History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c43.87.1

v3.c43.87.1

In the earliest records verses lauding gifts and deprecating their resumption are few (one or two) but in later records their number increases. For example, in the copperplate of Maitraka Vyāghrasena (E. I. vol. XI, p. 221) there are only two verses and in the plates of Dhruvasena dated Gupta-Valabhī saṁvat 206 and 210 respectively there are only two and three verses (E. I. vol. XI. pp. 107, 111), while there are 16 verses in an inscription of Yaśaḥkarṇadeva dated in Kalacuri *saṁvat* 823 (E. I. vol. XII p. 205) and 15 verses in the copperplate grant of Cāhamāna Ratnapāla dated in Vikrama saṁvat 1176 (E. I. vol. XI, pp. 312-313). In most of the inscriptions containing these laudatory and imprecatory verses, they are cited as from Vyāsa or Manu or from smṛti in general. In the Appendix²⁰²⁵ a list of about forty such verses is given and in the footnotes it is pointed out wherever possible from what smṛti or other source they are taken and a reference is made to some of the earliest inscriptions and grants where they occur. The references will show that these verses occur in inscriptions from all parts of India. Two of the most usual verses are: 'the earth was donated by many such kings as Sagara and others; whatever king is lord of the earth at any particular time enjoys the reward (merit) of the gift of that land.