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A lālamohara from King Rājendra granting a birtā to Indu Bhānsyā (VS 1893)

ID: DNA_0013_0086


Edited by Astrid Zotter in collaboration with Ramhari Timalsina
Created: 2017-10-09; Last modified: 2019-07-05
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Published by Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities: Documents on the History of Religion and Law of Pre-modern Nepal, Heidelberg, Germany, 2019. Published by the courtesy of the National Archives, Kathmandu. The copyright of the facsimile remains with the Nepal Rashtriya Abhilekhalaya (National Archives, Government of Nepal). All use of the digital facsimiles requires prior written permission by the copyright holder. See Terms of Use.
The accompanying edition, translation/synopsis and/or commentary are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License CCby-SA.

Abstract

This lālamohara of King Rājendra grants land as a birtā in partial fulfilment of a ritual commitment (saṃkalpa) made when a grandmother of the king, the youngest bhitrenī-wife of King Raṇabahādura, followed her husband into death and became a satī in VS 1863 (1806 CE).



Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1श्री­दुर्गा­ः\

1श्री­कान्छा­भित्र्यानि­वज्या
2ज्यूः­१­

[royal seal]

1स्वस्ति­श्रीगिरिराजचक्रचूडामणिनरनारायणेत्यादिविविधविरूदावलीविराजमानमानोन्नतश्रीमन्महाराजाधिराजश्रीश्री
2श्रीमहाराजराजेन्द्रविक्रमसाहवहादूरसम्सेरजङ्गदेव़ानां­सदा­समरविजयि़नाम्­¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
3आगे­इन्दु­भान्स्याके­सम्वत्­१८६३­साल­मिति­वैसाष­शुदि­१५­रोज­६­का­दिन­¯¯१¯­सति­हुदा­संकल्प­भयाको­षेत­मध्ये­षेत­
4१।­तस्को­सरह­वमोजीम­घड्यारि­समेत्‌­विर्ता­गरिवक्स्याको­मोहरताम्वापत्र­गरिवक्स्यौं­चागुका­र­भादगाउका­अम्वल­म
5ध्ये­महादेव­षोलाको­वगर­वाझो­पानिषेतको­साटो­पाषो­दिदा­अठाईसका­दरले­१।६­तस्को­साध­पूर्व­रैकर­षेत­र­रैकर­पा
6षो­साध­लुहकिल­दक्षिण­रैकर­पाषो­साध­लुहकिल­पश्चिम­रैकर­षेतको­आलि­साध­लुहकिल­उत्तर­आफ्ना­विर्ताको­
7आलि­र­वाटो­साध­लुहकिल­नुव़ाकोटका­अम्वल­मध्ये­अठाईसका­दरले­मुरि­।५।९।४­घड्यारि­मुरि­।२८­ज्मा­मुरि­।३३।९।४­
8पाषाको­पानिषेत­दिदा­डेव़ढो­घटाई­षसन्या­पानिषेत­मुरी­।२२।६।३­तस्को­साध­पूर्व­जफति­रैकरको­आलि­साध­लुह
9किल­दक्षिण­रैकर­षेतको­आलि­साध­लुहकिल­पश्चिम­कोईरालाको­विर्ता­साध­लुहकिल­उत्तर­कोईरालाको­विर्ता­रः­रै
10कर­षेतको­आलि­साध­लुहकिल­येति­साध­भीत्र­षेत­घड्यारि­१।२८।६।३­विर्ता­जानि­संतान­दरसन्तान­पर्य्यंत­पर
11म­शुष­भोगे­गर­यो­विर्ता­संकल्प­हुदा­संकल्प­वाक्ये­पर्‍हन्या­प्रोहित­यदुनाथ­पंडित­अर्ज्याल­पानि­हालन्या­श्री­जनरलः­
12कम्यान्डर­इन­चिफ­भीमसेन­थापा­साध­लाउन्या­सधिय़ार­थरघर­गणपति­पंथ­गोकुल­षनाल­जयदेव­पंथ­डगोलना
13ईक्या­मद्यां­अमित­सिं­डगोल­धमदेउ­डगोल­कृष्न­धंजु­चांगुका­कासिनन्द­नाईक्या­वाक­सीं­प्रधान­मस्तराम­प्रधान्‌­
14जयनारायन­प्रधान्‌­भाजुदेव­प्रधान्‌­जोगधर­प्रधान्‌­जसिवन्त­प्रधान्‌­धमनारां­प्रधान्‌­गंगाधर­षनाल­हरिलाल­
15ढुंगाना­
तुलसिराम­षनाल्‌­लषेश्वर­माहान्या­भादगाउका­ढलपा­भाछेउ­प्रधान्‌­ढलपा­रत्न­प्रधान­मोहिनाईक्या­
16महन्त­नन्दु­पाध्या­सापकोटा­श्रीनीवास­पाध्या­अचार्ज­वटैकृष्न­गेलाल­सर्वानन्द­अधिकारि­जयेनारायन­गै
17लाल­
चिन्तामणि­पाध्या­ढुंगाना­जगु­पाध्या­ढुंगाना­रघु­पाध्या­ढुंगाना­सहदेव­पाध्या­षनाल्‌­देउरिषि­पाध्या­षनाल­
18धर्मानन्द­षनाल­धंजु­जैसी­षनाल्‌­पुण्यसिल­जैसि­षनाल्‌­हरि­जैसि­षनाल्‌­रामनरसिं­माहान्या­भिमनारान्‌­मा
19हान्या­
अनिरुद्र­भडेल्‌­नुव़ाकोटका­द्वार्‍याको­मानिस्‌­हरदल­थापा­थरी­कान्तु­पाध्या­विश्वनाथ­पाध्या­षनालः­
20पिताम्वर­पाडे­धामिको­छोरा­जितमान­चौधरि­वाका­नेव़ार­भन्सारि­विष्नुनारान्‌­नेव़ार­धनपति­पाध्या­रिमाल­पि
21र्थिधर­पाध्या­कोईराला­
सुरमर्दन­सिं­नेपाल्‌­विर्तवारले­किला­भन्दा­अर्घ्यालो­नचापनु­विना­तकसिर­जवद­
22नगर्नु­जो­यस­वन्देजमा­रहोईन­सो­यस­श्लोकमा­भन्याको­पातकि­होला­स्वदत्तां­परदत्ताम्वा­यो­हरेद्वै­वसुन्धरा
23म्­षष्टिवर्षसहश्राणि­वीष्टायां­जायते­कृमि­ईति­सम्वत्­१८९३­साल­मिति­ज्येष्ट­शुदि­५­रोज­६­शुभम्­¯¯¯¯¯¯

