49. Arang (Raipur District, Madhya Pradesh) copper-plates of Mahаsudevarаja.
Hiralal, Inscrs. in C.P. & Berar (2nd Edn.) p. 106-A, No. 177(a); L. P. Pandey, EI. Vol. XXIII (1935-36), pp. 18-22 & Pl. Sircar reads the date 7. ; B.C. Jain, Catalogue of the Antiquities preserved in the Archaeological Section of the M.G.M. Museum, Raipur, vi, 18-22 and pls. xiii-xv; AMS I:XI.

The charter which is edited below consists of three copper-plates and was first brought to light by me in March, 1929. I published a short notice of it in the English paper "The Hitavada" of Nаgpur in its issue of April 11, 1929 [Hiralal also has noticed it in his List of Inscriptions in C. P. and Berar (2nd ed.), p. 106-A.]. The plates [Since writing this the plates have been acquired by the Central Museum, Nаgpur, where they are now deposited.] were in the possession of a cultivator named Bhagirathi Sonkar of Arang in the Raipur District of the C. P. Nothing definite is known about the provenance of the grant except that it had been lying in the house of the owner for over fifty years-since the time of his father.
Arang has all the appearance of having once been a large and important city. Here and there are many fine old tanks with numerous remains of temples and sculptures, both Jain and Brahmanical. The only temple that is now standing is of Jain origin. It is popularly known as Bhanddewal from the fact that it contains three colossal naked Jain figures. The temple is richly carved and adorned with a profusion of sculptured statues on the outside, many of which are highly indecent. To the west of the town on the bank of a tank there is a small temple dedicated to Mahаmаyа. A description of this temple and also that of the other antiquarian remains at Arang has been given by Cunningham.[Cunningham, A. S. R., Vol. XVII, pp. 20 ff.; see also Raipur District Gazetteer, pp. 257 ff.] Besides the present set, two other sets of copper-plates well discovered at the place in addition to a fragmentary Brаhmи inscription.[See above, Vol. IX, pp. 342 ff.; C.I.I., Vol. III, pp. 191 ff. and Hiralal, List of Inscriptions in C. P. and Berar (2nd ed.), pp. 94, 105 and 110.]
The plates are held together by a ring the ends of which are secured in a circular seal about 3 5/8 in diameter. The seal is identical with that described by Fleet in C.I.I., Vol. III, p. 196. Its upper part shows the representation of a standing Lakшmи facing full front; on each side of her an elephant is standing on a water-lily, with its trunk raised above her head. In the proper right corner there is a figure of an expanded water-lily and in the proper left that of a conch (щaкkha). Below is the legend in two lines. The rims of the plates are not raised. The plates measure 6-4" in length and 3-2" in breadth. The weight of the plates is 48 1/2 tolas and that of the seal 45 tolas. The letters show through on the back of the plates, especially in the case of the last plate which was too thin and was, therefore, cut while incising the second and third letters of l. 21. The engraver has, therefore, left 1" of the breadth on the back of the last plate unincised. The first plate contains five lines of writing on its second side and the second plate has the same number of lines on its first side. The second side of the second plate and the first side of the third contain each six lines of writing, while the second side of the third piate has only four lines.
Seal Metre: Anuштubh. Read the latter half of the verse as Щrиmat-Sudеvarаjasya sthiraм jagati щаsanaм(m) following the other plates of this ruler.
(L. P. Pandey)
Language: Sanskrit. In prose with the exception of the customary benedictive and imprecatory verses at the end and the legend on the seal.
Metres: Verse 1: Vasantatitakа; Verse 2: Indravajrа, Verses 3-6: Anuштubh.
Script: Box-headed variety of the Central Indian alphabet.
Date: Regnal Year 7, Vaiщаkha 29. Latter half of the sixth century A.D.
The plates are 3.2" broad and 6.4" long.
(In notes) Although nothing definite is known about the findspot of the charter, it was in the possession of a cultivator of Arang and is reported to have been lying in his house for well over half a century since the time of his father. The seal is similar to those attached to the other charters of Sudevarаja. Following the other plates of Sudevarаja, Pandeya proposes to restore the second half of the Anusfubh stanza as (see above)чч. But the seal attached to some plates of this king has щаsanaм ripu- in place of sthiraм jagati. Thus it can also be restored as Щrиmat-Sudеvarаjasya щаsanaм ripuщаsanam.
(AMS)

TEXT.

