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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
(and) lying quite close to the holy place of Kâvikâ, together with its rows of trees, up to its
four boundaries, together with its cultivated soil.[1] together with the royal share,[2] together with
all the produce such as the produce of corn, the acquisition of gold, the fines, (the proceeds of the
punishments for) faults and the offences, and so forth,─ for the purpose of (maintaining) the
bali, charu, vaiśvadêva and atithitarpaṇa ; for the performance of the optional, indispensable
and occasional rites ; for the performance of the śrâddha and sacrificial ceremonies such as the darśapûrṇamâsa, châturmâsya, ashṭakâ and âgrayaṇa[3] (rites) and the fortnightly (śrâddhas) ;
for the purpose of preparing the charu, purôḍâśa, sthâlîpâka[4] and so forth ; for the purpose of (granting) priestly fees and gifts in connection with hôma, niyama, the study of one’s own
Vêda,[5] and religious service ; for the purpose of (providing) accessory assistance for the rites
concerning râjasûya and the seven forms of the sôma sacrifice such as the vâjapêya, agnishṭôma[6] and so forth ; for the purpose of (offering) garments, ornaments, entertainment, gifts, sacrificial
fees, etc. to the various priests, such as Maitrâvaruṇa, Adhvaryu, Hôtṛi, Brâhmaṇâchchhaṁsin,
Grâvastut and Agnîdh ;[7] and for the purpose of (supplying) the requisite materials for preparing sattra, prapâ, pratiśraya, vṛishôtsarga, reservoirs, wells,[8] tanks, orchards, temples, etc.â
(L. 58.) And the boundaries of this village (are), to the east the boundary of the holy place
of Kâvikâ, to the south the village named Sâmagam, to the west the village of Sîhuka, and to
the north the boundary of the land[9] belonging to the same (holy) place named Kâvikâ. No one
should cause hindrance to Nâgamârya while cultivating this village called Kêvañja, thus defined
by the four boundaries, or causing (it) to be cultivated, while enjoying (it) or allowing (others) to
enjoy (it).
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[1] So the word karmânta is explained in Monier William’s Sanskṛit-English Dictionary.
[2] Gupta Inscr. p. 97, note 6.
[3] Darśapûrṇamâsa denotes “(the days of) new and full moon, ceremonies on these days (preceding all other
ceremonies);” ashṭakâ, “the eight day after full moon (especially that in the months Hêmanta and Siśira, on
which the progenitors or manes are worshipped, . . . . also a name of the worship itself or the oblations offered
on those days);” and âgrayaṇa, when masculine, “the first sôma libation at the agnishṭôma sacrifice,” and when
neuter, “oblation consisting of first-fruits at the end of the rainy season.”─ Monier Williams’ Sanskṛit-English
Dictionary.
[4] Charu is “an oblation (of rice, barley and pulse) boiled with butter and milk for presentation to the gods or
manes);” purôḍâśa, “a mass of ground rice rounded into a kind of cake (usually divided into pieces, placed on
receptacles);” and sthâlîpâka, “a dish of barley or rice boiled in milk (used as an oblation,”─ Monier Williams”
Sanskṛit-English Dictionary.
[5] Hôma signifies “the act of making an oblation to the Dêvas or gods by casting clarified butter into the fire ;”
and niyama, “any act of voluntary penance or meritorious piety (esp. a lesser vow or minor observance dependent
on external conditions, and not so obligatory as yama).”─ Monier Williams’ Sanskṛit-English Dictionary. I take
svâdhyâyâdhyayana to be one word, meaning “study of one’s own Vêda ; “ compare Âśvalâyana’s Gṛihya-sûtra,
III. 3, 1.
[6] Râjasûya is “a great sacrifice performed at the coronation of a king (by himself and his tributary princes
. . ) ;” vâjapêya is “the name of one of the seven forms of the sôma sacrifice (offered by kings or Brâhmaṇas
aspiring to the highest position, and preceding the râjasûya and the Bṛihaspati-sava) ;” aganishṭôma is “the name
of a protected ceremony or sacrifice (forming one of the chief modifications of the jyôtishṭôma offered by one who
is desirous of obtaining haven . . . . ).”─ Monier Williams’ Sanskṛit-English Dictionary.
[7] Maitrâvaruṇa, otherwise called Praśâstṛi, is the first assistant of the Hôtṛi. The terms Adhvaryu, Hôtṛi and
Agnîdh are well known. Brâhmaṇâchchhaṁsin is “a priest who assists the Brahman or chief priest at a sôma
sacrifice;” and Grâvastut is one of the sixteen priests (called after the hymn [ṚV. X. 94, 1 ff.] addressed to the
sôma stones).” ─ Monier Williams’ Sanskṛit-English Dictionary.
[8] The word sattra signifies an alms-house and is frequently met with in the Gupta inscriptions (e.g. Nos. 7, 8, 9
and 10). Prapâ denotes a place of distributing water gratis to travellers ; pratiśraya is “a shelter-house for
travelers” (Ind. Ant. Vol. XII. p. 142). Both these words occur in the celebrated inscription of Ushavadâta at
Nâsik, which records his series of benefactions. Vṛishôtsarga, according to the Śabdakalpadruma, means “setting
free a bull and four heifers on the occasion of a śrâddha or as a religious act generally.” As regards the details of
this ceremony, see this lexicon, sub voce. According to Mahêśvara’s commentary on the Amarakôśa, kûpa denotes
an ordinary well, and vâpî means a well with a flight of stairs.
[9] For tala-sîmâ see above, Vol. IV. pp. 155 and 157.
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