Indian Antiquary Vol 18

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 17

JANUARY, 1889.] GRANT OF CHANDRADEVA AND MADANAPALA.
TRANSLATION.
Thus saith king Piyadasi, dear unto the Dèvas-In the twenty-seventh year of my coronation, I have had this edict engraved. Amongst many hundreds of thousands of inhabitants, have I set over the people rajjukas. I have kept in my own hands the ordering of all prosecutions against and of all punishments upon them, in order that these rajjukas may attend to their duties in security and without fear, and that they may establish and develop the happiness and prosperity of the population of my dominions. They will make themselves acquainted with their good and evil plight, and, together with the Faithful, they will exhort the (entire) population of my dominions so as to secure their welfare both in this world and in the world to come. The rajjukas will set themselves to obey me, and so will my purushas also obey my wishes and my orders. They will exhort far and wide, if the rajjúkas set themselves to satisfy me. Just as, after confiding a child to a skilful nurse, a man feels secure, saying to himself, "a skilful nurse sets herself to take care of my child," so have I appointed these rajjúkas for the happiness and prosperity of my subjects. In order that they may attend to their duties in security and free from disturbing thoughts, I have kept in my own hands the ordering of prosecutions against, and of all punishments upon, them. For it is desirable that uniformity should exist, both in the prosecutions and in the punishments. From this day (I pass the following) rule :-To prisoners who have been judged and have been condemned to death, I grant a respite of three days (before execution). (My officers) will waro them that they have neither more nor less to live. Warned thus as to the limit of their existence, they may give alms in view of their future life, or may give themselves up to fasting. I desire that even those who are shut in the prisonhouse may secure (their happiness in) the world to come, and I wish to see developing the various practices of the Religion, the bringing of the senses under subjection, and the distribution of alms.
COPPER-PLATE GRANTS OF THE KINGS OF KANAUJ.
BY PROFESSOR F. KIELHORN, C.I.E.; GÖTTINGEN.
I edit the first two of these inscriptions, at Mr. Fleet's request, from excellent ink-impressions made and supplied to me by him. My notice of the third is also from his ink-impression; but in this instance, owing to the condition of the original plate, the impression is not suitable for editing in full. And my account of the fourth inscription is from imperfect rubbings which were received through Sir A. Cunningham.
A.-Copper-Plate Grant of Chandradeva and Madanapaladeva.
The (Vikrama) year 1154.
This inscription has been previously edited, with a translation, by Dr. F. E. Hall, in the Jour. Beng. As. Soc. Vol. XXVII. pp. 220-241. It is on a copper-plate which belongs to the Library of the Bengal Asiatic Society at Calcutta. No information is available as to where the plate was discovered.
The plate, which is inscribed on one side only, measures about 1' 9" by 1' 2". The edges of it were both fashioned thicker and raised into rims, to protect the writing. Portions of the plate are somewhat worn, especially on the proper right side, from line 8 to about line 15; but there is no doubt whateyer about the actual reading of any part of the inscription, with the exception of the first three aksharas of line 13, which are almost completely obliterated by the incrustation of rust, so that only very faint traces of them are visible in the impression. The plate is thick and substantial; so that the letters, though fairly deep, do not shew through on the reverse side of it at all. The engraving is bold and excellent; but, as usual, the interiors of many of the letters shew marks of the working of the tool.-In the upper part of the plate there is a ring-hole, through which there passes a ring about thick and 34" in