An arjī from Bālāśaṃkara to Cautariyā Phattejaṅga Śāha concerning the acquisition of military-related technology (VS 1899)
ID: DNA_0004_0054
Edited and
translated by Nirajan Kafle
Created: 2024-10-14;
Last modified: 2025-12-02
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Abstract
This letter shows that Bālāśaṃkara was not only a courier of political information but also a facilitator of military logistics. He aided the Nepalese court in acquiring contemporary South Asian military technology by sourcing grinding stones for ammunition production.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1॥श्री॥1श्री५सर्कार1[unknown seal] 1नं ३९३1"स्वस्तिश्रीगिरिराजेत्यादिश्रीमन्महाराजाधिराजकुमारकुमारा2त्मजश्रीश्रीश्रीमच्चौतरीयाफ़तेजंगशाहजीकयोग्येषु।इत:
3बालाशंकरकासहस्रशुभाशिषपूर्वकअर्जी़पत्रम्।अत्रकुशलं
4तत्रश्रीमतांकुशलंवान्छामि।उप्रांत।ग़रीबपरवरमेरे।चैत्रवदी
5१३रोजमेलिषीअर्जी़बन्देकी।हजू़रकेमुलाहेजे़मेगुज़रीहोगी।
6इसअर्सेमे।२अर्जि़याँ।बन्देकी।दरमुक़द्दमेष़रीदकर्नेष़रलके
7हजू़रमेगुज़रीहोँगी।बादमुलाहेजा़कर्नेअर्जियोँके।आजदिन
8तलक।कोईहुकुमनामाहजू़रका।मेरेहालपरनहीँइनायत
9हुवा।अबलाचारहोकर।ष़रल१पत्थरसंगमूरोका।षरल१
10पत्थरचित्तीदारका।पानेसंगतिलिपरका।मोलमुनासिब।और
11माफि़कपसन्दके।नया२षरलुष़रीदकर्के।वास्तेतैय्यारीजि[?]
12वगै़रेके।कारीगरकोदेदियेहै।औरषरल।बेशकी़मतउ[?]
13सङ्गसीमाक़काभीतालाशकियाहै।मालिकउस्का।२सौ[?]
14कीमतमागताहै।सोबिदूनहुकुमके।ष़रीदकर्नेनहीँसकताहूँ।
15सिवायइस्के।कोईआदमीकहार।बतौरठेकेके।मौसमऔल
16के।औरगर्मीकेसबबसे।जानाउस्तरफ़का।मंजू़रनहीँकर्त्ताहै।
17इसीवास्ते।षरलमज्कू़रकेरवानाकर्नेमे।देरीहुवाहै।वास्तेइत्ति
18लाहकेअरज़रषताहूँ।ज्यादाअर्ज़येहैके।३बरसकेअर्सेमे।
19५सौरुपया।अललहिसाह।वास्तेमेरीपरवरशके।हजू़रसे।मेरे
20हालपरइनायतहुवाथा।इनदिनोमे।बंदेने।अपनीतलबतन
21ष्वा़हकेमुक़द्दमेमे।¯ ¯१¯वालाकीषि़दमतमेअरज़कियाहै।
22मेरेहालपरक्रिपाकर्के।रुपयामेरीतनष़ाहका।माफि़कहिसाब
23के।और८०रुपया।जमादारमन्नुसिंह।मेजररघुबीरकेकर्जे
24वाबतका।¯ ¯१¯ सेनिकासाकर्के।मेरेहालपरइनायतहोवे।
25सिवायहजू़रकेचरणोके।औरकोईवसीलाभरोसानहीँ
26रषताहूँ।मेरापालन्कर्नेको।हजू़रसमर्थहैँ।औरजोकार
27षि़दमतमेरेलायक।हजूरसेहु़कुममर्जी़होवे।सोमाफि़क़बंदा
28बजालावे।ज्य़ादाक्याबिँतीकरूँ।हजू़रसर्वज्ञ़हैँ।जानअजान
29कु़सूरमाफ़होवे।सं१८९९चैत्रसुदी१४रोज१मुकामदिल्ली।०।
Translation
[1r]
[unknown seal]
No. 293
1Hail! This letter (arjī) from here by Bālāśaṃkara, imbued with a thousand auspicious blessings, is [addressed] to the thrice-venerable CautarīyāPhate Jaṅga Śāha, 3 born to a prince—the prince [who shines with manifold rows of eulogy, such as ‘The venerable crest-jewel of] the multitude of mountain kings’ [and ‘Naranārāyaṇa’ (an epithet of Viṣṇu), high in honour], the venerable supreme king of great kings.
