Epigraphia Indica Vol 31

SR No.: 032585
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1955
Total Pages: 506
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 30 MB

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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[VOL. XXXI
The mudala, a Telugu word meaning 'an order' and here indicating the royal order in regard to the grant itself or its execution, passed through the Puro-Pariksha-Patra Rangū Vajapēyin. The word vajapeyin indicates 'a performer of the Vajapeya sacrifice', although later the epithet was claimed also by the descendants of a vajapeyin and became stereotyped as a cognomen of the family. It is difficult to determine whether in the present case Rangü himself or one of his ancestors was the real performer of the sacrifice. Patra indicated an officer of the ministerial rank, while Pariksha (same as Parikshaka) possibly meant an inspector attached to some administrative department. The word puro, prefixed to the official designation, may be the same as Sanskrit pura and the inspector may have been attached to the capital city; but it may also be the same as Sanskrit puras suggesting that the officer in question was the chief of his class. The order of execution of the grant seems to have been given in the presence of three persons, viz. Viśvanatha, Mālā and Vidyadhara. The grant was made on behalf of Hirādēvi who was a queen of king Narasimha II and the mother of the king's son (cf. taj-jasya sva-kumārasya) Gangarājadēva. This prince having apparently died a premature death, his bereaved parents (king Narasimha II and queen Hirādēvi) were willing to make in his name a grant of 341 vātikās of land in favour of gods and Brahmanas so that the merit accruing to the pious act might lead their dead son to heaven (cf. svarga-prāptaye). There were altogether five plots of land which was granted to a deity named Gangesvaradeva and to no less than 104 Brahmanas of various götras. The writer of the document, who was the king's record-keeper (täsan-adhikarin), as well as the engraver of the plates also received their perquisites in land.
The first plot of the gift land was an area originally covered with jungle which had, however, been cleared before the grant was made (cf. kritt-aranya-bhu-bhāga). The area of this piece of land, situated in the Vamśōdachaura vishaya (district), was determined according to the nala ('measuring rod' from which in Oriya 'measurement of area') of the Puro-Pratihasta Allaladasakarapa. Alläladasa was a karana or scribe or more probably a Karana by caste as the soribe is usually styled in the records as the śri-karana. In the designation Puro-pratihasta, the word pratihasta means 'a representative'. It seems that Allaladasa-karana was the chief amongst the representatives of the principal officer in charge of the measurement of lands. The eastern limit of the above piece of reclaimed forest land touched the west of the Vamsoda road, while its western boundary was marked by a sala tree. To the south, it touched the northern limit of Vamsōdagrāma and in the north a plot of land belonging to two persons named Vidai and Ravi. The land within these boundaries measured 54 väțikās.
The second plot of land was also a reclaimed forest area similar to the above and situated nearby. It had its eastern boundary touching the west of the Vamśōda road, while the western limit was marked by another sala tree. In the south, it touched the northern fringe of a piece of land belonging to two persons named Govinda-kara and Kopai and, in the north, the southern fringe of the land of a man named Kitai or Kitäika. The land within these four boundaries measured 55 väṭikās.
The third plot of the gift land consisted of a locality called Gangesvarapura which is described as homestead land. It was also situated in the same region and was bounded on the east by the highway (rajapatha) to the west of the Vaméōda road and on the west by a sala tree. It is again said that, in the west, it touched a piece of land in the possession of two persons named Gopala and Champadasa, while its eastern limit is said to have been a sala tree. It will be seen that, in the
1 Technical terms like this also occur in other later Ganga records. For a discussion on them, see J. A. Loc., Letters, Vol. XVII, pp. 35-36; above, Vol. XXVIII, pp. 187-88,
He was possibly different from the Puro-brikarana Allala-nayaka mentioned in the Alalpur oopper-plate inscription of the same king (above, pp. 17 ff.). It is, however, interesting to note that this person was also similarly associated with the measurement of land.