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

242 CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM, VOL. III.
generally) for Our benefit, this (village) is granted, in (Our) victorious office of justice, as
a grant not previously made, with libations of water.
(L. 25.)—"Now We grant the fixed usage, such as befits this (village), (and) such as
has been approved of by former kings, of a village which belongs to a community of Châ-
turvêdins; namely, it is not to pay taxes; it is not to be entered by the regular troops or
by the umbrella-bearers; it does not carry with it (the right to) cows and bulls in succes-
sion of production,¹ or to the abundance of flowers and milk, or to the pasturage, hides,
and charcoal, or to the mines for the purchase of salt in a moist state; it is entirely free
from (all obligation of) forced labour; it carries with it the hidden treasures and deposits,
and the klṛipta and upaklṛipta;² it is (to be enjoyed) for the same time with the moon
and the sun; (and) it is to follow (the succession of) sons and sons' sons. No hindrance
should be caused by any one to those who enjoy it. It should be protected and increased
by all (possible) means. And whosoever, disregarding this charter, shall give, or cause
to be given, even slight vexation, We will inflict on him punishment, together with a fine,
when he is denounced by the Brâhmaṇs."
(L. 34.)—And in this document, which has at least (the merit of) religion,³—in order
to avoid boasting of (other) meritorious actions performed (by Us),—We do not recite
(Our) care and protection of grants made by various kings who are dead and gone.
(L. 36.)—And two verses, sung by Vyâsa, are to be cited as an authority on this
point:—Whosoever confiscates land that has been given, whether by himself, or by
another, he incurs the guilt of the slayer of a hundred thousand cows! The giver of land
enjoys happiness 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!
(L. 39.)—And this condition of the charter should be maintained by the Brâhmaṇs and
by (future) lords; namely (the enjoyment of this grant is to belong to the Brâhmaṇs)
for the same time with the moon and the sun, provided that they commit no treason
against the kingdom, consisting of seven constituent parts,⁴ of (successive) kings; that
they are not slayers of Brâhmaṇs, and are not thieves, adulterers, poisoners of kings,
&c.; that they do not wage war; (and) that they do no wrong to other villages. But, if
they act otherwise, or assent (to such acts), the king will commit no theft in taking the
land away.
(L. 44.)—And the recipients, appointed for the occasion in this matter, (are):—
Gaṇârya, of the Śâtyâyana (gôtra). Dêvârya, of the Vâtsya (gôtra). Kumâraśarmârya,
of the Bhâradvâja (gôtra). Guhaśarman, of the Pârâśarya (gôtra). Dêvârya, of the

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¹ The interpretation here is not quite certain. But this and the next three expressions seem to
reserve certain rights for the villagers against the grantees.
² These are technical fiscal expressions, the meaning of which is not known.
³ This is in accordance with Dr. Bühler's rendering (Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. IV. p. 123, note 8).
—As regards karaṇa in the sense of 'a document,' it is borne out by Karaṇika, which is of constant
occurrence in evidently the meaning of 'one who has to do with documents, a writer, a scribe;' e.g.
in the passage from the 'Dewal' inscription of Vikrama-Saṁvat 1049, referred to at page 201 above.
—Dr. Bhagwanlal Indraji proposed to correct the text into dharmm-âdara, probably meaning "in
this act of respect for religion."
⁴ The saptâṅga, or 'aggregate of the seven constituent elements (of a kingdom),' consists of the
king, and his ministers, ally, territory, fortress, army, and treasury.