Gunapadeya Copper-plate Inscription of the time of Vijaya-Skanda-Varman and Yuva Maharaja Vijaya-Buddha-Varman.
Copper plates joined by a ring with the seal of the donor, was a legal document of ancient India, which registered the act of endowment process and was a legal record, to prove ownership or claim the rights of donated property.
These inscriptions usually recorded grants of land, villages or lists of royal lineages carrying the royal seal.
The inscriptions were found, safely etched on various cave walls or temple walls.
Provenance: Gunapadeya, Kondakur taluka, Guntur District,
Andhra Pradesh (Now in British Museum, London)
Script: Middle Brahmi of the southern class of the later half of the 4th century A.D.
Languages: Prakrit, except or the usual quotations in Sanskrit about the end.
References: Fleet, Ind.Ant, IX, pp.100 ff, Hultzsch, Ep.Ind. VIII, pp.143 ff. Sircar, Select.Inss., I, pp.467-69.
Footnote 1.
1. Usually referred to as the British Museum Plates.
2. May be identified with skandavarman 1. of Omgodu grant ( Supra, IV, No. 23) but not with Siva-skanda-varman of
Mayidavolu and Hirahadagalli grants since doubling of consonants and conjuncts found here are a later feature.
Footnote 2.
1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind. VIII and Ind.Ant.,IX.
2. In the left margin of the plate.
3. The figures are totally lost.
4. Hultzech conjecturally reads,(बु) द्वि (यं) कुर – जनवी. and emends जनवी to जननी
though the final letters of 1.3 are totally illegible. Whether
Buddhavarman and his son ever came to the throne, we have no evidence to prove nor do we know the
relationship of Buddhavarman with Skandavarman.
5. Hultzsch ventures the restoration, क (डके) वीय (पितं)
i.e. serving in Kadaka. It cannot be the same as Kataka (cuttock) in orissa, which never was part of
Pallava dominions. Sircar suggests कांचिये वियापितं Traces of का are, no doubt, visible. But space permits of only one syllable, which appears to be र्य giving the phrase कार्ये व्यापृतम sircar’ s view that the intended reading was आणवीयति ( = आज्ञापयति ) is plausible.
Footnote 3.
1 & 2. On the left margin.
3. Read यो हरति वसुन्धराम
4. The seal attached to the plates bears an animal standing, facing left, (right according to Hultzsch) and looking like a deer, but must be meant for a
bull, which was the crest of the Pallavas.Over the back of the bull ate a few indistinct symbols, which
may be taken for the sun, a crescent and perhaps one or more stars.
English Translation of the inscription.
Success ! The year (of the reign) of the
lustrious Vijaya skandavarman. Charudevi, the queen of the yuvamaharaja, the illustrious Vijaya-Buddha-Varman, of Bharadvaja
gotra and (of the family) of the Pallavas, (and) the mother of
Buddyan-kura, commands the officer on duty. The field to be ploughed by Atuka on the northern side of the drinking-well
below the King’ s tank, (containing four,4, nivartanas of land, has been given by us to the god Narayana of the temple of (i.e. erected by) the Mahattara, (named) Kuli at Dalura, making it a means of increasing our life and strength. Knowing this. ye, the villagers (and) officials, exempt ( this field)
with all the immunities and cause (it) to be exempted,
Here follow two of the customary verses.
The executor of the command is Rohinigupta.