">
<lb n="17"/>
<w xml:id="tok5607">ṣaṣṭivarṣasaha<unclear>s</unclear>r<unclear>āṇ</unclear>i</w>
</l>
<l xml:id="seq2535" n="b">
<w xml:id="tok5608">svargge</w>
<w xml:id="tok5609">modati</w>
<w xml:id="tok5610">
<unclear>bhū</unclear>midaḥ</w>
</l>
<l xml:id="seq2536" n="c">
<w xml:id="tok5611">°apaharttā</w>
<w xml:id="tok5612">cānumantā</w>
<w xml:id="tok5613">ca</w>
</l>
<l xml:id="seq2537" n="d">
<lb n="18"/>
<w xml:id="tok5613bis">tāvan</w>
<w xml:id="tok5614">narakam</w>
<w xml:id="tok5615">r̥<unclear>c</unclear>chati</w>
<pc>|</pc>
</l>
</lg><ab xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xml:lang="pra-Latn">
<w xml:id="tok5616">°am<unclear>āt</unclear>yajaya<unclear>sv</unclear>ām<unclear>īnā</unclear>
</w>
</ab>- (seal) śrīha(stivarmmā) DS . We have not seen the seal.
- (1b, LM) (dextrorotatory-spiral) This symbol represents siddham according to Sircar 1963-1964c: 148, with n. 3 .
- (2) -guṇḍita- Understand -guṇṭhita- ( Sircar 1963-1964c: 148, n. 4 ).
- (4) -bala- <ba> looks like <p> with <ā> added above as in <pā>/<hā>.
- (5) °ahma- Other possible readings might be °amhaṁ- or °amhe-.
- (5) mulukul[i]- Sircar suggests, with reference to EIAD 161, that one might restore mulukuligāme, but comparison with EIAD 159 indicates that the text may be correct as it stands, or that one might read mulukule as a separate word.
- (5) -mududa- -muduḍa- DS . Alternative readings -mu[d/ḍ]u[d/ḍa]- are possible.
- (5–6) -ppamuhā Emend -ppamuho, as already proposed by Sircar.
- (6) °etaṁ g⟨ā⟩maṁ This portion seems to have been damaged on the plate.
- (3a, LM) 3 This numerical figure resembling a looped <ta> logically represents “3.”
- (8) -niroga- Sircar understands -nīroga- ( Sircar 1963-1964c: 146, 147, 150 ). But we think that the word must be understood as corresponding to Skt. nirukta. Cf. Kāvyamīmāṁsā: śikṣā, kalpo, vyākaraṇaṁ, niruktaṁ, chandovicitiḥ, jyautiṣaṁ ca ṣaḍaṅgānīty ācāryāḥ.
- (10) -niradāṇaṁ Understand -niratānaṁ.
- (10) saṭthi- saṭṭhi- DS . There seems to be a dot in the subscript circle, so one must read <th>.
- (11) -dakṣiṇ⟨ā⟩- -dakṣiṇa- DS . Sircar’s translation implies the emendation -dakṣiṇā-.
- (11) tad evan nātūṇa taṁ devat-attha(the)ṇa DS . Sircar’s reading apparently has a typographical error. Our reading is supported by EIAD 162, l. 12–13.
- (12) °ācandatāraka[ṁ] °ācandatārakaṁ DS .
- (13) bhuñjant[u] + + [sa]vacchare bhuñjantu | [dabe sa]vacchare DS . The apparent vertical stroke interpreted by Sircar as daṇḍa must have been the <u> in <ntu>. It is unclear why Sircar wanted to emend to -vaccharā. His reading of the numeral seems too uncertain to us to be retained.
- (13–14) -miya [sā] sa◯muhāṇattī -miyaya samuhāṇattī DS . Sircar’s reading °aṭṭhamiyaya as a single word and explaining it as corresponding to Skt. °āṣṭamikāyāṁ ( Sircar 1963-1964c: 146 ) seem farfetched. Although we hesitantly read [sā] and explain it as demonstrative with samuhāṇattī, it could also be read [ya]. Comparison with EIAD 185, l. 34 and 187, l. 31, suggests that samuhāṇattī should follow immediately after the date in the locative, so we do not expect a separate word ya (= Skt. ca), while comparison with EIAD 185 and 187 also shows that samuhāṇattī stands for Skt. nom. sg. svamukhājñaptiḥ/svamukhājñā, so that Sircar’s suggestion “The intended expression seems to be °āṇattiya ” Sircar 1963-1964c: 149 n. 6 and his interpretation as equivalent to Skt. svamukhājñaptyā (p. 147) are not acceptable.
- (14) bhadrapadanakṣa[tre] saṁpadattaṁ It seems that the first word ought to have been placed in the dating formula, while the second is redundant because it occurred already in line 11.
- (17) ṣaṣṭi- ṣaṣḍi- DS . With correction to ṣaṣṭi-. It seems to us that one can simply read ṣaṣṭi-.
- (17) svargge svaggi DS . With correction to <rgge>. It seems to us that one can simply read svargge. If there be an <i>, it is not a normal one.
- (18) °am[āt]ya- °amāttya- DS .
- (18) -jaya[sv]ām[īnā] -jayas[v]āmīnā DS . Sircar notes: “The word likhitam seems to have been omitted for want of space at the end of the line” Sircar 1963-1964c: 149 . But other interpretations of the unclear akṣaras are possible: jayasvāminaḥ, jayasvāmī |.
(1-6) From the victorious Jayapura, by the order of the glorious great king
Hastivarman, whose head is covered by the pollen of the lotus-feet of the Lord
Nārāyaṇa and who is to live for a hundred years, in the district of Kānīra, the
village headed by the headman of Mulukuli is to be addressed (thus):
(4-5+6-11) ‘In order to increase (our) own merit (dharma), longevity and strength, and in
order to lead (our ascendants and descendants) to heaven and for the sake of
expanding our religious merit, on the occasion of the dakṣiṇā (i.e. sacrificial
fee) of a first kalyāṇa (ritual), this village is given by us to sixty Brahmins―
who belong to various gotras and caraṇas and delight in penance (tapas),
recitation of sacred texts (svādhyāya), oblations (homa), vows
(vrata) and observances (niyama);
who are experts in Veda, Vedāṅga, Itihāsa, Purāṇa, etymology (niroga, i.e. nirukta),
metrics (chandovicita) and explanation of texts (pravacana); and who are devoted to the
six duties (of the Brahmins, that are) conducting sacrifices (yajana), sponsoring
sacrifices (yājana), study (adhyayana), teaching (adhyāpana), gift (dāna) and acceptance of gift (pratigraha).
(11-13) Knowing this, exempt (it) with complete exemptions from
taxes! Let them enjoy (it) as long as moon and stars (endure)!’
(13-14) In the … year, on the eighth (day) of the dark (fortnight) of the month of
Jyeṣṭha. This is an order from the (king’s) own mouth. Given under the lunar mansion
Bhadrapada.
I.
By numerous [kings], land has been given; and by many it has been protected. Whoever holds land at a given moment, to him does the fruit then belong.
II.
The giver of land revels sixty thousand years in heaven; the one who steals [land] as well as the one who approves (of the theft), [to him] will befall hell for as many [years].
(18) By the minister Jayasvāmin.
- bookmark ARIE 1953-53: 11, 23, no. A.14
- bookmark Damsteegt 1978: 236
- bookmark Gai 1986: no. 858
- bookmark Krishnan & Sundaram 1989: 98-100 (no. 52)
Commentary