A letter from Bālāśaṃkara re a visit paid by Ekakṛṣṇa Vaidya to Delhi (VS 1893)
ID: DNA_0003_0025
Edited and
translated by Nirajan Kafle and Rajan Khatiwoda
in collaboration with
Pabitra Bajracharya
Created: 2024-09-11;
Last modified: 2024-12-06
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Abstract
This letter sent by Bālāśaṃkara from Delhi informs of a 12-day period spent by Ekakṛṣṇa Vaidya in the Delhi region prior to his heading on to Lahore.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1॥श्री॥1॥श्रीदुर्ग्गायैनम:॥1नं२५८1"स्वस्तिश्रीसर्वोपमानोपमेयशौर्योदार्यादिसकलसद्गुण2गणालंकृतराजिराजितराजभारोद्धरणसामर्थ्यश्रीश्री
3श्रीश्रीश्रीमत्कमान्यरइञ्चिफ़जनरलसाहबभीम
4सैनथापाजीकयोग्येषु।इत:बालाशंकरस्यससहस्रा
5शीर्वादपूर्वकपत्रमिदम्।अत्रकुशलंतत्रभवतांसर्वा
6ङ्गेषुकुशलंवांछामि।अग्रेबृत्तान्तम्।अर्सामहीने२
7काहुवा।मेरीअर्जीसर्कारकेचरणोमेनहींपहोँची।–
8गरीबपर्वरमेरे।सबबइसकायेहै।बन्दाअपनेछोटेभा
9ईकीशादीकर्नेकेवास्तेपटियालेमेगयाहुवाथा।सोसर्का
10रकेइकबालसे।बखुबीशादीकर्केदिल्लीमेहाजिरहुवाहूँ।
11ज्येष्टवदी४रोजमे।वैद्यराजएककृष्णजीदिल्लीकेडेरेदा
12खिलहुवे।वारहरोजमुकामकिया।मगर।दिल्लीमेन
13हीआए।दिल्लीकेबाहरबागमेडेराकियाथा।सोदिल्ली
14मेजोकामकाबिलबनवानेकेथाउसकासरंजामकर्के
15ज्येष्टसुदीप्रतिपदारोजमेदिल्लीसेकूँचकर्केलाहौर
16कोगए।आजतलकचिठीलाहौरसेकोईआईनहीहै
17वास्तेइत्तिलाहकेअरजरखताहूँ।बन्दासर्कारकेचरणो
18सेबहोतपर्वर्शकाउम्मैदवारहै।जोकारखिजम⟪त⟫मेरे
19लायकहोयसो।सर्कारसेआज्ञाहोतीरहे।तोमेरेहक्क
20मेबेहेतरहै।पर्चाअख़बारकामैनेअर्जीकेसाथभे
21जाहै।सोसर्कारमेपहोँचताहै।सं१८९३द्वि।आषाढवदी१०⟪रो६⟫
22॥अर्जीबालाशंकरब्राह्मणकी॥
Translation
[1r]
No. 285
1Veneration to Goddess Durgā
Hail! This letter (arjī) with a thousand auspicious blessings, is from Bālāśaṃkara to the fivefold venerable General Commander-in-Chief, the honourable Bhīmasena Thāpā, who is adorned with a multitude of excellent virtues such as heroism (śaurya) and nobility (audārya), who [is beyond] all exalted comparison (upamā) and subjects of comparison (upameya), and is capable of bearing royal duties.
I am well here; I wish Your Excellency well-being there in all respects (sarvāṅga). Furthermore (agre): The matter at hand is that it is already the month of second Asāra (i.e. Āṣāḍha), [and] my arjī has not reached Your Excellency's (sarkāra) feet. O Lord of the poor! The reason for this is that [your] devotee was in Paṭiyāla (i.e. Patiala) seeing to his younger brother's wedding. By the grace of Your Excellency, I was [able to] successfully have the wedding performed and have now returned to Delhi. On the 4th of the dark fortnight of the month of Jyeṣṭha, the honourable Vaidyarāja Ekakṛṣṇa2 arrived at the monastery (ḍere) of Delhi. He stayed for twelve days but did not come to [the centre of] Delhi; instead, he stayed outside of Delhi in a monastery at a place called Bāga. Thus, he made arrangements for whatever tasks he had in Delhi to be completed, and on the first day of the bright fortnight of Jyeṣṭha he set out for Lahore from Delhi. As of today, I have not received any letter from Lahore. [Your] devotee is requesting information [from there]. I am a strong candidate at the feet of Your Excellency for your favour. Should there be any work suitable for my services, it would be gratifying to keep receiving Your Excellency's directives. I have sent a newspaper clipping along with my arjī. It is on its way to Your Excellency.
On Friday, the 10th dark fortnight of the second (dvitīya) Āṣāḍha in the [Vikrama] era year 1893 (1836).
This arjī is from Bālāśaṃkara Brāhmaṇa.
Commentary
In this letter, Bālāśaṃkara informs Prime Minister Bhīmasena Thāpā of his recent activities, and explains his delayed response as due to having attended a brother’s wedding in Patiala. He also mentions Vaidyarāja Ekakṛṣṇa’s brief stay at a Delhi monastery before departing for Lahore, though the purpose of his stay remains unclear. The letter hints at Bālāśaṃkara’s Punjabi ties and highlights formal arrangements for dignitaries in Delhi. His consistent requests for directives and his inclusion of a newspaper clipping underscore his role as a diligent informant within Nepal’s diplomatic network.