Synopsis

[1r]

This lālamohara, issued by King Rājendra, is adressed to Indu Bhānsyā. It relates to a grant of land measuring 1 kheta a ritual commitment (saṃkalpa) to donate which was made on Saturday, the 15th of the bright fortnight of the month of Vaiśākha in VS 1863 (3 May 1806) when one of the king's grandmothers, the youngest bhitrenī-wife [of King Raṇabahādura] became a satī. It sanctions the issue of a copperplate (moharatāmrapatra) for the grant of this birtā land and an equivalent plot for building houses on (ghaḍerī).

A specification of the endowed plots follows including a description of their boundaries. Land for dry crops (pākho) is granted instead of wet-rice fields (kheta) along the bank of the Mahādeva Kholā in the Cangu (text: Cāgu) administrative district (ambala) and in Bhaktapur (text: Bhādagāu). A wet-rice field and ghadyāri are granted in the ambala of Nuvākoṭa.

The birtā land thus endowed is to be enjoyed by the beneficiary and the beneficiary’s descendants.

When the ritual commitment was read out, the reciter of the saṃkalpa formula was the [royal] purohitaYadunātha Paṇḍita Arjyāla, and the pourer of water Śrī General Commander-in-Chief Bhīmasena Thāpā. Those present to mark the borders were, as representatives of the tharaghara: Gaṇapati Paṃtha, Gokula Khanāla and Jayadeva Paṃtha; the head (nāike) of the land measurers (ḍaṅgola) [and] a madyāṃ [thari]1 Amita Siṃ, [along with] the ḍaṅgolaDhamdeu and the ḍaṅgolaKṛṣna Dhaṃju; from Cangu: Kāsinanda Nāikyā, Bāka Siṃ Pradhāna, Mastarāma Pradhān, Jayanarayana Pradhān, Bhājudeva Pradhān, Jogadhara Pradhān, Jasivanta Pradhān, Dhamanārāṃ Pradhān, Gaṃgādhara Khanāl, Harilāla Ḍhuṃgānā, Tulasirāma Khanāl, Lakheśvara Māhānyā; from Bhaktapur: the ḍhalapāBhācheu Pradhān, the ḍhalapāRatna Pradhāna, the head of tenants (mohināīkyā) MahantaNandu Pādhyā Sāpakoṭā, Śrīnīvāsa Pādhyā Acārja, Vaṭaikṛṣna Gelāla, Sarvānanda Adhikāri, Jayenārāyana Gailāla, Cintāmaṇi Pādhyā Ḍhuṃgānā, Jagu Pādhyā Ḍhuṃgānā, Raghu Pādhyā Ḍhuṃgānā, Sahadeva Pādhyā Khanāl, Deuriṣi Pādhyā Khanāla, Dharmānanda Khanāla, Dhaṃju Jaisī Khanāl, Puṇyasila Jaisi Khanāl, Hari Jaisi Khanāl, Rāmanarasiṃ Māhānyā, Bhimanārān Māhānyā and Anirudra Bhaḍel; from Nuvakot: the dvāre's representative Haradala Thāpā, the tharīKāntu Pādhyā, Viśvanātha Pādhyā Khanālaḥ and Pitāmbara Pāḍe, the dhāmī's2 son Jitamāna3 , the caudhariBākā Nevāra, the bhansārīViṣnunārān Nevāra, Dhanapati Pādhyā Rimāla, Pirthidhara Pādhyā Koīrālā, Suramardana Siṃ Nepāl.

