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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(SEPTEMBER, 1906..
dponpa and Gongmapa, these threr, first; Numpa and sTarapa and Dragshospa, these tbree, second; Sabipa and Sherabpa and Bodapa, these threo, third ; rKangchagpa and Khrollepa and Rallupa, these three, fourth ; Dragshospa and Gadcanpa and Grambucanpa, these three, fifth ; Byabapa and Phanba and Bragcanpa, these three, sixth ; rKyallupa and skamburpa and Monpa, these three, seventh..
Notes. The “cavity in the rock" (bra, khung) is a peculiar rock formation, which, to a person looking towards it from the "Willow Hill" (loang ri), has the appearance of a window. This “Willow Hill's is in the middle of the village and is completely covered with houses, but the name seems to indicate that in by gone times there existed on it a clump or wood of willows. The time for sowing is determined at Khalatse still in the way given in the edict. In other villages it is determined by the lamas or onpos (astrologers), who find a day of good omen for it. The order of watering the fields is still the same as that above given, Administrative work of this kind is never recorded in the rGyalrabs, and for this reason the evidence of the stone inscriptions is of particular value to the student of history.
(E) Manuscript Decree of king Nyima-rnam-rgyal, o. 1700-1730 A. D.
In the possession of the Dragchos family there are two decrees in MS. One of them was issued by king Nyima-rnam-rgyal, and the other by king r Dorje-the-dpal-mi-'agyurdongrub-rnam-rgyal. I now give the text and a translation of the first. King Nyima-ramrgyal was celebrated for his wisdom in pronouncing judgment, and this decree is an interesting example of his manner of deciding difficult cases.
From very ancient times the Gongmapa family had held the highest position in the village the oldest member being honoured with the title . Wazir. But apparently king bDe-ldan-rnamrgyal, whom we know from the preceding edict, made Drag-chos the chieftain of the village, without deposing the old Wazir. The people of Khalatse did not like having two superiors, and were in doubt which of the two was the person really to be treated as such, and.king Nyima-rnam. rgyal had to decide the point. The following decree embodies his decision of the matter,
Tibetan Text. Sa skyong mi dbang phyug nyima rnam rgyalba lhai bkā.
mNga 'ogtu ytogspai rgyal khams spyi dang bye phragtu Khalatnei rgan mi manga yar mar 'agrim'agrulgyi sku tb sab zhi draggi donla mngagspa thamscad la springspa: 'aGangba rgya mthso pha mes rgyud yaum nas Khalatse drag shos byed bzhinpalas, bar zhig Dongrub bsod rnam dang 'athab rtsod byungnas sler khrims sar yonganas 'athabpar, ladvags stod bshamskyi rgan ysum rnamskyis zhib ysal nyannas, bden brdargyi bar rgyan btangnas, rgyalpoi mnā byedpar byasnas, 'aGangba rgya mthso rgyalnas, mna thsigtu : nga pha mesnas dragsbos bkā drin skyangsnas yod byinpa las dran krab laggi[s] byaspa yinri, de yang dragshoskyi thob khungs gral 'ago dang ysangma kyithsir, grongpa dgu spo reskyi yado rkang ya gong phud, phug rkyas'ol rngas rnam's thob nges engar khrims yin zhes rnam rgyal rtsemo dang yyutur zhugsnas mnā skyelnas, ytsang dag byas, sngar mal dragshoskyi dbang ris bdag thob, gong goal dang beas ynaspa bkā drin skyangspa yinpas, khyod gong 'akhod mnamskyi[8] sbyod 'athse bkā 'adod sogs ytannas, ma byed pa bdebar ynus beugpa galche, galsrid phyag rgya 'adi mthong bzhin rtsis med byasna, rtsad ycod dragpo yongbai sosor goba bgyis, zhubapo bsodnam lhungrab yin, ces shing spre zlaba 8 pai thses 29 la phobrang thaemo slel mkhar rtsenas 'abris.
Translation. [This is] the word of the protector of the earth, (who is) rich in power over men, Nyima rnam-rgyal, the god.
I was told later on, that also this ediet contained a hint sboat fizing a day of good omen, when the sun was in the position described above. But that part of the inscription bas been forgotten,
