Indian Epigraphy: A Guide to the Study of Inscriptions in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and the Other Indo-Aryan Languages c14.s8: 10. Baroda Copper Plate Inscription of Rāṣṭrakūṭa Karkkarāja [II]

Indian Epigraphy: A Guide to the Study of Inscriptions in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and the Other Indo-Aryan Languages c14.s8

Language: English

10. Baroda Copper Plate Inscription of Rāṣṭrakūṭa Karkkarāja [II]

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muktvā ca śaṅkaram adhīśvaram īśvarāṇāṃ /
nāvandatā-

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putrīyataś ca khalu tasya bhavaprasādāt [*/]
sūnur bbabhūva guṇarāśir udārakīrttiḥ /

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5. yo gauṇi[read ṇa?]nāmaparivāram uvāha mukhyam /

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śrīkarkkarājasubhagavyapadeśam uccaiḥ // [*4]
saurājyajalpe patite prasaṅgā-

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nideśanaṃ viśvajanīnasampat /
rājyaṃ baleḥ pūrvvam aho babhūva /
kṣitāv idānīn tu nṛpasya yasya // [*5]
atyadbhu-

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kaliprasaṅgena yad ekapādaṃ /
jātaṃ vṛṣaṃ yaḥ kṛtavān idānīm /
bhūyaś catuṣpādam avighnacā-

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citraṃ na cedam yad asau yathāvac
cakre prajāpālanam etad eva /
viṣṇau jagat[*t]rāṇapare manassthe
tasyoci-

9. ta[m] tanmayamānasasya // [*7]
dharmmātmanas tasya nṛpasya jajñe /
sutaḥ sadharmmā khalu kṛṣṇarājaḥ /
yo vańśya-
10. m unmūlya vimārggā[*read* a]bhājaṃ [*/]
rājyaṃ svayaṃ gotrahitāya cakkre // [*8]
brahmaṇyatā tasya ca kāpi sābhūd [*/]
viprā yayā /[*sic*] ke-
11. valajātayo pi /
śreṣṭhadvijanmocitadānalubdhāḥ /
karmmāṇy anūcānakṛtāni cakkruḥ // [*9]
icchātirekeṇa
12. kṛṣībalānām /
payo yathā muñcati jātu meghe [*/]
bhaven manas tadviratau tathābhūd [*/]
yasmin dhanaṃ varṣṣati sevakānām // [*10]
13. yo yuddhakaṇḍūtigṛhītam uccaiḥ /
sau[*read* śau]ryyoṣmasamdīpitam āpatantaṃ /
mahāvarāhaṃ hariṇīcakāra /
prājyaprabhāvaḥ
14. khalu rājasiṅghaḥ[*read*-siṃhaḥ] /[*11]
elāpurācalagatādbhutasaṃniveśaṃ /
yad vīkṣya vismitavimānacarāmarendrāḥ /
eta-
15. [*t] svayambhu śivadhāma na kṛtrime śrīr [*/]
dṛṣṭedṛśīti satataṃ bahu carccayanti // [*12]
bhūyas tathāvidhakṛtau vyava-
16. sāyahāni[r] [*/]
etan mayā katham aho kṛtam ity akasmāt /
karttāpi yasya khalu vismayam āpa śi-
17. lpī /
tannāma kīrttanam ā[*read* a]kāryyata yena rājñā /[*13]
gaṅgāpravāhahimadīdhitikālakū-
[Plate 2, side 1]
18. tair [*/]
atyudbhutābharaṇakaiṣ kṛtamaṇḍano pi /
māṇikyakāñcanapurassarasarvvabhū-
19. tyā /
tatra sthitaḥ punar abhūṣyata yena śambhuḥ // [*14]
nṛpasya tasya dhruvarājanāmā /
20. mahānubhāvas tanayo babhu(ū)va /
tṛṇīkṛtān yasya parākrameṇa [*/]
pratāpavahnir dviṣato dadā-
21. ha // [*15]
lakṣmīprasādhanavidhāv upayogi kṛtyaṃ /

