Kauvatal-Plates
Most of the grants of Sarabhapuriya dynasty, were issued by the king Sudevaraja. This means that he was a very generous and prosperous king. As he issued some of these charters from Sripur, it means Sripur must have been capital of his kingdom. With the available evidences, We may assign at least ten years to his rule.
Inscription number 54.
Kauvatal Plates of Maha-Sudevaraja, Regnal year 7.
Provenance: Possibly Kauvatal in the old sarangarh state, Madhya Pradesh, according to A.N. Lahiri. The find spot is in fact, not recorded.
Script: Box-headed variety of central Indian Brahmi.
Language: Sanskrit.
References: Pandit Lochan Prasad Pandeya, I.H.Q. 1945, pp-294-95, D.C. Sircar, ib, 1946, pp.62-63.
Also noticed in ancient Ind., No. 5, pp.49 and in A.R.Ep, 1945-46, pp.12, No.53 of App. A, and Plate. A.N. Lahiri, Ep.Ind., XXXI,, pp- 314-16.
(For facsimiles see annual report on Indian epigraphy, 1945-46, plate facing pp-12.)
Footnote-1.
1. Expressed by a symbol.
2. हाकिरी – भोगीय – सुनिकायां
is engraved on an erasure
3. पारासर is engraved on an erasure
4. The letters दर are engraved on an erasure.
English Translation of the inscription.
This seal represents the stable rule in the world of illustrious Sudevaraja, who inherited the kingdom or kingship, from hia ancestors, and who uprooted his
enemies with his own valour.
Plates:
Om ! hail ! From Sripura,, Sri Maharaja Durga’s son, the Illustrious Maharaja Sudeva, whose two feet are washed
by the water, which is the effusion of the lustre from the crest-jewels in the tiaras of chiefs subjugated by his
prowess, who is the cause of cessation of hairdo of his enemies’ wives, who is the giver of riches, land and cows who is a devout worshipper of Bhagavat (i.e. Vishnu), who is blessed by his respected mother and father, issues the following command to the residents of Sunika in the district bhoga of Hakiri.
Be it known to you that this village as a promotor of happiness and stability in heaven is granted along with its
major and minor deposits, making out of bounds for district begar officers and soldiers and freeing it from all
the taxes to be enjoyed as long as the world, with its terrible darkness dispelled by the rays of the sun the moon and the stars, endures,through this copper charter, to Bhatta,
Purandara-svamin of Parasara gotra and Vajasaneyi sakha, for the increase of religious merit of my parents and myself.
There fore, having learnt this, you should live on happily listening to and obeying (their) orders and presenting to
them their due share of enjoyment. And he enjoins on the future kings.
(Here follows a customary verse of religious advice of preserving the land-gifts to Brahmanas).
Therefore, you should al so preserve this gift. And in this context, people quote the following verses sung by
Vyasa.
(Here follows four of the customary verses)
And the executor of this deed is the plenipotentiary Maha-Samanta Sri Indra-bala-raja. On the 10th day of Margasirsha, in the 7th year of the flourishing and victorious reign.
Engraved by Gola-simhaa.
Footnotes
1. The punctuation mark is superfluous. This Sarvadhi-karadhi-krita (i.e. Plenipotentiary) Maha-Samanta
Indrabala Raja has been identified by some scholars, with the Panduvansi king of that name (see I.H.Q, 1945,
pp-275, 1946, pp.63) It must be noted that the sarabha-puria rulers were shortly afterwards supplanted by
the Panduvamsis. Mahasiva Tivara, the grand son of Indrabala, issued his charters from sripura ( see Bonda
Plates infra III, 59) But in his Bahmani Plates (see infra III, 58) Indrabala alias Bharatabala speaks of is ancestors as kings. They were his father Nagabala, grandfather vatsaraja and great grand father Jayabala.
1. Lit. ‘Partition of hair’ which was and is considered a mark of a woman’s good Fortune, in having living husband.
