________________
NOVEMBER, 1887.]
AN ASTROLOGICAL SANAD.
317
AN ASTROLOGICAL SANAD GRANTED BY GOVINDRAV GAIKWAD.
BY CAPTAIN R. C. TEMPLE. From the papers of the late Sardár B. V. Sústri and Mr. D. H. Wadia. A FAMILY of GO Brahmans of the village of the Sarkar (P&shwa); and, on your agreeing A of Âyanâ, in the Valèsar parganá according to present him with a sum of money and to cede to the old distribution of the Gaikwad's to him some territory, you will be re-invested territories, but now in the Palsânâ Taluka of the with the robes of your principality . . . Nansari District, holds its lands in accordance | You will be allowed to go to Badodå, but for with a curious sanad granted to an ancestor, eleven months afterwards you will be detained named Chinto Mahadev Gole, by the Gaikwad at Pûnê, during eight months of which detenGovindrav in 1798 A.D. This sanad informs tion severe calamities will befall you. But us that the lands were granted to the Brah- after a time all your trials will come to an man in consequence of a successful prophecy, end; the territory taken away from you will be and it would be very interesting to know if any re-ceded according to the Peshwa's agreement; more such grants are to be found in India. and then you will go to Badoda in the month I am told that there are.
of Magha without the least delay !' So you Chinto Mahadov Gole had a son Madhav. predicted in the letter; and all the predictions ray GOļe, who died without issue, but adopted have been fulfilled as experienced by me." one Chintaman, who, as Chintâmaņ Madhav- From the above we get the dates of Friday, råv Gole, is the present holder of the village of the 7th December 1792 A.D., as the date of Ayana, above mentioned. Chinto Mabadêv Govindråv's visit to the Peshwâ at Poona ; and Gojê was, it seems, a well known seer and astro- January February 1794 A.D. as the date of his loger; but his descendants do not appear to be entry into Baroda as Gaikwad. The date of the endowed with his powers.
sanad itself is Wednesday the 4th December It will be observed that the sanad, which is in 1793, the Modt character, and of which a photo-litho- The historical facts appear to be as follows: graph is given in the plate attached to this paper, Damêjîrâv Gaikwad died in 1768 A.D. leaving with a transcription and translation, says: several sons by three wives. The eldest was
“Having been an exile from Badodá (Baroda) Sayajîráv by the second wife, and the second for twenty-five years without returning to that was Govindrav by the first wife. There were place to repossess my patrimony and regain my besides Pilêjî, Mânåji and Murârrây by the principality, and it being likely that I would third wife, and a sixth son Fatêsingh by either return to BadodA, I requested you to write the second or third wife.. Sayêjîrêv was an down for me a prophecy... On this, idiot; and Govindrâv, on the payment of over after consulting the Sústras, and by the favour 50 lakhs of rupees to the Peshwa, was proof the gods, you blessed me, saying that claimed Gaikwad. He was, however, a man I should very soon come into the posses- of weak and vacillating character, and by 1771 sion of my patrimony as before; and, with full A.D. Fatdsingh managed to get him ousted assurance gave me, a year ago, a sealed letter, in favour of Sayajirav, the idiot; he himself blessed by you, containing predictions in the becoming regent. This arrangement lasted till matter, saying 'In the Saka year 1714, (cyclic 1778, when Fatêsingh became Gaikwad, a year) ParidhÂvi, in the first prahars of the position which he held till his death in 1789. eighth day of the dark fortnight of Margasîrsha, Mânáji, another son of Damájirâv, now became about four ghatikds after the Dhanlagnd, you regent on behalf of the idiot Sayajirav, till his will be invited to Paņê (Poona) to the presence death about August 1st 1793.
My old friend, the Sardar, died somewhat suddenly down in the text, actually entered Baroda on the 19th just after the proofs of this article had been sent to him December so that this sanad must have been dated for correction and remark. He took much trouble to about a fortnight previously and that may account for prooure the photographs from which the facsimile plato its vaguely saying that he entered Baroda in Maghe, 1.6. nocompanying this paper was made, and to proouro January February 1794, instead of ons fixed date in Parinformation about the holders of the sanad. He pub- shs (December January 1793). But the sanad presenta liabed an account of it from a very different point of another historical puzzle, by saying that Govindrhy was view to the present one in the Theosophist some three or invented with the insignia of his rank during Man Ajt's four years ago.
lifetime, as the latter did not die tiu August 1798. This • Ass matter of fact Govindrav, us will be seen lower sooms hardly likely.
