Metadata

Support
Eight copper plates found with a ring and a defaced seal; furnished with original plate numbering inscribed vertically in the left margin; h. 7 ×  w. 18.42 ×  d. 0,42 cm.
Text
Middle Indo-Aryan, Southern Brāhmī script. Sanskrit language, Southern Brāhmī script. h. unavailable ×  w. unavailable cm.
Date
Fourteenth regnal year of king Nandivarman I of the Śālaṅkāyana dynasty, i.e. approximately in the second half of the 4th century.
Origin
Kānukollu, Guḍivāḍa taluk, Krishna district.
Provenance
Discovered at Kānukollu. The precise date of discovery is unknown. Not identified during fieldwork from February 2016 onward.
Editors
Emmanuel Francis and Arlo Griffiths.
Publication history
First edited by Krishna Rao 1955-56: 1-7 . Re-edited here from Krishna Rao’s facsimiles. Readings of D.C. Sircar provided in editorial notes to Krishna Rao’s article are cited . As often, <d>, <ḍ> and even <ṭ> are not clearly distinguished. We have opted for the expected spellings.

Edition

1b 1 (1) vijayaveṁgīpurā bappabhaṭṭāraka(2)pādapariggahitassa mahārāja(3)sirīnaṁdivaṁmassa vacaṇena pi2a [2] (4)ḍihaggāme mutuḍappamuho gāmo (5) savvasamaggo savvāyogapesana(6)kulaputtabhaḍamanussā bhāṇitavvā 2b (7) °iha hi °amhadhammāyubalavaddha(8)ṇattha[ṁ] bālakamahārājakumāra(9)kha[ṁ]dapottassa ya santisatthiyanaṁ 3a 3 (10) °icchanteṇa mayā °etassa sāpānu(11)ggahasamatthassa nānāgottaca(12)raṇatapassa[jjhā]yaniratassa 3b (13) °aggahārarathākāracātuvejjassa (14) °esa piḍihaggāmo °aggahārara(15)thak[ā]ravidhānena saṁpadatto tassa ya 4a 4 (16) °aggahārassa °ime parihāre (17) vitarāmi °appavesaṁ °a[no] (18)māsaṁ °alonakkhātakaṁ °araṭṭha4b (19)saṁvina°ikaṁ °acollakakurakhaṭṭa(20)ggahaṇaṁ °aharitapaṁṇasāka(21)puppaphaladuddhadadhighata5a 5 (22)takkaggahaṇa -m- ādikaṁ °etehi (23) parihārehi sesehi pi °a(24)lihitacukkakhalitehi savva5b ? (25)jātaparihārehi parihara(26)dha pariharāpedha ca yo ca (27) khu °etaṁ sāsanaṁ °appamānaṁ 6a 6 (28) kātūṇa bādhapīlaṁ janejjo (29) tassa khu na paritussajjamha (30) tti ◊ bhavati cātra
IAnuṣṭubh
a 6b ? (31) svadattam paradattaṁ vā b yo nr̥po (32) noddhared dharet· ◊
c jātau jātau 7a 7 (33) sa pibati d viṣaṅ hālahalam· (34) halam·
IIAnuṣṭubh
a bahubhir vusudhā dattā b bahu7b ? (35)bhiś cānupālitaṁ ◊
c yasya (36) yasya yadā bhūmis d tasya tasya (37) tadā phalam· ‒
8a 8 (38) sava 10 4 vāsa 2 diva 1 hatthis[ā]m[i] (39) °āṇattī mahārājaputo koṁgala(40)putto hadappag[g]āhamatyavaro ya ti –
plate 1b 1
(1) vijayaveṁgīpurā bappabhaṭṭāraka-
(2)pādapariggahitassa mahārāja-
(3)sirīnaṁdivaṁmassa vacaṇena piplate 2a [2] -
(4)ḍihaggāme mutuḍappamuho gāmo
(5) savvasamaggo savvāyogapesana-
(6)kulaputtabhaḍamanussā bhāṇitavvā plate 2b
(7) °iha hi °amhadhammāyubalavaddha-
(8)ṇattha[ṁ] bālakamahārājakumāra-
(9)kha[ṁ]dapottassa ya santisatthiyanaṁ plate 3a 3
(10) °icchanteṇa mayā °etassa sāpānu-
(11)ggahasamatthassa nānāgottaca-
(12)raṇatapassa[jjhā]yaniratassa plate 3b
(13) °aggahārarathākāracātuvejjassa
(14) °esa piḍihaggāmo °aggahārara-
(15)thak[ā]ravidhānena saṁpadatto tassa ya plate 4a 4
(16) °aggahārassa °ime parihāre
(17) vitarāmi °appavesaṁ °a[no] -
(18)māsaṁ °alonakkhātakaṁ °araṭṭhaplate 4b -
(19)saṁvina°ikaṁ °acollakakurakhaṭṭa-
(20)ggahaṇaṁ °aharitapaṁṇasāka-
(21)puppaphaladuddhadadhighataplate 5a 5 -
(22)takkaggahaṇa -m- ādikaṁ °etehi
(23) parihārehi sesehi pi °a-
(24)lihitacukkakhalitehi savvaplate 5b ? -
(25)jātaparihārehi parihara-
(26)dha pariharāpedha ca yo ca
(27) khu °etaṁ sāsanaṁ °appamānaṁ plate 6a 6
(28) kātūṇa bādhapīlaṁ janejjo
(29) tassa khu na paritussajjamha
(30) tti ◊ bhavati cātra plate 6b ?
(31) svadattam paradattaṁ vā yo nr̥po
(32) noddhared dharet· ◊ jātau jātau plate 7a 7
(33) sa pibati viṣaṅ hālahalam·
(34) halam· bahubhir vusudhā dattā bahuplate 7b ? -
(35)bhiś cānupālitaṁ ◊ yasya
(36) yasya yadā bhūmis tasya tasya
(37) tadā phalam· ‒ plate 8a 8
(38) sava 10 4 vāsa 2 diva 1 hatthis[ā]m[i]
(39) °āṇattī mahārājaputo koṁgala-
(40)putto hadappag[g]āhamatyavaro ya ti – 
<ab xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xml:lang="pra-Latn">
					          <pb type="plate" n="1b"/>
					          <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                  <num value="1">1</num>
               </fw>
					          <lb n="1"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5617">vijayaveṁgīpurā</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5618">bappabhaṭṭāraka<lb n="2" break="no"/>pādapariggahitassa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5619">mahārāja<lb n="3" break="no"/>sirīnaṁdivaṁmassa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5620">vacaṇena</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5621">pi<pb type="plate" n="2a"/>
                  <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                     <num value="2">
                        <unclear>2</unclear>
                     </num>
                  </fw>
                  <lb n="4" break="no"/>ḍihaggāme</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5622">mutuḍappamuho</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5623">gāmo</w>
					          <lb n="5"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5624">savvasamaggo</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5625">savvāyogapesana<lb n="6" break="no"/>kulaputtabhaḍamanussā</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5626">bhāṇitavvā</w>
