Administrative System of the Marathas c26.s3.10

c26.s3.10

Maharashtra proper had been formerly ruled by the Chalukyas, the Rashtrakutas, the Shilahras and the Yadavas. It is from the Yadava kings of Devgiri that the Muhammadans first conquered the land of the Marathas. We shall therefore examine the copper-plate grants of these four families and compare the terms of grant with those of the grant deeds of Shahu Chhatrapati already referred to. A grant deed executed by Govinda III Rashtrakuta in 716 of the Shaka era³ defines the grant as sodramgaḥ saparikaraḥ sadaśāparādhaḥ sabhūtapātapratyāyaḥ sotpadyamānari(vi)ṣṭikaḥ sadhānyahiraṇyādeyo chachā(chā)ṭabhāṭapraveśyaḥ sarvvarajīyānām ahas-taprakṣ(e)paṇiya. The terms of the Kauthem grant of Vikramaditya V. of the later Chalukya dynasty⁴ is more similar to the terms of the Marathi Sanad. They are: Savṛkṣamālākulaḥ sadhānyahiraṇyādeyaḥ rājakīya(nā)m ananguli prekṣaṇiyaḥ nidhi nidhāna sametaḥ ghaṭikāch-chhatrachāmarādisahitaḥ saśukl(aka)ḥ sarvavanamasya iti.