Documenta Nepalica

Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1

1"स्वस्तिश्रीगिरिराजचक्रचूडामणिनरनारायणेत्यादिविविधविरूदावलीविराज
2मानमानोन्नतश्रीमन्महाराजाधिराजश्रीश्रीश्रीश्रीश्रीमहाराज­राजेन्द्रविक्रम
3शाहबहादुरसंशेरजङ्गदेवानां­सदा­समरविजयेषु­।इत­:बालाशंकरस्य­कोटि­२­
4शुभाशिषपूर्वक­अर्जीपत्रम्‌­।अत्र­कुशलं­तत्र­श्रीमतां­कुशलं­वांछामि­।¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
5उप्रांत­।गरीब­पर्वर­मेरे­।अर्साव­होत­दिनका­।गुजरा­है­।¯ ¯१¯ से हुकुम­।प
6र्वाना­।दसषत­मेरे­हाल­पर­नहीँ­इनायत­हुवा­।बन्दा­लाचार­।और­हैरा
7न्‌­।और­परेशान्‌­है­।जिस­मजमून­की­अर्जी­¯ ¯१¯ के चरणे­मे­।भेजता­
8हूँ­।उस्का­जुबाब­।हजूर­से­।मुझे­नहीँ­मिलता­है­।अर्ज­ये­है­।के­।जिस­रो
9ज­से­।बेल­साहब­बहादुर­ने­।हम­लोग­के­घर­की­।षानेतालाशी­करी­है­
10उस­रोज­से­।अंगरेजी­सर्कार­से­।हुकुम­का­उम्मैदवार­था­।बाद­२­महा
11ने­के­।बेल­साहब­ने­मुझे­हुकुम­दिया­।के­तुम­अपना­काम­।साबिक­दस्तू
12र­करो­।मगर­कागज­चिठियाँ­।बस्ता­मेरा­आज­तलक­नहीँ­दिया­है­।
13जिस­रोज­से­।हुकम­हुवा­है­।बन्दे­ने­।२­अर्जी­¯ ¯१¯ के चरणे­मे­भेजी­।
14हैँ­।अर्जी­१­डाक­अंगरेजी­की­मार्फत­।अर्जी­१­हुकुमी­का­सदके­हस्ते­।
15जमा­अर्जी­२­¯ ¯१¯ के चरणे­मे­भेजी­हैँ­।क्या­मेरा­।कसूर­।और­बदन
16सीबी­है­।जो­¯ ¯१¯ से ।मेरी­अर्जी­का­उत्तरा­नहीं­इनायत­होता­है­।बन्दा­
17हरहाल­मे­।कसूरवार­।और­ताबेदार­¯ ¯१¯ काहै­।मेरे­कुसूर­माफ­
18होवेँ­।क्रिपा­की­दृष्टिपूर्वक­।जिस­माफिक­हुकुम­होवे­।सो­माफि़क­।
19वजालाऊँ­।इन­दिनो­मे­।जो­मेरा­हाल­गुजरता­है­।उसे­।परमेश्वर­जान­
20ते­हैँ­।हजूर­जैसे­।षाविन्दोँ­को­छोडकर­।और­किस­से­।अपना­हाल­।
21विन्ती­करुँ­।¯ ¯१¯ कोपरमेश्वर­जान­कर्के­|बारंबार­।प्रार्थना­कर्त्ता­हूँ­
22हजूर­मालिक­।और­षाविन्द­हैँ­।बाद­मुलाहेज़ा­कर्ने­अर्जी­के­।बन्दा­।हु
23कुम­का­।उम्मैदवार­है­।जिस­तौर­से­हुकुम­होवे­।उसी­तौर­से­।¯ ¯१¯ की।
24ताबेदारी­बजालाऊँ­।डाक­मे­अर्जी­भेजता­हूँ­।सो­हजूर­के­चरणे­मे­।
25नहीँ­पहोँचती­नहीँ­मालुम­।क्या­सबब­है­।आदमी­भेजता­हूँ­।सो­फिरकर­
26नहीँ­आवता­है­।बन्दा­लाचार­।हैरान्‌­परेशान्‌­हो­रहा­है­।जिस­दिन­
27से­।यहाँ­गडबड­हुवा­है­।मुझे­कोई­।कर्जा­भी­।नहीँ­देता­है­।हुर्मत­।
28मेरी­बिगड­गई­है­।१०­महीने­से­¯ ¯१¯ से।षर्च­के­वास्ते­।रुपया­।नहीँ­
29इनायत­हुवा­।इस­गडबड­के­होने­से­।रुपया­मेरा­बहोत­षर्च­मे­।पड­
30गया­।मेरे­प्रारब्ध­के­दोष­कर्के­।ऐसा­ऐसा­कारण­बन­गया­है­।मेरा­
31उद्दार­कर्ने­को­¯ ¯१¯ समर्थ­हैँ­।मेरे­बिगडने­मे­कुछ­बाकी­नहीँ­रही­
32है­।मैने­तो­सारे­जगत­को­छोड­कर्के­।¯ ¯१¯केचरणकमल­का­।आ
33श्रय­लिया­है­।चाहिये­।के­¯ ¯१¯केचरण­मेरी­सहाय­करेँ­।वन्दा­¯ ¯१¯
34का­नौकर­नमक­हलाल­है­।जहाँ­तलक­मेरा­जीव­रहेगा­।तव­तलक­भी­
35¯ ¯१¯केनमक­के­ऊपर­अपने­प्राण­देने­की­उम्मैद­रषता­हूँ­।ज्यादा­हाल­।नारा
36यण­थापा­हवल्दार­कि­मुषजुबानी­।जाहेर­होगा­।ज्यादा­हाल­अषबार­
37से­।हजूर­के­मुलाहेजे़­मे­गुजरेगा­।ज्यादा­क्या­बिन्ती­करुँ­।¯ ¯१¯ सर्वज्ञ­हैँ­।
38जान­अजान­कुसूर­माफ­होवे­।सं­१८९५­माघ­सु­१४­रोज­२­मुकाम­दिल्ली­शु­
38अर्जी­बालाशंकर­ब्राह्मण­की­

