The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c16.261

v1.c16.261

(3) *The Amgachi grant.*—Found by a peasant at the village of Amgachi in Dinajpur district, Bengal, while digging earth. The record is incised on a single plate of copper. The royal seal ‘consists of a circle with raised rim and beaded border, resting on a mass of arabesque work ; on its top rests a small *caitya* over which is an umbrella. A long penon hangs from each side of the umbrella.’ The upper half of the circle is occupied by the wheel of law resting on a pedestal and having a small umbrella over it. There is the usual deer couchant on each side of it. Below this is the legend *Srī Vigrahapāladevaḥ*. ‘The alphabet shows a nearer approach to the complete Bengali forms than the Bangad grant of Mahīpāla I.’ The inscription is written on both sides of the plate and consists of 49 lines (33 on the front and 16 on the back). The record gives the Pāla genealogy from Gopāla to Vigrahapāla III. Most of the verses of this portion are the same as in the Bangad grant of Mahīpāla I. In verse 13 Vigrahapāla III is described as the *cāturvarṇṇya-samāśrayaḥ* (a supporter of the four castes). Curiously enough Verse 14 of this inscription beginning with *deśe prāci pracura-payasi*, which describes the campaigns of the donor of this grant occurs as V. 11 of the Bangad grant of Mahīpāla I as the description of the campaigns of Vigrahapāla II. The inscription was issued by *Ps.-M.* Nayapāladeva-pādānudhyātaḥ *P.-Pb.-M.* Vigrahapāladeva, from the victorious camp at Haradhāma (?) in the year 12 of his reign (line 42). It records the grant of some land in the village of Viṣamapura with a place called Daṇḍatraheśvara (?) in the Brāhmaṇi-grama-*Maṇḍala* of Koṭivarṣa-*Viṣaya* in the Puṇḍravardhana-*Bhukti* to the Brāhmaṇa Khoduladeva Śarman. The grant was made on the occasion of a lunar eclipse in honour of Buddha-bhaṭṭāraka, etc., after bathing in the Ganges according to religious practice (*vidhivat*). The *Dūtaka* was the *Mantrī* Sahasija (?), and the document was incised by the *Śilpī* Mahīdharadeva ¹ (4) *Indian Museum stone image-inscription.*—This consists of two lines, and is incised on an image of Buddha in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. It records theerection of the image by the *Suvarṇakāra* Dehaka in the 13th year of Vigrahapāladeva.¹