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A rukkā from King Surendra ordering the execution of Hari Goḍīyā for an act of homicide (VS 1937)

ID: DNA_0014_0004


Edited and translated by Rajan Khatiwoda in collaboration with Simon Cubelic
Created: 2015-09-29; Last modified: 2018-06-21
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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, 2018. 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 rukkā issued by King Surendra to Captain (text: kaptāna) Mvāna Siṃ Svā̃ra Chetrī lays bare formal procedures for carrying out the death penalty on Hari Goḍīyā, who was found guilty of killing Vadala Siṃ Thāpā.



Diplomatic edition

[1r-part1]

1श्री­ः\

[royal seal]

[1r-part2]

1श्रीमद्दतीप्रचण्ड
2भुजदण्डेत्यादि
3श्रीश्रीश्रीमहारा
4जरण‌उद्दीपसिं
5हराणावहादुर
6केसीयस‌आइ
7थोङ्‌लीन्‌पी
8म्माकोकाङ्वा
9ङ्‌स्यान्‌प्राइम्‌
10मीनिष्टरया
11ण्डकम्याण्डर‌इ
12नचीफ्­¯¯¯¯१­

1स्वस्ति­श्रीमन्महाराजाधीराजकस्य­रुक्का­¯¯¯
2आगे­कप्तान्‌­म्वान­सिं­स्वाँर­छेत्री­प्रती­म­आफु­गोडीया­जात­भै­३४­साल्का­श्रा
3व़ण­सुदी­३­रोज­१­का­राती­पाहाडपोषरा­सीमल­टोल्‌­वस्न्या­वद
4ल­सिं­थापालाई­राती­सुती­निदायाका­वषत­पारि­वेहक्‌मा­षुकु
5रिले­२­चोट्‌­घोक्रामा­हानी­काटि­मारि­नीजका­कम्वरको­सुन­तोला­
6१­कंपनी­रू­४०­स्मेत्‌­ली­म­भागी­गयाको­साचो­हो­भनी­मोगलाना­
7जील्लै­वहराईच­ईलाके­पल्लापुर­मौज्ये­वझही­वस्न्या­हरि­गोडीया
8ले­३५­साल्‌­फागुण­वदि­७­रोज­५­मा­अमिनी­अदालत्‌­कचहरि
9मा­कायल्‌नामा­लेषीदीयाका­मुद्दामा­धनमाल्‌का­लालचाले­भ
10यो­वा­अरू­केही­ईवीले­अर्कालाई­हतीयार­गैह्रले­हानी­रोपी­मा
11नीस­मार्यो­भन्या­मार्न्या­नकाटीन्या­जातको­लोग्न्या­मानीस­भ
12या­ऐनवमोजिम्‌को­अंससर्वस्व­गरि­स्वास्नि­मानीस­भया­सर्व
13स्व­नगरि­दामल­गर्नु­काटिन्या­जातको­लोग्न्या­मानिस­भया­[...]
14नको­वदला­ज्यान­काटि­मारिदीनु­भंन्या­ज्यानमाराका­९­लम्व
15र­वेहक्‌मा­मानीसको­ज्यान्‌­मार्या­मानीसमा­ऐनले­ज्यान­लि
16नु­पर्दा­अव­उप्रांत­फलानु­टक्सीर­गर्न्या­फलानालाई­उसले­ज्या
17न­मार्याका­फलाना­ठाउमा­लगी­ज्यान­काटी­मार्नु­वा­फासि­ दी­
18मार्नु­भंन्या­लालमोहरमा­लेषाई­सो­लालमोहरमा­जौन­जगा
19मा­लगी­मार्नु­भंन्या­लेषीयाको­छ­उसै­जगामा­लगी­उसै­ठाउका­
20छोइ­छीटो­हालनु­पर्न्या­जातका­हातवाट­कटाई­मराउनु­वा­फा
21सी­दीलाई­मार्नु­भंन्या­ज्यान­लीदाको­र­मुड्‌दा­दामल्‌­गर्दा­ग
22र्न्याको­७­लम्वर­ज्यान­जान्या­मानीसको­ज्यान­मार्न­पठाउदा­र­
23मुड्‌नु­पर्न्यालाइ­मुडी­धपाउदा­यसले­फलानु­टक्सीर­गर्यो­र­यस्को­
24ज्यान­मारिन्या­भयो­अथवा­मुडीयाकालाइ­मुडीयो­भंन्या­
25सहरका­टोल्‌टोल्‌मा­झाज­पीटाइ­लैजानु­भंन्या­सोहि­महल्का­
26११­लम्वरका­ऐनवमोजीम्‌­नीज­हरि­गोडीयाले­वदल­सीं­थापा
27लाई­धनमाल्‌का­लालचाले­राती­सुती­निदायाका­वषत­पा[...]­[...]
28हकमा­षुकुरिले­२­चोट्­घोक्रामा­हानी­काटि­थलैमा­मार्यामा­
29नीजलाई­पाहारपोषर­भंन्या­सवैले­देषन्ये­चौरमा­लगी­ताहिका­
30छोइ­छीटो­हालनु­पर्न्या­जातका­हातवाट­ज्यानको­वदला­ज्यान­
31काटी­मारिदिन्या­ठहराञ्यूं­भनी­नञा­मुलुक्‌­जिल्लै­कैलाली­अमी
32नीका­लेफ्‌टेन्‌­वालनरसीं­स्वार­छेत्री­वीचारि­कासिनाथ­[...]
33रिले­३६­साल्‌­श्रावण­वदि­३०­रोज­६­मा­अदालत्‌­इटाचप[...]
34मार्फत्‌­चह्रायाको­रपोट्‌मा­हुकुम्‌­मर्जीले­स्मेत्‌­सदर­भै­आया
35वमोजीम्‌­माल्का­हाकीम्‌­कपटान्‌­म्वान­सिं­स्वाँर­छेत्रीका­ना
36उमा­लालमोहोर­लेषाइ­ सो­लालमोहर­रमाना­गरि­पठाइ
37दीन्या­ठहराञ्यूं­ जो­हुकुम्‌­मर्जि­भनि­अदालत्‌­इटाचपलीवाट­सु
38व्वा­पंडीत्‌­चंद्रकांत‌­अर्ज्याल्‌ले­¯ ¯१¯ ¯का­र­श्रीमद्राजकुमार­कुमारा
39त्मज­श्री­कम्यांडर‌­इन­चिफ्‌­जनरल­धिर­संम्सेर­जङ्‌­राणा­वहादुर
40का­
हजुरमा­वींति­पार्दा­र­नीजहरूवाट­पनी­हाम्रा­हजुरमा­वींति­
41पारि­जाहेर­गरायाकामा­नीज­हरि­गोडीयाले­ धनमाल्‌का­ला
42लचाले­वदल­सीं­थापालाइ­राती­सुती­नीदायाको­वषत­पारि­वे
43हकमा­षुकुरिले­२­चोट्‌­घोक्रामा­हानी­थलैमा­मार्यावावत्‌­सो
44ही­ज्यानमाराका­९­ज्यान­लीदाको­र­मुड्‌दा­दामल­गर्दाका­[...]
45११­लम्वरका­ऐनवमोजीम्‌­नीज­हरि­गोडीयाको­ज्यान­मार्न­
46पथाउदा­यसले­यो­कसुर­गर्दा­यसको­ज्यान­सजाय­हुन्या­भयो­
47भनी­झाज­पीटाउन­लगाइ­नञा­मुलुक्‌­कैलाली­जील्लाभर­
48घुमाइ­निज­हरि­गोडीयालाइ­चाहारपोषरा­भंन्या­जगाका­
49चौरमा­लगी­ताहीका­छोइ­छीटो­हालनु­पर्न्या­जातका­हातवा
50ट­ज्यानको­वदला­ज्यान­काटि­मारिदीनाको­हुकुम्‌­वक्स्यौ­इ
51ती­सम्वत्­१९३७­साल्‌­मीती­वैसाष­वदि­१­रोज­१­शुभम्­

