Hirahadagalli Copper-Plate Inscription of Sivaskandavarman Pallava – Regnal Year 8.
The inscriptions of Pallava dynasty provide, necessary information as regards the geographical extent of the pallava kingdom.
This inscription identifies the province close to the Krishna river basins, under the influence of Sivaskandavarman Pallava, while on the western side, it appears to be extended towards Bellary district. This inscription also highlights administrative setup that was prevailing, during pallava era.
This copper plate records donation of a village to a Brahmaṇa Gola Sarman, of Atreya gotra.
Sivaskandavarman, was a powerful but religious king and had therefore was identified with the title of Dharma Maharaja and performed the Asvamedha and other Vedic sacrifices.
Provenance: Purchased from a merchant of Hirahadagalli, Bellary district, Karnataka.
Script : Middle Brahmi of the southern class of about the middle of the 4th century A.D.
Language: Prakrit close to literary Pali except the benedictory sentence at the end, which is in Sanskrit.
References:
Buhler Ep.Ind, I, pp. 2-10, II, pp. 485 ff.
Leumann, ibid. II, pp. 483-85, Luders List No,1209 (for other references Sircar select.Inss, I, pp.461-66.
First plate first side.
Footnote 1.
1. The location is just within the borders of ancient Kuntala, from which and other grounds. D.C. sircar concludes that the early Kadambas
were feudatories of the early Pallavas (see his “successors of the satavahanas, calcutta, 1939)
2. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind., I, between pp.6 and 7.
Second Plate Second Side.
Footnote 2.
1. Engraved on left margin on level with line 2.
2. कांची – को Buhler was was originally engraved
3 Buhler: तथोंम
4. Coined on the analogy of धम्मराज and धम्ममहाराज
5. Sircar: रटठक corrected to रटिठक.
6. Buhler: माडविनु
7. Buhler: आरणाधिकते
8. Read. मनुसे आणवेति
9. Sircar considers these two words as redundant.
Footnote 3.
1. Read: सामिनो बप्प ( = बप्ता ) i.e बीज बप्ता.
father. Compare phrases like
परमभटटारक – महाराजाधिराज परमेश्वर श्री बप्प पादानुप्यात
परमदैवत बप्य भटटारक महाराज श्रीपादानु ध्यात
etc. in fleet C.I.I, III, pp.186 note.
Some scholars take बप्प as the name of Sivaskandavarman’s father,
which is unlikely.
2. In the left margin, a little above the level of 1.14.
3. Buhler : 2
4. Originally कोसिका was engraved.
Footnote 4.
1. In the left margin, a little below the level of 1.22.
2. These aksharas are engraved below सालतम of the previous line.
3. i.e. the modern Bellary District. compare सातवाहणिहार
of Myakadoni Rock Inscription of Pulumavi(Regnal Year 8
(Supra, I,173,L2, Ep.Ind, XIV, pp. 153f)
4. In the left margin on the level of 1.31.
5. Buhler: कालिक
Footnote 5.
Buhler -अ – कर Hultzsch suggests –अ -कूर – चोल्लक. That may have been the reading of the original. See Sircar, successors of the satavahanas, pp.192f and Select.Inss, pp.434 n.1 and 459, n.4.
2. In the left margin, above the level of 1.39.
3. Looks like जो
4. Better read निगह – वारणं.
Footnote 5.
1. In the left margin above the level of 1.46.
2. On the margin, a little below the level of 1 54.
3. Buhler कद
4. D.C. Sircar equates it with वल्लभान
and takes in the sense of अश्वरक्षिण: or horse-keepers.
Footnote 6.
1. See D.C. sircar. successors of the Satavahanas pp.191,
means both ‘a thicket’ and a picket of soldiers So
may mean either a Forester or a platoon commander.
Footnote 7.
1. विनाशिन may be in the sense of वैनाशिक = An attendant, suggests D.C. Sircar ( select.Inss. pp.466, n.2) and
explains the phrase as अ – भकत – स्थाली- बंधन etc. still the meaning is not clear.
2. कुञ्जल = काञ्जिका = sour gruel, a south Indian popular beverage. कौञ्जल्य
may refer to the villagers obligation to supply free gruel to the king’s labourers.