					          <pb type="plate" n="2b"/>
               <lb n="7"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5627">°iha</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5628">hi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5629">°amhadhammāyubalavaddha<lb n="8" break="no"/>ṇattha<unclear>ṁ</unclear>
               </w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5630">bālakamahārājakumāra<lb n="9" break="no"/>kha<unclear>ṁ</unclear>dapottassa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5631">ya</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5632">santisatthiyanaṁ</w>
					          <pb type="plate" n="3a"/>
               <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                  <num value="3">3</num>
               </fw>
					          <lb n="10"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5633">°icchanteṇa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5634">mayā</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5635">°etassa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5636">sāpānu<lb n="11" break="no"/>ggahasamatthassa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5637">nānāgottaca<lb n="12" break="no"/>raṇatapassa<unclear>jjhā</unclear>yaniratassa</w>
					          <pb type="plate" n="3b"/>
               <lb n="13"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5638">°aggahārarathākāracātuvejjassa</w>
					          <lb n="14"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5639">°esa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5640">piḍihaggāmo</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5641">°aggahārara<lb n="15" break="no"/>thak<unclear>ā</unclear>ravidhānena</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5642">saṁpadatto</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5643">tassa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5644">ya</w>
					          <pb type="plate" n="4a"/>
               <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                  <num value="4">4</num>
               </fw>
					          <lb n="16"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5645">°aggahārassa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5646">°ime</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5647">parihāre</w>
					          <lb n="17"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5648">vitarāmi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5649">°appavesaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5650">°a<unclear>no</unclear>
                  <lb n="18" break="no"/>māsaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5651">°alonakkhātakaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5652">°araṭṭha<pb type="plate" n="4b"/>
                  <lb n="19" break="no"/>saṁvina°ikaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5653">°acollakakurakhaṭṭa<lb n="20" break="no"/>ggahaṇaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="cmp50">
                  <w xml:id="tok5654">°aharitapaṁṇasāka<lb n="21" break="no"/>puppaphaladuddhadadhighata<pb type="plate" n="5a"/>
                     <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                        <num value="5">5</num>
                     </fw>
                     <lb n="22" break="no"/>takkaggahaṇa</w>
                  <w xml:id="tok5655" type="hiatus-breaker">m</w>
                  <w xml:id="tok5656">ādikaṁ</w>
               </w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5657">°etehi</w>
					          <lb n="23"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5658">parihārehi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5658bis">sesehi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5659">pi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5660">°a<lb n="24" break="no"/>lihitacukkakhalitehi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5661">savva<pb type="plate" n="5b"/>
                  <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                     <gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
                  </fw>
                  <lb n="25" break="no"/>jātaparihārehi</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5662">parihara<lb n="26" break="no"/>dha</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5663">pariharāpedha</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5664">ca</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5665">yo</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5666">ca</w>
					          <lb n="27"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5667">khu</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5668">°etaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5669">sāsanaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5670">°appamānaṁ</w>
					          <pb type="plate" n="6a"/>
               <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                  <num value="6">6</num>
               </fw>
					          <lb n="28"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5671">kātūṇa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5672">bādhapīlaṁ</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5673">janejjo</w>
