South Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE VATSAGULMA BRANCH

...(Lines 7-10). For the increase of (Our) life and power, for invoking blessings and peace (for Us), and for Our well-being in this world and the next, We have now granted, in our victorious place of religious worship¹, this village to (the following members of ) the Ātharvaṇika charaṇa² in this village as a new gift which is to be enjoyed as long as the moon and the sun will endure, (in the following proportion), viz., there parts− (in figures) 3−of it to these (following) Brāhmaṇas−half a share being given to Jivujja (Jīvārya) of the Bhālandāyana gōtra, to Ruddajja (Rudrārya) of the Kapiñjala gōtra, to Bhaṭtidevajja (Bhartṛidēvārya) of the Shrāvishṭhāyana gōtra, to Deaja (Dēvārya) of the Kauśika gōtra, to Veṇhujja (Vishṇvārya) of the Kauśika gōtra, to Vidhijja (Vidhyārya) of the Kauśika gōtra, to Pituja (Pitrārya) of the Paippalādi gōtra, to Chāndaja (Chandrārya) of the Bhālandāryana gōtra (and ) to Jeṭṭhaja (Jyēshṭhārya) of the Kauśika gōtra; (and) two shares being given to Buddhaja (Buddhārya) of the Bhālandāyana gōtra, to Bhāddilajja (Bhādrilārya) of the Kauśika gōtra, to Sivajja (Śivārya) of the Kauśika gōtra, (and) to Hariṇṇaja (Hiraṇyārya) of the Kauśika Gōtra−and the fourth part, (in figure) 1, to Revatijja (Rēvatyārya) of the Kauśika gotra.

...(Lines 19-21). And We grant the following exemptions from restrictions for it, such as are incidental to a village granted to the Brāhmaṇas proficient in the four Vēdas, as approved by former kings, viz., it is to be exempt from (the entrance of ) the District Police³; to be exempt from the digging of salt and fermentation of liquor; it is to be exempt from (the obligation to make) presents of grain and gold⁴; it does not entitle (the State) to (the royalties on ) flowers and milk⁵; and to the customary cows and bullocks⁶; it is not to provide pasture, hides and charcoal; it is not to be entered by soldiers; it is not to provide cots, water-pots⁷ and servants (to touring royal officers); it is exempt from taxes; it is not to provide draught cattle; it carries with it the right to treasures and deposits, to major and minor taxes, and to platforms and large fields⁸; and it is to be exempted with immunities of all kinds.

... (Line 24-30). Wherefore, you should protect it, cause it to be protected, exempt it and cause it to be exempted, regarding this charter as authoritative.
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¹ Vijaya-vejayike seems to be misplaced. In Vākāṭaka charters it qualifies Dharmasthānē when the grant was made at the capital.
² i.e., of the Atharvavēda.
³ This is how Senart translates the expression a-raṭṭha-saṁvinayika. D.C. Sircar proposes to translate it by ‘not to be controlled as other parts of the kingdom’. See S.I., Vol. I, p. 410, n. 1.
⁴ Praṇaya means the customary present or nazarāṇā paid to the king. Cf. praṇaya-kriyā in the Junāgadh inscription of Rudradāman. Ep. Ind., Vol. VIII, p. 175.
⁵ These were taxes in kind paid to the state. See MSM., Ch. VII, v.
⁶ The expression a-parampara-gō-balivardda corresponds to a-pārampara-balivadda-gahaṇam of the Hirahadagalli plates and a-paramparā-bali[vadaṁ]of the Mayidavolu plates. These latter expressions have been taken to denote ‘exemption from the obligation of furnishing by turns draught cattle for the progress of royal officers’. In former times it was considered to be duty of villagers to supply means of transport for the touring of royal officers. Sometimes a small tax, called prayāṇa-daṇḍa, was levied for the purpose. See rāja-sēvakānāṁ vasati-daṇḍa-prayāṇa-daṇḍau na staḥ in the Paiṭhan plates of Rāmachandra. Ind. Ant., Vol. XIV, p. 318. But the use of the word go in addition to balivarda in Vākāṭaka grants rather indicates that the village people were exempted from the obligation of giving to the State the first calf−male or female−of every cow in the village. Besides, exemption from supplying the means of conveyance has already been mentioned as avaha in line 23, above.
⁷ Chollaka is plainly identical with cholaka in the Mayidavolu plates and yollaka in the Hirahaḍagalli plates, Hultzsch derives chollaka from chullaki, a water-pot. Venesika corresponds to vināsi in the Mayidavolu and vinesi in the Hiarahadagalli plates. It is probably derived from vaināśika which the dictionaries give in the sense of ‘a slave’ a dependent or a subject’. The obligation to provide servants for touring officers is perhaps meant here.
⁸ Dictionaries give karaṇa in the sense of ‘a field’.