A muculkā submitted by the priest Jogabāhādura Karmācāryye to the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā regarding a theft at Bhaktapur's Taleju temple (VS 1981)
ID: K_0213_0039
Edited and
translated by Ramhari Timalsina
in collaboration with
Pabitra Bajracharya
Created: 2021-06-08;
Last modified: 2021-12-15
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Abstract
This is a muculkā submitted by the priest Jogabāhādura Karmācāryye to the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā regarding the theft of a sheet of gold forming part of the throne of Bhaktapur's Taleju temple. The sheet went missing during the priesthood of Durgācarṇa Karmācāryye.
Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1श्री\1[Unknown signature] 1[Unknown seal] 1लीषीतम्∙भादगाऊतुलाछेटोल्वीद्यापीठ्वस्ने∙जोगवाहादुरकर्माचार्य्येआगेभादगाऊश्रीत2लेज्यू∙राजभय़ाकोसुंकासींघासन्कोआठअंगुल्लम्वा∙२अंगुल्गज∙जतिसुंकोपाता
3काटेकोभै∙नभय़ाकोर∙पालोव़ालादुर्गाचर्णलाईभंदा∙सत्ताराषछुभनीभनेको∙आजसं
4मनराषेकोहुनाले∙जाहेरगरेकोछु∙भंनेस्मेत्वेहोराको∙जोगवाहादुरकर्माचार्य्ये∙भादगा
5ऊतुलाछेटोल्वीद्यापीठ्कानाऊमायोविंतिपत्रगुठीवंदोवस्तमार्फट्य़सअडामाआय़ा
6कोहुनाले∙अैंवमोजींवुझ्नुपर्दा∙सोध्याछं∙सोवींतिपत्रतैलेजाहेरगरेकोहोहोईनहोभ
7ने∙विंतिपत्रमालेषिय़ावमोजींजाचकाये़म्∙टुरुन्टगराऊनसकछौकी∙सकदैन∙नसक
8नेभय़ा∙सोहीवेहोरार∙सकनेभय़ालेषीय़ाकाविंतिपत्रमादेवताकोसिंघासन्∙रहेका
9थाऊमा∙अरुजाननहुनेहुनाले∙जानहुनेजतिलाईतावोतुल्सीराषीधर्मसमझाईजा
10चलीनुभंन्यागरीपाऊभनीलेषेकोहुनाले∙अरुमानीसकतिकारंलेजाननहुने
11होसोरजानहुनेमानीसकोकोहुंसोषुलाई∙तैलेजानहुंछहुंदैनगय़ाकोछछैनग
12य़ाकोभय़ातस्मेत्गैसोसींघासन्सवैजाचवुझ्गरीलेषीय़ाकोतुक्रासावुद्भर्नाभ
13ये़कोरअरुसावुद्स्मेत्छछैन∙हेरीजाचीवुझिहराय़ाकोसुंकोदरतौल्स्मेत्षुलाई
14फाट्लेषीदेऊभनीसोधनीगर्दामेरोचीत्तबुझ्योय़स्मा∙सोतोक्नं१६२४कोवींतिप
15त्रमैलेचढाय़ाकोहोसोविंतिपत्रमालेषीय़ावमोजींसुंकोसींघासन्माछापेकोअंदाजी
16८आठ्अंगुल्लम्वा१अंगुल्गजसाल्1 जति८०साल्वैसाषमैन्हामादुर्गाचर्णकर्मा
17चार्य्येकोनीत्येपुजागर्नेपालोसीध्याई∙मेरोपालोभय़ाकोर∙ऊसवषत्मवेरामीभय़ाकोभै
18मेरोसत्ताजगत्वीरकर्माचार्य्ये़लाईनीत्येपुजागर्नेकांलगाय़ाकोहुनालेनीजलेसवैमा
19ल्मत्ताजाचिवुझिलिंदासोसींघासन्मापातानभय़ाकोहुनाले∙सोनभैपालोवुझदैनौभ
20नीअडीय़ाकोथीय़ोतेसोहुनाले∙सोसत्ताभर्नाभय़ाकोहवै़नभनीमैलेहाल्जाहेरगरे
21कोहुंसोवींतिपत्रजाहेरगरेपछीवुझदासोमाल्सत्ताभर्नाभैसकेपछीमात्र∙नीजजग
22त्वीरलेपालोवुझिलीय़ाकोमाल्पनीसावुद्भर्नाभैरहेकोऊसवषत्देषीपालो
23पर्नेहरुलेनगयावुझवुझारथमाचलेकोछसोभर्नाभैरहेकोसुंकोपाताअंदाजी५।६
