The Bamhani charter, discovered in the Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh, is an epigraphic record of mahārāja Bharatabala of the Pāṇḍava lineage of Mekalā. Engraved on three copper plates in the nail-headed Brāhmī, the text comprises both Sanskrit prose and verse. The charter, drafted by Śiva and engraved by the goldsmith Mihiraka, dates to the second regnal year of Bharatabala.
The text delineates the Pāṇḍava genealogy of Mekalā tracing the lineage from Jayabala to the Bharatabala, indirectly acknowledging his vassalage to Vākāṭaka king Narendrasena. The primary objective is to record the royal donation of the village Vardhamānaka, located within the Pañcagarta viṣaya, to the brāhmaṇa Lohitasarasvāmin of the Vatsa gotra and Mādhyandina śākhā. Issued on the thirteenth lunar day of the dark fortnight of Bhādrapada, the grant conveys standard fiscal privileges and administrative exemptions. The royal directive is communicated to local officers of villages (grāmakūṭas), cluster of villages (droṇāgraka); temple officers (devavārika) and gaṇḍakas.
First Plate
1. siddham | svastiḥ | āsīdyaḥ pāṇḍavānām suvimalayaśasāmanvaye bhūridhāmnām rā
2. jābhūnmekalāyām kṣitipatitilakaḥ saṃprasūtorukīrttiḥ | śrīmānśrīsam-
3. vidhātā jayabala iti yaḥ khyāpyate svairyyaśobhiḥ lokesmin sarvvadaiva
4. pravaraguṇagaṇālaṅkṛtaścārumūrttiḥ || tasyāhavāhṛtajayaḥ prathitodayā-
5. vānvatseśvarapratisamo guṇavānvidhijñaḥ | putrobhavadripugṛho-
6. vanāni yena vanyairmṛgaiḥ pracuratāmupapāditāni || mahānubhāvaḥ
7. sukṛtapraśamsīguṇāntarajñaḥ puruṣopabhogyaḥ | saddharmmaśīlaḥ sunayapra-
8. dhānaḥ śrīvatsarājonṛpatirbbabhūva || tasya putrastatpādānudhyātaḥ pa-
9. ramamāheśvaraḥ paramabrahmaṇyaḥ paramagurudevatādhidaivataviśeṣaḥ
10. śrīmān śrīmatyām devyām droṇabhaṭṭārikāyāmutpannaḥ śrīmahārājanā-
11. gabalaḥ | turagakhuranipātakṣuṇṇamārgā dharitrīmalinayati digantān
12. pām surūkṣākulāntān | madamalinakapolā vāraṇā yasya
Second Plate : First Side
13. yātaḥ praśamamupanayante śīkarārdrān kṣaṇena || tatastasya putrastatpādā-
14. nudhyātaḥ paramamāheśvaraḥ paramabrahmaṇyaḥ paramagurudevatādhidaivata-
15. viśeṣaḥ śrīmatyām devyāmindrabhaṭṭārikāyāma mutpannaḥ śrīmahārājabharataḥ
16. indro dayāśīlaguṇānvitāyā audāryyacāturyyasamanvitāyāḥ pu-
17. ttraḥ prasūtomalacārukāntiḥ śailendraputryā iva kārttikeyaḥ || indro dā-
18. raṇisabhamvetha hutabhuktejjvalaḥ snehavāmtsadvṛttasthitivipramantra-
19. vidhṛtaprāptapramāṇonnatiḥ || dṛṣṭaḥ sādhusukhodayāya hi nṛṇām dha-
20. rmmārthasampādakaḥ vedyāmadhvarasamsthite vasuhutaḥ pūjyaḥ satām sarvva-
