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

Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol. III, Plate XXVI

No. 40: Āraṅg Copper-Plate Inscription of the Rājā Mahā-Jayarāja
(Regnal Year 5)

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I. TEXT (Sanskrit in Devanagari)

Plate I (First Plate)

ओं स्वस्ति [॥] प्रसन्नपुराद्विकमोपान्तोपहता(तु)समहोदय[:] [। ]
व(श)शाङ्कधा(धा)म्नश्शतोदिरेकसुप्रसादितनिम्मल[:] [॥] भगवद्भक्तो
मातापितृपादानुध्यातः श्रीमहाजयराजः
पूव्वराष्ट्री(ष्ट्री)यपम्वायां प्रतिवासिकुटुम्बिन(नः) समाज्ञा-
पयति [॥*] विदितमस्तु वो यथे(था)स्माभिरयं ग्रामस्तृणोद-

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Plate IIa (Second Plate, First Side)

कसमृद्धः प्रतिकरकरसमन्वितो निधि[शो*]पनि-
धिसहितश्चाटभटप्रावेस्यो(श्यो) मातापित्रोरात्मनश्च
पुण्याभिवृद्धये व(ब्रा)ह्मणशाण्डिल्यगोत्रोद्भव(व)-
व(ब्रा)ह्मणविष्णुस्वामिसूनुव(ब्रा)ह्मणब्रह्मचन्द्रस्वामिने
उदकपूव्वन्ताम्रशासनेनानुमोदितः [।*] ते यू-

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Plate IIb (Second Plate, Second Side)

यमेवमुपलभ्यास्य सर्व्वस्याज्ञाश्रवणविधेया
भूत्वा सुखम्प्रतिवसथ [।] भविष्यतश्च भूमिपाननु-
दश(र्श)यति [॥] दानाद्विशिष्टमनुपालनजम्पुराणं
धर्म्मन्नि(न्नि)शाम्य तनुबुद्धिरुदाहरन्ति [।*] तस्मात्सुवि-
द्ध(द्ध)विमले(ल)म(मा)नसेन धर्म्ये(म्र्ये) मतिर्भवतु वो विजयाय

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Plate IIIa (Third Plate, First Side)

नित्यम् [॥] व्यासगीतांश्चात्र श्लोकानुदाहरन्ति [॥] पूव्व-
दत्तान्द्विजातिभ्यो यत्नाद्रक्ष युधिष्ठिर [।] महीं महि-
मतां श्रेष्ठ दानाच्छ्रेयोनुपालनम् [॥] व(ब)हुभि-
र्व्वसुधा दत्ता राजभिस्सगरादिभिः [।] यस्य यस्य
यदा भूमिस्तस्य तस्य तदा फलम् [॥] स्वदत्ताम्परदत्तां

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Plate IIIb (Third Plate, Second Side)

वा यत्नाद्रक्ष युधिष्ठिर [।] महीं महिमतां श्रेष्ठ दाना-
च्छ्रेयोनुपालनम् [॥] षष्टिं वर्षसहस्राणि स्वर्गे मोदति
भूमिदः [।] आच्छेत्ता चानुमन्ता च तान्येव नरके वसेत् [॥]
प्रवर्द्धमानविजयराज्यसम्वत्सर ५ मा... दिने २५ उत्कीर्ण्णं... [॥*]

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II. THE SEAL

Text (Anuṣṭubh Metre)

प्रसन्नहृदयस्येश-
च्छत्रत्रस्तस्य भूपतेः [। ]
श्रीमतो जयराजस्य
शासनं रिपुशासनम् [॥*]

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III. ENGLISH TRANSLATION

• Lines 1–5: Om! Hail! From Prasannapura, the devout worshipper of the Divine One (Bhagavat / Viṣṇu), who meditates on the feet of his mother and father, the illustrious Mahā-Jayarāja, whose vast prosperity has been achieved through his own valour, and who is spotless and radiant like the light of a hundred moons, issues a command to the resident householders at the village of Pamvā in the Pūrvarāṣṭra (Eastern District):

• Lines 5–10: "Be it known to you that, for the increase of the religious merit of our parents and of ourself, this village—abounding in grass and water, accompanied by all customary taxes, together with hidden treasures and deposits, not to be entered by regular or irregular troops (chāṭa-bhaṭa)—has been granted by us, confirmed by a copper-plate charter with libations of water, to the Brāhmaṇa Brahmachandrasvāmin, son of the Brāhmaṇa Viṣṇusvāmin, of the Śāṇḍilya gotra."

• Lines 10–12: "Knowing this, you should dwell happily, obedient to his commands and listening to all his orders."

• Lines 12–16: "And he instructs future kings: Perceiving that ancient virtue which arises from preserving a grant is greater than the act of making a gift, even men of slight intellect proclaim this; therefore, with a mind exceedingly pure and clean, let your disposition be inclined towards righteousness, for ever-increasing victory!"

• Lines 16–23 (Benedictive and Imprecatory Verses):

  • "O Yudhiṣṭhira, best of kings, carefully protect the earth previously given to the twice-born; the preservation of a grant is more meritorious than making a grant!"
  • "The earth has been enjoyed by many kings, commencing with Sagara; whosoever possesses the land at any given time, to him belongs the fruit thereof!"
  • "Carefully preserve, O Yudhiṣṭhira, best of kings, land given by yourself or given by others; preservation is better than giving!"
  • "The giver of land rejoices in heaven for sixty thousand years; but the confiscator and he who consents to it dwell in hell for the same duration!"

• Line 24 (Date & Scribe):

  • "In the fifth year of the increasingly victorious reign (Year 5), on the 25th day of the month... Engraved by..."

• The Seal Legend:

  • "The charter of the illustrious king Jayarāja, whose heart is gracious to his friends, but terrifying to his enemies, is an order that subdues his foes."

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IV. HISTORICAL & EPIGRAPHICAL NOTES

1. Dynasty & Ruler: The charter belongs to Mahā-Jayarāja of the Śarabhapurīya dynasty of Dakṣiṇa Kosala (modern Chhattisgarh/western Odisha), who ruled circa late 5th to early 6th century CE.
2. Findspot: Found at Āraṅg, in the Raipur District, Chhattisgarh.
3. Script: Central Indian "box-headed" alphabet (kūṭilākṣara / box-headed Brāhmī characteristic of the Śarabhapurīyas and Vākāṭakas).
4. Capital: The charter was issued from Prasannapura, a city likely founded by his predecessor Prasannamātra.