A bintīpatra from Bālāśaṃkara to Commander-in-Chief Māthavara Siṃha Thāpā, complaining about the lack of acknowledgment of his previous letters by the royal court (VS 1901)
ID: DNA_0002_0041
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translated by Nirajan Kafle
Created: 2025-01-08;
Last modified: 2025-12-02
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Abstract
In this letter, Bālāśaṃkara, writing from Delhi to C-in-C Māthavara Siṃha Thāpā, laments the lack of response to his earlier petition and requests acknowledgment and payment of his overdue salary and emoluments.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1॥श्री॥1श्री५सर्कार2१1नं१५८1॥स्वस्तिश्रीसर्वोपमानोपमेयशोर्योदार्यादिसकलसद्
2गुणगणालंकृतराजराजितराजभारोद्धरणसामर्थ
3श्री३मिनिष्टरयान्कम्यान्डरइन्चिफजनरल
4मातबरसिंहथापाबहादुरमहाशयेषुइतःभिक्षुक
5स्यसहस्रशुभाशिषपूर्वकबिन्तीपत्रम्अत्रकुशलं
6तत्रभवतांकुशलंवान्छामि।उप्रान्तगरीबपरवरमेरे
7पौषसुदि२रोजमेलिषीअर्जीबन्देकी।मैअर्जीकर्नैल
8कुलदीपसिंहके।हजू़रकीषि़दमतमेपहोँचकरमुला
9हेजेमेगुज़रीहोगीबादमुलाहेजे़अर्जि़योँकेकोई
10हुकुमनामा¯ ¯१¯का।यापरवशनामाहजू़रका
11मेरेहालपरनहीँइनायतहुवा।इसीसबबसे।बन्दा
12कमालमुतरद्दिदऔरपरेशान्हैक्रिपाकर्केमेरी
13अर्जि़योँकापहोँचनामा।औररूपयामेरीतलबतन
14ष्वाहका।माफिकहिसाबके¯ ¯१¯सेनिकासाकर्के
15मेरेहालपरइनायतहोवे।अर्जी़१वास्तेमुलहेजे़
16¯ ¯१¯शामिलइसअर्जी़के।हजू़रमेभेजीहैसो
17मुलाहेजे़मेगुज़रे।औरजोकारषि।दमतमेरेलायक
18हजू।रसेआज्ञाहोवेसोमाफि।कबन्दाबजालावे
19ज्य़ादाक्याबिन्तीकरूँ।हजू़रसर्वज्ञहैँ।
20जानअजानकसूरमाफ़होवे
21सं१९०१सालमितीपौषसुदी१३
22रोज३मुकामदिल्लीशुभम्॥
Translation
[1r]
No. 1581
Hail! This letter (bintīpatra), with a thousand auspicious blessings, is from Bhikṣu [Bālāśaṃkara] to the thrice-venerable [Prime]minister and Commander-in-Chief brave honourable General Māthavara Siṃha Thāpā Bahādura, 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.
Tidings here are fine. I wish Your Excellency good health there.
Hereafter (uprānta): O protector of the poor! The petition (arjī) I wrote on the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the month of Pauṣa may have reached Your Excellency through Colonel (text: karnail) Kuladīpa Siṃha for your kind consideration.
Since then, neither a royal order (hukumnāmā) from -1- (i.e. Śrī 5 Sarkāra), nor a letter of permission (paravaśanāmā) from Your Excellency has been granted to me regarding my situation. Because of this, your humble servant is much distressed and troubled. I therefore most humbly request that Your Excellency arrange for the receipt of my earlier petitions to be acknowledged, and for the amount of my salary and emoluments to be disbursed by -1- (i.e. Śrī 5 Sarkāra) in accordance with what is due. A separate petition intended specifically for the consideration of -1- (i.e. Śrī 5 Sarkāra) is enclosed with this letter to Your Excellency. May it be reviewed. Moreover, should Your Excellency order any task appropriate to your humble servant, I shall carry it out accordingly.
What more can I plead? Your Excellency is all-knowing. May any wrongdoings, known or unknown, be forgiven.
Tuesday, the 13th day of the bright fortnight of Pauṣa, in the [Vikrama era] year 1901 (1844 CE). From Delhi.
Auspiciousness!
Commentary
This letter contains no specific diplomatic information; rather, it serves as a complaint—similar to other documents by the same author—about the lack of acknowledgment of his earlier correspondence and the continued withholding of his salary. Notably, the letter refers to a separate petition addressed directly to King Rājendra (Śrī 5 Sarkāra), written on the same day (Tuesday, the 13th day of the bright fortnight of Pauṣa, Vikrama era 1901 [1844 CE]), and enclosed with the present letter. That petition is preserved under the reference DNA_0002_0034 and is edited separately. Apart from the opening section, where the recipient is addressed with honorifics according to rank, the content of the two letters is nearly identical.