A copy of a lālamohara from King Gīrvāṇa confirming a guṭhī established by his father in Parvata and expanding it to better serve pilgrims travelling to Muktinātha (VS 1886)
ID: K_0057_0040
Edited and
translated by Ramhari Timalsina
in collaboration with
Pabitra Bajracharya
Created: 2021-08-20;
Last modified: 2024-11-06
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Abstract
This is a copy of a lālamohara issued in VS 1886 by King Gīrvāṇa confirming the guṭhī established by his father Raṇabahādura in Parvata and expanding it to better serve pilgrims travelling to Muktinātha. This Gīrvāṇa did by adding 178 murīs of land and appointing Lāṭhu Pādhyā's offspring as its overseers.
Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1श्री\1श्रीदुगासाहाये़1श्रीमुक्तीनाथ¯¯¯¯¯2[?] [unknown seal] 1स्वास्तीश्रीगीरिराजचक्रचुडामणीनरनारयेनित्येदिवीवीधवीरुदावली
2वीराजमानमानोन्नतश्रीमन्माहाराजधीराजश्रीःश्रीःश्रीःमाहाराज
3ग्रीर्वाणजुद्धवीक्रमसाहावाहादुरसम्सेरजंगदेवानाम्सदासमरवी
4जयेनाम्आग्येवसंतवोकटिकेपर्वत्कोअम्वल्राखुवुर्वराताभी
5रकोडाडोदखीन्सालीग्रामीराउघाट्पस्सिंम्पीपलेकोरुख्उत्त
6रदोवाटोढुँगोये़ती४कीलाभीत्रकोजगा¯ ¯१¯जान्यारस्तामा
7पौव़ावनाउनुवगैचावनाईआप्सुन्तलादारीमकटहरवीमी
8राकेरालगाउनुजोगीसंन्नेसीवैराकीलाईखानदिनुभनि२
9वाटमोहोरगरीवक्सनुभय़ाकोरहेछ:स्वहिमोहरकोसही
10थामी# पछीहामीलेपोनीतोपौव़ावगैचाकोसंवारवेरामीभेष
11नीमीत्त्सदावर्तकनमोहभीरकोवाझोमुरीये़कसहेतीन
12१०३वीराउनुउपल्लोकुवींनेड़ाड़ामुरी५तल्लोरी१०वा
13लमडाड़ोमुरी२०जामरुककोनाउलोमुरी४०जम्मामुरिये
14कसहेअथहत्तरये़तीजगाकोपान्फुल्रुपञा६००लीगु
15थीराखीवक्स्याकोहोआजतेहीसहीथामिगुथीकोमो[?]
16रतामापत्रगरीवक्स्यौंये़स्कालोभानिपापानीगरीहर्नामाजोप
17स्लातेस्कोशेखकुद्रीस्ठीहोलामाहापातकलागलायोधर्मजा[...]
18थामनामावसलात्येसलाईमाहाजोग्येकोसुफलर¯ ¯१¯
19कोकृपासुद्रीस्तीहोलाये़सगुथीकोचीताईलाठुपाध्याका
20संतांलेगर्नुखोस्मोस्नगर्नुगरीवक्स्यौंआफ्नाखाती
21रजामासंगयेसकोतहल्गरीबाँकीसेसरहेकोभोगगरईती
22संम्वत्१८८६साल्मीतीआस्वीनसुदि२रोज५शुभम्
Translation
[1r]
May Śrī Durgā help [us]!
Śrī Muktinātha – 1
Śrī Bubājyu – 2
The one who attested that the copy is in accordance with the original: 1 ... Bāhādura.2
Hail! [A decree] of him who is shining with manifold rows of eulogy [such as] ‘The venerable crest-jewel of the multitude of mountain kings’ and Naranārāyaṇa (an epithet of Kṛṣṇa) etc., high in honour, the venerable supreme king of great kings, the thrice venerable great king, Gīrvāṇayuddha Vikrama Śāha Śamśera Jaṅga, the brave swordsman, the divine king always triumphant in war.
Āge: To Vasaṃta Bokaṭi. It appears that [our] venerable [Bubājyu]3 issued a stamped document [establishing guṭhī] land in the territory of Parvata, [as defined by] the land within 4 crossroad stone pillars: the Rākhu [River] to the east, the hill of Rātā Bhīra to the south, Sālīgrāmī Rāughāṭ to the west, [and] the pīpala tree to the north. He directed that a pauvā be constructed on the way going to [Muktinātha]4 , that a garden be made and that mangoes, oranges, pomegranates, pineapples, wild limes (Citrus medica) and bananas be planted to feed jogīs, sannyāsīs and vairāgīs. We keep the earlier arrangements made through the stamped document, and we [re-]establish the guṭhī by issuing a moharatāmāpatra5 that, 600 rupees having been taken as pānaphula [on the following plots], allocates uncultivated land in Moha Bhīra measuring 103 murīs, cultivated land measuring 5 murīs on the upper [slope of] Kubiṃne Hill and 10 murīs on the lower [part of the hill], land on Bālāma Hill measuring 20 murīs, [and] 40 murīs of land at Jāmaruka Nāulo—altogether 178 murīs—in order to maintain the garden and the pauvā and to provide sadāvarta for the ill and the saints. Today we have issued a stamped copperplate confirming that same guṭhī. The end of whoever greedily and sinfully attempts to take [property belonging to] the guṭhī is likely to be being struck by the evil eye [of Muktinātha] and being guilty of a great sin (mahāpātaka). Anyone who acts to preserve [this guṭhī], knowing such to be dharma, is likely to be that he will reap the great good fruits of the worthy, and that the grace and compassionate gaze of [Muktinātha] will fall on him. The offspring of Lāṭhu Pādhyā shall perform overseership of the guṭhī; it shall not be seized from them. Serve the guṭhī mindful of your duty and enjoy what remains [after covering guṭhī expenditures].
Thursday, the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of Āśvina in the [Vikrama] era year 1886 (1829 CE). Auspiciousness.
Commentary
The Muktinātha temple referred to in the document is located in the Muktinath Valley below Thorong La, a mountain pass in Mustang. The temple is a prominent pilgrimage site visited by both Hindus and Buddhists. Dedicated to Vishnu, it is considered a Divya Deśa (divine realm) of the god, and the only such one located outside India. In the Śākta tradition of Hinduism, the temple is regarded as a Śakti Pīṭha. The Śakti of Muktinātha is invoked as "Gaṇḍakī Caṇḍī", and the corresponding Bhairava as "Cakrapāṇi". The goddess Satī's right cheek is believed to have fallen there. In Buddhism, Muktinātha is considered as one of the places where Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, meditated and as a place frequented by dākinīs.
The guṭhī land mentioned in the document is located not far from the Galeśvara temple in Myagdi district, near where the Rāhu River meets the Kālī Gaṇḍakī at Rahughat.