21. dā || yenottuṅgaripudrumairaviralairbbhagnaiḥ samastā diśaśchannādigvara-
22. dantineva guruṇā vyākṛṣya visphūrjjitaiḥ | yasyaivam vidhaceṣṭi tasya nṛ-
23. pateḥ kṛtsne mahīmaṇḍale saurājyaśriyamādadhātu vipulā dharmmārthakāma-
24. pradāḥ || śrībharataḥ kṣitināthaḥ kṣitipatitilakaḥ surendrasamavīryyaḥ-
25. vinihataripugaṇalakṣmīm dadhāra yaḥ samśritām svabhuje || ekaiva
Second Plate : Second Side
26. sphaṭikavimalaśumram bibhratī śīlatoyam | yamaniyamataṭāntaprāntaśu-
27. ddhapravāham | praśamaguṇagaṇormiryājanam pāvayantī svayamiha sura-
28. lokādāgatā jāhnavīva || śrīmaccāndrāmśukīrterbharatabalanṛpasyottamārāja-
29. patnī | jātāyākosalāyāmamarajakulajā kīrtti muccairdadhānā || śaśvaddharmārthe-
30. kāmaprativihitatama yayāsā lokaprakāśā yātāpautraiḥ prapautrairnaya vinayara-
31. tai rājasimhaiḥ pratiṣṭhām || yosau sampūrṇaśaktitrayavinipatitānekasāmanta-
32. mūrddhaprodghṛṣṭotphullapapardati calanayugākrāntadikcakravālaḥ | saumyaḥ so-
33. yañca vamśaḥ prabhava iti jane kīrtyete yasya coccaiḥ sa śrīmānsārvabhaumapra
34. thita guṇagaṇodīrṇavairo narendraḥ || tataḥ mekalāyām uttararāṣṭre pāñca ga-
35. rttāviṣaye varddhamānake | grāmakūṭadroṇāgrakanāyakadevavārikagaṇḍaka-
36. pramukhānsarvāneva yathāprativāsinaḥ samājñāpayati viditamastu
37. madīyapādaiḥ grāmaḥ sādraṅgāsoparikaraḥ acāṭabhaṭapraveśyaḥ sani-
38. dhiḥ sopanidhiscoradaṇḍavarjam catuḥsīmāparyyanta ācandrārkakṣiti-
Third Plate
39. tārakānirodhena mātāpitrorātmanaśca puṇyābhivṛddhaye vatsasagotraśrīmā-
40. ddhyandinalohitasarasvāmine pratipāditaityavagamya yathocitabhāgabho-
41. genājñāśravaṇavidheyairbhavitavyamiti | svayamājñāpanā | ye cāsmadvamśe samutpa-
42. dyante rājāna stairapīyam dattiranumodanīyānupālanīyā ca | yaḥ ścaimātām dattim vilopamā-
43. pādayiṣyati sa pañcabhirmahāpātakaiḥ samyuktaḥ syāditi | bahubhirvasudhā bhuktā rāja-
44. bhissagarādibhiḥ | yasya yasya yadā bhūmistasya tasya tadā phalam || ṣaṣṭim varṣasa-
45. hasrāṇi svargge modati bhūmidaḥ | ācchettā cānumantā ca tānyeva narake vaset || sva-
46. dattām paradattām vāyatnādrakṣanarādhipa | mahīm mahimatām śreṣṭha dānācchreyonupālanam ||
47. samāptam cedam śāsanam || pravarddhamāna vijayarājyasamvatsare 2 bhādrapadakṛṣṇatra-
48. yodaśyām puṇyanakṣatreṇa | likhitañcedam śāsanam rāhasikeśānaputreṇa śiveno-
49. tkīrṇañca suvarṇṇakāreśvaraputreṇa mihirakeṇeti ||
प्रथमं पत्रम्
१। सिद्धम् । स्वस्तिः । आसीद्यः पाण्डवानाम् सुविमलयशसामन्वये भूरिधाम्नाम् रा
२। जाभून्मेकलायाम् क्षितिपतितिलकः संप्रसूतोरुकीर्त्तिः । श्रीमान्श्रीसम्-