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yaś cintayan svayam abhūd aniśaṁ kṛtārtthaḥ / kiṁ vātra citram a-
22. napekṣya sahāyaṁ īśaḥ [*/] sarvvaḥ pumān nijadha[*read* va]dhūṁ svavaśāṁ vidhātuṁ // [*16] yo gaṅgāyamune taraṅgasu-
23. bhage gṛhṇan parebhyaḥ samaṁ / sākṣāc cihnanibhena cottamapadaṁ tat prāptavān aiśvaraṁ / dehāsammitavaibha-
24. vair iva guṇair yyasya bhramadbhir ddiśo / vyāptās tasya babhūva kīrttipuruṣo govindarājaḥ sutaḥ // [*17]
25. pradeśavṛttivyavasāyabhājāṁ [*/] purātanānām api pārtvi[*read* rtthi]vānāṁ / yaśānsi [*sic*] yo nāma jahāra bhūpo [*/] bhagnapraca-
26. ṇḍākhilavairivīraḥ /[*/18] unmūlitottuṅganarendravaṁśo [*/] mahānarendrīkṛtatucchabhṛtyaḥ [*/] svecchāvidhāyī caritānukāraṁ [*/]
27. cakāra yo nāma vidheḥ kṣitīśaḥ // [*19] hiñjiraisiñjitaraṇaccaraṇān arātīn [*/] kurvann kṣaṇena vidadhe dbhutakarmma yaś ca /
28. cakre tathā hi na tathāśu vadhaṁ pareṣāṁ / pārttho pi nāma bhuvanatṛ[*read* tri]tayaikavīraḥ // [*20] kalpakṣayakṣaṇasamudbhava-
29. vātahelā- [*/] dolāyamānakulaśailakulānukāraṁ / yanmuktacaṇḍaśarajālajavapraṇunnā / yuddhāgatā ripu-
30. gajendraghaṭā cakāra // [*21] bhrātā tu tasyendrasamānavīryyaḥ / śrīmān bhuvi kṣmāpatir indrarājaḥ [*/] śāstā babhūvā-
31. dbhutakīrttisūtis [*/] tad[*d]attalāṭeśvaramaṇḍalasya // [*22] adyāpi yasya surakinnarasiddhasādhya- [*/] vidyā-
32. dharādhipatayo guṇapakṣapātāt / gāyanti kundakusumaśri yaśo yathāsva- [*/] dhāmasthitā[*s] sa-
33. hacarīkucadattahastāḥ // [*23] yenaikena ca gūrjjareśvarapatir yyoddhuṁ samabhyudyataḥ [*/] śauryya-
34. proddhatakandharo mṛga iva kṣipraṁ diśo grāhitaḥ [*/] bhītāsaṁṅ[*sic*]hatadakṣiṇāpathama-

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[Plate 2, side 2]

