Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c27.s2.t9: No. IX
Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c27.s2.t9
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- English
No. IX
v2.c27.s2.t9.1
Siddh Sri Maharaja Dhiraj, Maharana Sri Bhim Singhji, commanding.
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The undermentioned towns and villages were presented to Sriji⁴ by copper-plate. The revenues (*hasil*)⁵ contributions (*barar*), taxes, dues (*lagat-be-lagat*), trees, shrubs, foundations and boundaries (*nim-sim*), shall all belong to Sriji. If of my seed, none will ever dispute this [555].
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⁴ Epithet indicative of the greatness of the deity.
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⁵ Here is another proof that the sovereign can only alienate the revenues (*hasil*); and though everything upon and about the grant, yet not the soil, The *nim-sim* is almost as powerful an expression as the old grant to the Rawdons—
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The ancient copper-plate being lost, I have thus renewed it.
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“From earth to heaven,
From heaven to hell,
For thee and thine
Therein to dwell.”
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Here follows a list of thirty-four entire towns and villages, many from the fisc, or confirmations of the grants of the chiefs, besides various parcels of arable land, from twenty to one hundred and fifty bighas, in forty-six more villages, from chiefs of every class, and patches of meadowland (bira) in twenty more.
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Sri Maharana Bhima Singhji, commanding.
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To the towns of Sriji, or to the [personal] lands of the Gosainji,¹ no molestation shall be offered. No warrants or exactions shall be issued or levied upon them. All complaints, suits, or matters, in which justice is required, originating in Nathdwara, shall be settled there; none shall interfere therein, and the decisions of the Gosainji I shall invariably confirm. The town and transit duties² (of Nathdwara and villages pertaining thereto), the assay (parkhai)² fees from the public markets, duties on precious metals (kasoti),² all brokerage (dalali), and dues collected at the four gates; all contributions and taxes of whatever kind, are presented as an offering to Sriji; let the income thereof be placed in Sriji's coffers.
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¹ The high-priest.
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² All these are royalties, and the Rana was much blamed, even by his Vaishnava ministers, for sacrificing them even to Kanhaiya.
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All the products of foreign countries imported by the Vaishnavas,³ whether domestic or foreign, and intended for consumption at Nathdwara,⁴ shall be exempt from duties. The right of sanctuary (saran) of Sriji, both in the town and in all his other villages,⁵ will be maintained: the Almighty will take cognisance of any innovation. Wherefore, let all chiefs, farmers of duties, beware of molesting the goods of Nathji (the god), and wherever such may halt, let guards be provided for their security, and let each chief convey them through his bounds in safety. If of my blood, or if my servants, this warrant will be obeyed for ever and for ever. Whoever resumes this grant will be a caterpillar in hell during 60,000 years.
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³ Followers of Vishnu, Krishna, or Kanhaiya, chiefly mercantile.
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⁴ Many merchants, by the connivance of the conductors of the caravans of Nathji's goods, contrived to smuggle their goods to Nathdwara, and to the disgrace of the high-priest or his underlings, this traffic was sold for their personal advantage. It was a delicate thing to search these caravans, or to prevent the loss to the State from the evasion of the duties. The Rana durst not interfere lest he might incur the penalty of his own anathemas. The Author's influence with the high-priest put a stop to this.
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⁵ This extent of sanctuary is an innovation of the present Rana's, with many others equally unwise.
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By command—through the chief butler (*Paneri*) Eklingdas : written by Surat Singh, son of Nathji Pancholi, Magh sudi 1st, Samvat 1865 ; A.D. 1809.