24मासाजतिकोतुक्राहोअरुसोसींघासन्∙सवैसावुद्छ∙घटीवढीफरकछैनफरकठ
25हरेअैंसव़ाल्वमोजींवुझाऊलाभनीमेरामनोमानषुसीराजीसंगमुचुल्कालेषीश्री५
26सर्कारतर्फगुठीजाचअडामार्फट्श्री५सर्कारमाचढाञ्यूंईतिसम्वत्१९८१साल्श्रा
27वण२३गतेरोज४शुभ्म्1स्हीजोगवाहादुरकर्माचार्जेभादगाउतुलाछेवीद्यापीथ
Translation
[1r]
[Unknown signature]
[Unknown seal]
Written by Jogabāhādura Karmācāryye, a resident of the Vidyāpīṭha [section] of Tulācheṭola in Bhādagāu
Āge: “A petition written by (lit. in the name of) Jogabāhādura Karmācāryye, a resident of the Vidyāpīṭha [section] of Tulāche ṭola in Bhādagāu, came to this office (i.e., Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā) through the Guṭhī Bandobasta [Aḍḍā] with [the following] details: ‘A sheet of gold measuring approximately 8 aṅgulas in length and 2 aṅgulas in breadth, part of the golden throne of śrī Talejyū of Bhādagāu, was cut away and has gone missing. When Durgācarṇa, whose turn it was [to worship the goddess at the time it was lost], was questioned, he replied that he would replace it. However, up to today he has not done so.’ We (i.e., the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā) shall ask you (i.e., Jogabāhādura Karmācāryye) [some questions] since [we need to] understand [the facts] in accordance with the Ain.2 Did you submit this petition [or did somebody else]? If you submitted it, can you or can you not immediately have an investigation carried out in accordance with what is mentioned in your petition? If you cannot carry [one] out, then [write us] the corresponding details. If you can carry one out, then [at least clarify to us what] you have written: ‘Commoners are not allowed to enter the room where the throne of the deity is located. Therefore all persons allowed to enter should be investigated, making them swear a solemn oath (dharma samajhāī) while placing [their hand] on a copper [pot] and tulsī [leaves].’3 For what reason are other persons not allowed to enter? Who are the persons who are allowed to enter? Make it clear. Are you allowed to enter or not? Have you entered or not? If you have entered, go inside [the sanctum] and make a thorough investigation of the throne [to determine] whether or not the mentioned golden piece has been exactly replaced and whether other objects are intact or not. Observe and assess [the situation], and then write down details concerning the market rate and weight of the lost gold.”
