Sharvanatha

The copper-plate inscription of the Maharaja Sharvanatha (533-534) from Khoh (Satna District, Madhya Pradesh) describes about the Mahabharata as a "collection of 100,000 verses" (shatasahasri samhita).

Khoh Copper-plate Inscription of the Maharaja Sharvanatha

• Ôm! Hail! From Uchchakalpa; — (There was) the Mahârâja Ôghadêva. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Kumâradêva, begotten on the Mahâdêvi Kumâradêvî. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Jayasvâmin, begotten on the Mahâdêvî Jayasvâminî. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Vyâghra, begotten on the Mahârâja Jayanâtha, begotten on the Mahâdêvi Ajjhitadêvî.

• (Line 5.)— His son, who meditates on his feet, the Mahârâja Sharvanâtha,— begotten on the Mahâdêvî Murundasvâminî,— being in good health, issues a command to the cultivators, beginning with the Brâhmans, and to the artisans, in half of (the village of) Dhavashandikâ in the Vôta santika: —

• (L. 8.)— "Be it known to you that this half village is, by (this) copper-plate charter, given to Chhôdugômika, [to be enjoyed] by the succession of him and (his) sons, sons' sons, sons of the latter, &c.,— to endure for the same time with the moon and the sun; with the udranga and the uparikara; (with the privilege that it is) not to be entered by the irregular or the regular troops; with remission of all the taxes; (and) with such tribute as may accrue. And it is agreed by him (and) by me, that it is granted for the purpose of the repairs, by the above-mentioned succession (of him and his descendants), of whatever may become broken or torn, belonging to the divine goddess Pishtapurikâdêvî, and for the maintenance of the bali, charu, and sattra.

• (L. 13.)— "You yourselves shall render to these persons the offering of the tribute of the customary royalties, taxes, gold, &c., and shall be obedient to (their) commands.

• (L. 15.)—"And those kings who shall be born in Our lineage,— by them this grant should not be confiscated, (but) should be assented to."

• (The rest of this inscription, on the second plate, is not forthcoming.)

• From: Fleet, John F. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Inscriptions of the Early Guptas. Vol. III. Calcutta: Government of India, Central Publications Branch, 1888, 131-132.

Bhumara Stone Pillar Inscription of the Maharajas Hastin and Sharvanatha

• Hail! In (the boundary of) the kingdom of the Mahârâja Hastin, who meditates on the feet of (the god) Mahâdêva; at (the village of) Âmblôda; (and) in (the boundary of ) the bhôga of the Mahârâja Sharvanâtha,— (this) boundary-pillar has been set up by Shivadâsa, the grandson of Indana, and the son of the Grâmika Vâsu;— in the Mahâ Mâgha samvatsara; the month Kârttika; the day 10 (and) 9.

Note - We have informations about two villages named Amloda (आमलोदा) in Bairat tahsil and Shahpura tahsil in Jaipur district. (See Bhumara)

Khoh Copper-plate Inscription of the Maharaja Sharvanatha (512-513 CE)

• Ôm! Hail! From Uchchakalpa;— (There was) the Mahârâja Ôghadêva. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Kumâradêva, begotten on the Mahâdêvi Kumâradêvi. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Jayasvâmin, begotten on the Mahâdêvî Jayasvâminî. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Vyâghra, begotten on the Mahâdêvî Râmadêvî. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâjâ Jayanâtha, begotten on the Mahâdêvi Ajjhitadêvî.

• (Line 6.)— His son, who meditates on his feet, the Mahârâja Sharvanâtha,— begotten on the Mahâdêvi Murundadêvî— being in good health, issues a command to the cultivators, beginning with the Brâhmans, and to all the artisans, at (the village of) Ashramaka on the north bank of the river Tamasâ:—

• (L. 8.)— "Be it known to you that this village is allotted by me, in four shares, to endure for the same time with the moon and the sun; with the udranga and the uparikara; (and with the privilege that it is) not to be entered by the irregular or the regular troops. Out of them, two shares belong to Vishnunandin; and another share belongs to the merchant Saktinâga, the son of Svâminâga; and another share belongs to Kumâranâga and Skandanâga. It is given by (this) copper-plate charter, [to be enjoyed] by the succession of them and (their) sons, [sons' sons], sons of sons' sons, sons of the latter, &c. Moreover, it is agreed by them (and) by me that it is given for the repairs, by the above-mentioned succession (of them and their descendants), in order to increase their own religious merit, of whatever may become broken or torn (in the shrines) of the feet of the Divine One, established by them, and of the feet of the sacred Sun, and for the maintenance of the bali, charu, sattra, perfumes, incense, garlands, and lamps.

