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No. 53-BANDORA PLATES OF MAURYA ANIRJITAVARMAN, YEAR 29.
(1 Plate) G. S. GAI, OOTACAMUND
(Received on 13.11.1958) This copper-plate inscription is edited here, with the kind permission of the Government Epigraphist for India, from a set of photographs obtained in his office during the year 1949-50.The plates are reported to have been found at a place called Bandora in the Goa territory, along with the two grants of Bhoja Pțithivimallavarman and another two of the Kadamba kings Tribhuvanamalladēva and Shashthadēva II respectively.
The set consists of two plates, each measuring about 6-6" by 2.6'. In the left margin of each plate, there is a hole about .25" in diameter, through which passed a ring. A small piece of copper is chipped off in the right-hand corner of the first plate ; but only three or four letters have been lost thereby, which, however, can be restored without difficulty. Otherwise, the writing is wellpreserved.
The characters of the record closely resemble those of the two grants of the Bhöja king Prithivimallavarman referred to above though they are box-headed (of a peculiar type) in our inscription instead of what has been called hook-headed in the other records. So on grounds of palaeography, the present inscription may be referred to about the 6th or 7th century A.D. Each plate is engraved on the inner side only and there are eleven lines of writing, the first plate containing five lines while the second plate six. The orthography of the record does not call for any special remarks. The language is Sanskrit and the entire text is in prose. In point of style also the record bears close similarity to the two Bhöja grants mentioned above.
The inscription opens with the word dittham. The charter is issued from the victorious Kumāra-dvipa and refers itself to the reign of the Maurya Mahārāja Anirjitavarman (line 1). It is addressed, in the words of the king, to the inhabitants of the Twelve-village deša as well as the present and future officials such as the bhõjakas, āyuktakas and sthāyins (lmes 2-3). The object of the record in lines 3-8 seems to register the king's grant of one hala of khajjana land as well as a piece of land, including a house-site, a garden and a tank belonging to an unnamed Rashtrakūta. In addition to this, some land to be reclaimed by clearing the forest (aranya-karshana) by employing four batches of workers (préshya-kula) was also granted. The gift was made for securing the welfare and final beatitude of the king as well as of Nāgapadda, Malladatta and Achala. The donee was Hastyarya of the Harita götra, who is called ukta-niyoga and grihita-sāhasra. The expression mkta niyoga seems to have been used in the sense of a specified or appointed person. while grihita-sähasra appears to denote '& person learned in the Sama-Vēda (which is supposed to have a thousand branches]'. The gift was exempted from all taxes (panga).
1 It is registered in A.R. Ep., 1949-60, App. A, No, 9. Cf. also above, Vol. XXVI, PP. 339-40. . Abovo, pp. 61 ff. • Ibid., Vol., XXX, pp. 71 ff. . Below, Vol. XXXIV, pp. 105 f. . For panga meaning a kind of tax, 100 above, pp. 64 ff.
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