55. Mallar (Bilasapur, M.P.) copper-plates of Vyаghrarаja of the reign of Pravararаja. R. Y. 41 (?) Pauшa 27
Ind. Arch., A Review, 1958-59, p. 60, No. 24 & Pl. LXIX-LXX (3rd Set); IE.AR. 1958-59, p. 26 No. 6, App. A; D. C. Sircar & G. Bhattacharya, EI. Vol. XXXIV (1961-62), No. 10. pp. 45-50 & pls.; Hitavаda (Nagpur), 28th August, 1958; AMS, APPENDIX II

According to a report appearing in the Hitavаda of Nagpur, dated the 28th August 1953, four sets of copper plates were recently discovered at the well-known village of Mallаr, about 16 miles from Bilaspur in Madhya Pradesh. Three out of the four sets, which are said to have been found by the villagers while digging for foundations, were secured by Mr. M. Sivayya, Exploration Assistant of the Department of Archaeology at Bilaspur, the fourth set being acquired for the Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum, Raipur, by Mr. Balehandra Jain. Assistant Curator of the said institution. The plates [See A.R.Ep., 1958-59, No. A 6.] published in the following pages represent one of the three sets secured by Mr. Sivayya. The other three inscriptions, which were discovered along with the one under study and belong to the rulers of the Щarabhapurиya dynasty are also being published in this journal. [See ibid., 1958-59, Nos. A 5, 7-8; above, Vol. XXXIII, pp. 155 ff. (grant of Jayarаja, year 5); also pp. 28 ff. (grant of Jayarаja, year 9) above and pp. 53 f. (grant of Pravararаja, son of Mаnamаtra-Durgarаja, year 3) below.]
The set consists of three rectangular plates with their corners rounded off and each measuring approximately 7 inches in length and 3-5 inches in height. The second plate, is somewhat thicker than the others. Each plate has a round hole about the centre of the left margin for the seal-ring to pass through. The seal affixed to the ring (about 1 1-4 inches in circumference and 1-3" in thickness) does not resemble that found with the charters of the Щarahhapurиya kings, even though, as will be seen below, the donor of our record apparently belonged to the same family. The surface of the seal, which is 1-9 inches in diameter and is much corroded, has a thick line dividing it into two halves. The section above the line exhibits three symbols, viz. the side view of a chakra in the left, the head of an animal (probably a lion) in front in the middle, and a conch-shell in the right. The legend below the line, written in Southern characters similar to those employed in writing the text of the document on the plates, reads щrи-Vyаghrarаjaх. There is another symbol below the legend, which is difficult to identify, though it may be the head of an elephant to front. It will be seen that Vyаghrarаja's seal is totally unlike the seal of the Щarabhapurиya kings, which exhibits the Gajalakшmи emblem in the upper part and a legend below consisting of a stanza in the Anuштubh metre written in two lines in the box-headed characters of Central India. The first and third plates of the set under study are written on the inner side only, the second plate having writing on both the sides. There are altogether twenty four lines of writing distributed in the following way: IB-6, IIA-7, IIB-5, and IIIA-6. The sixth line on the third plate consists of a few letters only. The three plates together weigh 53 tolas and the seal with the ring 18 tolas. (D. C. Sircar and G. Bhattacharya)

TEXT

First Plate

1 Svasti [|*] Prasannapurаd=upavana-vana-rаji-rаjitаd=Apa(ma)rapura-
2 kиrtti-vijayinaх pravara-kаminи-nitamba-vi(bi)mb-аbhighаta-
3 bhinn-аmbhasа ca srоtasvatyа Niдilayа pavitrиkрtаd=Ama-
4 r-аryya-kul-аmbara-щaщinaх sakala-kalа-kalаpa-nilaya-
5 sya jita-tamasо jana-nayan-оtsavasya щrи-Jaya-bhaттаraka-sу-
6 nох щrи-Pravara-bhaттаrakasya Pri(Pр)thоr=iva prи(pр)thu-nu(bhu)ja-

Second Plate, First Side

7 yugala-bal-аjjit-оjita-sakala-mahиmaндala-maндana-
8 yaщasо manоr=iva manujapatеr=anujaх щrи-Vyаghrarаjadеvо
9 varttamаnам(nаn) bhaviшyataщ=ca brаhmaнам sampуjya rаjгaх su-mаnya-
10 rаjapuruшам(шаn) samаjгаpayati viditam=astu vо yath=аsmаbhi-
11 r=ayaм Pуrvva-rаштrиya-Kunturapadraka-grаmо mаtа-pittrоr=аtmana-
12 щ=ca puнyа(нy-а)bhivri(vр)ddhayе bahvрca-Kаpy-Акgirasa-gоttra-dиkшita-Du-
13 rggasvаmi-sуnavе dиkшit-Аgnicandrasvаminе datta ity=u-

Second Plate, Second Side

14 palabhya bhavadbhir=apy=anumantavyaх pаlayitavyaщ=c-еti |
15 Bahubhir=vvasudhа dattа rаjabhiх[|*] Sagar-аdibhi[х |*] yasya
16 yasya yadа bhуmis=tasya tasya tadа phalaм(lam) [|*] Mа bhу-
17 d=aphala-sa(щa)кkа vaх para-dattеti pаrtthivах [|*] sva-dаnа-
18 t=para-dаnasya tasmаc=chrеyo=ёnupаlanaм |(nam ||)

Third Plate

19 шaштi-varшa-sahasrанi svarggе mоdati bhуmi-
20 daх [|*] аchе(cchе)ttа c=аnumantа cа(ca) tаny=еva narakе vasе[t] [||*]
21 Sva-dattам para-dattам vа yо harеta vasundharaм(rаm) [|*] sva-vi-
22 штhаyaк=kрmi[r*]=bhуtvа, pitрbhis=sa[ha*] majyata [||*] iti prava[r*]ddha-
23 mаna-vijaya-rаjya-saмvvat 40 1 Pо(Pau)шa-di 20 7 Jе(Jyе)штhasi-
24 кghе(hе)na karmma sр(kр)ta[m*] [|*]

Seal

щrи-Vyаghrarаjaх