North Indian Inscriptions

KUNIYUR PLATES OF VENKATA II.

......(Vv. 199-123.) Let them all be victorious as long as the moon and the stars (exist), those chiefs of the twice-born who obtained as a tax-free gift (sarvamânya) the above-mentioned excellent village, aborned by trees growing on the bank of the prosperous Karṇâṭaka canal, excluding the shares of learned Brâhmaṇas (Bhaṭṭa), including all the gifts to temples (dêvadâya), with thw kapaṭâ-jôle, with the tirutuvalaya, with the maṭappara, with the kîḷekkaḷippaḷa, with five and a half mâvus¹ in Kârukurchi, with its boundary (stones) on all sides marked with (the image of) the blessed Vâmana (avatâra), situated on the western bank of the canal which flows to the south, and to the east of a small garden which is on the east of Kârukurchi.

......(Line 249.) Half a field (kshêtra) was purchased and given to the village deity (grâmadêvatâ).

......(V. 124.) This (is) an edict of the best of kings, the famous (and) glorious Veṅkaṭapatirâya, who is a moon to the lotuses (which are) learned men, (and) a Mahêndra on earth.

......(V. 125.) At the command of Vîra-Veṅkaṭarâya, the poet Râma, the son of Kâmakôṭi (and) grandson of Sabhâpati, composed the text of (this) edict.

......(V. 126.) The excellent Achyutârya, the son of Gaṇapârya (and) grandson of the illustrious (and) excellent Vîraṇâchârya, correctly wrote the fine verses of the edict of Veṅkaṭa, the diadem of kings.

[ Verses 127-131 contain the usual imprecations.]
(Line 266.) Śrî-Veṅkaṭêśa.

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.No. 35.─ DUDIA PLATES OF PRAVARASENA II.

BY F. KIELHORN, PH.D., LL.D., C.I.E. ; GÖTTINGEN.

......These plates were sent to Dr. Hultzsch by Mr. H. Cousens, Superintendent of the Archæological Survey of Western India, who had received them from Mr. W. Montgomerie, Settlement Officer, Chhindwara, Central Provinces. They belong to “Bharatsa and others, Gonds, at Dudia in the Aser parganâ of the Chhindwara district,” I edit the inscription which they contain from excellent impressions, supplied by Mr. Cousens and Dr. Hultzsch.

......These are four well preserved copper-plates, each of which measures 7½’’ long by 3⅝’’ broad. The second and third plates are inscribed on both sides, the first plate is so on one side only, and the fourth is blank and merely serves to protect the writing on the second side of the third plate. The plates are quite smooth, their edges having been neither fashioned thicker nor raised into rims ; but the writing, nevertheless, is in an excellent state of preservation throughout. About 1¼” distant from the middle of the proper right margin, each plate has a hole, about 7/16” in diameter, for a ring on which the plates were strung. This ring is between ¼ and ⅜” thick, and 3⅞” in diameter. The two ends of the piece of copper of which it is formed are flattened off, and contains holes for a rivet, which has been lost. On the ring slides a copper band, ¾’’ broad, which is bent into a ring of ⅞ by 1⅛” in diameter, and two ends of which are soldered together. Through the soldered part a hole is drilled, which corresponds to a hole in the centre of a circular seal ; and a rivet, which also is lost now, must have held the copper band and the seal together.² Owing to the loss of the two rivets,─ the ring , the copper band and the seal are now quite loose. The seal is 3 1/16’’ in diameter, and has across its surface a legend in four lines, which will be given below.─ The weight of the four plates is 3 ¼ lbs.,
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......¹ The Tamil word mâvu or mâ means ‘one twentieth (of the land-measure called rêli).’
......² Compare Dr. Fleet’s description of the Siwanî plates ; Gupta Inscriptions, p. 244.