Translation

[1r]

No. 166

Hail! A letter (arjī) from Bālāśaṃkara with crores and crores of auspicious blessings from here to him who is shining with manifold rows of eulogy [such as] ‘The venerable crest-jewel of the multitude of mountain kings’ and Naranārāyaṇa (i.e. an epithet of Kṛṣṇa) etc., high in honour, the venerable supreme king of great kings, the fivefold venerable great king, Rājendra Vikrama Śāha, the brave swordsman, the divine king always triumphant in war.

I am well here; I wish [Your Majesty] well-being there. Further (uprānta): O Lord of the poor, my days are spent in suffering. I have not been favoured with any royal order (hukuma), parvānā or daskhat from -1- [Your Majesty, Śrī 5 Sarkāra]1 concerning my situation. [Your] devotee is helpless and distressed and worried. I have not received any response to the letters of various content I sent to the feet of -1- (i.e. Your Majesty).

My humble request is as follows: From the day that Bell Sāheba Bahādura (Bela Sāhāba) raided our house—from that day on, I had hoped for an order from the British government. After two months, Bell Sāheba Bahādura (Bela Sāhāba) gave me an order: "Do your tasks as usual," but he did not issue any [formal] documents or letters to me. Since receiving that order, I have sent two arjīs to the feet of -1- (i.e. Your Majesty). One was sent through the English postal service, and the other through a royal mail runner (hukumīkā sadake)—a total of 2—to the feet of -1- (i.e. Your Majesty). What is my fault or misfortune that my letter is not favoured with a response from -1- (i.e. Your Majesty)? In any case, it must be my own fault, for [your] devotee is [both] the guilty party and -1- [Your Majesty]'s servant. May my faults be forgiven. Whatever suitable orders you bestow upon me with your compassionate eyes, I will accordingly follow. God knows my current condition—whom else can I share my troubles with besides a lord like you? Regarding you as my supreme lord (parameśvara), I repeatedly pray to you.

You are my master and lord. After my arjī is reviewed, [your] devotee remains hopeful of orders. I will display proper servitude whatever form your orders take. I send arjīs by post; they do not reach your feet—I do not know why. I send someone; they do not return. [Your] devotee is become helpless and distressed and worried. Ever since things have not been going well here, no one is willing to make me any loans. My reputation has suffered, and for 10 months I have not been favoured with any money for expenses from -1- (i.e. Your Majesty). Due to the chaotic situation (i.e. by the house raid), I have had to draw heavily from my own funds. I may blame my destiny for causing this distress, but -1- [Your Majesty] is capable of rescuing me. There is nothing else to make matters worse. I have renounced everything (sāre jagata) and taken refuge at -1- [Your Majesty]’s lotus feet. What is needed is that -1- [Your Majesty]’s feet help me. [Your] devoteee is -1- (i.e. Your Majesty)’s loyal (namakahalāla) servant, and as long as I live I am ready to give my life for -1- [Your Majesty] (lit. for [Your Majesty’s] salt (namaka ūpara). Further details will be communicated through Havaldāra Nāyāyaṇa Thāpā. Additional information from the newspapers will be passed on to you for your consideration.

What more need I request of you? -1- (i.e. Your Majesty) is all-knowing (sarvajña). May my wrongdoings be forgiven, whether done knowingly or unknowingly.

On Monday, the 14th of the bright fortnight of Māgha in the Vikrama era [year] 1895 (1839 CE). From Delhi. Auspiciousness.

[This] arjī is from Bālāśaṃkara Brāhmaṇa.

Glossary

Bibliography