३। विधाता जयबल इति यः ख्याप्यते स्वैर्य्यशोभिः लोकेस्मिन् सर्व्वदैव
४। प्रवरगुणगणालङ्कृतश्चारुमूर्त्तिः ॥ तस्याहवाहृतजयः प्रथितोदया-
५। वान्वत्सेश्वरप्रतिसमो गुणवान्विधिज्ञः । पुत्रोभवद्रिपुगृहो-
६। वनानि येन वन्यैर्मृगैः प्रचुरतामुपपादितानि ॥ महानुभावः
७। सुकृतप्रशम्सीगुणान्तरज्ञः पुरुषोपभोग्यः । सद्धर्म्मशीलः सुनयप्र-
८। धानः श्रीवत्सराजोनृपतिर्ब्बभूव ॥ तस्य पुत्रस्तत्पादानुध्यातः प-
९। रममाहेश्वरः परमब्रह्मण्यः परमगुरुदेवताधिदैवतविशेषः
१०। श्रीमान् श्रीमत्याम् देव्याम् द्रोणभट्टारिकायामुत्पन्नः श्रीमहाराजना-
११। गबलः । तुरगखुरनिपातक्षुण्णमार्गा धरित्रीमलिनयति दिगन्तान्
१२। पाम् सुरूक्षाकुलान्तान् । मदमलिनकपोला वारणा यस्य
द्वितीयं पत्रम् : प्रथमं पृष्ठम्
१३। यातः प्रशममुपनयन्ते शीकरार्द्रान् क्षणेन ॥ ततस्तस्य पुत्रस्तत्पादा-
१४। नुध्यातः परममाहेश्वरः परमब्रह्मण्यः परमगुरुदेवताधिदैवत-
१५। विशेषः श्रीमत्याम् देव्यामिन्द्रभट्टारिकायाम मुत्पन्नः श्रीमहाराजभरतः
१६। इन्द्रो दयाशीलगुणान्विताया औदार्य्यचातुर्य्यसमन्वितायाः पु-
१७। त्त्रः प्रसूतोमलचारुकान्तिः शैलेन्द्रपुत्र्या इव कार्त्तिकेयः ॥ इन्द्रो दा-
१८। रणिसभम्वेथ हुतभुक्तेज्ज्वलः स्नेहवाम्त्सद्वृत्तस्थितिविप्रमन्त्र-
१९। विधृतप्राप्तप्रमाणोन्नतिः ॥ दृष्टः साधुसुखोदयाय हि नृणाम् ध-
२०। र्म्मार्थसम्पादकः वेद्यामध्वरसम्स्थिते वसुहुतः पूज्यः सताम् सर्व्व-
२१। दा ॥ येनोत्तुङ्गरिपुद्रुमैरविरलैर्ब्भग्नैः समस्ता दिशश्छन्नादिग्वर-
२२। दन्तिनेव गुरुणा व्याकृष्य विस्फूर्ज्जितैः । यस्यैवम् विधचेष्टि तस्य नृ-
२३। पतेः कृत्स्ने महीमण्डले सौराज्यश्रियमादधातु विपुला धर्म्मार्थकाम-
२४। प्रदाः ॥ श्रीभरतः क्षितिनाथः क्षितिपतितिलकः सुरेन्द्रसमवीर्य्यः-
२५। विनिहतरिपुगणलक्ष्मीम् दधार यः सम्श्रिताम् स्वभुजे ॥ एकैव
द्वितीयं पत्रम् : द्वितीयं पृष्ठम्
२६। स्फटिकविमलशुम्रम् बिभ्रती शीलतोयम् । यमनियमतटान्तप्रान्तशु-
२७। द्धप्रवाहम् । प्रशमगुणगणोर्मिर्याजनम् पावयन्ती स्वयमिह सुर-
२८। लोकादागता जाह्नवीव ॥ श्रीमच्चान्द्राम्शुकीर्तेर्भरतबलनृपस्योत्तमाराज-
२९। पत्नी । जातायाकोसलायाममरजकुलजा कीर्त्ति मुच्चैर्दधाना ॥ शश्वद्धर्मार्थे-
३०। कामप्रतिविहिततम ययासा लोकप्रकाशा यातापौत्रैः प्रपौत्रैर्नय विनयर-
३१। तै राजसिम्हैः प्रतिष्ठाम् ॥ योसौ सम्पूर्णशक्तित्रयविनिपतितानेकसामन्त-
३२। मूर्द्धप्रोद्घृष्टोत्फुल्लपपर्दति चलनयुगाक्रान्तदिक्चक्रवालः । सौम्यः सो-
३३। यञ्च वम्शः प्रभव इति जने कीर्त्येते यस्य चोच्चैः स श्रीमान्सार्वभौमप्र
३४। थित गुणगणोदीर्णवैरो नरेन्द्रः ॥ ततः मेकलायाम् उत्तरराष्ट्रे पाञ्च ग-
३५। र्त्ताविषये वर्द्धमानके । ग्रामकूटद्रोणाग्रकनायकदेववारिकगण्डक-
३६। प्रमुखान्सर्वानेव यथाप्रतिवासिनः समाज्ञापयति विदितमस्तु
३७। मदीयपादैः ग्रामः साद्रङ्गासोपरिकरः अचाटभटप्रवेश्यः सनि-
३८। धिः सोपनिधिस्चोरदण्डवर्जम् चतुःसीमापर्य्यन्त आचन्द्रार्कक्षिति-
तृतीयं पत्रम्
