Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c12.s2.t2.2

v1.c12.s2.t2.2

All "ancient constitutional usage" (*pūrvada maryāde*) was confirmed by the Hindu monarchs and their subordinates in what was called a *dharma-śāsana*. About A.D. 1545 Sadāśiva Nāyaka and Rāma Rāya Nāyaka, as already narrated, gave to Benakappa Seṭṭi, Dēvappa Seṭṭi, Bommaṇa Seṭṭi and others (*muntāda prajegalige*) of Āraga a *dharma-śāsana* confirming the *dharma* made by Harihara II for the Āraga city as regards the fixed rent and combined dues of that place. We saw that certain specified remissions were also made in the same charter by the ruler.² It has to be admitted that the above *dharma-śāsana* was given to the city of Āraga. But it seems that such a dharma-śāsana was also given to a village, as the following instance proves. An inscription dated A.D. 1565 relates that during the reign of Rāma Dēva Mahāraya, "the Agent for his affairs (kāryakke-kartarāda), promoter of the Pūvala-vaṁśa, Hanumi Nāyaka's sons Billappa Nāyaka and Keṇgappa Nāyaka, caused to be written and given to Lingaṇa (descent stated) a dharma-śāsana as follows: You having stated that—'We are old residents, and preserving the places obtained by our ancestors, have been your dependents, the offices of sēnabōva and jyōtisha of the country since brought under śist should be granted to us',—and the former residents affirming that the offices of sēnabōva, jyotisha, purōhita and others in all the villages belonging to the Saṇte-Bennūr-sīme in the Uchchangi-ēṇṭhe, were held by you,—we therefore grant them to you, as a gift to Rāma, to be enjoyed by you, your sons, grandsons, and posterity in regular succession; and you may take possession of the dues and rights (specified) belonging thereto in the Saṇte-Bennūr-sīme", according to ancient constitutional usage. (ā-Saṇthe-Bennūra-sīme sthalada sēnabōvavikēnu barakoṇḍu ā-sīme-jyōtishya-dharmavannu-naḍasikoṇḍu pūrvamariyādeyalli svāsthi umbaḷi vartane hola gadde beddalu kāḍārambha āya-svāmya suvarṇādāya sarva-tēja-svāmyavanu anubhavisi-koṇḍu bāhiri).¹ The grant, it may be noted, is repeated three times. Three conclusions may be deduced from the above inscription: Firstly, that the village offices of sēnabōva, jyōtisha, etc. were hereditary; secondly, that the claims to such offices were made after the locality had been brought under śist (yitalāgi śistu māḍida sīme sthalada sēnabōvike etc); and finally, that the officers of the Central Government confirmed the hereditary offices only after they had received the opinion of former residents of the locality about the validity of the claims put forward by the applicants (pūrva-sthaladavaru ahudu yambidarinda).