An unfinished epigraphic record intended to be issued by the Vākāṭaka ruler Pṛthivīṣeṇa II was discovered in the Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh. The set comprises five plates strung on a ring with a blank seal, with only three plates bearing text. Engraved in the box-headed Brāhmī script, the available text is composed in Sanskrit The text abruptly terminates mid-sentence and does not contain the authorising mark of dṛṣṭam.
The extant text serves primarily as an extended genealogical preamble, tracing the Vākāṭaka lineage up to Pṛthivīṣeṇa. The edict was intended to be issued from a royal camp at Vembāra. The command addresses administrative officers appointed by the general superintendent (sarvādhyakṣa), however, details regarding the donee, the granted land, the date, and the executing officers remain unrecorded.
First Plate
1. vembāravāsāadagniṣṭomāptoryyāmokthya-
2. ṣoḍaśyatirātravājapeyabṛhaspatisavasādya-
3. skracaturaśvamedhayājinaḥ viṣṇuvṛddhasagotra-
4. sya samrājo vākāṭakānāmmahārājaśrī pravarase-
5. nasyasūnossūnoḥ atyantasvāmimahā-
6. bhairavabhaktasya | amsabhārasanniveśitaśiva-
7. liṅgodvahanaśivasuparituṣṭasamutpādita-
8. rājavaṅśānāparākramādhigatabhāgirathyamala-
9. jalamūrddhābhiṣiktānāndaśāśvamedhāva-
Second Plate : First Side
10. bhṛthasnātānāmbhāraśivānāmmahārājaśrīrudrase-
11. nasya sūnoḥ atyantamāheśvarasya satyārjjava-
12. kāruṇya śauryyavikramanayavinayamāhā-
13. tmyadhimattvapātragatabhaktitvadharmma vijayitvamano-
14. nairmmalyādirguṇasamuditasya varṣaśata-
15. mabhivarddhamānakośadaṇḍasādhanasantānaputra-
16. pautriṇaḥ yudhiṣṭhiravṛttervvā kāṭakānāmmahā-
17. rājaśrīpṛthiviṣeṇasya sūnoḥ bhagavata-
18. ścakrapāṇeḥ prasādopārjjitaśrī-
Second Plate : Second Side
19. samudrayasya vākāṭakānāmmahārājaśrīrudra-
20. senasya sūnoḥ pūrvvarājānuvṛttamārggānusā-
21. riṇaḥ sunayabalaparākramomcchinnasarvvadvi-
22. ṣaḥ mahārājādhirājaśrīdevaguptasutāyā-
23. mprabhāvatiguptāyāmutpannasya vākāṭa-
24. kavamśālaṅkārabhūtasya śambho prasādāddhṛ-
25. takārttayugasya vākāṭakānāmmahārājaśrī-
26. pravarasenasya sūnoḥ pūrvvādhigataguṇa-
27. viśvāsādapahṛtavamśa śriyaḥ kosalā-
Third Plate
28. mekalāmālavādhipabhirabhyarccitaśāsanasya pra-
29. tāpapralātārisanasya vākāṭakānāmmahā-
30. rājaśrīnarendrasenasya sūno kuntalādhipati-
31. sutāyāṃ mahādevyāmajjhitabhaṭṭārikāyāmu-
32. tpannasya tejaḥ kṣamāsannidhānabhūta-
33. sya | dvimagnavaṅśasyoddharttuḥ vākāṭakānā-
34. mparamabhāgavatamahārājaśrīpṛthivīṣe-