First Plate.

1 siddham [|*] svasti [|*] Щarabhapurаd=vikkram-оpanata-sаmanta-makuтa-cуда-maнi-prabhа-pra-
2 sеk-аmbu-dhauta-pаda-yugalо ripu-vilаsinи-sиmant-оddharaнa-hеtu-
3 r=vvasu-vasudhа-gо-pradaЫ paramabhаgavatо mаtа-pitр-pаd-аnuddhyаta-
4 щщrи-Mahа-Sudеvarаjaх Tоsaddu(дu)bhuktиya-Щiviliкgakе prativаsi-
5 kuтumbinas=samаjгаpayati || viditam=astu vо yath=аyaм grаma-

Second Plate; First Side.

6 stр(s=tri)daщapati-sadana-sukha-pratiштhа-[ka*]rо yаvad=ravi-щaщi-tаrа-kiraнa-prati-
7 hata-ghоr-аndhakаraм jagad=avatiштhatе tаvad-upabhоgyas=sa-nidhis=s-оpanidhi-
8 r=a-cатa-bhaтa-prаvещyas=sarvva-kara-visarjjitaхЫ pratihаra-Bhоgillеna mаtа-
9 pitrоr=аtmanaщ=ca puнy-аbhivрddhayе Kаtyаyana-sagоtra-Mаdhyandina-Vаja-
10 sanеya-Yajгasvаminaх(nе) adhyarddhакщеna Bhаradvаja-Kumаravatsa-Аtrе-

Second Plate; Second Side.

11 ya-Kанva-Vаjasanеya-Yajгasvаminе pratyaкщеna Kаtyаyana-Viщаkha-
12 svаmi-Kauщika-Mаdhyandina-Gоlasvаmi еvaм Dаmоdarasvаmi-Dаsasvаmi-
13 Bhаradvаja-Paгcаli-svаmi-dиkшit-Аyanиkа[n*] pratyarddhакщеna tаmbra(mra)щаsa-
14 nеn-аtisршто bhуtv=аsmаbhir=anumоditaх [|*] tе yуyam=еvam=upalabhy=aiша-
15 m=аjга-щravaнa-vidhеyа bhуtvа yath-оcitam bhоga-bhаgam=upanayantas=sukhaм
16 prativatsyatha [|*] Bhaviшyataщ=ca bhуmipаn=anudarщayati [|*] Dаnаd=viщiштa-

Third Plate; First Side.

17 m=anupаlana-ja(jaм) purана dharmmешu niщcita-dhiyaЫ pravadanti dharmmaм(rmmam) ||(|) tasmаd-vi(d-dvi)-
18 jаya su-viщuddha-kula-щrutаya dattам bhuvaм bhavatu vо matir=еva gоptu[m] ||
19 tad=bhavadbhir=apy=еша dati(tti)r=anupаlayitavyа [||*] Vyаsa-gиtа(taм)йщ-c-аtra щlоkаn=u-
20 dаharanti [|*] Agnеr=apatya(tyaм) prathamaм suvarннaм || bhуr=vvaiшнavи sуryya-su-
21 tащ=ca gаva[х |*] dattаs=trayas=tеna bhavaм(va)nti lоkа yaX=kагcanaм gам ca mahи(hим) ca dadyаt [||*2]
22 шaштiм varшa-sahasrанi svarggе mоdati bhуmi-da[х |*] аcchеttа c=аnumaм(ma)ntа ca tа-

Third Plate; Second Side.

23 ny=еva narakе vasе[t ||*3] Bahubhir=vvasudhа dattа rаjabhis-Sagar-аdibhi[х |*]
24 yasya yasya yadа bhуmita(s=ta)sya tasya tadа phalaм(lam) [||*4] Sva-dantа(ttам) para-dantа(ttам) vа yatnа-
25 d=rakшa Yudhiштhira [|*] mahиm-mahi(hи)matаг-chrештha dаnа-cchrеyо-ёnupаlanam=iti [||*5] svamu-
26 khаgna(jгa)yа saмvva(vat) 8 vaiщаkha di 20 9 Uktи(tkи)rннaм Drонasiмghе(hе)na ||

The Seal.

1 prasa[nnаrннa]va-sambhу[ta]-mа[na]-mаtr-еndujanmana[х |*]
2 щrиmat-su ........... [ща]sanaм(nam) [||*]