३९। तारकानिरोधेन मातापित्रोरात्मनश्च पुण्याभिवृद्धये वत्ससगोत्रश्रीमा-
४०। द्ध्यन्दिनलोहितसरस्वामिने प्रतिपादितैत्यवगम्य यथोचितभागभो-
४१। गेनाज्ञाश्रवणविधेयैर्भवितव्यमिति । स्वयमाज्ञापना । ये चास्मद्वम्शे समुत्प-
४२। द्यन्ते राजान स्तैरपीयम् दत्तिरनुमोदनीयानुपालनीया च । यः श्चैमाताम् दत्तिम् विलोपमा-
४३। पादयिष्यति स पञ्चभिर्महापातकैः सम्युक्तः स्यादिति । बहुभिर्वसुधा भुक्ता राज-
४४। भिस्सगरादिभिः । यस्य यस्य यदा भूमिस्तस्य तस्य तदा फलम् ॥ षष्टिम् वर्षस-
४५। हस्राणि स्वर्ग्गे मोदति भूमिदः । आच्छेत्ता चानुमन्ता च तान्येव नरके वसेत् ॥ स्व-
४६। दत्ताम् परदत्ताम् वायत्नाद्रक्षनराधिप । महीम् महिमताम् श्रेष्ठ दानाच्छ्रेयोनुपालनम् ॥
४७। समाप्तम् चेदम् शासनम् ॥ प्रवर्द्धमान विजयराज्यसम्वत्सरे २ भाद्रपदकृष्णत्र-
४८। योदश्याम् पुण्यनक्षत्रेण । लिखितञ्चेदम् शासनम् राहसिकेशानपुत्रेण शिवेनो-
४९। त्कीर्णञ्च सुवर्ण्णकारेश्वरपुत्रेण मिहिरकेणेति ॥
siddham | svastiḥ |
Verse 1
āsīd yaḥ pāṇḍavānām suvimalayaśasāmanvaye bhūridhāmnām
rājābhūn mekalāyām kṣitipatitilakaḥ samprasūtorukīrttiḥ |
śrīmān śrīsamvidhātā jayabala iti yaḥ khyāpyate svairyyaśobhiḥ
lokesmin sarvvadaiva pravaraguṇagaṇālaṅkṛtaś cārumūrttiḥ || (śragdharā)
Verse 2
tasyāhavāhṛtajayaḥ prathitodayāvān
vatseśvarapratisamo guṇavān vidhijñaḥ |
putro'bhavad ripugṛhovanāni yena
vanyair mṛgaiḥ pracuratām upapāditāni || (vasantatilakā)
Verse 3
mahānubhāvaḥ sukṛtapraśamsī
guṇāntarajñaḥ puruṣopabhogyaḥ |
saddharmmaśīlaḥ sunayapradhānaḥ
śrīvatsarājonṛpatir bbbabhūva || (upajāti)
Prose section
tasya putrastatpādānudhyātaḥ paramamāheśvaraḥ paramabrahmaṇyaḥ paramagurudevatādhidaivataviśeṣaḥ śrīmān śrīmatyāṃ devyāṃ droṇabhaṭṭārikāyāmutpannaḥ śrīmahārājanāgabalaḥ |
Verse 4
turagakhuranipātakṣuṇṇamārgā dharitrī
malinayati digantān pāṃsurūkṣākulāntān |
madamalinakapolā vāraṇā yasya yātaḥ
praśamamupanayante śīkarārdrānkṣaṇena ||(mālinī)
Prose section
tatastasya putrastatpādānudhyātaḥ paramamāheśvaraḥ paramabrahmaṇyaḥ paramagurudevatādhidaivataviśeṣaḥ śrīmatyām devyāmindrabhaṭṭārikāyāma mutpannaḥ śrīmahārājabharataḥ |
Verse 5
indro dayāśīlaguṇānvitāyā
audāryyacāturyyasamanvitāyāḥ |
puttraḥ prasūtomalacārukāntiḥ
śailendraputryā iva kārttikeyaḥ ||(indravajrā)
Verse 6
indro dāraṇisabhamvetha hutabhuktejjvalaḥ snehavāmtsadvṛttasthitivipramandravidhṛtaprāptapramāṇonnati |
dṛṣṭaḥ sādhusukhodayāya hi nṛṇām dharmmārthasampādakaḥ vedyāmadhvarasamsthite vasuhutaḥ pūjyaḥ satām sarvvadā || (śārdūlavikrīḍita)
Verse 7
yenottuṅgaripudrumair aviralair bbhagnaiḥ samastā diśaḥ
channā digvaradantineva guruṇā vyākṛṣya visphūrjjitaiḥ |
yasyaivam vidhaceṣṭitasya nṛpateḥ kṛtsne mahīmaṇḍale
