Note on a Copper Land Grant, by JAYA CHANDRA.

The copper plate whence the accompanying reading in modern Sanscrit character and translation are taken, was found near Fyzabad in the Oude, and a facsimile of it was forwarded to me by Lieut. Col. Caulfield, then Resident at Lucknow. The land grants of the donor, Raja Jaya Chandra, are not uncommon. In the first volume of the Transactions of the Asiatic Society there is a notice by the late Mr. Colebrooke, (p. 441,) of a grant by this Raja, which is however described at second-hand : "Without having seen the original," says Mr. Colebrooke, "no opinion can be offered as to the probable genuineness of this monument ; (dates. 1220, 4. D. 1164 ) the inscription is however consistent with chronology; for Jaya Chandra, who is described in the Ayeen Acberi as supreme monarch of India, having the seat of his empire at Canouj, is there mentioned as the ally of Shehabuddin in the war with Prithair Raja, or Pithora, about the year of the Hejira 688, or A. D. 1192; twenty-eight years after the date of this grant."

The date of the grant now published is s. 1243, or A. D. 1187, twenty-three years subsequent to that of the same monarch noted by Mr. Colebrooke, and only six years prior to the death of the ill-fated donor, which occurred 4. D. 1193. With him expired the dynasty of the Rahtore princes of Canouj.

The genealogy, as given in the grant now before us, differs only in the name of the first ancestor mentioned from that found in Mr. Colebrooke's grant. The name is there Sripala, here Yasovigra, but the identity of the monarch, known under these different appellations, has been already ascertained, and admitted by the highest authorities, (As. Soc. Jour. vol. iii. p. 339).

The phraseology of this grant is not different from those of Jaya Chandra, which have been already discovered: the anathema against the resumers of land granted in free tenure is remarkable for its peculiar bitterness. The plate, judging from the facsimile, must be in high preservation, and the date it gives is valuable, as bearing corroborative testimony to the accuracy of chronological data.

खस्ति ॥ अकुण्ठोत्कण्ठ बैकुण्ठ कण्ठपीठलुठत्करः । संरम्भः सुरतारम्भे स श्रियः श्रेयसेस्तु वः ॥ आसीदसीतद्युतिवंशजातमा पालमालासु दिबंगतासु । साच्चाद्दिवस्वानिव भूरिधाम्ना नाम्ना यशोविग्रह इत्युदारः । तत्सुतोभून्मही चंद्रश्चंद्रधामनिभं निजं । ये नापारमकूपारपारे व्यापारितं यशः ॥ तस्याभूत्तनयो नयैकरसि कः क्रान्तद्दिषन्मण्डलो विध्वस्तोद्धतवीरयोधतिमिरः श्रीचंद्रदेवो नृपः । येनोदारतरप्रतापशमिताशेषप्रजोपद्रवं । श्रीमत् गाधि पुराधिराज्यमसमंदोर्विक्रमेणार्जितं ॥ तीर्थानि काशिकुशिकोत्सर कोशलेंद्रस्थानीयकानि परिपालयताधिगम्य । हेमात्मतुल्यमनिशं ददतादिजेभ्यो पानांकिता वसुमतीशतशस्तुखाभिः ॥ तस्यात्मजो

मदनपाल इति चितींद्रचूडामणिर्विजयते निजगोत्रचंद्रः । यस्या भिषेककलशोड्वसितैः पयोभिः प्रक्षालितं कलिरजः पटलं धरि च्याः ॥ यस्यासीद्दिजयप्रमाणसमये तुङ्गैर्वलैर्वैश्चलन् माद्यत् कुम्भि पदक्रमासमभरद्रश्यन्महीमंडलेचूडारत्नविभिन्नतालु गलितस्थानासृ गुद्भासितः शेषः स्पर्शशादिव क्षणमसौ क्रोडे निलींनाननः ॥ तस्मादजायत निजो यतवाडवल्लिबन्धावनवनवराज्यगजो नरे न्द्रः । सांद्रामृतद्रवमुचां प्रभवो गवां यो गोविंदचंद्र इति चंद्रद्रवांबु राशेः ॥ नकथमण्यलभंतरणक्षमां विसृषु दिचु गजानथ वञ्चिणः । ककुभिवम्वमुरम्यमुवल्लभ प्रति भटा इव यस्य धरागजाः ॥ अजनि विजयचन्द्रोनाम तस्मान्नरेन्द्रः सुरपतिरिवभूभृत्पच्च विच्छेददच्चः । भुवनदलनहेला हर्म्महम्वीरनारी नयनजलजधाराधौतभूलोकता पः ।। लोकत्रयाक्रमण केलिविसृंखलानि प्रख्यातकीर्त्ति कविवर्णित वैभवानि । यस्य त्रिविक्रमपदक्रमभाजयंति प्रद्योतयंतिकलि राज भयं यशांसि ॥ यस्मिंश्चलत्युदधिने मिमहीजयार्थमाद्यत् करीन्द्र गुहभारनिपीडितेव । याति प्रजापतिपदं शरणार्थिनी भूस्तद्भर्त्तुरंग निव होत्थरजच्छलेन । तस्मादद्भुतविक्रमादथजयञ्चन्द्राभिधानः पति भूपानामवतीर्ण एष भुवनोद्वारायनारायणः । द्वैधीभावमपास्य विग्रह रुचिं धिक्कृत्य शान्ताशयाः । सेवन्तेयमुदग्रवंधनभयध्वंशार्थिनः पार्थिवाः ॥