• (L. 17.)— "You yourselves shall render to them the offering of the tribute of the customary royalties, taxes, gold, &c., and shall be obedient to (their) commands.

• (L. 18.)— "And those kings who shall be born in Our lineage,— by them this grant should not be confiscated, (but) should be assented to, and should be preserved according to opportunity. (And) the tribute of the taxes which by custom should not belong to the king, should not be taken.

• (L. 20.)— "Whosoever may confiscate this grant,— he shall become invested with (the guilt of) the five great sins and the minor sins."

• (L. 22.)— And it has been said in the Mahâbhârata by the venerable Vyâsa, the arranger of the Vêdas,— "O Yudhishthira, best of kings, carefully preserve land that has been given, whether by thyself, or by another; (verily) the preservation (of a grant) (is) better than making a grant! As a rule, indeed, no inauspicious condition is experienced by kings; but they are purified for ever, when they bestow land! The earth has been enjoyed by many kings, commencing with Sagara; whosoever at any time possesses the earth, to him belongs, at that time, the reward (of this grant that is now made, if he continue it )! The giver of land enjoys happiness in heaven for sixty thousand years; (but) the confiscator (of a grant), and he who assents (to an act of confiscation), shall dwell for the same number of years in hell! He who confiscates land, rich in all (kinds of ) grains, (that has been granted),— he becomes a worm in the ordure of a dog, and sinks (into hell) together with (his) ancestors!"

• (L. 29.)— (This charter) has been written, in a century of years, increased by ninety-three, on the tenth day of the month Chaitra, by the Mahâsâmdhivigrahika Manôratha, the grandson of the Bhôgika, the Amâtya Phalgudatta, (and) the son of the Bhôgika Varâhadinna. The Dûtaka (is) the Mahâbalâdhikrita, the Kshatriya Shivagupta.

• From: Fleet, John F. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Inscriptions of the Early Guptas. Vol. III. Calcutta: Government of India, Central Publications Branch, 1888, 128-129.

Khoh Copper-plate Inscription of the Maharaja Sharvanatha (516-517 CE)

(The opening part of this inscription, on the first plate, is not forthcoming.)

• "And, according to opportunity, it should be preserved. And the tribute of the taxes which by custom should not belong to the king, should not be taken.

• (Line 2.)— "Whosoever may confiscate this grant,— he shall become invested with (the guilt of) the five great sins and the minor sins."

• (L. 3.)— And it has been said in the Mahâbhârata, by the venerable Vyâsa, the arranger of the Vêdas,— "O Yudhishthira, best of kings, carefully preserve land that has been given, whether by thyself, or by another; (verily) the preservation (of a grant) is more meritorious than making a grant! As a rule, indeed, no inauspicious condition is experienced by kings; but they are purified for ever, when they bestow land! The earth has been enjoyed by many kings, commencing with Sagara; whosoever at any time possesses the earth, to him belongs, at that time, the reward (of this grant that is now made, if he continue it)! The giver of land enjoys happiness in heaven for sixty thousand years; (but) the confiscator (of a grant), and he who assents (to an act of confiscation), shall dwell for the same number of years in hell! He who confiscates land, rich in all (kinds of) grains, (that has been granted),— he becomes a worm in the ordure of a dog, and sinks (into hell) together with (his) ancestors!"

• (L. 10.)— (This charter) has been written, in a century of years, increased by ninety-seven, on the twentieth day of the month Ashvayuja, by the Mahâsâmdhivigrahika Manôratha, the grandson of the Bhôgika, the Amâtya Phalgudatta, (and) the son of the Bhôgika Varâhadinna. The Dûtaka (is) the Mahâbalâdhikrita Shivagupta. Moreover, the Dûtaka to an additional writer for the remission of the fines on .............. and water-pots, (is) the Uparika Mâtrishiva.

• From: Fleet, John F. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Inscriptions of the Early Guptas. Vol. III. Calcutta: Government of India, Central Publications Branch, 1888, 134.