saurājyaśriyam ādadhātu vipulā dharmmārthakāmapradāḥ || (śārdūlavikrīḍita)
Verse 8
śrībharataḥ kṣitināthaḥ
kṣitipatitilakaḥ surendrasamavīryyaḥ |
vinihata ripu gaṇa lakṣmīm
dadhāra yaḥ samśritām svabhuje || (āryā)
Verse 9
sphaṭikavimalaśumbram bibhratī śīlatoyam
yamaniyamataṭānta-prāntaśuddhapravāham |
praśamaguṇagaṇormir yājanam pāvayantī
svayamiha suralokād āgatā jāhnavīva || (mālinī)
Verse 10
ekaiva śrīmaccāndrāṃśukīrter bharatabalanṛpasyottamārājapatnī
jātāyā kosalāyām amarajakulajā kīrttim uccairdadhānā |
śaśvad dharmārthe kāma-prativihitatamā tīva lokaprakāśā
yātā pautraiḥ prapautrair naya-vinayaratai rājasimhaiḥ pratiṣṭhām || (śragdharā)
Verse 11
yosau sampūrṇaśaktitrayavinipatitānekasāmantamūrddha-
prodghṛṣṭotphullapapardati calanayugākrāntadikcakravālaḥ |
saumyaḥ soyañca vamśaḥ prabhava iti jane kīrtyate yasya coccaiḥ
sa śrīmān sārvabhaumaḥ sthita guṇagaṇodīrṇavairo narendraḥ || (śragdharā)
Prose section
tataḥ mekalāyām uttararāṣṭre pāñca garttāviṣaye varddhamānake | grāmakūṭadroṇāgrakanāyakadevavārikagaṇḍakapramukhānsarvāneva yathāprativāsinaḥ samājñāpayati viditamastu madīyapādaiḥ grāmaḥ sādraṅgāsoparikaraḥ acāṭabhaṭapraveśyaḥ sanidhiḥ sopanidhiḥ coradaṇḍavarjam catuḥsīmāparyyanta ācandrārkakṣititārakānirodhena mātāpitrorātmanaśca puṇyābhivṛddhaye vatsasagotraśrīmāddhyandinalohitasarasvāmine pratipāditaityavagamya yathocitabhāgabhogenājñāśravaṇavidheyairbhavitavyamiti | svayamājñāpanā | ye cāsmadvamśe samutpadyante rājānaḥ stairapīyam dattiranumodanīyānupālanīyā ca | yaḥ ścaimātām dattim vilopamāpādayiṣyati sa pañcabhirmahāpātakaiḥ samyuktaḥ syāditi |
Verse 12
bahubhir vasudhā bhuktā
rājabhiḥ sagarādibhiḥ |
yasya yasya yadā bhūmis
tasya tasya tadā phalam || (anuṣṭup)
Verse 13
ṣaṣṭim varṣasahasrāṇi
svargge modati bhūmidaḥ |
ācchettā cānumantā ca
tānyeva narake vaset || (anuṣṭup)
Verse 14
svadattām paradattām vā
yatnādrakṣa narādhipa |
mahīm mahimatām śreṣṭha
dānācchrey’onupālanam || (anuṣṭup)
Prose section
samāptam cedam śāsanam || pravarddhamāna | vijayarājyasaṃvatsare 2 bhādrapadakṛṣṇatrayodaśyām puṇyanakṣatreṇa | likhitam ñcedaṃ śāsanam rāhasikeśānaputreṇa śivenotkīrṇañca suvarṇṇakāreśvaraputreṇa mihirakeṇeti ||
सिद्धम् । स्वस्तिः ।
श्लोक: १
आसीद् यः पाण्डवानाम् सुविमलयशसामन्वये भूरिधाम्नाम्
राजाभून् मेकलायाम् क्षितिपतितिलकः सम्प्रसूतोरुकीर्त्तिः ।
श्रीमान् श्रीसम्विधाता जयबल इति यः ख्याप्यते स्वैर्य्यशोभिः
लोकेस्मिन् सर्व्वदैव प्रवरगुणगणालङ्कृतश् चारुमूर्त्तिः ॥ (श्रग्धरा)
श्लोक: २
तस्याहवाहृतजयः प्रथितोदयावान्
वत्सेश्वरप्रतिसमो गुणवान् विधिज्ञः ।
पुत्रोऽभवद् रिपुगृहोवनानि येन
