Epigraphia Indica Vol 26

SR No.: 032580
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1945
Total Pages: 448
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 24 MB

Page 196

No. 21.)
KOTHURAKA GRANT OF PRAVARASENA II.
155
and bullocks; it is not to provide pasture, hides and charcoal"; it is not to be entered by soldiers; it is not to provide cots, water-pots' and servants; it is exempt from taxes; it is not to provide horses; it carries with it the right to treasures and deposits, to major and minor taxes and to platforms and important documents (); and it is to be exempted with immunities of all kinds..
(Ll. 24-28) Wherefore, you protect it, cause it to be protected, exempt it and cause it to be exempted, not repressing the order written above?.
Whoever will cause trouble or approve of it when caused, upon him, when complained against by the aforementioned Brähmanas who have taken offence, we will inflict punishment together with a fine.
(LI. 28-30) In the year 39 (and) 7, in the first fortnight of winter, the day 4. In Our presence', this order has been written by the Senapati Vanhu (Vishnu).
May there be success!
NO. 21.-KOTHURAKA GRANT OF PRAVARASENA II.
BY PROF. V. V. MIRASHI, M. A., NAGPUR. The existence of these plates was brought to my notice by my friend and former student Dr. W. S. Barlinge who had seen them when they were brought to Nagpur in March 1940. At my request Mr. W. V. Grigson, I. C. S., Joint Secretary to Government, Central Provinces and Berar, very kindly caused a search for them to be instituted. They were ultimately traced by Mr. V. H. Mujumdar, Naib Tahsildar of Hinganghāt, at the instance of Mr. B. A. Smellie, Deputy Commissioner of Wardha. They were found in the possession of Mr. Baburao Madhavrao Athole, Mokasdar of Jāmb. & village about 7 miles north by east of
1 The expression a-prampara-go-balivardda in I. 21 corresponds to a parampara-balivadda-gahanam of the Hirabadagalli plates and a-parampara-baliva[ darn) of the Mayidavõlu plates. These latter expressions have been taken to denoto exemption from the obligation of furnishing by turns draught cattle for the progress of royal officers'. In former times it was considered to be the duty of villagers to supply means of transport for the touring of royal officers. Sometimes, & small tax, called prayana-danda was levied for the purpose. See Rajasevakānām vasali-danda-prayāna-dandau na stah in the Paithan grant of Ramachandra, Ind. Ant, Vol. XIV, p. 318. But the use of the word go in addition to balivardda in Vakataka grants rather indicates that the village was exempted from the obligation of giving to the State the first calf-male or female-of every cow in the village. The Manusmriti (adhyaya VII, v. 130) also mentions a tax on cattle.
This and similar expressions which follow exempt the donee from the obligation of supplying grass for feeding horses, hides (which were used as seats, cf. asana-charman in the grants of Pravarasina II), charcoal for cooking, cots, water-pote, servants and draught cattle, for the royal officers when they were encamped in the village during their tours.
Chöllaka is plainly identical with cholaka in the Mayidavõlu plates and yollaka in the Hirahadagalli plates. Hultzach derives chõllaka from chullaki, a kind of water-pot. Venesika corresponds to vin isi in the Mayidavõlu and vinēsi in the Hirabadagalli plates. This word is omitted in the translations of Bühler and Hultzsch. We derive it from the Sanskrit vainasika which the dictionaries give in the sense of a slave, a dependent, or a subject. The obligation to provide servants for touring officers is perhaps meant here.
Lexicons give vaha in the sense of a horse.
See above, Vol. XXII, p. 175. • We are not certain about the meaning of this expression.
[Or abiding by the order written above'. Sasana-vada' here and vachana in l. 5 above imply the same thing. See p. 153, n. 4.-B. C.C.]
. This corresponds to ajšia svayam Our own order' in the Tirodi plates. Cf. sayam-anatarh and anati saya. ti datta in the Hirahadagalli and Mayidavolu plates respectively.