3. शास्यार्ध भागिन: क्षेत्र कर्षका:
4. क्षेत्रज कार्पासाद वस्त्र व्यनार्ध तन्तुवायौ
5. राजवल्लभत्व दर्पेण
English Translation of the inscription.
Seen. Success !
Ll.1-7: From Kanchipura, the righteous Supreme King of great Kings of the Pallavas, Sivaskandavarman a Bharadvaja by descent, an offerer of Agnishtoma, Vajapeya and
Asvamedha sacrifices, issues the following orders to royal princes, generals, rulers of provinces,
Customs-house officers, prefects of countries and others (i.e. other officers stationed) everywhere, in our dominions, to the free holders ( jagirdars) in every village, to horse-keepers. cow-herds,
ministers, security officers, platoon commanders or foresters, overseers of fords (or bathing places,
functionaries and also others employed by us on despatch as roaming soldiers and spies.
L1.7-28 Here, now a garden in (the village named, Chillareka kodumika was granted for the increase of merit,
longevity, power and fame of his own family and race and as a banner of victory, by the Great King (my
Lordly father a giver of many crores of gold (pieces) and one hundred thousand cows and ploughs, and (a ruler) of irresistible commands to the Bramana jagirdars of chillarekakodumka residing in Apitti, (viz.), to venerable
Gopalasarman share 1, to venerable Agnisarman of Atreya lineage shares 4 to Mathara, shares 2, to Agnila
the son-in-law lof the latter share 1. to kalasarman, of Harita lineage shares 3. to Kumarasarman of Bharadwaja
Lineage shares 3, and to the four brothers Kumar anandin
Kumarasarman. Kottasarman and Shakti all of Kausaka gotra shares to Bhartri of Kasyapa gotra share 1. to
Skandakoti of Bharadvaja gotra shares two 2. to Skandadhya, share 1 to Bappa, share 1, to venerable Datta
shares tuo 2, to venerab1e Nandi shares 3, to Rudras-sarman of Vatsa gotra share 1 to venerable Daman share, to venerable Salasarman share 1 to Parimita, share 1, to
Naganandin share 1, to Golin share 1, to skandassarman, share 1, and to venerahle svami share 1. To these
Brahmanas, headed by venerable Agnisarman, the southern
border-land in the village chillarikakadumka in the
satvahaniya state was formerly granted.
L1.28-39: By us also has been granted (i.e. the grant has been confirmed) by libation of water, this chillarekako-dumka garden (i.e. farm) for as long as the moon and
the stars last, with the following immunities, to be free from the obligation of supplying boiled rice,
water vessels, perishable commodities, bedsteads and lodgings (to visiting officials), free from recovery
of milk and curd, free from state penal code (?) free from disturbance about recovery of salt and jaggery,
free from taxes, forced labour and collection of sour gruel, free from traditional borrowing by state of
Oxen, free from recovery of grass and wood, free from the recovery of fresh vegetables and flowers, With
these and such-like immunities of eighteen kinds mist be exempted and caused to be exampled by the in habitants of Apitti and the inhabitants of chillarekakodumka.
Moreover, in Apitti (one) nivartana (has been given) to the Brahnanas, chief among whom is venerable
Agnisarma for a threshing floor, (one) nivartan a for a house, four labourers receiving haf the produce, and
two weavers.
L1.39-48 Now of anybody, knowing this, proud of being a favourite (of the king) should himself do or cause
to be done, oppression or obstruction (to the donees),
him forsoooth, we shall restrain by punishment. And
Further I beseech the future warriors of our great Pallava race who may flourish) during a period
exceeding a hundred thousand years, as well as others of our kings Saying: In this way blessings are
his, who in his time acts within the limitations recorded above and he who acts in violation of this shall be the lowest of men loaded with the guilt of
the five great sins.
Ll.49-52: A charter for one hundred thousand years has been
given on the fifth-day in the sixth (fortnight) of the rainy season, in the year (eight) 8. Executed
by me.The charter has been prepared in his own hand-
writing by the Privy Councilor Bhartrisarman, the
Kolivala freeholder.Blessings to cows. the Brahmanas
the writer. the readers and the hearers.