					          <lb n="29"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5674">tassa</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5675">khu</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5676">na</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5677">paritussajjamha</w>
					          <lb n="30"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5678">tti</w>
					          <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          <w xml:id="tok5679">bhavati</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5680">cātra</w>
				        </ab>
<lg xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xml:id="seq3031" met="Anuṣṭubh" n="I" xml:lang="san-Latn">
					          <l xml:id="seq2538" n="a">
						            <pb type="plate" n="6b"/>
                  <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                     <gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
                  </fw>
						            <lb n="31"/>
                  <w xml:id="tok5681">svadattam</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5682">paradattaṁ</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5683">vā</w>
					          </l>
					          <l xml:id="seq2539" n="b">
						            <w xml:id="tok5684">yo</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5685">nr̥po</w>
						            <lb n="32"/>
                  <w xml:id="tok5686">noddhared</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5687">dharet·</w>
						            <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          </l>
					          <l xml:id="seq2540" n="c">
						            <w xml:id="tok5688">jātau</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5689">jātau</w>
						            <pb type="plate" n="7a"/>
                  <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                     <num value="7">7</num>
                  </fw>
						            <lb n="33"/>
                  <w xml:id="tok5689bis">sa</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5690">pibati</w>
					          </l>
					          <l xml:id="seq2541" n="d">
						            <w xml:id="tok5691">viṣaṅ</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5692">hālahalam·</w>
						            <lb n="34"/>
                  <w xml:id="tok5692bis">halam·</w>
					          </l>
				        </lg>
<lg xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xml:id="seq3032" met="Anuṣṭubh" n="II" xml:lang="san-Latn">
					          <l xml:id="seq2542" n="a">
						            <w xml:id="tok5693">bahubhir</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5694">vusudhā</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5695">dattā</w>
					          </l>
					          <l xml:id="seq2543" n="b">
						            <w xml:id="tok5696">bahu<pb type="plate" n="7b"/>
                     <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                        <gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
                     </fw>
                     <lb n="35" break="no"/>bhiś</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5697">cānupālitaṁ</w>
						            <space type="horizontal" quantity="1" unit="character"/>
					          </l>
					          <l xml:id="seq2544" n="c">
						            <w xml:id="tok5698">yasya</w>
						            <lb n="36"/>
                  <w xml:id="tok5699">yasya</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5700">yadā</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5701">bhūmis</w>
					          </l>
					          <l xml:id="seq2545" n="d">
						            <w xml:id="tok5702">tasya</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5703">tasya</w>
						            <lb n="37"/>
                  <w xml:id="tok5704">tadā</w>
						            <w xml:id="tok5705">phalam·</w>
						            <pc>‒</pc>
					          </l>
				        </lg>
<ab xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xml:lang="pra-Latn">
					          <pb type="plate" n="8a"/>
               <fw type="pageNum" place="marginleft">
                  <num value="8">8</num>
               </fw>
					          <lb n="38"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5706">sava</w>
					          <num xml:id="tok5707" value="10">10</num>
					          <num xml:id="tok5708" value="4">4</num>
					          <w xml:id="tok5709">vāsa</w>
					          <num xml:id="tok5710" value="2">2</num>
					          <w xml:id="tok5711">diva</w>
					          <num xml:id="tok5712" value="1">1</num>
					          <w xml:id="tok5713">hatthis<unclear>ā</unclear>m<unclear>i</unclear>
               </w>
					          <lb n="39"/>
               <w xml:id="tok5714">°āṇattī</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5715">mahārājaputo</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5716">koṁgala<lb n="40" break="no"/>putto</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5717">hadappag<unclear>g</unclear>āhamatyavaro</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5718">ya</w>
					          <w xml:id="tok5719">ti</w>
					          <pc>–</pc>
				        </ab>

