50. Raipur (M.P., now Nagpur Museum) copper-plates, of Mahаsudevarаja.
Fl. No. 41; Bh. No. 1880; Cunningham, ASR, xvii, 55ff., pls. xxvi-xxvii; J.F.Fleet, CII, iii, 196-200, pl. xxvii; Hira Lal, ICPB, 106, No. 176; IE.AR. 1955-56, p. 19, No. 51, App. A. AMS I:XIII.

This inscription,-which was first brought to notice by General Cunningham, in 1884, in the Archaeol. Surv. Ind. Vol. XVII. p. 55 ff., and Plates xxvi. and xxvii.; and is now published in full for the first time,-is from some copper-plates that were obtained by Colonel Bloomfield at Rаypur [The 'Raepoor, Raipur, and Ryepoor,' of maps, &c. Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 91. Lat. 21o 15' N.; Long. 81o 41' E.], the chief town of the Rаypur District in the Central Provinces. The original plates are now in the Provincial Museum at Nаgpur.
The plates, of which the first is inscribed on one side only, are three in number, each measuring about 6" by 3 1/4" at the ends and a little less in the middle. They are quite smooth, the edges of them being neither fashioned thicker nor raised into rims. The inscription is in a state of perfect preservation throughout. The plates are of fair thickness; and the letters, though fairly deep, do not shew through on the backs of them at all. The engraving is very good; but, as usual, the interiors of some of the letters shew marks of the working of the engraver's tool.-Towards the proper right end of each plate, there is a hole for a ring to connect them. The ring is circular, about 1/4" thick and 3 1/2" in diameter; it had already been cut, for the purpose of taking impressions of the plates, when the grant came into my hands; but there is no reason to suppose that it is not the ring properly belonglng to the plates. The seal, in which the ends of the ring are secured, is circular, about 3 5/8" in diameter; and, like the seal of the Аraкg grant of Mahа-Jayarаja, No. 40 above, page 191 and Plate xxvi., it has the appearance of being made of a klnd of brass, rather than of copper. It has plainly, at some time or other, been subjected to the action of fire, which, with the effects of wear and tear, has almost completely destroyed the upper surface of it. But there are visible, in relief on a slightly countersunk and concave surface, faint traces of-across the centre, a legend, in two lines, of which, as restored, the text and translation are given below;-in the upper part, a standing figure of the goddess Lakшmи, facing full-front; on each side of her, an elephant, standing on a waterlily, with its trunk lifted up over her head, to pour water over her; in the proper right corner, an expanded water-lily, on its stalk; and, in the proper left corner, a щaкkha or conch-shell;-and, in the lower part, there seems to have been a floral device.-The weight of the three plates is about 1 lb. 5 1/2 oz., and of the ring and seal, 1 lb. 7 1/2 oz.; total, 2 lbs. 13 oz. (Fleet)
Language: Sanskrit. In prose but for the usual benedictive and imprecatory verses at the end and the legend on the seal.
Metres: Verse 1: Vasantatilakа; Verse 2: Indravajrа; Verses 3-6: Anuштubh.
Script: Box-headed variety of the Central Indian alphabet.
Date: Regnal Year 10, Mаgha 9. Latter half of the sixth century A.D.
Plates about 6" long and 3 1/4" broad at the ends and a little less in the middle.
The seal is circular, its diameter being about 3-5/8". The upper surface has been almost completely destroyed owing to the action of fire to which it was subjected at some time or other. But faint traces of the two-line Anuштubh stanza are visible.(AMS)

TEXT.

V. 1. - Metre, Vasantatilaka, 2 - Indravajrа 3-5 - Щlоka (Anuштubh); (Fleet)

The Seal.

a Prasanna-hрdayasy-aiva vikkram-аkkrаnta-vidviшaх
b Щrиmat-Sudеva-rаjasya щаsanaм ripu-щаsanaм(m) [||*]

First Plate.

