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

THE GUPTA INSCRIPTIONS; No. 40, PLATE XXVI. 195
him), who have been subjugated by (his) prowess; who is the cause of the tearing out of
the parted hair of the women of (his) enemies; who is the giver of treasure and land and
cows; who is a most devout worshipper of the Divine One; (and) who meditates on the
feet of (his) parents,—issues a command to the cultivators residing at (the village of)
Pamvâ in the Eastern Country :—
(Line 5.)—" Be it known to you, that this village, the source (by this grant of it)
of (Our) ensuring the happiness of (attaining) the abode of (Indra) the lord of the
gods, is by (this) copper-charter conveyed by Us, with libations of water, for the increase
of the religious merit of (Our) parents and of Ourself, to Brahmadêvasvâmin, of the
Vâjasanêya (śâkhâ) and the Kauṇḍinya gôtra,—to be enjoyed as long as the world en-
dures, having the terrible darkness dispelled by the rays of the sun and the moon and the
stars; together with (its) hidden treasures and deposits; not to be entered by the irre-
gular or the regular troops; (and) exempted from all taxes.
(L. 11.)—" Being aware of this, you should be obedient to his commands, and should
dwell in happiness, rendering in proper manner (his) share of the enjoyment."
**(L. 13.)—**And he enjoins upon future kings,—"The ancients, whose minds are fixed
upon religion, say that the virtue that arises from the preservation (of a grant) is greater
than (that which arises from) making a grant; therefore your mind should verily incline to
preserve land that has been given to a Brâhmaṇ of very pure family and holy learning.
Therefore this gift should be preserved by you also."
**(L. 16.)—**And they cite on this point the verses that were sung by Vyâsa :—Gold (is)
the first offspring of fire :¹ the earth² belongs to (the god) Vishṇu ;³ and cows (are) the
daughters of the sun :⁴ therefore the three worlds⁵ are given by him who gives gold, and
a cow, and land! The giver of land dwells 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! O Yudhishṭhira, best of kings, carefully preserve land that
has been given, whether by thyself, or by another; (verily) the preservation (of a grant)
(is) more meritorious than making a grant! Land has been given by many kings, com-
mencing 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) !
**(L. 23.)—**At the command of (Mahâ-Jayarâja's) own mouth, (this charter) has been
engraved by Achalasiṅgha, (in) the year 5 of increasing victory, (in) (the month)
Mârgaśira, (on the day) 20 (and) 5.
¹ Dr. Hultzsch (Ind. Ant. Vol. XIV. p. 203, note 46) has explained this, by saying that, "accord-
ing to the Naiyâyikas" or followers of the Nyâya philosophy, "gold consists of fire (têjas)."
² This is the customary reading.—In line 39 of the Khârêpâṭaṇ grant of the Śilâhâra chieftain
Raṭṭarâja of Śaka-Saṁvat 930 (Jour. Bo. Br. R. As. Soc. Vol. I. p. 218) the reading is dyauh, 'the
sky,' instead of bhûh, 'the earth;' but I know of no other instance of this variation.
³ Or, perhaps, "the earth (is) Vaishṇavî (the personification of the śakti or female energy of
Vishṇu)."
⁴ This seems to be explained by the Rig-Vêda, vii. 101, 6, in which the sun is described as "the
bull that impregnates all the cows" (Muir's Sanskrit Texts, Vol. IV. p. 112 f.)
⁵ The three worlds are sometimes reckoned as heaven, earth, and the lower region; sometimes
as the sky, the atmosphere, and the earth. The latter arrangement seems to be the one referred to
in this verse, the sky being represented by cows, as the daughters of the Sun or the god Sûrya, the
lord of the sky; and the atmosphere by gold, as the offspring of fire or the god Agni, who is the lord
of the Pitṛis or spirits of deceased ancestors, whose abode is in the region of the air.
2 B 2.