Apparatus

  • (1) -bhaṭṭāraka- The reading prima facie would seem to be -bhajṭaraka-. But -bhaṭṭāraka- is expected, and what appears to be the middle horizontal of a <j> must thus be <-ā> attached in an unusual position.
  • (2a, LM) [2] The sign visible on the facsimile looks more like a 1, but a 2 is expected and there is perhaps the trace of a second stroke visible that would make this 2.
  • (4) mutuḍa- BVKR . According to the reading of D.C. Sircar provided in editorial notes to Krishna Rao’s article. mutyada- BVKR .
  • (9) ya santisatthiyanaṁ BVKR . According to the reading of D.C. Sircar provided in editorial notes to Krishna Rao’s article. yasattisatthiyanaṁ BVKR .
  • (13) -rathākāra- Krishna Rao 1955-56 proposes to emend -rathakāra-.
  • (17–18) °a[no]māsaṁ Or has the scribe written °aṇamāsaṁ?
  • (5b, LM) The illegible sign could be a numeral.
  • (29) paritussajjamha Emend paritussejjamha. We take this as 1st pl. opt. form with imp. ending.
  • (6b, LM) The illegible sign could be a numeral.
  • (34) halam· D.C. Sircar proposes to emend dhruvam.
  • (34) vusudhā Krishna Rao 1955-56 proposes to emend vasudhā/vvasudhā.
  • (7b, LM) The illegible sign could be a numeral.
  • (35) cānupālita cānupālitaṁ BVKR . Emending to cānupālitā. Or is what seems to be an anusvāra actually the trace of the expected <-ā>?
  • (38) hatthis[ā]m[i] Or read hatthisama = hatthasama? Or hatthisam(uha) ? Cf. EIAD 160, l. 14 samuhāṇattī.
  • (39) -puto koṁgala- BVKR . According to the reading of D.C. Sircar provided in editorial notes to Krishna Rao’s article. -puṇakoṁgala- BVKR .
  • (40) hadappag[g]āhamatyavaro ya ti BVKR . According to the reading of D.C. Sircar provided in editorial notes to Krishna Rao’s article. adappaggāha chetya varohati BVKR .

Translation

(1-6) From the victorious city of Veṅgī, by the command of the glorious great king Nandivarman, who is favored by (or: who has embraced) the feet of his lord father, in the village of Piḍiha, the village headed by the mutuḍa, all complete—the men of good family (kulaputta) and constables (bhaḍamanussā) [appointed to] all duties and services—are to be addressed (thus):
(7-15) ‘For here by me, in order to increase our merit (dharma), longevity and strength, and desiring the peace and prosperity of the infant crown-prince Khandapotta, has been given this village of Piḍiha, in accordance with the rules of the Rathakāra settlement, to the community of Caturvedins of the Rathakāra settlement, which is capable of both of cursing and of showing kindness, which belongs to various lineages and schools and is steeped in austerities as well the study of the Vedas.
(16-30) And I confer to this settlement these immunities: it is not to be entered (by royal officers without permission); not to be interfered with; not to be dug for salt; not to be controlled by the (superordinate) territory; not to supply water-pots, boiled rice and cots; not to supply grass, betel leaves, vegetables, flowers, fruit, curd, milk, ghee and butter-milk; etc. With these exemptions and all other types of exemptions that have not been written due to erroneous omission, you shall exempt (this village) and (also) cause (it) to be exempted. Whosoever, failing to respect this edict, would cause trouble or harassment, of him we would not approve.’
I.

The king who does not rescue or sustain what is given by himself or given by another, surely (dhruvam) drinks the poison (named) hālahala from birth to birth.

II.

By many land has been given and by many protected. Whoever holds land at a given moment, to him does the fruit then belong.

(38-40) Year 14, (fortnight of the) rainy season 2, day 1. The executor is Hatthisāmi, (who is) the son of mahārāja, son of Koṁgala (mahārājaputo koṁgalaputto), and the best among ministers (in charge of) the seizure of (i.e. recovering, reclaiming) stolen goods (?).

Commentary

  • (18-19) °araṭṭhasaṁvina°ikaṁ According to Sircar 1966: 392 , this MIA form corresponds to Sanskrit arāṣṭrasāṃvinayika and “refers to the freedom of the gift land from the administrative control to which the district in which it was situated was subject” ( Sircar 1966: 392 ). Even though it may seem counter-intuitive because of the double negation (<a-> and <vi->), meanings of vinī such as “to instruct, to direct, to punish” allow this interpretation. See also Senart 1902-03: 67-6; Mirashi and Mahajan 1921-22: 149; Sircar 1965: 199 n. 4 . For Pallava attestations, see Francis 2017: 461.
  • (38-40) This passage is very obscure. Sircar believed that two executors (Hatthisāmi and Vara) are mentioned, but we tentatively propose that the second description applies to the same Hatthisāmi.
  • (40) hadappag[g]āhamatya- We follow Sircar’s suggestion that this word stands for Sanskrit hr̥tapragrāhāmātya, “i.e. an amātya or officer in charge of the seizure of stolen goods” ( Krishna Rao 1955-56: 6 ).

Secondary bibliography