35. ṇasya vacanāt asmatsantakāḥ sarvvāddhyakṣa-
प्रथमं पत्रम्
१। वेम्बारवासाअदग्निष्टोमाप्तोर्य्यामोक्थ्य-
२। षोडश्यतिरात्रवाजपेयबृहस्पतिसवसाद्य-
३। स्क्रचतुरश्वमेधयाजिनः विष्णुवृद्धसगोत्र-
४। स्य सम्राजो वाकाटकानाम्महाराजश्री प्रवरसे-
५। नस्यसूनोस्सूनोः अत्यन्तस्वामिमहा-
६। भैरवभक्तस्य । अम्सभारसन्निवेशितशिव-
७। लिङ्गोद्वहनशिवसुपरितुष्टसमुत्पादित-
८। राजवङ्शानापराक्रमाधिगतभागिरथ्यमल-
९। जलमूर्द्धाभिषिक्तानान्दशाश्वमेधाव-
द्वितीयं पत्रम् : प्रथमं पृष्ठम्
१०। भृथस्नातानाम्भारशिवानाम्महाराजश्रीरुद्रसे-
११। नस्य सूनोः अत्यन्तमाहेश्वरस्य सत्यार्ज्जव-
१२। कारुण्य शौर्य्यविक्रमनयविनयमाहा-
१३। त्म्यधिमत्त्वपात्रगतभक्तित्वधर्म्म विजयित्वमनो-
१४। नैर्म्मल्यादिर्गुणसमुदितस्य वर्षशत-
१५। मभिवर्द्धमानकोशदण्डसाधनसन्तानपुत्र-
१६। पौत्रिणः युधिष्ठिरवृत्तेर्व्वा काटकानाम्महा-
१७। राजश्रीपृथिविषेणस्य सूनोः भगवत-
१८। श्चक्रपाणेः प्रसादोपार्ज्जितश्री-
द्वितीयं पत्रम् : द्वितीयं पृष्ठम्
१९। समुद्रयस्य वाकाटकानाम्महाराजश्रीरुद्र-
२०। सेनस्य सूनोः पूर्व्वराजानुवृत्तमार्ग्गानुसा-
२१। रिणः सुनयबलपराक्रमोम्च्छिन्नसर्व्वद्वि-
२२। षः महाराजाधिराजश्रीदेवगुप्तसुताया-
२३। म्प्रभावतिगुप्तायामुत्पन्नस्य वाकाट-
२४। कवम्शालङ्कारभूतस्य शम्भो प्रसादाद्धृ-
२५। तकार्त्तयुगस्य वाकाटकानाम्महाराजश्री-
२६। प्रवरसेनस्य सूनोः पूर्व्वाधिगतगुण-
२७। विश्वासादपहृतवम्श श्रियः कोसला-
तृतीयं पत्रम्
२८। मेकलामालवाधिपभिरभ्यर्च्चितशासनस्य प्र-
२९। तापप्रलातारिसनस्य वाकाटकानाम्महा-
३०। राजश्रीनरेन्द्रसेनस्य सूनो कुन्तलाधिपति-
३१। सुतायां महादेव्यामज्झितभट्टारिकायामु-
३२। त्पन्नस्य तेजः क्षमासन्निधानभूत-
३३। स्य । द्विमग्नवङ्शस्योद्धर्त्तुः वाकाटकाना-
३४। म्परमभागवतमहाराजश्रीपृथिवीषे-
३५। णस्य वचनात् अस्मत्सन्तकाः सर्व्वाद्ध्यक्ष-
Prose Inscription
vembāravāsāadagniṣṭomāptoryyāmokthyaṣoḍaśyatirātravājapeyabṛhaspati- savasādyaskracaturaśvamedhayājinaḥ viṣṇuvṛddhasagotrasya samrājo vākāṭakānāmmahārājaśrī pravarasenasyasūnossūnoḥ atyantasvāmimahābhairavabhaktasya | amsabhārasanniveśitaśivaliṅgodvahanaśivasuparituṣṭasamutpāditarājavaṅśānāparāmkramādhigatabhāgirathyamalajalamūrddhābhiṣiktānāndaśāśvamedhāvabhṛthasnātānāmbhāraśivānāmmahārājaśrīrudrasenasya sūnoḥ atyantamāheśvarasya satyārjjavakāruṇya śauryyavikramanayavinayamāhātmyadhimattvapātragatabhaktitvadharmma vijayitvamanonairmmalyādirguṇasamuditasya varṣaśatamabhivarddhamānakośadaṇḍasādhanasantānaputrapautriṇaḥ yudhiṣṭhiravṛttervvā kāṭakānāmmahārājaśrīpṛthiviṣeṇasya sūnoḥ bhagavataścakrapāṇeḥ prasādopārjjitaśrīsamudrayasya vākāṭakānāmmahārājaśrīrudrasenasya sūnoḥ pūrvvarājānuvṛttamārggānusāriṇaḥ sunayabalaparākramomcchinnasarvvadviṣaḥ mahārājādhirājaśrīdevaguptasutāyāmprabhāvatiguptāyāmutpannasya vākāṭakavamśālaṅkārabhūtasya śambho prasādāddhṛtakārttayugasya vākāṭakānāmmahārājaśrīpravarasenasya sūnoḥ pūrvvādhigataguṇaviśvāsādapahṛtavamśa śriyaḥ kosalāmekalāmālavādhipabhirabhyarccitaśāsanasya pratāpapralātārisanasya vākāṭakānāmmahārājaśrīnarendrasenasya sūno kuntalādhipatisutāyām mahādevyāmajjhitabhaṭṭārikāyāmutpannasya tejaḥ kṣamāsannidhānabhūtasya | dvimagnavaṅśasyoddharttuḥ vākāṭakānāmparamabhāgavatamahārājaśrīpṛthivīṣeṇasya vacanāt asmatsantakāḥ sarvvāddhyakṣa-
गद्य भाग:
वेम्बारवासाअदग्निष्टोमाप्तोर्य्यामोक्थ्यषोडश्यतिरात्रवाजपेयबृहस्पति- सवसाद्यस्क्रचतुरश्वमेधयाजिनः विष्णुवृद्धसगोत्रस्य सम्राजो वाकाटकानाम्महाराजश्री प्रवरसेनस्यसूनोस्सूनोः अत्यन्तस्वामिमहाभैरवभक्तस्य । अम्सभारसन्निवेशितशिवलिङ्गोद्वहनशिवसुपरितुष्टसमुत्पादितराजवङ्शानापराम्क्रमाधिगतभागिरथ्यमलजलमूर्द्धाभिषिक्तानान्दशाश्वमेधावभृथस्नातानाम्भारशिवानाम्महाराजश्रीरुद्रसेनस्य सूनोः अत्यन्तमाहेश्वरस्य सत्यार्ज्जवकारुण्य शौर्य्यविक्रमनयविनयमाहात्म्यधिमत्त्वपात्रगतभक्तित्वधर्म्म विजयित्वमनोनैर्म्मल्यादिर्गुणसमुदितस्य वर्षशतमभिवर्द्धमानकोशदण्डसाधनसन्तानपुत्रपौत्रिणः युधिष्ठिरवृत्तेर्व्वा काटकानाम्महाराजश्रीपृथिविषेणस्य सूनोः भगवतश्चक्रपाणेः प्रसादोपार्ज्जितश्रीसमुद्रयस्य वाकाटकानाम्महाराजश्रीरुद्रसेनस्य सूनोः पूर्व्वराजानुवृत्तमार्ग्गानुसारिणः सुनयबलपराक्रमोम्च्छिन्नसर्व्वद्विषः महाराजाधिराजश्रीदेवगुप्तसुतायाम्प्रभावतिगुप्तायामुत्पन्नस्य वाकाटकवम्शालङ्कारभूतस्य शम्भो प्रसादाद्धृतकार्त्तयुगस्य वाकाटकानाम्महाराजश्रीप्रवरसेनस्य सूनोः पूर्व्वाधिगतगुणविश्वासादपहृतवम्श श्रियः कोसलामेकलामालवाधिपभिरभ्यर्च्चितशासनस्य प्रतापप्रलातारिसनस्य वाकाटकानाम्महाराजश्रीनरेन्द्रसेनस्य सूनो कुन्तलाधिपतिसुतायाम् महादेव्यामज्झितभट्टारिकायामुत्पन्नस्य तेजः क्षमासन्निधानभूतस्य । द्विमग्नवङ्शस्योद्धर्त्तुः वाकाटकानाम्परमभागवतमहाराजश्रीपृथिवीषेणस्य वचनात् अस्मत्सन्तकाः सर्व्वाद्ध्यक्ष-
Line 1–9
From the camp fixed at Vembāra:
...[who was] the grandson of the illustrious Pravarasena I, the mahārāja of the Vākāṭakas, the Samrāṭa (Universal Monarch), who performed the Agniṣṭoma, Āptoryāma, Ukthya, Ṣoḍaśin, Atirātra, Vājapeya, Bṛhaspatisava, Sādyaskra, and four Aśvamedha sacrifices, and who belonged to the Viṣṇuvṛddha gotra;
...[and who was] the son of the illustrious Rudrasena I, the mahārāja of the Vākāṭakas and the son of Gautamīputra, an intense devotee of the god Svāmi-Mahābhairava and the daughter’s son of the illustrious Bhavanāga, the mahārāja of the Bhāraśivas, whose royal family was created by Śiva, who was greatly pleased by their carrying the Śiva liṅga like a load placed upon their shoulders, who were besprinkled on their heads with the pure water of the river Bhāgīrathī obtained by their valour, and who performed the ritual ablutions upon the completion of ten Aśvamedha sacrifices;
