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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
[VOL. XXXIV.
called by that name) in the marshy land belonging to the blacksmiths and to its soutb was another sēdhaka standing on the main road of the district (vishaya-vartani) but belonging to the plot. In the west and north, the plot was bounded by a field belonging to Mandalachchhaka. Line 16 states that the boundaries were determined by Ushara, Vähēka, Mahattara Sangilaka and others. The grant was made according to the principle of bhumi-chchhidra and Päiks and the leaders of groups of them were prohibited from entering the gift land which carried with it the privileges of the permanent enjoyment of incomes like those arising out of changes in the natural and climatic conditions, the taxes in cash (hiranya) and the share of grains and the periodical offerings payable to the king. .
The grant was made in favour of five Brāhmaṇas who were brothers, viz. Gõpāditya, Gõpādhya, Dēbhata, Dhondha and Göpasvāmin, who were the sons of Göpa of Kuragiri. The donees belonged to the Dāņdāyana götra and the Vājasanēya (charana) and Madhyandina (sākhā). The grant was made for providing the Brāhmanas with the means for the performance of their duties relating to the five maha-yajñas for the increase of the merit and fame of the donor and his parents. Whatever had been previously granted in favour of gods and Brāhmaṇas was, however, excluded from the gift land which was granted with libation of water.
Lines 20-22 contain the donor's request to the future rulers for the preservation of the grant and a curse against one who might resume it. This is followed in lines 22-24 by some of the usual imprecatory and benedictory stanzas.
The name of the city of Kishkindhipura occurs again at the end of line 24. Since, however, the following letters are mostly damaged, the context is not clear. But it seems that the rule of (i.e. from) Kishkindhipura is referred to here. Lines 25-26 state that the document was written by Sandhivigrahika Pāhēka on the full-moon day of Kärttika in the year 83 (in words only) and that the dutaka (executor of the charter) was Rājaputra Ghorghatasvāmin. The record ends with the representation of the signature of the illustrious Babhata which, as indicated above, must have been put by the donor on the original document later incised on the plates.
The geographical names mentioned in the epigraph are, besides the city of Kishkindhipura and the district of the same name around the city, the village of Mitrāpallikā probably forming & part of Mandalāchchhaka, and Kuragiri which is mentioned in the other record as Kuragirikā. I Am not sure about their exact location.
TEXT:
First Plate
1 Siddham Svasti [1] Kishkindhipurāt Guhila-narādhipa-vansē(vamsē) guna-mani-gana
kirapa-rañjita-das-age surapati-dhămnit sthöyasi mahiyasi pravaraka ...... 2. .. .. .. bri-bhāji samunnatimati bhögi-mahāsatva(ttva)-saméraya-vidhau durllarghyė=
tigariyasy=ādhva[ra*)-pūt-ābēsha-bhūlākē | mudita-dvija-gana-jushtēzva[si]shța-bhū-bhu3 kti .... ta-dãye | anavarata-mitra-mamdala-parigaman-odbhāsini prathitē || Bach-chhāyā(yo)
dvija-Vasatiḥ su-prapa-mabāphalo manābāri Srimān=tijur=āšrita-jana-tfishņā-klama-tapa
vini1 From a set of impressions. * Expressed by symbol. • Tho danda ia superfluous. Better read dhamala, The marks of punctuation in this was well as the following lines are in montano una coenary.