भट्टारक

गच्छेन्मूर्व्वमतुच्छां न यदि कवलयेत् कूर्म्मपृष्ठाभिघातः प्रत्यावृत्त श्रमाती नमदखिलफणश्वासवात्यासहखं । उद्योगो यस्य धावडर णिधरधुनीनिर्भरस्फारधारस्वस्यद्दानदिपालीव हनभरगलद्वैर्व्य मुद्रः फणोन्द्रः ॥ सोयं समस्तराजचक्र संसेवितचरणः सच परम महाधिराजपरमेश्वरपरममाहेश्वरनिजभुजोपार्जित श्रीकाण्य कुब्जाधिपत्यश्रीचन्द्रदेवपादानुध्यातपरमभट्टारक महा राजाधिराजपरमेश्वर परममाहेश्वर श्रीमदनपालदेवपादानुध्यात परमभट्टारकमहाराजाधिराज परमेश्वर परममाहेश्वरा पति गजपति नरपति राज जयाधिपति विविधविद्याविचार वाचस्पति श्रीगोविन्द चन्द्र देव पादानुध्यात परम भट्टारक महा राजाधिराज परमेश्वर परममाहेश्वराश्वपति गजपति नरपति राजत्रयाधिपति विविधविद्याविचारवाचस्पति श्रीविजयचन्द्र

देवपादानुध्यात परम भट्टारक महाराजाधिराज परमेश्वर पर ममाहेश्वराश्वपति गजपति नरपति राजत्रयाधिपति विविधवि द्याविचार वाचस्पति श्रीमज्जयचन्द्र देवो विजयी || सुरेश पत्तनायां केमलीग्रामनिवासिनो निखिल जनपदानुपगतानपि राजराजों युवराज मंन्त्रिपुरोहित प्रतीहार सभापति सांग्रामि काख्यपटनिक भिषङ्नैमित्तिकान्तः पुकि द्वत करितुरगपत्तना कर स्थान गोकुलाधिकारिपुरुषानाज्ञापयति वोधयत्यादिशति च विदित मस्तु भवतां । यश्चोपरि लिखितग्रामः सजल स्थल स लौहलवणाकरः समत्स्यकरः सगतेषिर सगिरिगहन निधानः समधूकाम्बवाटिकाविटपतृणापतिगोचर पर्य्यन्तः सोदधिश्वतु रा घाटविशुद्धः श्वसीमापर्यन्तः त्रिचत्वारिंशदधिकहादशशत स म्वत्सरे आषाढे मासि म्युक्लपक्षे सप्तम्यान्तिथौ रविदिने अंकतो अपि सम्वत् १२४३ आषाढसुदी ७ खौ अद्येह श्रीमहाराणास्यां गंगायां स्वात्वा विधिवन्मत्रदेवमुनि मनुजयुत पितृगणांस्तफर्जयि त्वा तिमिरपटलपाटलपटुमह समुध्म, रोचिष मुपस्थायौषधि पति सकलशेखरं समभ्यर्च्य चिभुवनचातुर्भगवतो वासुवस्य पूजां विधाय प्रचुरपायसेन हविषा हविर्भुजं हत्वा मातापिचो रात्मन व पुण्ययशोभिवृद्धये ॥

अम्भोभिराचम्य कुशलतापूतकरतलोदकञ्चर्चकभारद्वाजगोत्राय भारद्वाजाङ्गीरसवार्हस्पत्येतित्रिप्रवराय

राजतश्रीअटलपौत्राय

राजतश्रीइन्द्रपुत्राय औडराऊतश्रीअनङ्गाय चन्द्रार्क यावच्छास नीकृत्य प्रदत्तो मया यथादीयमानकरकरपूरनिकप्रभृतिनियतानि यतसमस्तत्रज्ञाविधेयीभूयदास्यन्तीतिभवन्ति चाच श्लोकाः ॥

भूमिं यः प्रतिगृहाति यश्च भूमिं प्रयच्छति ॥ उभौ तौ पुण्यक मीणौ नियतं स्वर्गगामिनी ॥ शंखं भद्रासनं च्छत्रं वराश्वा वरवार णाः । भूमिदानस्य चिह्नानि फलमेतत् पुरन्दर ।। षष्टिवर्षसहस्रा

