Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v1.c13.s6.9

v1.c13.s6.9

If the land was governed by the "laws of the Brahmans", and if, therefore, the people suffered, we should not have had numerous records which mention voluntary contributions made in the name of the monarchs, and for their dharma, as we shall narrate in the chapter on public service and patriotism³; and the rulers would not have left behind them evidence of their moderation which was a feature of their administration. Eleyūr Vis(v)anātha Seṭṭi's sons Nāgi Seṭṭi and Kāmi Seṭṭi incurred the displeasure of the monarch Harihara Rāya II. The copper-plate grant dated A.D. 1379, which gives us this information, also tells us that the ruler called the ministers, seṭṭis, heggades, gaudas, attendants, the sālu-mūles, the elders, the nāyakas, and customs officials, and evidently after making the matter known to them, gave the following order: "Eleyūr Visvanātha Seṭṭi's son Nāgi Seṭṭi and Kāmi Seṭṭi having gone against our wishes, we forgive them, and of our graces give a sāsana as follows:—We grant to them palanquin, umbrella with kalaśa, village dues, et cetera". In addition to these he bestowed on them a great many rights and privileges.⁴