A letter from Captain Kanaka Siṃ Mahata acknowledging the receipt of a fine for slaughtering a cow (VS 1899)
ID: L_1200_0019
Edited and
translated by Rajendra Shakya
in collaboration with
Rabi Acharya
Created: 2018-11-21;
Last modified: 2023-01-24
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Abstract
This letter from Captain Kanaka Siṃ Mahata of the cāra adālata acknowledges the payment of a fine by Karmapā Pasāṅ Bhoṭe of Bihi village for slaughtering a cow and consuming its flesh. It warns him that physical torture will be administered if he repeats the act.
Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1श्रीः\1श्री५सर्कार2१[Seal with the legend: श्रीकनकसिं]1स्वस्तिश्रीचारअदालतकाकप्तान्कनकसिंमहतकस्यपत्रम्¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
2आगे∙भीगाऊकोकर्मपापसाङ्भोटेके∙तईलेगोवधगरिषायावापत्¯ ¯१¯वाटतला
3ईभारिदंडगर्नुभंन्याहुकुमआऊदाहुकुमवमोजिमदंडगरिवुझिलिञुंरसिदगरिदग
4रिदीञौं•अवऊप्रांतफेरिगोवधगरिस्भन्या¯ ¯१¯वाटतेराजियधनकोसासना
5गरिवक्सनुहुन्याछ∙सोवुझिअवऊप्रांतगोवधनगर्नुभन्न्यावन्देजगरिदिञौंईति
6सम्वत्१८९९सालमितिभाद्रशुदि७रोज∙१शुभम्¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Translation
[1r]
Śrī 5 Sarkāra (His Majesty’s Government) – 1
[Seal with the legend: Śrī Kanaka Siṃ]
Hail! A letter from venerable Kanaka Siṃ Mahata, captain of the cāra adālata
Āge: To Karmapā Pasāṅ Bhoṭe of Bihi village1
After an order came from -1- (i.e. His Majesty’s Government) to impose a severe penalty on you for having slaughtered a cow and consumed its flesh, we imposed a fine in accordance with the order and, having received [the sum], issued a receipt [for the same]. If from now onwards you slaughter a cow again, -1- (i.e. His Majesty’s Government) shall administer physical torture upon you (lit. "torture your body"). Let this be understood: we have imposed a prohibition on slaughtering cows from now onwards.
Sunday, the 7th of the bright fortnight of Bhādra in the [Vikrama] Era year 1899 (1842 CE). Auspiciousness.
Commentary
Slaughtering a cow was considered a serious offence by the state. A ban on cow slaughter appears to have been imposed rigorously immediately after the unification of Nepal. The government had sent a team of judges to the Solukhumbu and Chankhu areas in the eastern hills to enforce the ban there. As cow slaughter was widely practised in those areas, the judges had determined that if the persons guilty of this crime were to be punished with death or enslavement, most of the inhabitants would have to be killed or enslaved. Indeed, they proposed "the heaviest possible fines to be imposed on persons who committed cow slaughter as long as they had wives, sons, daughters and bondsmen available for sale. Those who committed this crime after Phālguṇa [VS] 1860 (1804 CE) should either be beheaded or enslaved" (M.C. Regmi 1969: 15).
Although the incident of cow slaughter mentioned in this document took place after 1804, the document only records the payment of a heavy fine by Karmapā Pasāṅ Bhoṭe, who is warned not to repeat the offence; he was not punished with either death or enslavement.