An arjī from Bālāśaṃkara to Kājī Raṇajaṅga Pā̃ḍe lamenting the lack of communication from Nepal’s royal court (VS 1896)
ID: DNA_0001_0076
Edited and
translated by Nirajan Kafle and Rajan Khatiwoda
in collaboration with
Pabitra Bajracharya
Created: 2024-09-09;
Last modified: 2024-12-04
For the metadata of the document, click here
The accompanying edition, translation/synopsis and/or commentary are available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
.
Abstract
Bālāsaṃkara, a Nepalese royal messenger in Delhi, concerned by the court’s lack of response, appeals to Raṇajaṅga Pā̃ḍe to acknowledge his previous communications. He requests a directive (sikṣāpatra) to guide future correspondence, emphasizing his need for official recognition if he is to perform his duties properly.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1॥श्री॥1श्री५सर्कार2१1⟪नं७६⟫1॥स्वस्तिश्रीसर्वोपमानोपमेयशौर्य्योदार्यादिसकलस
2द्गुणगणालँकृतराजराजितराजभारोद्धरणसामर्थ्य
3श्रीश्रीश्रीकाजीसाहेब।रणजङ्गपाँडेजीकयोग्येषु।
4इत:बालाशंकरस्य।सहस्रआशिषपूर्वकअर्जी़पत्रम्
5अत्रकुशलं।तत्रभवतांकुशलंवान्छामि।उप्रांत।
6गरीबपर्वरमेरे।बन्दाकितनीमुद्दतसे।हजूरके।क्रि
7पापत्रका।उम्मैदवारहै।ज्यादाअर्ज़येहै।पहेले।
8¯ ¯१¯ के।दफ्त़रसे।मेरीअर्जीका।उत्तररसीदअष़
9बारकी।यथायोग्य।माफि़कसरिश्तेके।मुझेइनाय
10तहोतीथी।इस्मेबन्देकीदिलजमैरहेतीथी।कार
11¯ ¯१¯ का।बषू़बी।इजराहरहेताथा।इनदिनोमे।मेरी
12अर्जीकापहोचनामा।¯ ¯१¯ सेनहींइनायतहोता।इस्मे
13मुझेपरमदु:खहोरहाहै।चिठीअर्जी़का।जुबाबनहीं
14आवनेसे।कामकिसतौरसेचलेगा।इसीवास्ते।हजू़र
15को।अपना।मुरब्बीसमुझके।अर्ज़कर्त्ताहूँ।मेरेहाल
16परकृपाकर्के।वास्तेमेरीदिलजमैकेएकपर्वाना
17¯ ¯१¯ सेनिकासाकर्के।मुझेइनायतहोवे।औरअपने
18हजू़रसेभी।एकसिक्षापत्रइसमजमूनका।इनायत
19होवे।के।जिसतौरसे।जिसरस्तेसे।जिनकेमार्फ़त
20से।हुकुममर्जी़होवे।उसीमाफि़क।अर्जी़अपनी
21शमेशाँ।¯ ¯१¯ केचरणो।मे।चढायभेजतारहूँ।.।
22¯ ¯१¯ सेमेरीअर्जीका।पहोँचनामा।हमेशाँइनायत
23होतारहे।इस्मेसाराकाम।मेरा।बषू़बीइजराह।
24रहेगा।औरजोकारषि़दमत।मेरेलायकहुकुम।
25मर्जी़होवे।सोमाफि़कबन्दाबजालावे।ज्य़ादा
26क्याबिन्तीकरूँ।हजूरसर्वज्ञहैँ।जानअजा
27नकुसुरमाफ़होवे।सं१८९६माघवदी
28११रोज५मुक़ामदिल्लीशुभम्
29अर्जी़बालाशंकरकी
Translation
[1r]
No. 76
1Hail! This letter (arjī), with a thousand auspicious blessings, is from Bālāśaṃkara to the thrice-venerable Kājī Sāheba, the honourable Raṇajaṅga Pā̃ḍe, 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.
The tidings here are fine. I wish Your Excellency good health there. Further (uprāṃta): O my Lord of the poor! [Your] devotee has long been a candidate for Your Excellency’s grace. [My] extreme request is as follows: Previously I used to be favoured with responses [or] acknowledgements to my request letters and newspapers through notes from -1- [śrī 5 sarkāra] 2 , which greatly reassured me. In the beginning, the tasks [assigned by] -1- [śrī 5 sarkāra] were carried out smoothly. However, lately, my letters have not been acknowledged by -1- [śrī 5 sarkāra], causing me significant distress. Without replies to my letters and letters, how will matters proceed? Therefore, I submit this appeal to Your Excellency, my protector.
Please have mercy on my situation and arrange for a parvānā from -1- [śrī 5 sarkāra] to be sent to me, providing me some relief. Additionally, I request that Your Excellency kindly send me a letter of instruction (sikṣāpatra) regarding appropriate procedures and methods. I will continue sending my letters as appropriate to the feet of -1- [śrī 5 sarkāra] by the prescribed routes and persons as per Your Excellency’s command (hukuma marjī). I hope my letters will continue to be looked upon favourably by -1- [śrī 5 sarkāra] when they arrive so that my work may proceed smoothly. Furthermore, may the orders [I receive] be worthy of my work and service. May [your] devotee execute them appropriately. What more can I request of you? Your Excellency is all-knowing (sarvarjña). May my wrongdoings be forgiven, whether done knowingly or unknowingly.
On Thursday, the 11th day of the dark fortnight of Māgha, in the Vikrama era year 1896 (1839). From Delhi. Auspiciousness.
This letter (arjī) is from Bālāśaṃkara.
Commentary
In this letter, Bālāsaṃkara appeals to Kājī Raṇajaṅga Pā̃ḍe to formally acknowledge his previous communications. He expresses distress over the lack of responses from the king, noting that he had previously received replies, which had reassured him. The absence of acknowledgment has caused uncertainty, leading him to request clear guidelines on how to proceed.
Bālāsaṃkara's plea highlights his reliance on official recognition to perform his duties and the bureaucratic nature of royal communications. His tone, though respectful, is more direct than in his letters to the king, as he questions how he can continue on without receiving responses from the court. This reflects the precariousness of his role and the need for formal backing to ensure his service.