The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c28.269

v2.c28.269

(1) *Semra grant.*—This was discovered ‘at Semra, a village in the Bijawar state, Bundelkhand Agency, C.I., and 9 miles west of Shahgarh, a police station in the Sagar district of the C.P.’ It consists of 124 lines, incised on three plates of copper. The middle plate alone is written on both sides. The plates are joined by a ‘plain ring ;’ but at the top of the first plate there is a representation of Lakṣmī with four arms, seated on a lotus ; above her shoulders stand two elephants with raised trunks. The language is mainly Sanskrit prose; but there are ‘a good many Prākṛt or hybrid forms’ in the names of the donees and the villages. The inscription begins with *Oṁ svasti*, and then traces the genealogy of the donor from the family of the *Candrātreya* princes, radiant through the appearance of such heroes as Jayaśakti and Vijayaśakti. In that family was *Pb.-M.-P.-Pṛthvīvarmadeva-pādānudhyāta-Pb.-M.-P.-Madanavarmadeva-pādānudhyāta-Pb.-M.-P.-Parama-māheśvara-Kālañjarādhipati*-Paramardideva. Then follows a verse vaguely praising the donor’s various good qualities. Next comes the main portion of the grant. We are told that the king when in the camp of Sonasara in *(V.) Saṁvat* 1223 (A.D. 1165) confirmed a grant made by his grandfather (*pitāmaha*) in *(V.) Saṁvat* 1219 (A.D. 1162) to 309 Brāhmans who had ‘emigrated from various *bhaṭṭāgrahāras* and belonged to various *gotras* and *pravaras* and were students of various Vedic *Śākhās*.' The following villages were granted to the donees: