गुप्त अभिलेख संग्रह (जे. एफ. फ्लीट - गुप्त सम्राटों एवं परवर्ती नरेशों के ऐतिहासिक पाषाण व ताम्रलेख)

116 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
gold, and many lands; who was earnest in paying respect to (his) spiritual preceptor and
(his) father and mother; who was extremely devoted to the gods and Brâhmaṇs; who was
victorious in many hundreds of battles; who sought to govern properly the kingdom of
Ḍabhâlâ,¹ which had come (to him) by inheritance, together with (all the country) in-
cluded in the eighteen forest kingdoms; (and) whose fame was renowned through many
good qualities;—who is intent upon establishing the religious duties of the castes and the
different periods of life;—who is a most devout worshipper of the Divine One;—who is ex-
tremely devoted to (his) ancestors;—(and) who causes the happiness of his own race,—
(L. 11.)—(By him),—for the purpose of increasing the religious merit of (his) pa-
rents and of himself,—at the request of Chhôḍugômin, and (with the object of) causing
him to ascend the steps of the ladder that leads to heaven,—half of the village of Ôpâṇi,
in the Maṇinâga pêṭha,² is granted by a copper-charter, with the exception of (the right
to fines imposed on) thieves and mischief-doers, for the purpose of observing the bali, charu,
and sattra,³ at the temple, which (he) has caused to be built, of the divine (goddess)
Pishṭapurî, and for the purpose of renewing whatever may become broken or torn.
(L. 15.)—Therefore, even in future times, no obstacle (to the enjoyment of this grant)
is to be caused by those who are born in Our family, or by my feudatories. This injunction
having been given, he who behaves otherwise,—him I will consume with a great contempt,
even when I have passed into another body.
(L. 18.)—And it has been said by the venerable supreme sage, Vyâsa, the arranger
of the Vêdas,—“O Yudhishṭhira, best of kings, carefully preserve land that has previous-
ly been given to the twice-born; (verily) the preservation (of a grant) (is) more meritorious
than making a grant! The earth has been enjoyed by many kings, commencing with
Sagara; whosoever at any time possesses the earth, to him belongs, at that time, the
reward (of this grant that is now made, if he continue it)! The giver of land enjoys happi-
ness in heaven for sixty thousand years; (but) the confiscator (of a grant), and he who
assents to (an act of confiscation), shall dwell for the same number of years in hell! (There
is) no gift better than a gift of land, and the preservation (of a grant) (is) better than making
a grant; all kings, commencing with Nṛiga, have attained heaven, (by) preserving land
that had been granted!”
(L. 23.)—And (this charter) has been written by Iśvaradâsa, the grandson of Jîvita,
(and) the son of Bhujamgadâsa. The order (is that) of his own⁴ mouth. (The month)
Chaitra; the day 20 (and) 9.
¹ Or possibly Ḍahâlâ; but the second syllable, though rather badly formed, seems to be bhâ, rather than hâ.
² pêṭha; a technical territorial term, represented in modern Marâṭhî by pêṭâ. Another form of
it, veṇṭha, occurs in line 30-31 of the Harihar grant of Bukkarâya of Śâlivâhana-Śaka 1270 (Jour. Bo.
Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. XII. p. 347); and we also have veṇṭheya or penṭheya in line 24 of the Harihar
inscription of Achyutarâya of Śâlivâhana-Śaka 1460 (Ind. Ant. Vol. IV. p. 331).
³ bali is the offering of ghee, grain, rice, &c., to the gods and all creatures of every description;
charu, the oblation of rice, barley, and pulse boiled with butter and milk, for the deceased ancestors;
and sattra, the giving of alms and refuge. They are three of the pañcha-mahâyajña, or ‘five great
sacrifices,’ which are usually (e.g. in line 27 f. of the Mâliyâ grant of the Mahârâja Dharasêna II., No.
18 below, Plate xxiv.) enumerated as bali, charu, vaiśvadêva (the offering to all deities), agnihôtra
(see page 71 above, note 8), and atithi (hospitality; the sattra of the present inscription).—The
sattra-rite was the special object of the sattra, or ‘charitable hall or almshouse,’ which is mentioned
for instance, in No. 7, line 6, page 38 above.
⁴ Saṁkshôbha’s. These words imply that he employed no Dûtaka to convey the orders to the
local officials, but gave them in person; see page 100 above, note 3.