Inscription number 60.
Adhabhara Plates of Maha-Nannaraja 2.
Provenance: Adhabhara, (also spelt as Agbhar and Arbhar,) Sakti Tehsil, Bilaspur district, Madhya Pradesh.
Now in central Museum, Nagpur.
Village Adhabhara, (also spelt as Agbhar and Arbhar, about 50 kms from the Sakti Tahsil in Bilaspur District of Madhya Pradesh.
Understand that a farmer namely, Bhatku, of this village discovered these plates, while cultivating the land, during mid August 1954. He deposited the plated in sub-treasury of the Sakti Tehsil, and were later transferred to the Deputy Commissioner of Bilaspur and & thereafter kept in Central Museum, Nagpur.
Script: Box-headed variety of central Indian Brahmi, closely resembling the characters of Rajim and Baloda plates of Tivaradeva.
Language: Sanskrit.
References: Bal Chandra Jain, Ep.Ind., XXI , pp. 219-22.
Footnote 1.
1. The Genealogical table of the Panduvamsi or soma-vamsi kings of south Kosala as reconstructed from
their inscriptions.
1 Udayana
2. Indrabala son of Udayana.
3. Isanadeva son of Indrabala.
4. Bhavadeva son of Indrabala.
5. Nanna 1, son of Indrabala.
6. Chandragupta son of Nanna 1.
4.Tivara son of Nanna 1.
7. Harshagupta son of Nanna 1.
5.Nanna II son of Nanna 1.
8. Sivagupta Balarjuna son of Nanna 1.
First plate.
Footnote 2.
1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind. XXXI between pp-220-21.
2. Expressed by the spiral symbol.
3. Sripura has been identified with Sirpur in Raipur district of Madhya Pradesh.
Second plate second side.
Footnote-3.
1. This mark of punctuation is redundant.
2. Ashtadvara is the sane as Adhabhara, the find-spot of
the plates. The village of Kontinika is possibly represented by one of the two villages named Kathakoni and Kotani, each about 20 km, from Adhabhara.
3. This phrase is unnecessarily repeated.
English Translation of the inscription.
Om Hail ! From Sripura.
Blessed by his parents, the devout worshiper of Vishnu, and the achiever of sovereignty over the entire
province of Kosala, the illustrious Maharaja Nanna. who intent on imitating his (ie. Tivara’ s) (excellent)
deeds, like Pradyumna of Krishna, is the son of the illustrious Maharaja Tlvara, who achieved respect surpassing the majesty of the primeval kings, with the wealth of his qualities, such
as righteousness (naya) , courtesy (vinaya), truthfulness, liberality, bravery and the like, which were acquired by
the grace of the worshipful Lord Narayana, propitiated (by him)
in many previous births, who was the moon of pure knowledge (Jneya)
that became manifest in him as a result of contemplation and study (abhyasa = lt, ‘repeated practice’) who sprang in
the Luner dynasty, who attained the grandeur of overlordship
of the whole of Kosala (i.e. Dakshina Kosala,) Utkala and other
provinces which he earned with the prowess of his own arms,-
being in good health commands, after paying his respects to
the Brahmanas, the residents of Kontinika village in the district
vishaya of Ashtadvara.
Be it known to you that we have granted with libation of water, this village through this copper-plate charter on the twelfth day of (on the occasion of sankranti) the dark fortnight of (the month of) Bhadrapada along with major and minor deposits, not to be entered by the chatas and bhatas, together with all the tax exactions, and free from all restrictions( pida), to be enjoyed as long as the world lasts with its dense darkness, expelled by the rays of the Sun the moon and the stars, for the increase of religious merit of my mother, father and myself to the Brahmana, Narayan-opadhyaya of Kaundinya gotra, a devotee of Bhagavat
(i.e Visnu) and a student of the Vajasaneya-Madhyandina
Sakha (of the Yajurveda) Having understood thus, you should
live on happily remaining obedient (to him) and offering him due share and enjoyment or taxes (bhoga). And this is
addressed to the future kings.
(Here two of the conventional advisory verses are quoted).
“And in this context verses sung by Vyasa are quoted.”
(Here Follows the first half of a customary verse)
Footnote-4.
1. The record is left incomplete. The second half of the verse is:-
दत्तास्त्रयस्तेन भवन्ती लोका य: काञ्चनं गां च मही च दध्यात् !!
2. See n.1 on previous pages.
Footnote 5.
1. Kaitabhari, i.e.the enemy of the demon Kaitabha, is
the name of Vishnu, not of Krishna, But Vishnu’s s numerous names are transferred indiscriminately to
Krishna and to others of his incarnations in Sanskrit literature, as it is done here.
Footnote 6.
1. Plural number shows that at least three verses were meant to be quoted.
And the lower half of the first
and the entire second side of the third plate has been left blank. It appears, that the last page of the original written order was left un-engraved through
oversight.