Line 10–18
...who was the son of the illustrious Pṛthivīṣeṇa I, the mahārāja of the Vākāṭakas, who was intensely devoted to the god Maheśvara, endowed with truthfulness, straightforwardness, compassion, heroism, valour, political wisdom, modesty, high-mindedness, intelligence, devotion to worthy persons, the state of being a righteous conqueror, purity of mind, and other such qualities, who had sons and grandsons and a continuous supply of treasure and an army accumulating for a hundred years, and who conducted himself like Yudhiṣṭhira;
...who was the son of the illustrious Rudrasena II, the mahārāja of the Vākāṭakas, who acquired an abundance of prosperity by the grace of the divine lord Cakrapāṇi (Viṣṇu);
Line 19–27
...who was the son of the illustrious Pravarasena II, the mahārāja of the Vākāṭakas, who was an ornament of the Vākāṭaka family; who, by the grace of Śambhu, established the Kṛta yuga (Golden Age); who was born of Prabhāvatīguptā, the daughter of the mahārājādhirāja, the illustrious Devagupta; who exterminated all his enemies by his excellent policy, strength, and valour; and who followed the path adopted by former kings;
...who is the son of the illustrious Narendrasena, the mahārāja of the Vākāṭakas—who, out of confidence in the excellent qualities previously acquired by him, carried off the royal fortune of his family;
Line 28–35
...whose commands were honoured by the lords of Kosalā, Mekalā, and Mālava; who held in check enemies bowed down by his valour;
By the order of the illustrious Pṛthivīṣeṇa II, the mahārāja of the Vākāṭakas, a paramount devotee of the Bhagavat (Viṣṇu); who is the rescuer of his twice-sunken family; who is the abode of valour and forgiveness; who was born of the mahādevī Ajjhitabhaṭṭārikā, the daughter of the lord of Kuntala:
Our officials of noble birth appointed by the sarvādhyakṣa (general superintendent)...
(The subsequent portion of the grant is not inscribed.)
| Dynasty: | Vākāṭaka |
| Source: | |
| Ruler: | Pṛthivīṣeṇa II |
| Date: | c. 440 to 460 CE |
| Language: | Sanskrit |
| Deities: | Bhagavata i.e. Viṣṇu |
| Provenance of inscription: | Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh |
| Type of Inscription: | Copperplate grant |
