Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c21.s3.t3.5

v2.c21.s3.t3.5

There is one more detail about the manner in which grants were made, which may be noted here. Another copper-plate grant assigned to the year A. D. 1410 relates that Harihara Rāya II, "seated on his hereditary throne in the city named Vijaya...examined the dāna-śāsana made by Dharmarāja in the Dvāpara-yuga...granted of his own accord, with pouring of water and presentation of gold coins, flowers and akshate," the village named Dharmēśvarapura on the bank of the Kshīranadī in the Gajakōṇapuri (Āneguṇḍi) kingdom for the worship of the god Dharmēśvara." Although the copper-plate śāsana looks suspicious because of its wrong date³ and the statement that the dāna-śāsana was made by "Dharmarāja in the Dvāpara-yuga," nevertheless it contains one point about which all inscriptions agree. This refers to the ceremony of pouring water and the presentation of a gold coin. Kṛishṇa Dēva Rāya in Śaka 1436 (A. D. 1514-5), at the time of making a gift, was surrounded by his purōhitās and a number of Brahmans well versed in the śrauta learning; and he also gave many gifts with pouring of water together with a gold coin.⁴ The references to this detail of the ceremony are found in almost every record of the times. It may be observed here that even on occasions of remission of customs and other dues, the provincial rulers observed the same formality. Mallinātha Oḍeyar, who was in charge of Bemmattanakallu, raised an upper storey of stone for the god Siddhanātha of that locality, constructed other works of merit, and in order that this work of merit might continue for ever, presented Chikkapura in Bemmattanakallu, with pouring of water for the decorations, illuminations, and offerings of the local deity.¹