Gopachandra was a sovereign emperor of Vanga during sixth century AD, consequent to down fall of Gupta empire. His kingdom comprised eastern and southern parts of Bengal, as per the details available from five copper plates discovered Faridpur. Kotalipara was the capital of his kingdom.
Gopachandra resumed the title Maharajadhiraja which signifies the fact that he was independent and powerful ruler. He ruled two important provinces Vardhamana (Bhukti) and Navyavakashika (Suvarnavithi).
This Jayrampur copperplate of Gopachandra bears testimony to his flourishing rule, over west Bengal as well as Orissa.
Based on this copperplate we may conclude that Gopachandra was the first sovereign ruler of the Vanga kingdom.
Inscription number 71.
Jayrampur Copper plate Inscription of the time of Gopachandra: Regnal Year 1, (About 525-75 A.D.)
Provenance: Jayrampur, thana Bhogarai, Balasore district, Orissa.
Script: Brahmi.
Language: Sanskrit.
Refrences: S.N. Rajaguru, Orissa Historical Research Journal,
XI, (1963), No, 4, pp.206ff. Sircar, Select.Inss, I, pp. 530-31 ( transcript of essential parts only)
Footnote 1.
The Facsimile in
Orissa Historical Research Journal, is illegible and useless and the transcript provided is full of evident misreadings. The text here, therefore, is not an exact reproduction. The portion given here
Indicates Gopachandra’s rule over North Eastern Orissa.
2. Seems to qualify some dynastic name, cf.आसमुद्र- क्षीतीशानामानाक – रथ वत्र्मनाम (Kalidasa, Raghuva.I, 5-9.
3. Evidently these high sounding adjectives are meant for the supreme ruler, Gopachandra and not the subordinate ruler Vijayavarnan. Hence they should be emended to locative singular.
4. should be विज्ञापयति
since the subject seems to be Vijaya-varma.
Footnote 2.
1. Churnika = purana, was a coin. The annual tax fixed at 100 charnikas (or puranas) is called arya-pindaka.
आर्यपिण्डक = a lump sum payable by the Buddhist Samgha or by somebody else on its behalf, Six copper plate grants found in orissa, have preserved the names of three kings, presumably of a single dynasty, who style themselves as Maharajadhiraja, indicating an
independent status. They are Dharmaditya, Gopachandra
and Samacharadeva.
Their kingdoms comprised southern and eastern parts of western Bengal and presumably Balasore district in northern orissa. R.C Majumdar places the three rulers between 525 and 575 AD. Gopachandra ruled for at least 33 years, since his three available
plates refer to the years 1, 18 and 33 of is reign.
Footnote 3.
Gist.
While Parama Mahasivara Maharajadhiraja Shri Gopachandra,
was reigning, on the twentieth day of the of (the month of Phalguna, of his first (regnal) year The Kartakritika-Uparika-Kumaramatya Vijayavarman, who is the Governor of the vishaya, after offering due courtesies and respects, informs his present and future appointee officers. and others who earn their liveliood from royal favour and (also) the Board of Administration presided over by the chief Mahattara, who have assembled in the svetabalika vithi:-
Be it known to you that we have been petitioned by the Mahasamanta Maharaja Achyuta,—
My enthusiasm for promoting religion has been aroused, on seeing that in your vithi many virtuous people have donated and are donating villages, farms and building sites to gods,
brahmanas, monasteries, Buddhist viharas and holy establishments, after purchasing from you at a price according to the rules applicable to copper-plate charters as perpetual endowments and that these endowments, being properly protected by the vlthi (administration.) Therefore, I desire to donate (a village) to Sri Bodhipadraka Maha-agrahara, which is presided over by (i.e. is sacred to) the Noble Lord Avalokitesvara, who
Sprang from the Ratnachaitya and whose grandeur and glory are
renowned in the entire world, for the purpose of building a
monastery, and or conducting rituals with oblations to gods and manes, incense, flowers and lamps etc. and for the purpose of meeting the timely expenses on sacrificial food, giving alms, beds, seats, diagnosis and medicines during sickness and
embellishment of the noble congregation (of monks) (samgha)
in that Maha Agrahara. Accordingly kindly deign to sell me the village of Svetabalika through a copper-charter.
since his petition is in order, and that village boundary, is being encroached upon (lit. has been approached) by the sea and it will result in the gain of one sixth of religious merit to his Majesty, we, on deternination, after investigation by the recordkeeper Bhogibhata — the Magistrate of the svetabalika
vithi, in the district of Dandabhukt— the village of svetabalika along with the entire produce, have been sold, on payment of price. (He, too, has)
after purchase donated it, for the Mahayanika monks to the
congregation of bhikshus, for the increase of religious merit of his mother, father and himself and all living beings.
This (village) has been handed over to Shri Mahasamanta Achyuta,
after fixing an annual lump-sum payment of (only) one hundred
churnikas (puranas), while imunising it from all (other) payments (to the state.)
Boundary marks have been indicated.
The seal to this charter has been afixed by the record-keeper, Bhogabhatta. It is written by the clerk Manadatta.
The year 1, the 20th day of Phalguna.
Chilluka.
Footnote.
कार्ता-कृतिक = Possibly an officer who supervised and reported the progress made by officers entrusted with special undertakings.