46. Nahna or Naina (Kalahandi District, Orissa) or Khariar (in S Konow publ.) copper-plates of Mahаsudevarаja.
EI. Vol. IX (1907-8), pp. 170-73 and Pls. (Sten Konow); Inscrs. in C.P. and Berar, p. 106, No. 177 (Hiralal); IE. AR. 1955-56, p. 18, No. 50, App. A; B.C. Jain, Catalogue of the Antiquities preserved in the Archaeological Section of the M.G.M. Museum, Raipur, vi, 16-8, pls. x-xii; AMS, I: VIII.

These plates were sent to me in March 1907 by the Commissioner of Raipur, who stated that they had been dug at Khariаr in the Raipur District, Central Provinces. The name of the place occurs as Karial on the Indian Atlas sheet 92 N. E., Lat 82o 50' and 20o 17'. The plates have now been deposited in the Nаgpur Museum. There are three copper plates, each measuring 5 5/8" x 3 1/8". The first is inscribed on one side only. Traces on the other side show that the plate has formerly been used for another inscription. The plates are quite smooth, and their edges have neither been fashioned thicker, nor raised into rims. They are in an excellent state of preservation. About 1" from the middle of the proper right margin, each plate has a hole, about 7/16" in diameter, for the ring on which the plates are strung. This ring is oval, 3 3/16" long and 2 10/16" broad. It had not been cut when the plates were sent to me.
The ends of the ring are secured in a circular seal, about 3 5/8" in diameter. It is identical with that described by Dr. Fleet, Gupta Inscriptions, p. 196. Its upper part shows a representation of a standing Lakшmи facing full front; on each side of her an elephant is standing on a waterlily, with its trunk raised above her head. In the proper right corner there is an expanded waterlily, in the proper left corner a щaкkha. The seal has been subjected to fire, and the legend could not be made out when I received the plates. It has, however, proved possible to clean it, so that it can now be read with certainty. It therefore also makes it possible to decide what the legend must have been on the corresponding seal published by Dr. Fleet, which is quite illegible. The weight of the three plates is 1 lb. 2 3/4 oz.; and of the ring and seal 1 lb. 2 oz., total 2 lb. 4 3/4 oz.
(S. Konow)
Language: Sanskrit. In prose except the usual imprecatory and benedictory verses at the end and the legend on the seal.
Metres: Verse 1: Vasantatilakа, Verse 2: Indravajrа; Verses 3-6: Anustubh.
Script: Box-headed variety of the Central Indian alphabet.
Date: Regnal Year 2, Щrаvaнa 29. Latter half of the sixth century A.D.
On the basis of erroneous information originally available to him, Sten Konow had mentioned the village of Khariar as the findspot of this grant which he accordingly christened as Khariar plates. But as pointed out by him in a footnote (El, ix, 172, fn. 7), the plates were actually found at Nahna or Naina, about 5 kms. south of Khariar, which was anciently known as Navannaka as would be evident from line 4 of the record. This observation of Konow has escaped the notice of all the later writers who continue, though erroneously, to refer to these plates as Khariar plates. We have, however, preferred to rechristen them as Nahna plates after their actual provenance and thereby correct an error prevalent for several decades. 14 cms. long and 8 cms. broad.
Seal : Slightly damaged and 7-5 cms. in diameter, the seal is divided into two parts by two horizontal lines in the middle. In the upper part is depicted the Abhiшeka Lakшmи motif with the goddess Lakшmи, standing to full front, flanked by an elephant on her either side standing on an expanded water-lily and bathing her with water poured from a pitcher held in its uplifted trunk. The lower part contains an Anuштubh stanza in two lines below which there is a floral device.
(AMS)

TEXT.

First Plate.

1 Svasti [|*] Щarabhapurаd-vikkram-оpanata-sаmanta-makuтa-cудаmaнi-
2 prabhа-prasеk-аmbu-dhauta-pаda-yugalо ripu-vilаsinи-sиmant-оddharaнa-
3 hеtur=vvasu-vasudhа-gо-pradaЫ paramabhаgavatо mаtа-pitрi(tр)-pаd-аnuddhyа-
4 taщ=щrи-Mahа-Sudеva-rаjaх Kшitimaнд-аhаrиya-Navannaka-еtat-prаvещya-
5 ЩаmbilakayоЫ  prativаsi-kuтumbinas-samаjгаpayati || Viditam=astu

Second Plate; First Side,

6 vо yath=аsmаbhir=еtad=grаma-dvayaм tр(tri)daщa-pati-sadana-sukha-pratiштhаkarо yаva-
7 d-ravi-щaщi-tаrа-kiraнa-pratihata-ghоr-аndhakаraм jagad=avatiштhatе tаvad=upa-
8 bhоgyas-sanidhis=sоpanidhir=acатa-bhaтa-prаvещyas-sarvva-kara-visarjji-
9 tо mаtаpitrоr=аtmanaщ=ca puнy-аbhivрddhayе Vаji(ja)sanеya-Kощika-sagоtra-
10 Viшнusvаminas=tаmbra(mra)щаsanеn=аtisрштaх [|*] Те yуyam=еvam=upalabby=аsy=а-

Second Plate; Second Side.

11 jга-щravaнa-vidhеyа bhуtvа yathоcitaм bhоga-bhаgam=upanayantas=sukhaм prati-
12 vatsyatha [|*] Bhaviшyatащ=ca bhуmipаn=anudarщayati [||*] dаnаd=viщiштam=anupа-
13 lana-jaм purана dharmmешu niщcita-dhiyaЫ pravadanti dharmma[m*] || (|) tasmа[d*] dvijа-
14 ya suviщuddha-kula-щrutаya dattам bhuvaм bhavatu vо matir=еva gоptu[m*] ||[1||*]
15 tad=bhavadbhir=apy=еша dattir=anupаlayitavyа [|*] Vyаsa-gиtамщ-c=аtra щlоkаn=u-

Third Plate; First Side.

16 dаharanti || Agnеr=apatya[м*] prathamaм suvarннaм bhуr=vvaiшнavи sуryya-
17 sutащ=ca gаvaх [|*] dattаs=trayas=tеna bhavanti lоkаyaX=kагcanaм gаm ca mahим ca da-
18 dyаt [||2||*] шaштi-varшa-sahasrанi svarggе mоdati bhуmidaх [|*] аcchеttа
19 c-аnumantа ca tаny=еva narakе vasеt [||*3] Bahubbir=vvasudhа dattа rаjabhi-
20 s=Sagar-аdibhiх [|*] yasya yasya yadа bhуmiх tasya tasya tadа phalaм(lam) ||[4]

Тhird Plate; Second Side.

21 Svadattам paradattам vа yatnаd=rakшa Yudhiштhira [|*] mahиm=mahиmatаг=cchrештha
22 dаnаc=chrеyо-ёnupаlanam=iti [||5||*] svamukhаjгayа savvatsara 2 Щrаvaнa di 20 9
23 utkиrннaм tаmbra(mra)щаsanaм Drонasикghенa.

Seal.
Prasann-аrннava-sambhуta-Mаnamаtr-еndu-janmana[х*]
Щrиma[t-Sudе]varаjasya sthiraм jagati [щаsanaм]