No. 1. Pedda-Dugam plates of Щatrudamana, year 9.
D. Ch. Sircar - El, XXXI, No. 15.
This is a set of three plates discovered in the course of digging the earth for the
foundation of a house at the village of Pedda-Dugam in the Narasannapet Taluk of the
Srikakulam District, Andhra State. The record was published by Mr. V. Bhanumurty, who
secured the plates for examination through the Collector of the District, first in the
Telugu monthly journal Bhаrati, March 1955, pp. 86 ff., and then in JAHRS, Vol. XXI, pp.
159 ff. His readings and interpretation of the epigraph, however, contain many errors. The
plates [This is No. 7 of A.R.Ep., 1955-56, App. A.] were received in July 1955 for
examination at the office of the Government Epigraphist for India through the Deputy
Commissioneer of Commercial Taxes, Guntur, and were returned, at his request, to the
Registrar, Andhra University, Waltair.
The set consists of three thin plates each measuring about 7" by 2.7". The first
plate bears writing only on the inner side while the others are inscribed on both the
sides. There is a hole (about 4" in diameter) for the seal-ring to pass through in
the left margin of the plates. The oval face of the seal soldered to the ring is so
completely defaced that no legend or emblem is visible on it. The three plates together
weight about 50 tolas while the weight of the ring with the seal is about 17 1/2 tolas.
The plates are numbered on the obverse side in late Telugu-Kannaдa numerals, apparently
not incised at the time of the engraving of the plates. The characters belong to the
Southern Alphabet and may be assigned on palaeographic ground to a date roughly about the
fifth century A.D. The language of the record is Sanskrit, though there are many
grammatical errors in the text of the document.
TEXT
First Plate
1 Siddham [|*] Vijaya-Siкha(Siмha)purаd-bhagavatо Damanещvara-
2 svаminaх pаd-аnudhyаtо Bhaттаraka-pаda-parigр-
3 hиtо mahаrаja-щrи-Щatrudamanadеvaх Giri-
4 Kaliкga-Varddhamаn-аgrahаrе Duhаgrаmе Vasuvатakе
Second plate, first side.
2
5 Gоvатakе sa(cha) Vrа(Brа)hmaнa-purоgad-grаmаг-chharи-аdi-kuщalaм
6 spр(pр)штvа likhaty=asty-еtе mayа grаmakа [а*]tmana[х] puny-а(нy-а)pyаyana-
7 nimittaм Brаhmaнаnам(bhyам) Paттuvagrаma-vаstavyаya(bhyам)
8 Kauндinya-sagоttrаya(bhyам) Taittirиya-savra(bra)hmachаriне(bhyам)
9 Yajгaщarmmaнaх puttra(ttrаbhyам) Vappaщarmmaнаya Щarvvaщarmma-
Second plate, second side
10 наya cha trинy-api grаmakа dattа аbhyа[м] vrа(brа)hmaнa-dеya[м] kрtvа
11 dvija-bhоgо visрштas-tad-yuшmаbhi[х*] щrоtavyam аjга cha kartavyа [|*]
12 attra cha Щarvvaщarmmaнаya(не) vрtti-dvaya[м*] Va(Ba)ppaщarmaнаya(не)
13 cha vрttir=еkа [|*] sarvvе cha samuchita-grаmана[м] pratyаya-
14 mеy-аdim=upanеsya(шya)tha [|*] bhavanti ch=аttra щlоkа[х|*] Yax=kriyам
dharmma-
15 sa[м]yuktам manas=аpy=abhinandati [|*] varddhatе sa yath-ештеna (штaг=cha)
Third Plate, First Side
3
16 щukla-pakше iv=акщumам ||[1*] Va(Ba)hubhir=vvasudhа dattа
17 vasudhа vasudh-аdhipaiх [|*] yasya yasya yadа bhуmi
18 tasya tasya tadа phalaм(lam) || [2*] Pуrvva-dattам dvijаtibhyо
19 yatnаd-rakшa Yudhiштhira | mahиm mahimatам щrештha
20 dаnаch-chhrеyо=ёnupаlanaм(nam) [|| 3*] Шaштiм varшшa(rшa)-sahaarанi
Third Plate, Second Side
21 sva[r*]ggе mоdati bhуmidaх [|*] аkшеptа ch=аnumantа cha
22 tаny=еva narakе vasе[t*] || [1*] ity=еvaм-likhita-samba(samva)tsarо
23 navamо 9 Ашадha-mаsa-divasо daщamо 24 dуtо vaidya Kршнadatta[х ||*]
________________________
From the original plates and their impressions. Siddham expressed by symbol.
The figure, which is a modern Telugu-Kannaдa numeral, stands in the margin near the
beginning of line 6. A similar figure for 1 is found on the blank side of the first plate.
L. 5. Read purоgаn. The word grаma appears to have been used in the sense of grаmеyaka
or grаmavаsin.
L. 9-10. Read Bappaщarmmaне Щarvvaщarmmaне cha or Bappaщarmma-Щarvvaщarmmabhyам.
L. 10. Read trayоёpi.
L. 11. Better read щrоtavyа. The word anayох is understood in this sentence.
L. 14. Better read grаmанам samuchita-pratyаya-mеy-аdi. The word abhyаm is
understood here.