वन्यैर् मृगैः प्रचुरताम् उपपादितानि ॥ (वसन्ततिलका)
श्लोक: ३
महानुभावः सुकृतप्रशम्सी
गुणान्तरज्ञः पुरुषोपभोग्यः ।
सद्धर्म्मशीलः सुनयप्रधानः
श्रीवत्सराजोनृपतिर् ब्ब्बभूव ॥ (उपजाति)
गद्य भाग:
तस्य पुत्रस्तत्पादानुध्यातः परममाहेश्वरः परमब्रह्मण्यः परमगुरुदेवताधिदैवतविशेषः श्रीमान् श्रीमत्यां देव्यां द्रोणभट्टारिकायामुत्पन्नः श्रीमहाराजनागबलः ।
श्लोक: ४
तुरगखुरनिपातक्षुण्णमार्गा धरित्री
मलिनयति दिगन्तान् पांसुरूक्षाकुलान्तान् ।
मदमलिनकपोला वारणा यस्य यातः
प्रशममुपनयन्ते शीकरार्द्रान्क्षणेन ॥(मालिनी)
गद्य भाग:
ततस्तस्य पुत्रस्तत्पादानुध्यातः परममाहेश्वरः परमब्रह्मण्यः परमगुरुदेवताधिदैवतविशेषः श्रीमत्याम् देव्यामिन्द्रभट्टारिकायाम मुत्पन्नः श्रीमहाराजभरतः ।
श्लोक: ५
इन्द्रो दयाशीलगुणान्विताया
औदार्य्यचातुर्य्यसमन्वितायाः ।
पुत्त्रः प्रसूतोमलचारुकान्तिः
शैलेन्द्रपुत्र्या इव कार्त्तिकेयः ॥(इन्द्रवज्रा)
श्लोक: ६
इन्द्रो दारणिसभम्वेथ हुतभुक्तेज्ज्वलः स्नेहवाम्त्सद्वृत्तस्थितिविप्रमन्द्रविधृतप्राप्तप्रमाणोन्नति ।
दृष्टः साधुसुखोदयाय हि नृणाम् धर्म्मार्थसम्पादकः वेद्यामध्वरसम्स्थिते वसुहुतः पूज्यः सताम् सर्व्वदा ॥ (शार्दूलविक्रीडित)
श्लोक: ७
येनोत्तुङ्गरिपुद्रुमैर् अविरलैर् ब्भग्नैः समस्ता दिशः
छन्ना दिग्वरदन्तिनेव गुरुणा व्याकृष्य विस्फूर्ज्जितैः ।
यस्यैवम् विधचेष्टितस्य नृपतेः कृत्स्ने महीमण्डले
सौराज्यश्रियम् आदधातु विपुला धर्म्मार्थकामप्रदाः ॥ (शार्दूलविक्रीडित)
श्लोक: ८
श्रीभरतः क्षितिनाथः
क्षितिपतितिलकः सुरेन्द्रसमवीर्य्यः ।
विनिहत रिपु गण लक्ष्मीम्
दधार यः सम्श्रिताम् स्वभुजे ॥ (आर्या)
श्लोक: ९
स्फटिकविमलशुम्ब्रम् बिभ्रती शीलतोयम्
यमनियमतटान्त-प्रान्तशुद्धप्रवाहम् ।
प्रशमगुणगणोर्मिर् याजनम् पावयन्ती
स्वयमिह सुरलोकाद् आगता जाह्नवीव ॥ (मालिनी)
श्लोक: १०
एकैव श्रीमच्चान्द्रांशुकीर्तेर् भरतबलनृपस्योत्तमाराजपत्नी
जाताया कोसलायाम् अमरजकुलजा कीर्त्तिम् उच्चैर्दधाना ।
शश्वद् धर्मार्थे काम-प्रतिविहिततमा तीव लोकप्रकाशा
याता पौत्रैः प्रपौत्रैर् नय-विनयरतै राजसिम्हैः प्रतिष्ठाम् ॥ (श्रग्धरा)
श्लोक: ११
योसौ सम्पूर्णशक्तित्रयविनिपतितानेकसामन्तमूर्द्ध-
प्रोद्घृष्टोत्फुल्लपपर्दति चलनयुगाक्रान्तदिक्चक्रवालः ।
सौम्यः सोयञ्च वम्शः प्रभव इति जने कीर्त्यते यस्य चोच्चैः
स श्रीमान् सार्वभौमः स्थित गुणगणोदीर्णवैरो नरेन्द्रः ॥ (श्रग्धरा)
गद्य भाग:
ततः मेकलायाम् उत्तरराष्ट्रे पाञ्च गर्त्ताविषये वर्द्धमानके । ग्रामकूटद्रोणाग्रकनायकदेववारिकगण्डकप्रमुखान्सर्वानेव यथाप्रतिवासिनः समाज्ञापयति विदितमस्तु मदीयपादैः ग्रामः साद्रङ्गासोपरिकरः अचाटभटप्रवेश्यः सनिधिः सोपनिधिः चोरदण्डवर्जम् चतुःसीमापर्य्यन्त आचन्द्रार्कक्षितितारकानिरोधेन मातापित्रोरात्मनश्च पुण्याभिवृद्धये वत्ससगोत्रश्रीमाद्ध्यन्दिनलोहितसरस्वामिने प्रतिपादितैत्यवगम्य यथोचितभागभोगेनाज्ञाश्रवणविधेयैर्भवितव्यमिति । स्वयमाज्ञापना । ये चास्मद्वम्शे समुत्पद्यन्ते राजानः स्तैरपीयम् दत्तिरनुमोदनीयानुपालनीया च । यः श्चैमाताम् दत्तिम् विलोपमापादयिष्यति स पञ्चभिर्महापातकैः सम्युक्तः स्यादिति ।
