Raipur Copper-plate Inscription of the Raja Maha-Sudevaraja

A charter of the illustrious Sudevaraja,
-who verily has a gracious heart; (and)
who has overcome (his) enemies by (his)
prowess,-(is) a charter for (the observance
of even his) enemies!

         m! Hail! From the town of Sharabhapura, the illustrious Mah -Sud var ja, whose two feet are purified by the waters which are the flowing forth of the radiance of the jewels in the locks of hair (wound) in the tiaras of the chieftains, (bowing down before him), who have been subjugated by (his) prowess; who is the cause of the tearing out of the parted hair of the women of (his) enemies; who is the giver of treasure and land and cows; who is a most devout worshipper of the Divine One, (and) who meditates on the feet of (his) parents,-issues a command to the cultivators residing at (the village of) Shr h hik  in the Eastern Country;-

        (Line 5.)-"Be it known to you, that this village, the source (by this grant of it) of (Our) ensuring the happiness of (attaining) the abode of (Indra) the lord of the gods, which has been conveyed by a copper-charter to N gavatsasv min and Bandhuvatsasv min, of the Aupamanyava (sh kh ) and the Vatsa g tra, who, by the gift in marriage of his daughters, are the sons-in-law of Savitrisv min of the Kaundinya g tra and the V jasan ya (sh kh ); to be enjoyed as long as the world endures, having the terrible darkness dispelled by the rays of the sun and the moon and the stars; together with (its) hidden treasures and deposits; not to be entered by the irregular or the regular troops; (and) exempted from all taxes,-has, at the time of the sun s commencement of his progress to the north, been assented to by Us indeed, for the increase of the religious merit of (Our) parents and of Ourself.

        (L. 13.)-"Being aware of this, you should be obedient to their commands, and should dwell in happiness, rendering in manner proper (their) share of the enjoyment."

        (L. I5.)-And he enjoins upon future kings,-"The ancients, whose minds are fixed upon religion, say that the virtue that arises from the preservation (of a grant) is greater than (that which arises from) making a grant; therefore your mind should verily incline to preserve land that has been given to a Br hman of very pure family and holy learning. Therefore this gift should be preserved by you also."

        (L. 18.)-And they cite on this point the verses that were sung by Vy sa;-Gold is the first offspring of fire; the earth belongs to (the god) Vishnu; and cows are the daughters of the sun; therefore the three worlds are given by him who gees gold, and a cow, and land! 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! Land has been given 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). 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!

        (L. 25.)-In this same village, the irrigation-well called Shr v pik , constructed within the mound on the land that skirts the eastern tank (and) extending up to the road is given to N gavatsasv min, in excess of (his exact) half of the village, because he is the elder.

        (L. 27.)-At the command of (Mah -Sud var ja s) own mouth, (in) mouth, (in) the year 10 of increasing victory, (in) (the month) M gha, (on the day) 9, (this charter) has been engraved by Dr nasingha.

From: Fleet, John F. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Inscriptions of the Early Guptas. Vol. III. Calcutta: Government of India, Central Publications Branch, 1888, 199-200.