Khoh Copper-plate Inscription of the Maharaja Sharvanatha (533-534 CE)

• Ôm! Hail! From Uchchakalpa; — (There was) the Mahârâja Ôghadêva. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Kumâradêvî, begotten on the Mahâdêvî Kumâradêvi. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Jayasvâmin, begotten on the Mahâdêvi Jayasvâminî. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Vyâghra, begotten on the Mahâdêvi Râmadêvi. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâja Jayanâtha, begotten on the Mahâdêvi Ajjhitadêvî.

• (Line 6.)— His son, who meditates on his feet, the Mahârâja Sharvanâtha,— begotten on the Mahâdêvi Murundasvâminî — being in good health, issues a command to the residents, beginning with. the Brâhmans, at the villages of Vyâghrapallika and Kâcharapallika in the Maninâga pêtha: —

• (L. 8.)— "Be it known to you that these two villages were bestowed, as a mark of favour, upon Pulindabhata,— with the udranga and the uparikara; (with the privilege that they were not to be) entered by the irregular or the regular troops; with whatever had (by custom) accrued or might accrue in connection with the tribute of all the taxes which should not belong to the king; to endure for the same time with the moon and the sun; (but) with the exception of (the right to) fines imposed on thieves. And now they are granted by him to Kumârasvâmin, to be enjoyed by the succession of (his) sons and sons’ sons, for the purpose of the worship of the divine goddess Pishtapurikâdêvî at the temple which he has caused to be built at (the town of) Mânapura, and for the purpose of repairing whatever may become broken or torn. And, by (this) copper-plate charter, they have been assented to by me, according to the rule of bhûmichchhidra.

• (L. l4.)— "You yourselves, understanding (this), (and) being. obedient to (their) commands, shall render the tribute of the customary royalties, taxes, gold, âvâta, revenue, &c.

• (L. 16.)— "And those kings who shall be born in Our lineage,— by them this grant should not be confiscated, (but) according to opportunity should be increased (and) assented to and preserved. And none of the tribute of the taxes which should not belong to the king, should be taken.

• (L. 18.)— "And whosoever may confiscate this grant, he shall become invested with (the guilt of) the five great sins and the minor sins.

• (L. 19.)— And it has been said in the Mahâbhârata, in the Shatasâhasrî-Samhitâ, by Vyâsa, the arranger of the Vêdas, the supreme sage, the son of Parâshara,— "O Yudhishthira, best of kings, carefully preserve land that has previously been given to the twice-born; (verily) the preservation (of a grant) (is) more meritorious than making a grant! As a rule, indeed, no inauspicious condition is experienced by kings; but they are purified for ever, when they bestow land! The earth has been enjoyed by [many] kings, commencing with Sagara; whosoever at any time possesses the earth, to him belongs, at that time, the reward (of this grant that is now made, if he continue it)! The giver of land enjoys happiness in heaven for sixty thousand years; (but) the confiscator (of a grant), and he who assents (to an act of confiscation), shall dwell for the same number of years in hell! He who confiscates land that has been given, whether by himself, or by another,— he becomes a worm in the ordure of a dog, and sinks (into hell) together with his ancestors! Those who confiscate a previous grant, are born (again) as black serpents, inhabiting the dried-up hollows of trees, in desert places destitute of water!"

• (L. 27.)— (This charter) has been written in two centuries of years, increased by fourteen, on the sixth day of the month Pausha, by the Sâmdhivigrahika Nâtha, the great-grandson of the Anâtya Phalgudatta; the grandson of Varâhadinna; (and) the son of Manôratha. The Dûtaka (is) Dhritisvâmika.

• From: Fleet, John F. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Inscriptions of the Early Guptas. Vol. III. Calcutta: Government of India, Central Publications Branch, 1888, 138-139.

तमसा

2. तमसा (AS, p.391) मध्य प्रदेश में मैहर के पहाड़ों से निकल कर बुंदेलखंड के इलाके में बहने वाली एक नदी का नाम भी तमसा है जिसका उल्लेख महाराज सर्वनाथ के खोह अभिलेख (512 ई.) में है. इस नदी के तट पर आश्रमक नानक ग्राम का भी उल्लेख इस अभिलेख में है.

External links

• http://projectsouthasia.sdstate.edu/docs/history/primarydocs/Epigraphy/Gupta-Era/