1 Siddhaм [|*] Svasti [|*] Щarabhapurаd=vikkram-оpanata-sаmanta-makuтa-cуда-maнi-
2 prabhа-prasеk-аmbu-dhauta-pаda-yugalо ripu-vilаsinи-sиmant-оddha-
3 raнa-hеtur=vvasu-vasudhа-gо-pradaЫ paramabhаgavatо mаtаpitр-
4 pаd-аnuddhyаtaщ=щrи-Mahа-Sudеvarаjaх Pуrvvarаштrиya-Щrиsаhi-
5 kаyам prativаsi-kuтumbinas=samаjгаpayati || (|) Viditam=astu vо
6 yath=аsmаbhir=ayaм grаmas=tр(tri)daщapati-sadana-sukha-pratiштhаka-

Second Plate; First Side.

7 rо yаvad=ravi-щaщi-tаrа-kiraнa-pratihata-ghоr-аndhakаraм jagad=ava-
8 tiштhatе tаvad=upabhоgyas=sa-nidhis=s-оpanidhir=a-cатa-bhaтa-prаvещya[х*]
9 sarvva-kara-visarjjitaX=Kо(kau)ндinyasagоtra-Vаjasanеya-Savit[р*]-
10 svаminе [а*]tmиya-kanyа-pradаnе[na*] Aupamanyava-[Va*]tsasagоtra yаmа-
11 trо[х*] Nаgavatsasvаmi-Bandhuvatsasvаminоs=tаmbra(mra)-щаsanеn=аti-
12 stр(sр)штakо bhуtv=аsmаbhir=apy=uttarаyaне mаtаpitrоr=аtmanaщ=ca

Second Plate; Second Side.

13 puнy-е(а)bhivрddhayе=ёnumоditaх [||*] Tе yуyam=еvam=upalabhy=аsy=аjга-щra-
14 vaнa-vidhеyа bhуtvа yath-оcitaм bhоga-bhаgam=upamupanayantas=su-
15 kha(м) prativatsyatha [||*] Bhaviшyataщ=ca bhуmipа[n=a*]nudarщayati | Dаnаd=viщiштa-
16 m=anupаlana-jaм purане(nа) ddha(dha)rmmешu niщcita-dhiyaЫ pravadaм(da)nti dharmmaм(rmmam) | tasmа[d]-
17 dvijаya su=viщuddha-kula-щrutаya dattа(м) bhuva(м) bhavatu vо matir=еva gоptu[m ||*1] Ta-
18 d=bhavadbhir=apy=еша dattir=anupаlayitavyа [||*] Vyаsa-gиtа[м*]й=c-аtra щlоkаn=udаharanti [|*]

Third Plate; First Side.

19 Agnеr=apatyaм prathamaм suvarннa[м*] bhуr=vvaiшнavи sуryya-sutащ=ca gаva[х*] dattа-
20 s=trayas=tеna bhavanti lоkа yaX=kагcanaм gаг=ca mahiг=ca dadyаt [||*2] шaштi-va-
21 rшa-sahasrанi svarggе mоdati bhуmi-daх аcchеttа c-аnumantа ca tаny=е-
22 va na[ra*]kе vasеt [||*3||] Bahubhir=vvasudhа dattа rаjabhi[х*] Sagar-аdibhiх yasya
23 yasya yadа bhуmis=tasya tasya tadа phalaм(lam) [||*4||] Sva-dattа[м*] para-dattа[м] [vа*] ya-
24 tnаd=rakшa Yudhiштhira [|*] mahi mahimatа[м*] щrештha dаnаc-chrеyо ёnupа-

Third Plate; Second Side.

25 asminе(nn-е)va grаmе pуrvva-taтаkasya paryyatta(nta)-bhуmi-vapra-baddhа Щrи-
26 vаpikа patthа(nthа)naм yаvaj=jа(jjyе)штha iti kрtvа Nаga[va*]tsasvаminе grаm-аrddhasy=аdhikа dattа
27 lanam=iti ||[5||] Sva-mukh-аjгayа pravarddhamаna-vijaya-saмvvatsara 10 Mаgha 9
28 uktи(tkи)rннa[м*] Drонasiкghа(кghе)na [||*]