श्लोक: १२
बहुभिर् वसुधा भुक्ता
राजभिः सगरादिभिः ।
यस्य यस्य यदा भूमिस्
तस्य तस्य तदा फलम् ॥ (अनुष्टुप्)
श्लोक: १३
षष्टिम् वर्षसहस्राणि
स्वर्ग्गे मोदति भूमिदः ।
आच्छेत्ता चानुमन्ता च
तान्येव नरके वसेत् ॥ (अनुष्टुप्)
श्लोक: १४
स्वदत्ताम् परदत्ताम् वा
यत्नाद्रक्ष नराधिप ।
महीम् महिमताम् श्रेष्ठ
दानाच्छ्रेय्’ओनुपालनम् ॥ (अनुष्टुप्)
गद्य भाग:
समाप्तम् चेदम् शासनम् ॥ प्रवर्द्धमान । विजयराज्यसंवत्सरे २ भाद्रपदकृष्णत्रयोदश्याम् पुण्यनक्षत्रेण । लिखितम् ञ्चेदं शासनम् राहसिकेशानपुत्रेण शिवेनोत्कीर्णञ्च सुवर्ण्णकारेश्वरपुत्रेण मिहिरकेणेति ॥
Verse 1
There was, in the lineage of the Pāṇḍavas of extremely spotless glory and abundant lustre, a king of Mekalā who acquired wide fame and became foremost among the lords of the earth. He, by his own glorious deeds, has for all time become renowned in this world by the name of Jayabala, a disposer of fortune, who had a charming form and was adorned with a multitude of excellent qualities.
Verse 2
He had a son, who resembled the lord of Vatsa (i.e., Udayana); who attained victories in battles; who was famous, compassionate, endowed with virtues, and conversant with religious rites; and who made the gardens of the houses of his enemies crowded with wild beasts.
Verse 3
There was the king, the illustrious Vatsarāja, who was magnanimous; who extolled the good deeds of others; who could differentiate between merits, was obliging to his people, righteous, and devoted to good policy.
Line 8
His son was the illustrious mahārāja Nāgabala, born of the illustrious queen Droṇabhaṭṭārikā, who meditated on his feet; who was a devout worshipper of Maheśvara (Śiva) and a great patron of the Brāhmaṇas; who was regarded as the most revered teacher, a deity, and the supreme divinity, and who was possessed of royal fortune.
Verse 4
As he marched along, the earth, the paths of which were pounded by the hoofs of his horses, obscured the quarters, their farthest regions becoming dry and disturbed by dust; but his elephants, whose temples were soiled with rutting juice, immediately restored order to them, making them wet with the spray of their rut.
Line 13
Then there is his son, the illustrious mahārāja Bharata, born of the illustrious queen Indrabhaṭṭārikā, who meditates on his feet; who is a devout worshipper of Maheśvara and a great patron of the Brāhmaṇas; and who is regarded as the most revered teacher, a deity, and the supreme divinity.