खर्गे भूमिदः ॥ श्रच्छेत्ता चानुमन्ता च तान्येव नरके वसेत् । वहुभिर्वसुधा भुक्ता राजभिः सगरादिभिः । यस्य यस्य यदा भूमिस्तस्य तस्य तदा फलम् । स्वदत्तां परदत्ताम्वा यो हरेत वसु न्धरां । स विष्ठायां क्रिमिर्भूत्वा पितृभिः सह मज्जति । तडागानां सहखेण वाजपेयशतेन च । गवां कोटिप्रदानेन भूमिहत्ती न मुञ्चति ।

वारिहीनेष्वरण्येषु पुष्ककोटरवासिनः । कृष्णायाञ्च जायन्ते देवब्रह्मस्व हारिणः । न विषं विषमित्याहु र्ब्रह्मस्वं विषमुच्यते । विष मेकाकिनं हन्ति ब्रह्मस्वं पुत्रपौचिकं ॥ वाताम्भविम्वममिदं वसुधा धिपत्यमापातमात्रमधुराविषयोपभोगाः । प्राणास्तृणाग्रजलविंदुसमा नराणां ।। धर्म्मः सखा परमहोपरलोकयाने । यानीह दत्तानि पुरा नरेन्द्रदानानि धर्म्मार्थयशस्कराणि । निर्माल्यवान्तप्रतिमानितानि को नाम साधुः पुनराददीत ॥

Literal Translation, by Pundit SARODAHA PRASADH.

1. May the embrace of Lakshmi, (*

contribute to your prosperity!

⚫ and Vaikuntha,)

2. The Rajas who were descended from the lunar line having departed for heaven, one, named Yasóvigraha, by his natural spirits was as the sun himself.

3. His son was Mahi Chandra, who extended his fame as beams of the moon across the sea.

4. His son was Chandra Deva, who was exceedingly given to justice, who invaded the whole circle of his enemies, and dispelled the darkness of the gallant warriors. He, by the power of his arms, gained the kingdom of Gádhipoora, where all sorts of insurrections have been quelled by his power.

5. He, ( Chandra Deva, ) who protected the sacred places of Kashi, (Benarus,) Kushikotsava Kóshalá, (Oude,) and Indrasthána, possessing them, who constantly gave gold equal to the weight of his body to the Bráhmanas; made the Vasumatí, (earth,) renowned by the hundreds and hundreds of túlás.*

6. His son Madanapála, who was like the moon in his line, and the crest-jewel of all the Rajas, was glorious ! By the water of his anoint ment, all the filth of the Kaliyúga has been washed away.

A religious ceremony, i. e. giving gold or silver to the Brahmanas, equal to the weight of the donor's body; the ceremony is in these days often practised by weighments against grains, or precious merchandise. It is supposed to be efficacious in awarding evil, and was constantly had recourse to by Maharaja Runjeet Sing, (Lahore,) in his last illness.

H

7. At the time of his expedition for conquests, when the earth was as it were crumbling under the over-passing of his furious elephants, as well as his mighty army, the mouth of Sesha,* smeared with blood gushing from the palate pierced by the pressure with his head jewel, was for sometime bent down even to his breast.

8. From him was born Gobinda Chundra, like the moon rising from the sea, who by his arms, long and like the creeping plant, kept the newly, acquired kingdom-stubborn as the elephant in confinement; nay, who granted a great many cows yielding sweet milk.

9. His elephants, rivals to that of Indra, having sought in vain in the three quarters of the world for elephants, capable of bearing their burdens, came at last in the quarter of Indra, (east,) and wandered there-along.†

10. From him was born Raja Vijaya Chandra, who like Surapati, (Indra,) cut off the Pukshus of all the Bhúbhritt. He at his easy conquest of the world, has extinguished the heat of the earth by the abundant tears of *

11. His renown challenging the three regions of creation described by eminent poets, and which reached as far as the Vishnu loka, (region of Vishnu,) has been ever the terror of Vali Rajá.§

12. The earth, at the expedition of Vijaya Chandra to conquer the whole world crushed by his furious elephants, ascended, as it were, in the dust caused by his numerous army, to solicit refuge from Prajápatí, (Brahmá.)

13. From him who was possessed of wondrous power, sprung one named Jaya Chandra, the lord of all Rajas, who was as the Nárayana himself, born only for the deliverance of the world; and whom the Rajas humbling themselves ceased from contemplating hostilities with, and putting a stop to their designs, submitted to.

14. At the preparation of his warlike affairs, the Phanindra (the chief of serpents,) wearied with falling down and again rising from the hard shell of the Kúrma,|| under the pressure of his elephants the ichor from whose temples dropped into the streams, running from the

* The chief of serpents, supporting the earth on his head.

With the view of finding there the rival elephants of Indra.

The word paksha means when relating to Indra the "peaks of mountains;" and “allies” when referring to the Raja. The word Bhubhrit has also a double meaning, "the mountain" and "the (other) Rajas."

§ Vali Raja, v. the Srimat Bhagavata.

The tortoise supposed to reside underneath the earth.