History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.208.3

v4.c63.208.3

May. p. 24) viz. *śāsana* (a royal grant of land), *jayapatra* (a judgment deciding a law-suit), *prasāda-patra* (a deed showing the king's pleasure at the devoted service or bravery of a person); acc. to Vasiṣṭha (q. in Sm. C. II. p. 55 and V. May. p. 28) it is of four kinds viz. *śāsana*, *jayapatra*, *ājñāpatra* (a royal command addressed to feudatories, high or low officers like the wardens of the marches), *prajñāpanāpatra* (a writing of request addressed by the king to sacrificial priests, a *purohita*, teacher, learned brāhmaṇas or other highly honoured persons); it is five-fold acc. to S. V. pp. 111-113 viz. śāsana, jayapatra, ājñāpatra, prajñāpanāpatra and prasādapatra. Kauṭ. in II. 10 speaks of several kinds of royal orders and names them, such as prajñāpanā (request by a messenger about what another prays), ājñāpatra (as above), *paridāna* (honour to the deserving or gift in distress), *parihāra* (remission of taxes for certain castes or villages by the king), *nisṛṣṭilekha* (writing whereby the king accepts the actions or words of some trustworthy person as his own), *prāvṛttika* (conveying information about some portentous happening or some news about enemies etc.), *pratilekha* (reply in accordance with discussion held with the king on a message from another), *sarvatraga* (order addressed to high functionaries and officers for the welfare of travellers). The contents and form of royal grants have been described in H. of Dh. vol. II pp. 860-861.