Verse 5
From her, who was endowed with the qualities of compassion and good nature as well as generosity and wisdom, there was born the son known as Indra, possessed of a spotless and lovely lustre, even as Kārttikeya was born from Pārvatī, the daughter of the lord of mountains.
Verse 6
He is the god Indra in the destruction of his enemies and the god Fire, brilliant with lustre; he is amiable and steadfast in his adherence to good behavior. He has attained authority and eminence in consequence of the sacred mantras recited by the Brāhmaṇas; his appearance makes good persons happy and leads to the attainment, by the people, of religious merit and prosperity. He is always honoured by good persons with presents of wealth, even as a sacrificial fire kindled on the altar is with offerings of ghee, etc.
Verse 7
He is the powerful one who has covered all regions with the dead bodies of the multitude of mighty and roaring enemies whom he has forcibly overthrown, even as an excellent quarter-elephant does with the lofty, thickly growing, and resounding trees which it uproots. May the Earth, who yields the three objects of religious merit, wealth, and enjoyment, produce abundant prosperity due to good government throughout the entire dominion of this king who thus exerts himself!
Verse 8
The illustrious king Bharata, the foremost among the lords of the earth, resembles Indra, the lord of gods, in valour. It is he who has given shelter to the Fortune of the multitude of foes slain by him, when she resorted to his arm.
The matchless one—
Verse 9
who is, as it were, the Gaṅgā herself, descended here from the world of gods, sanctifying the people, she who has a character bright and spotless like crystal, which is purified by restraints and vows, even as the Gaṅgā has a pure stream of crystal-like white and clear water flowing within its banks; and who is endowed with a multitude of tranquility and other virtues, just as the Gaṅgā has its waves of water;
Verse 10
who, named Lokaprakāśā, has become the best royal consort of the king Bharatabala, whose fame is lovely like the moonbeams. Being born in a family of the gods, she has become highly renowned. By her constant pursuit of the three purushārthas of religious merit, prosperity, and happiness, she has dispelled the darkness of ignorance and has become extremely resplendent in the world; and she has attained an eminent status with her sons and grandsons, who, lion-like princes as they are, are devoted to justice and discipline.
Verse 11
The illustrious king, the sovereign, who is endowed with a multitude of excellences, who has destroyed his enemies, whose pair of feet, having the grace of full-blown lotuses and rubbed by the heads of several feudatory princes subdued by his perfect triad of powers, has overcome all regions, and whose birth is highly extolled by the people as being in the famous Lunar race,
Line 34
He issues the following order to all residents concerned, headed by the officials (viz., the Grāmakūṭa, the Chief of the Droṇāgraka, the Devavārika, and the Gaṇḍakas) in the village Vardhamānaka in the viṣaya of Pañcagartā, included in the Uttara rāṣṭra (Northern Division) of Mekalā,
Line 36
“Be it known to you that for the increase of the religious merit of Our father and mother and of Ourself, We have donated this village extending to its four boundaries—together with udraṅga and uparikara, together with treasures and deposits, and with the privilege that it is not to be entered by our soldiers and policemen except for punishing thieves, to the illustrious Lohitasarasvāmin of the Vatsa gotra and the Mādhyandina śākhā, to be enjoyed by him and his successors as long as the moon, the sun, the earth, and the stars will endure.
Knowing this, you should obey his orders and offer him the bhoga and bhāga according to custom.”
This command has been given by Me personally. And those kings also who will be born in our family should consent to and maintain these gifts. And whosoever will cause obstruction in the enjoyment of this grant will incur the guilt of the five great sins.
(Here occur three benedictive and imprecatory verses.)
Line 47
This charter is concluded. In the year 2 of the increasingly victorious reign, on the thirteenth lunar day of the dark fortnight of Bhādrapada, the nakṣatra being Puṣya.
This charter has been written by Śiva, son of the Rāhasika Īśana, and engraved by Mihiraka, son of the goldsmith Īśvara.
| Dynasty: | Pāṇḍavas of Mekalā |
| Source: | |
| Ruler: | Bharatabala |
| Date: | c. 5th century CE (Bhādrapada, kṛṣṇa 13, Regnal year 2) |
| Donee: | Brāhmaṇa Lohitasarasvāmin |
| Language: | Sanskrit |
| Deities: | Mahēśvara i.e. Śiva |
| Nature of grant: | Land donation |
| Purpose: | To record the donation of village Vardhamānaka by the king for earning religious merit for the donor and his parents |
| Provenance of inscription: | Bamhani, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh |
| Type of Inscription: | Copperplate grant |
