52. Pokhara (Chattisgarh, M.P.) copper-plate incomplete grant of (Sudevarаja ?) M. G. Dikshit, IHQ. Vol. XXXIII (1957), pp. 84-85 & Pl.; IE.AR., 1957-58. p. 15, No. 25, App. A; AMS, APPENDIX I.

A single plate of copper was found in possession of Shri Shivajirao Maha-dik of Raksha. Rajim, in the Raipur District of Madhya Pradesh. It was reported that originally a complete set cf three copper-plates together with its ring was found while digging a plot of land near Pokhra. But a dispute arose among the diggers about the ownership of the set and it was decided to divide the plates equally. Two of the plates and the ring were melted before the information about the discovery of the record reached Moreshwar G. Dikshit, who published the portion of the record inscribed on this plate in IHQ, xxxiii, 84-85.
The plate (about 6" in length and 3" in breadth) bears writing on both the sides. There are altogether twelve lines of writing, each side bearing six lines. The characters belong to the box-headed variety of the Central Indian alphabet, and the language is Sanskrit. The format, general tenor, the provenance and palaeographic considerations leave no room for doubt that this is the second or middle plate of a three-plate Щarabhapurиya charter. As in other charters of the dynasty, the name and description of the issuing chief must have been given on the inner side of the first plate and that of the engraver and the details of dale on the third plate. And as both these plates are lost, we have no knowledge as to who made the grant recorded in this inscription. The seal, the legend on which could have supplied this information, is also not forthcoming. From the mode of drafting we can only conclude that the record cannot be placed earlier than the Mallar plates of Jayarаja dated in the fifth year of his reign (vide Кo. 1: V above). However, Moreshwar G. Dikshit suggested, on the basis of the tenor of the inscription that the plate in question belonged to Sudevaraja, son of Mаnamаtra-Durgarаja. The name of the donated village and the administrative division in which it was situated also cannot he made out as they were given on the first plate which is lost.
The portion of the inscription inscribed on this plate records that a certain Daндacakra (note 1:.Тhe expression sa-bаla-vрddha-Daндacakkrенa seems to indicate that the children and elderly members of his family were also associated with Daндacakra is making the grant.) gave away a village to Dиkшita Anantasvаmin of the Vаjasaneya щаkhа (of the Yajurveda) and the Bhаradvаja gotra with all the usual privilleges and exemptions and that this grant was approved by the king by means of a copper-plate charter. (note 2: Dikshit wrongly stated that the grant was made for the religious merit of Daндacakra. the fact is that the grant was made by Daндacakra himself with the approval of his master. Unfortunately we have no information about the position occupied by Daндacakra. Among the Щarabhapurиya records we have several instances of the kings endorsing the grants made by his subordinates or members of the royal family. See above, I: I, VII, XIII, etc.) The villagers were exhorted to pay to the donee periodical offerings and the royal share of agricultural produce regularly. The future rulers were then entreated to protect the grant and a few customary imprecatory and benedictive stanzas (at least four), at least three of them attributed to Vyаsa, were quoted. Only one of these stanzas is fully accommodated and the second partially on the available plate, the first being in the Vasantatilakа and the second in Indravajrа metres. Both these stanzas are already familiar from the Щarabhapurиya charters. The inscription is edited here from the facsimile accompanying Dikshit's article. (AMS)

TEXT

Second Plate : First Side

1 щi-tаrа-kiraнa-pratihata-ghоr-аndhakаraм jagad=avatiштhа(штa)tе tа[va*]d=upabhоgya-
2 s-sa-nidhis-s-оpanidhir=a-cатa-bhaтa-prаvещyas-sarvva-kara-visarjjitaх sabа-
3. la-vрddha-daндacakrенa puнy-аbhivрddhayе vаjasanеya-bharadvаja-sa-
4 gоtra-di(dи)kшit-аnantasvаminaх atisрштakа(kо) bhуtvа tаmbra(mra)щаsanе-
5 n-аsmаbhir=anumоditaх tе yуyam=еvam=upalabhy=аsy=аjга-щravaнa-vidhе-
6 yа bhуtvа yath-оcitaм bhоga-bhаgam=upanayantas=sukhaм prativi(va)tsyatha [|*]

Second Plate : Second Side

7 Bhaviшyataщ=ca bhуmipаn=anudarщayati || dо(dа)nаd=viщiштam-anupаla-
8 najaм purана dharmmешu niщcita-dhiyaЫ pravadanti dharmma(mmaм) || (|) tasmа[d*]-vijаyaх(ya)
9. su-viщuddha-kula-щrutаya dattам bhuvaм bhavatu vо matи(ti)r=еva gоpta(tu)[m*] ||
10 tad=bhavadbhir=apya(py-е)ша dattir=anupаlayitavyа [|*] Vyаsa-gиtамщ=c-аtra щlоkаn=udа-
11 haranti [|*] Agnеr=apatyaм prathamaм suvarннa(ннaм) || bhуr=vvaiшнavи sуryya-sutа-
12 щ=ca gаvaх [|*] dattаs=trayas=tеna bhavanti lоkах(kа) yaX kагcanaм gам ca mahи(hим) ca