[1v]

1मार्फत्‌­राजगुरु­द्विजराज­पण्डितज्यू­

1मार्फत्‌­सुव्वा­चन्द्रकांत­अर्ज्याल्­

1मार्फत्‌­गुरुप्रोहित­षजांचि­वामदेव­पण्डितज्यू­

1मार्फत्‌­कम्यांन्डर­कर्णैल­सनक­सिं­टंडँलाहुरि­छेत्री­

Translation

[1r-part1]

Śrī

[royal seal]

[1r-part2]

The thrice venerable great king, who is mighty and has an arm like a staff etc., KCSI, Thong Ling Pinma-Ko Kang-Wang-Syang, Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Raṇoddīpa Siṃha Rāṇā Bahādura1 ---12

Hail! [This is] a rukkā of the supreme king of great kings.

To Captain Mvāna Siṃ Svā̃ra Chetrī.

Āge: Regarding the trial of Hari Goḍīyā, residing in the maujye of Bajhahī, Pallāpura, Baharāīca, Mogalānā: On Thursday, the 7th of the dark fortnight of Phālguna in the [Vikrama] era year [19]35 (1879 CE), [the accused] confessed his guilt in writing at the Aminī, Adālata and Kacahari [courts], stating: “It is true that on Sunday, the 1st of the bright fortnight of Śrāvaṇa in the [Vikrama] era year [19]34 (1877 CE) I, a member of the Goḍīyā caste, killed Vadala Siṃ Thāpā, residing in Sīmala Ṭola, Pāhāḍapokharā, during the night while he was sleeping by stabbing [him in] the throat twice with a (khukurī) and then fled with 1 tolā of gold and [East India] Company Rs. 40 which he had at his waist.” On Saturday, the 30th of the dark fortnight of Śrāvaṇa in the [Vikrama] era year [19]36 (1879 CE), Lieutenant (text: lephṭen) Bālanarasiṃ3 Svā̃ra Chetrī and Bicārī Kāśinātha [...]ri of the Kailali Aminī, [in] the new territory, submitted the following report through the Iṭācapalī Court [to the king]: “Since Hari Goḍīyā, out of greed for property, killed Vadala Siṃ Thāpā at his place of residence by stabbing [him in] the throat twice during the night while he was sleeping, we have determined to sentence him to death: to take him to the grounds called Pāhāḍapokharā where the public can witness his beheading—of taking life for life—at the hand of a local Untouchable caste member in accordance with the following law: ‘[1] Section 9 of [the article] on homicide: If a person kills another person out of greed for property or for any other reason by striking or stabbing him with a weapon or the like, the offender—if he is a man from a caste whose members cannot be put to death—shall in accordance with the Ain have all his property confiscated and undergo the dāmala4 punishment; whilst if the offender is a woman, she shall undergo the dāmala punishment but without having her property confiscated; whilst if the offender is a man from a caste whose members can be put to death, he shall be executed.’ [2] Section 7 on executing, shaving and dāmala: ‘When the law calls for putting an offender guilty of homicide to death, from now on a lālamohara shall be issued stating that such and such a person who has committed the crime shall be executed by beheading or hanging in such and such place, [the place] where he took [the other’s] life. The offender shall be taken to the place mentioned in the lālamohara and executed by beheading or hanging at the hand of a local Untouchable caste member.’”