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35. hāsāmantacakra(m) yato [\*/] rakṣāṃ āpa viluṇṭyamānavibhavaṃ śrīvallabhenādarāt // [\*24] tasyātmajaḥ prathita-
36. vikramavairivargga- [\*/] lakṣmīhaṭhāharaṇasantatalabdhakīrttiḥ / śrīkakkarāja iti [saṃśritapūritāśaḥ?] [\*/] śāstrārtthabodha-
37. paripālitasarvvalokaḥ // [\*25] rājye yasya na taskarasya vasatir vyādheḥ prasūtir mṛtā [\*/] durbhikṣaṃ na ca vibhramasya mahimā
38. naivopasargodbhavaḥ [\*/] kṣīṇo doṣagaṇaḥ pratāpavinatāśeṣārivarggas tathā [\*/] no vidvatparipanthinī prabhavati krū-
39. rā khalānāṃ matiḥ // [\*26] gauḍendravangapatinirjjayadurvvidagdha- [\*/] sadgūrjjareśvaradigarggalatāṃ ca yasya / nītvā bhujaṃ vihata-
40. mālavarakṣaṇārtthaṃ [\*/] svamī tathānyam api rājyacha[*read* pha]lāni bhū[*read* bhu]ṅkte /[\*27] tenedaṃ [\*anila]vidyuccañcalaṃ ālokya jīvitaṃ [\*asāram] [\*/] kṣitidāna-
41. ñ ca paramapuṇyaṃ pravarttito yaṃ dharmmadāyaḥ [\*//28] sa ca lāṭeśvaraḥ samadhigatāśeṣamahāśabdamahāsāmantā-
42. dhipatisuvarṇṇavarṣaśrīkarkkarājadevo yathāsambadhyamānakān rāṣṭrapativiṣayapatigrāmakūṭādhi-
43. kārikamahattarādīn samanubodhayati [\*/] astu vaḥ saṃviditaṃ / yathā mayā śrīsiddhaśamīsamāvāsitena mā-
44. tāpitror ātmanaś caihikāmuṣmikapuṇyayaśobhivṛddhaye śrīvalabhī-vinirggatataccāturvvidyasāmānya-
45. vāstyā[*read*tsyā]yanasagotramādhyandinasabrāhmacāribrāhmaṇabhānave bhaṭṭasomādityaputrāyā-
46. ṅkoṭṭakacaturāśītyanna[*read* nta]rggatavaḍapadrakābhidhānagrāmeḥ [*read* maḥ] yasyāghāṭanāni pūrvvato jambu-
47. vāvikāgrāmas tathā dakṣiṇato mahāsenakākhyaṃ taḍāgaṃ / tathā paścimato ṅkoṭṭakaṃ / tathotta-
48. rato vagghācchagrāma [\*/] evam asau caturāghāṭanopalakṣitaḥ sodraṅgaḥ sa[*read* so]parikaraḥ sabhūta-
49. vātapratyāyaḥ sadaṇḍadaśāparadhaḥ sotpadyamānaviṣṭikaḥ sadhānya-hiraṇyādeyaḥ sarvva-
50. rājakīyānām ahastapraksepaṇīya ācandrārkkārṇṇavasaritparvvata-samakālīnaḥ putrapau-
51. trānvayabhogyaḥ pūrvvapradattadevadāyabrahmadāyarahito bhūmicchidranyāyena
52. śakanṛpakālātītasaṃvatsaraśateṣu saptasu śca[*read* ca]tustriṃśada[dhike]ṣu mahāvaiśākhyāṃ snātvoda-
53. kātisarggeṇa balicaruvaiśvadevāgnihotrātithipañcamahā-

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[Plate 3, side 1]

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54. yajñakratukriyādyutsarppaṇārtthaṃ pratipāditaḥ / yato syocitayā brahmadāyasthityā bhuñjato bho-
55. jayataḥ pratidiśato vā kṛṣataḥ karṣṣayataś ca na kenaca[*read* ci]t paripanthanā kāryyā [*/] tathāgāmi-
56. [*nṛpati]bhir asmadvaṅśyair anyair vvā sāmānya[*ṃ] bhūmidāna[*phala]m avagacchadbhir vvidyullolāny anityāni aiśvaryāṇi tri[*read* tṛ]ṇāgralagnajala-
57. binducañcalañ ca jīvitam āna[*read* ka]layya sv

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69. śrīmadindrarājasutasya // likhitañ caitan mayā mahāsandhivigrahādhikṛta-kulaputrakadurggabhaṭasūnunā
70. nemādityeneti / ayam ca grāmo tītanarapatiparīkṣiṇāṁkoṭṭaka-śrīcāturvvidyāya datto bhūt [*/] tenāpi
71. [kurā]jā[*read* ja]nitavilā[*read* lo]pavicchinnaparibhogam vi[*read* vi]jñānavaramānyaśya[*read* sya] vā viśiṣṭasya kaśya[*read* sya]cit bhavatu dvijā[*read* ja]nmana iti niścitya
72. śu[*read* su]varṇṇavarṣadīpa[*read* ya]māna[*ḥ] [va]ṭa[*pu?]ra[vā?]sine bhānubhaṭṭāyānumoditaḥ [*/] śālātāpyam gṛhītvā tālāvārikādi[gaṇaṁ co?]ddi-
73. śya tāmbūlapradānapūrvvā[*read* a]kam yathālābha[sevanañ cāśādiśya?] prakṛtikam api puram [i?]ti

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[Plate 3, side 2]

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74. tathā śrīyāgeśvarapra[*read* pa]ramadhi[*read* ī]śapādamūlaṁ jānātīti//

