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No. 14.]
MAURYAN BRAHMI INSCRIPTION OF MAHASTHAN.
enjoyed for all time to come as long as the moon, the sun and the stars endure, and free from (the liability of payment of) any kind of taxes.
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[LI. 6-10] So deign to make a grant to (me), Bhōyila, of three kulyavapas of khila (i.e., waste) land in Trivṛita and one dronava pa of rastu (ie., homestead) land, for (dwelling) site (tala) and paths (raṭaka) in Śrīgöhäli, and to (me), Bhaskara, one droṇarapa of homestead land for the purpose of repairs to the temple of Lord Govindasvamin when damaged or dilapidated and for the performance of the daily worship with perfumery, incense, lamp and flowers, by getting from us an income of six dināras and eight (silver) coins.
[LI. 10-13] Since we inform you that it has been determined by the record-keepers, Durgadatta and Arkkadasa (thus),-there exists in this rishaya (the procedure of) sale at the rate of two dināras for each kulyarapa of shrubless fallow fields, which are beyond the possibility of yielding revenue (to the king), to be enjoyed for all time to come as long as the moon, the sun and the stars endure. Moreover, there can be no objection (out of fear of any loss) on the king's behalf in the matter of such sale of khila fields, free from taxes; (rather) there is (possibility. of) some income for the Bhattaraka-pada (or the king) and also of the acquisition of one-sixth of the religious merit (accruing from such an act): Hence the (land) should be given (by sale).
[LI. 13-18] Thus on making an income of six dināras and eight (silver) coins (rupakas) from Bhōyila and Bhaskara for the sake of the temple of Lord Govindasvamin, three kulyavapas of khila fields in Trivṛita and one drōnavapa of vastu land in Śrīgōhāli were granted (by sale) to Bhōyila and one dronarapa of vastu land in the very same place (i.e., Srīgōhāli) to Bhaskara, by the execution of a copper-plate (charter) in accordance with the principle of perpetual endowment (akshaya-nivi), thus the total measurement of land (sold) being three kulyavāpas and two sthala-droṇavapas (stated in figures as ku 3 and sthaladro 2, respectively).
[LI. 18-21] (So) you shall make over (to the two applicants the portion of land) by fixing their boundaries on four sides with marks of chaff and charcoal which will be permanent, after having defined (the area) by the measurement of 8x9 reeds by the hands of Darvvikarmma, in places which have no conflict with your own agricultural work, and shall preserve it for all time to come by the principle of perpetual endowment. The present and the future administrative agents and others also should preserve it out of regard for religious merit.
[Ll. 21-25] (Here follow three imprecatory stanzas.)
[L. 25] (Here the charter) ends. The year (sam) 128, the 19th day of Magha.
No. 14.-MAURYAN BRAHMI INSCRIPTION OF MAHASTHAN.
BY D. R. BHANDARKAR.
This interesting inscription in Mauryan Brahmi was discovered at Mahasthan on the 30th of November 1931, by one Baru Faqir of the Mahasthängarh village in the Bogra District of Bengal. Mr. G. C. Chandra, who was then Superintendent, Archæological Survey, Eastern Circle, acquired it for the Department, and it was for some time lying in his office at Calcutta. Under the orders of the Director-General of Archaeology, it has now been deposited in the Archæological Section, Indian Museum, Calcutta.
Soon after the discovery of this plaque, a very brief account of its contents, I am told, was printed in the columns of a Bengali daily of Calcutta, the Banga-bānī, though I have not seen it at all. The account which has appeared in the Liberty, dated Friday, 22nd April, 1932, p. 4, I was able to see, but it does not touch any important detail of this epigraph. My transcript