[Then] Subbā Paṇḍita Candrakānta Arjyāla (text: Caṃdrakāṃta) on behalf of the Iṭācapalī Court submitted a request to ---1--- (i.e., Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief Raṇoddīpa Siṃha) and Venerable Prince born of a prince and Commander-in-Chief Dhīra Śamśera Jaṅ Rāṇā Bahādura, stating: “[The above-mentioned] report has been approved by order [of the king], so that we have decided that a lālamohara shall be issued to the chief of the Māla [Aḍḍā], Captain (text: kaptāna) Mvāna Siṃ Svā̃ra Chetrī, and to send it off. Whatever you wish, [please] order.” [Deciding upon the request submitted,] they too have ordered as follows: “Regarding the trial which came to our attention [through the request sent by the [Iṭācapalī Court], we have given the order to sentence Hari Goḍīyā to death as punishment for his having committed the crime: to take [him] with sounding cymbals throughout the new territory of Kailali district and to the grounds called Pāhāḍapokharā and [there] to behead him at the hand of a local Untouchable caste member in accordance with Sections 9 on homicide and 9 (sic) and 11 on executing, shaving and dāmala − Hari Goḍīyā, who out of greed for property killed [Vadala Siṃ Thāpā] unlawfully during the night while he was sleeping by stabbing him twice in the throat with a khukurī.”

On Sunday, the 1st of the dark fortnight of Vaiśākha in the [Vikrama] era year 1937 (1880 CE). [May it be] auspicious.

[1v]

Through (mārphat) RājaguruDvijarāja Paṇḍita

Through Subbā Candrakānta Arjyāla

Through KhajāncīVāmadeva Paṇḍita

Through Commander Colonel Sanaka Siṃ Taṃḍãlāhuri Chetrī


Commentary

It has been always a riddle whether the Muluki Ain of 1854 (hereafter MA), the first systematically formulated legal code of Nepal, enacted by Prime Minister Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā, or any of the later emended versions were actually implemented in 19th-century Nepalese legal practice or not. Scholars who have dealt with these texts (cf. Höfer 2004, Michaels 2005) do not provide any concrete evidence that they were. However, the present document, newly reconsidered, answers the question unambiguously: the MA was not simply a theoretical textual work like the dharmaśāstra or nibandha texts but was indeed meant to serve down-to-earth, practical ends. The present document was issued to authorize the death penalty imposed on a murderer who had killed a person during an act of theft. It explains the procedures required for imposing the death penalty in detail. The local court has first to investigate the crime committed and prepare a report suggesting proper punishment after carefully consulting the pertinent paragraphs of the MA. This report is afterwards sent to the king through a higher court called the Iṭācapalī, which adds its own considered observations. It is then approved by the king and is sent on to the prime minister. After approval by him, a lālamohara is issued by the king to the person in the local court authorized to carry out the death penalty. The court procedures discussed above and direct citations of the pertinent articles of the MA prove that it was in fact in effect and used in legal practice.


Notes

1. The text reads as Raṇa Uddīpa for Raṇoddīpa. []

2. According to R. Shaha (1990, vol. 2: 257) this title was first awarded to Prime Minister Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā in 1871 by the Chinese Emperor. As explained by Shaha the title has the following meaning: “… the Highly Honoured Commander and Instructor (disciplinarian) of the Army, the Aggrandizer of the Country and the Satisfier of the Low and High by Increasing the Reputation and Revenue of the Country” (Shaha 1990, vol. 2: 257-258). []

3. Text: Bālanarasīṃ. []

4. The term dāmala, Arb. dāyamulahabsa, inf. ḍāmnu, literally ‘to brand’ (cf. Parājulī et al. 1995 s.v. dāmala) refers to a form of punishment which substitutes the capital punishment for those offenders who cannot be sentenced to death (such as Brahmins, certain groups of ascetics or women) (MA-KM 1854/64 §1, §3 and §5). The left cheek of the offender is branded with a mark and the offender is sent for life imprisonment (MA-KM 1854/42 §2). []