The charter ends with the usual phrases admonishing both sides to heed the normal stipulations: the holder of the birtā is not to extend the boundaries of the plot, and in the absence of an offence no plot is to be seized. Anyone who does not abide by this will be considered to have committed a grave offence, as expressed in the standard verse svadattāṃ paradattām vā... ("Whoever seizes land given by himself or somebody else will be reborn as a worm in feces for sixty thousand years").

Dated Saturday, the 5th of the bright fortnight of Jyeṣṭha of VS 1893 (1836 CE).


Commentary

There are many similar documents having to do with land grants pledged to Brahmins during rituals at the cremation of King Raṇabahādura on the 7th of the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha in VS 1863, after he had died at the hands of his half-brother Śerabahādura the night before.4 The granting of birtā land pledged during the śuddhaśānti ritual performed at the end of the initial mourning period, in this case on Tuesday, the 4th of the dark fortnight of Jyeṣṭha VS 1863, is referred to in e.g. DNA_0013_0063, DNA_0013_0074, DNA_0013_0091 and K_0097_0007; and of such land promised during the vārṣikaśrāddha performed on the first death anniversary, in this case on the 7th of the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha in VS 1864, in DNA_0013_0072. The fulfilment of a similar pledge through the present document relates to a saṃkalpa made when one of the wives of the deceased king followed her husband into death and became a satī eight days after the king's death, a fact learned from the date given in the text (corresponding to 3 May 1806). The queen is only referred to by her status as being the youngest bhitrenī, that is, a wife brought in (lyāitā) without having been accorded the full marriage rites. Her name is mentioned in another document, relating to another land grant pledged on the same occasion, as Kasi Jāla (see K_0096_0059). As can be learnt from similar documents, the eldest mahārānī of King Raṇabahādura, Rājarājeśvarī, became a satī on the same day and the same place. On this occasion, in addition to pledging land grants (see E_0914_0006, K_0045_0011C, K_0045_0011D, K_0045_0011E, K_0125_0051), Rājarājeśvarī, who had been regent for her stepson Gīrvāṇayuddha twice, also donated ornaments to Vajrayoginī of Sankhu (K_0156_0028, K_0227_0010) and to Mahānkāla of Tuṇḍikhela (K_0390_0084).


Notes

1. It is not completely clear what the term madyāṃ refers to. On the basis of a parallel occurrence in DNA_0013_0031 where the term madyāṅ thari is used, it is assumed that it refers to a category of persons among those who mark the borders (sā̃dhiyāra). The madyāṅ thari figure listed after the representatives of the tharaghara may be a representative of the "intermediate clans" from among the 36 clans, namely those consisting of Gorkha nobility. In DNA_0013_0031, however, the term follows the mention of, and thus seems to exclude, the land measurers (daṅgola), who are traditionally Newars, i.e. not Gorkha nobility. Alternatively, it could denote drinkers of alcohol (madya), and if so may have been a predecessor of the term matavālī. []

2. In case of Nuvakot the dhāmī would not only have been the oracle medium of a deity, but also an important local functionary charged with administrative tasks (see K_0001_0035A for further information on the dhāmī of Nuvakot). []

3. Jitamāna or Jitamāna Siṃha succeeded his father Rājamāna Siṃha to the post of the dhāmī of Nuvakot upon the latter's death in VS 1912 Caitra dark 1 (K_0356_0053), that is roughly twenty years after the present document. []

4. In a letter to the nobility of Gorkha, the hour of the attack is given as Thursday, the 14th (i.e. solar day) of Vaiśākha (24 April 1806) at 9 ghaḍī in the night, while death occurred at 1 ghaḍi, so evidently in the first hour of the following day, Friday, 25 April 1806 (vaisāṣakā dina jā̃ bṛhaspativārakā rātī ghaḍī 9 jā̃dā kacaharimā dagā garī śrībubājyūmāthī serabahāduryā karmacaṃḍālale taravāra calāyo. Tāhāpachi gharī 1 mā śrībubājyū paraloka hunubhayo; D. Panta 2041: 4). A document covering birth and death dates of members of the royal family and court nobles points to the same night, giving the date as the 6th of the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha of Śaka Saṃvat 1728, and specifies that Raṇabahādura died at the 6th ghaṭi in the night (śa 1728 vaiśākhaśu 6 gha 28|40 rātrighaṭi 6 śastreṇa mṛtaḥ; M. Panta 2041: 25). The performance of the vārṣikaśrāddha on the 7th of the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha in VS 1864 points to the 7th as having been the officially accepted tithi of the king's death. In secondary sources the date of death is given as 25 April 1806. []