Having been thus questioned, I willingly comply. In this regard, I submitted the petition as toka no. 1624. As I wrote in the petition, there was a [sheet] of gold measuring approximately 8 aṅgulas in length and 1 aṅgula4 in breadth affixed to the throne. In the month of Vaiśākha of the [Vikrama era] year [19]80, my turn came after Durgācarṇa Karmācāryye’s to perform regular worship. However, I fell ill, so Jagatbīra Karmācāryye was asked to perform the regular worship. When he checked all the objects before taking the [worship] session, [he discovered that] the sheet was missing from the throne. Therefore, since it was missing he stopped, refusing to further take the session. This was the reason why, when I explained the situation, I assumed that the replacement had not yet occurred. When I inquired after submitting the petition, [I came to know that] the said Jagatbīra was [again] taking the session, the replacement having [in the meantime] occurred. [Indeed,] the object has been exactly replaced. Since then, if the appointed person does not appear to take his turn, the latter has continued to be handed on [to another person]. The replaced golden sheet weights approximately 5/6 māsās. Moreover, the throne is entirely intact; there is no deficiency and nothing in excess. If a discrepancy is proven, I will pay [the penalty] according to the Ain and [Kitāpī] Savāla.5 I have written this muculkā of my own free will, and have submitted it to Śrī 5 Sarkāra through the Guṭhī Jā̃ca Aḍḍā of Śrī 5 Sarkāra.
Wednesday, the 23rd solar day of Śrāvaṇa of [Vikrama] era year 1981 (1924 CE). Auspiciousness.
Signature of Jogabāhādura Karmācāryye, [a resident of] the Vidyāpīṭha [area] of Tulāche ṭola in Bhādagāu
Commentary
The Taleju temple mentioned in this document is located behind the Bhaktapur palace, the Golden Gate being the entrance leading to it. Taleju is the tutelary deity of the Malla kings of the Kathmandu Valley. She is also referred to as Tulajā, Bhavānī or Caṇḍikā. Taleju temples were established in the administrative centres of the Malla kingdoms. These temples can still be found in the Darbar squares of Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Patan, and in Tokha, Madhyapur Thimi, Devapattana, Nuwakot, Dolakha, Banepa, Panauti, Chapagaun and Gokarna as well. The Nepālikabhūpavaṃśāvalī chronicle (18.55-70) mentions that King Harisiṃhadeva, a king of Simraunagadh, brought his lineage deity, Tulajā or Turujā, to Bhaktapur in NS 444 (CE 1324). The chronicle tells that the goddess told Harisiṃhadeva to take her to Bhaktapur because mlecchas might attack Simraunagadh. Heeding her warning, the king departed for Kathmandu Valley with his family the very next morning. However, it appears that this chronicle does not properly recount a number of historical facts. The evidence suggests that King Harisiṃhadeva never entered the Valley. In CE 1334, Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, the emperor of Delhi, attacked Simraunagadh and King Harisiṃhadeva fled with his family. Harisiṃhadeva arrived in Dolakha and died there in CE 1326 (VS 1382, 3rd of the bright half of Māgha) (Vajrācārya VS 2019: 232-233). Different opinions exist regarding Tulajā. Some scholars deny that King Harisiṃhadeva brought Tulajā from Simraunagadh, suggesting instead that an image of the deity installed by the Licchavi king Vṛṣadeva was later gilded by Mānadeva I. Thereafter the deity was given the new name Māneśvarī. The same deity during the reign of King Jitāmitra Malla was called Taleju (Naḥghaḥbhanī 2043: 14-15). The Taleju temple of Bhaktapur is the oldest of the three major Talejus of the Valley. King Mahendra Malla copied the design of the temple in Bhaktapur when erecting the Taleju temple in Kathmandu in CE 1564 (Slusser 1998: 191), and Siddhinarasiṃha Malla built Patan’s Taleju temple in CE 1620 (Nepālikabhūpavaṃśāvalī.3.5-6).
Jogabāhādura Karmācāryye and Durgācarṇa Karmācāryye, who were in charge of regular worship at the Taleju temple also performed the same task at Bhaktapur’s Tripurasundarī temple, which is located some 200 metres east of the Taleju temple. There are 15 documents numbered by NGMPP as K_0262_0051 to K_0262_0065 relating to the theft of a statue of Tripurasundarī in Bhaktapur in VS 1977. The statue could not be found, and therefore the office decided to confiscate the property of Jogabahādura Karmācāryye, who had been responsible for taking care of the statue, in order to obtain compensation (K_0262_0064).