The Age of the Imperial Guptas c6.37

c6.37

In the third, and fifth plates from Damodarpur it is stated in the report of the *Pustapālas* that “the land may be given for the increase of the merit of His Majesty the King (*Paramabhaṭṭāraka-Mahārāja-pādena puṇyopacayāya*). Unfortunately the seal has been preserved in the case of the fifth plate only and on this we find the legend *Koṭivarṣ-ādhiṣṭhān-ādhikaraṇasya*; “(the seal) of the office of the administration of Koṭivarṣa.” We may compare with this the seal on the Faridpur plates, *Vāraka-maṇḍal-ādhikaraṇasya*; “(the seal) of the office of the *maṇḍala* of Vāraka.” The seal as well as the form of the inscription prove that neither the Damodarpur plates nor the Faridpur plates are Royal or Imperial grants of land. They are simply deeds of transfer of land issued by local officials in distant parts of the Empire and were transactions in which the Imperial Secretariat took no part. It cannot be understood how their Majesties Budhagupta and Bhānugupta acquired merit by selling uncultivated lands after taking the proper price.