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Notes

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Line 1: *yena*: Read *dhāma*, as found in this verse in other Rāṣṭrakūṭa grants. Line 1: *samalaṁkṛtaṁ*: Read *kam alaṁkṛtam*, as in other inscriptions. Line 6: *nideśanaṁ*: The intended reading is probably *nidarśanam*, as in other Rāṣṭrakūṭa grants (e.g., EI 35, 278, l. 49). Line 9: *sadharmmā*: Fleet reads *sudharmmā*; Prinsep, correctly, has *sadharmmā*. Line 15: *kṛtrime*: Fleet corrects this to *kṛtrimam*, but the emendation does not seem necessary. Line 16: *vyavasāyahani*[r]: The intended reading may have been *-hāner*; R. G. Bhandarkar (*IA 12*, 229) so reads. Line 36: *śrīkakkarāja iti* [*saṁśritapūritāśaḥ?*]: This passage has been written over another text, by way of a correction, so that neither is clearly legible. The engraver of the plate appears to have skipped back and forth between this line and the next line in the archetype from which he was copying; traces of the phrase *prasūtir mṛtā durbhikṣam* from l. 37 seem to be visible under the revised text. The reading *saṁśritapūritāśaḥ* is confirmed by the same verse in another Rāṣṭrakūṭa grant (EI 35, 278, v. 46). Line 38: *pratāpavinatāśeṣārivarggas tathā*: Fleet corrects to *-vinato śeṣāri*-, but this is not absolutely necessary. Line 40: *tathānyam*: The *akṣara nya* was added below the *thā*. Line 40: [*anila*], [*asāram*]: These words, which are metrically necessary, are supplied from the usual form of the same verse in other Rāṣṭrakūṭa records; cf. EI 35, 279, v. 41 and n. 2. (Similarly below for *nṛpati* and *phala*, l. 56, and *bindu*, l. 65.) Line 50: *rājakīyānām*: *kī* was apparently corrected for an original *nī*. Lines 68–69: *svahasto . . . sutasya*: This portion is in a different hand, representing the king’s own signature. Lines 70–74: *ayam ca . . .*: The text from here to the end of the inscription is a later addition, written in very carelessly, so that the reading is uncertain in many places. (See also the translation notes on this portion.)

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Translation

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1. Success! May he [i.e., Viṣṇu] protect you, the lotus of whose navel was chosen by the Creator [i.e., Brahmā] as his dwelling [*dhāma*; see text notes]; and [may]

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Hara [Śiva], whose head (*kam*) is adorned by the beautiful crescent moon, also [protect you]. [verse 1]

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May it be well! There 16. even the artisan who created it was (himself) suddenly amazed, and said: “I cannot bring myself to endeavor to create such a thing again; how is it that I made this?” [vv. 12–13]
17. Although he was When the Gūrjjara king, with neck held high in his vainglory, attempted to attack him,

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34. he 50. it is free from interference by all royal officers, and is to remain (his property) as long as the moon and sun, the 68. you must protect at all times.” [v. 36] The envoy in this [transaction] was the Rājaputra Dantivarman. Signed by me, the illustrious Kakkarāja, son of the illustrious Indrarāja, in my own hand.

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69. This was written by me, Nemāditya, superintendent of the Office of the Supreme Commander of War and Peace, son of the noble Durgabhaṭa.

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70. [Codicil:] This village [Vaḍapadraka] has been granted according to [the judgment of] the examiner [the records of?] of former kings to the *caturvedin* community of Aṃkoṭṭaka. The same person

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71. has decided that, possession having been broken by an interruption caused by evil kings, it should be (granted) to some distinguished Brahman or other who is revered for his exceptional wisdom;

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72. and he has [therefore] awarded [the village] which is being given [in this grant] by Suvarṇavarṣa [Govindarāja] to Bhānubhaṭṭa who resides in Vaṭapura (?). Taking *śālātāpya* (?) designated for the community of Tālāvarikas and others,

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73. together with a gift of betel, the original town too (. . . designated ?) is to be used as it was obtained (?).

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74. The foot of the supreme lord Śrīyāgeśvara knows that it is so.

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Notes

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Line 10: “his kinsman who had taken to the wrong path”: The reference is to Kṛṣṇarāja’s nephew Dantidurga, whom he overthrew.