I am well here; I wish Your Highness well-being there. Hereafter (uprānta): O protector of the poor! This devout’s request letter (arjī) sent (lit. written) on the 13th day of the dark fortnight of Caitra [in the Vikrama era year 1899] must have been submitted to Your [Highness] for your consideration. Since then, two more arjīs regarding the rate of kharala2 (mortar or stone for grinding, probably to prepare gunpowder) have been submitted before Your Highness for consideration. However, despite submission, no decree has yet been granted concerning my circumstances.
Now, being left with no other choice, I have gone ahead and made arrangements to procure two new types of kharala — one being of sang-e-mūro3 (polished marble stone) and the other spotted stone, according to suitable and reasonable price and preference. [I] have handed them over to the craftsmen including …4 etc., for preparation. Additionally, I have sought further invaluable kharala in surrounding areas. The owner asks for 200 rupees [for that invaluable kharala]. Without the order [of Your Highnesss], I cannot proceed with the purchase. Aside from this, no person or porter is willing to go towards that region under contract, due to the season and the extreme heat. For this reason, this delay in dispatching the aforementioned kharalas has happened. Hence, I respectfully submit this petition for your favourable consideration.
[My] extra request is as follows: I would like to respectfully remind that over the past three years, 500 rupees were generously granted by Your Highness for my sustenance. These days, this poor fellow has submitted a request in the case regarding his salary to the service of the court of -1- (i.e. Śrī 5 Sarkāra). I humbly request that an amount corresponding to my salary be kindly granted to me, and that 80 rupees — which pertains to a debt involving JamādāraMannu Siṃha and Major Raghubīra — also be disbursed from the funds of -1- (i.e. Śrī 5 Sarkāra) and granted to me.
I have no recourse or reliance besides the feet of Your Highness. You alone are capable of sustaining me. Should Your Highness see fit to assign any task or service according to my ability, this humble servant will carry it out obediently. What more can I say? Your Highness is all-knowing. May any known or unknown faults be forgiven.
On Sunday, the 14th day of the bright fortnight of Caitra, in [Vikrama] era year1899 (1843 CE). From Delhi.
Commentary
This letter reveals that Bālāśaṃkara, known from other documents (see DNA_0001_0076, DNA_0002_0039, DNA_0002_0049, DNA_0003_0025, and others) primarily as a transmitter of political, and administrative information, also played a more technical and material role in the service of the Nepalese royal court. Specifically, this petition demonstrates his involvement in logistics and military supply, notably in the acquisition of grinding stones — referred to as kharala of types like sang-e-mūro and cittīdāra — likely intended for ammunition or artillery production. His efforts to identify, select, and arrange shipment of these high-grade stones from Delhi to Nepal underscore his active participation in the infrastructural modernization of the Nepalese military. This activity is significant in light of Nepal's broader strategic interest in adopting and adapting British-used military technology, especially in the aftermath of direct military encounters and shifting diplomatic alignments in the early 19th century. Thus, Bālāśaṃkara’s service extended beyond bureaucratic correspondence; he served as a key facilitator in Nepal’s efforts to access and integrate contemporary technologies into its statecraft and defense.