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Lines 10–11: “those who were Brahmans by birth only”: For *viprā . . . kevalajātayo*, which Fleet renders as “those who were (only) once-born, (*becoming as it were*) Brāhmaṇs.” This seems unlikely, as it would hardly be to Kṛṣṇarāja’s credit that Brahmanical rites were performed by non-Brahmans under his auspices; while the restoration of fallen Brahmans to their former status was considered a highly virtuous act. Here, as occasionally elsewhere, Prinsep’s (actually Chakravarti’s) translation is more accurate: “those who were only nominally Bráhmanas.”

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Line 13: “the great . . . boar”: The reference is to a king of the Cālukya line, hereditary enemy of the Rāṣṭrakūṭas, whose family crest was the boar.

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Lines 14–16: “That king caused to be constructed . . .”: I mostly follow the corrections of Fleet’s translation suggested by Bhandarkar, taking *kīrttanam* as ‘temple’ and reading verses 12 and 13 together as a *yugalaka*, with *yad* and *yasya* referring to *kīrttanam*. Unlike Bhandarkar, however, I take *nāma* not as an adverb (‘verily’), but as a noun referring to the temple which, it seems to be implied, was named after Elāpura (or perhaps after the architect?).

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According to Bhandarkar (229), Elāpura is Elūrā (Ellora) and the construction described here is “very likely” the famous Kailāsa temple there.

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Line 19: “by that (king)”: *yena*; Fleet translates “by means of it,” evidently taking the relative pronoun to refer to the palace.

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Line 23: “through a symbol” (*cihnanibhena*): Ronald Inden (*Imagining India* [Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1990], 259) suggests that this refers to Dhruvarāja’s [*sic*; actually Govindarāja’s] bringing jars of water from the Gaṅgā and Yamunā back to his capital as an emblem of his universal sovereignty.

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Line 25: “whose endeavors had their influence in (only certain) regions” (*pradeśavṛtti-vyasāyabhājāṃ*): Fleet translates “who applied themselves to travelling in foreign countries,” which seems to miss the point. Unlike earlier kings whose influence extended over only certain regions (*pradeśa*), Govindarāja, in conquering all of his enemies, ruled over the entire world.

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Line 35: “Śrīvallabha”: According to Fleet (158) and Sircar (EI 35, 275) the reference is to the ruler of the principal Rāṣṭrakūṭa line of Mānyakheṭa, i.e., Karkkarāja’s uncle Govinda III (l. 24). Line 36: “fulfills the wishes of his supplicants”: or perhaps “whose supplicants fill all the directions.” Line 40: “his Master”: Probably his uncle Govindarāja [III] of the main Rāṣṭrakūṭa line (see note above on l. 35). Line 46: Vaḍapadraka: Modern Baroda (Vāḍodara); see EI 22, 80. “Aṅkoṭṭaka” is modern Akola, a part of Baroda (EI 38, 268). Lines 48ff: “the fixed tax, the additional tax, the income resulting from storms and earthquakes,” etc.: For the interpretation of these technical terms (*sodraṅgaḥ soparikaraḥ sabhūtavātapratyāyaḥ* . . .) see the entries in Sircar’s *Indian Epigraphical Glossary*. Line 70: “The same person” (*tenāpi*): Fleet translates “Therefore, also.” Line 71: “some distinguished Brahman or other”: This translation is based on the assumption that the word “other” (*anyasya*) has been haplographically omitted; i.e., I read *vijñānavaramānyasy[*ānyasya]* vā*. . . . Fleet, reading *vijñānavaram anyasya* . . ., translates “it should be the reward of learning of some excellent twice-born man.” Note also the Marathi term *śrotriyamānya* ‘Brahman land-grant’ (BSOAS 20, 427), which may be related to this term. The translation of this passage, and of the codicil as a whole, is highly uncertain due to the very corrupt text. Line 72: “Taking *śālātāpya* (?)”: The meaning of this word is unknown; Fleet leaves it untranslated, commenting (165 n. 37), “The meaning of *śālātāpya* is not apparent.” It could be a toponym, in which case we should perhaps read *śālātāpyāṃ* ‘at Śālātāpī.’ Line 72: *Tālāvarikas*: An official of some sort, probably a town superintendent or the like. See *IEG* s.v. *talavara*, *tālāvārika*, etc.

Linked texts (4)

Epigraphia Indica
Śiva — Sanskrit
Viṣṇu — Sanskrit
Elurā