Documenta Nepalica

Documents on the History of Religion and Law of Pre-modern Nepal

Version with DOI and citation guidelines

A purjī from Deva Śamśera Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā to the Guṭhī Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā re the emancipation of seven slaves (VS 1955)

ID: K_0614_0021

Edited and translated by Manik Bajracharya in collaboration with Pabitra Bajracharya
Created: 2018--09-27; Last modified: 2019-04-01
For the metadata of the document, click here

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

Abstract

This document, issued by Deva Śamśera, settles accounting matters relating to the emancipation of seven slaves belonging to Jyedu Kumāra Paṇḍita, who had intended to auction them off over money due to the Guṭhī Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā.

Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1श्री\

1श्री३सर्कार
2१

1श्रीआर्य्या
2२

181

1स्वस्तिश्रीमद्राजकुमारकुमारात्मजश्रीकम्यांदरईणचीफ्‌जनरलदेवसमसेरजङ्गरा
2णावहादुरकस्य∙थापाथली¯ ¯१¯तर्फगुठीवक्यौतातहसील∙अदाकाहाकीम्‌का
3रीन्दाकेपुर्जीऊप्रान्त¯ ¯२¯घाटपारीसतीमुदादाहागर्न्यादाऊरागुठीमादरीयाको
4कागतिगाऊ स्मेत्३गाऊको५२।५३साल्माठेकईजारालीन्यासोहीठाऊकोवलभ
5द्रषत्रीछेत्रीकोमधनज्मानीभयाकोहुनालेनीजलेवुझाऊनुनसक्दामोहरू८१२
6रूपैञा⟪वाकी⟫⟪रा⟫षीदीदासोरूपैञादाषीलगर्नसक्याकोनहुनालेगुठीवक्यौतातहसी
7ल्‌अदावाट∙हव़ालालाग्याकोछसोवाकीऊपरगर्नपेराघरैयातपसीलवमोजी
8म्का∙कमाराकमारीलीलामवीक्रीगरिनगदपारीपठाईदीनुभंन्यापश्चीम्१लम्व
9रवक्यौतातहसील∙अदाकानाऊमासनदगरीवक्सेमअनाथव्राह्मणपनीदु
10षछुट्नेछ∙प्रभुजोमर्जीहुकुम्भनीलेफ्‌टेन्‌ज्येदुकुमारपण्दितलेहाम्राहजुर
11मावीन्तीपार्दाजाहेरभैऐनवमोजीम्‌∙ठेक्‌दार∙कोजाय़जात्‌वाटनपुगीधनजमानीनीज
12लेफ्‌टेन्‌कोजाय़जात्‌∙वाटपुग्नेभयातापनीधनजमानीकोकमारा∙कमारीहरूलाईते
13सअदामार्फट∙झीकाईहामीवाट∙नजरगरीवक्सीनीजतपसीलवमोजीम्‌काकमाराकमारी
14ज्यु७कोअघीज्यूमासीय़ाकाजातका∙१६लंम्वर∙काऐनवमोजीम्∙कोमोल∙मोहरू४
15५२॥धनजमानीलेफ्‌टेन्‌∙ज्येदुकुमार∙लाईठेक्‌वाकीमध्येमीन्हादीवाकीरूपैयातरता
16कीतीगरीलीनुनीजकमाराकमारीहरूलाईहामीवाटअमलेषकोदसषतगरीवक्स्याकोहु
17नालेनीजठेक्∙दार∙वलभद्र∙क्षत्रीछेत्रीसगकावाकीठेक्∙रूपैञा∙मध्येसोकमाराकमारी
18ज्यु७कोमोल∙मोहरू४५२||ढपोट्‌मा∙मीन्हालेषनुवहीवुझदा∙मोजराहोला¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
19तपसील

[table1]

1	वर्ष४५कोहर्षेक∙मोरा१केमोहरू¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	४५
2	वर्ष४२कोजमुनीकमारी१केऐरू¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	६०
3	वर्ष२१कोस्यतीकमारी१केऐ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	१२०
4	वर्ष१७कोकासीकमारी१केऐ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	१२०
5	वर्ष२कोस्येतीकोछोरीवुधलक्ष्मीकमारी१केऐ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	२५
6	वर्ष१२कोकालेकमारो१केऐ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	४१।
7	वर्ष८कोस्येत्येकमारो१केऐ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	४१।

20¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
21ईतीसम्वत्१९५५सालमीतीप्रआश्वीणशुदी रोज शुभ्म्¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Translation

[1r]

Śrī

Śrī 3 Sarkāra - 1

Śrī Āryā[ghāṭa]1 - 2

812

Hail! A purjī of the venerable Commander-in-Chief General Deva Śamśera Jaṅga Rāṇā Bahādura, a venerable prince born of a prince, to the chief and clerk(s) of the Guṭhī Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā of Thāpāthalī, [which operates] under [Śrī 3 Sarkāra]3 .

Uprānta: [The following] became known [to us] when Lieutenant Jyedu Kumāra Paṇḍita made petition to us, stating: "I am standing surety (dhana jamānī) for Balabhadra Khatrī Chetrī [of Kāgati Gāũ] who obtained a contract to collect revenue (ṭheka ijārā) for the years [VS 19]52/53 from the 3 villages including Kāgati Gāũ that are registered under the Dāurā Guṭhī4 which cremates of the bodies of satīs [at the place] located opposite of [Āryaghāṭa]5 , but he could not pay [the revenue] in full, leaving 812 mohararupaiyās outstanding, and since he has been unable to pay the money, I am obliged (havālā) by the Guṭhī Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā to do so. In order to come up with the amount due—if [Your Majesty] could issue a sanada in the name of the Bakyautā Tahasīla Aḍḍā of West number 1 to auction the slave men and women of my house listed below, turning them into cash and sending on (the amount due), then the suffering of this helpless Brahmin would go away. My Lord, your wish is my command."

Even though [the money that could be raised] from the property of the aforementioned bondsman lieutenant would suffice, [the amount obtained] from the property of the contractor in accordance with the Ain being insufficient, nevertheless after examining the bondsman's slaves when the aforementioned office6 produced them [in front of us], [we issue here an order that] the total price of the listed 7 slaves—452 mohararupaiyās 2 sukās according to [Section] 16 of the [article on] Enslaved Castes (jyū māsiyākā jātakā) in the Ain—should be cancelled for the bondsman Lieutenant Jyedu Kumāra from the amount due on the contractual payment (ṭheka). Take the remaining balance, having urged him (to accept this solution). Since we have signed the emancipation of the aforementioned slaves7 , the price of the 7 slaves, 452 mohararupaiyās 2 sukās, should be noted in the ledger (ḍhapoṭa) as an exemption from the contractual payment to be received from the aforementioned contractor Balabhadra Khatrī Chetrī. [The exempted amount] will be deducted at the time of the [annual] submission of accounts (bāhi bujhdā).

Particulars

[table]

	For 1 male slave, Harṣe, aged 45	45 mohararupaiyās
	For 1 female slave, Jamunī, aged 42	60 mohararupaiyās
	For 1 female slave, Syatī, aged 21	120 mohararupaiyās
	For 1 female slave, Kāsī, aged 17	120 mohararupaiyās
	For 1 female slave, Budha Lakṣmī, the daughter of Syetī 8 , aged 2	25 mohararupaiyās
	For 1 male slave, Kāle, aged 12	41 mohararupaiyās 1 sukā
	For 1 male slave, Syetye, aged 8	41 mohararupaiyās 1 sukā

1st of the bright fortnight of Āśvina in the [Vikrama] era year 1955 (1898 CE). Auspiciousness.

Commentary

This purjī document is an order issued by Deva Śamśera to the guṭhī revenue department to endorse the emancipation of seven slaves belonging to Jyedu Kumāra Paṇḍita. As the document states, Jyedu Kumāra intended to hand those slaves over to fulfil part of the compensation he was obliged to pay to the department. Instead, Deva Śamśera freed the slaves and deducted their value from the amount owed by Jyedu Kumāra.

Deva Śamśera issued this document as the commander-in-chief. He ruled as the prime minister of Nepal for 114 days from 5 March to 27 June 1901. Prior to that, he had served under Prime Minister Bīra Śamśera for thirteen years as commanding general, senior commanding general and commander-in-chief (R. Shaha 1990: 29-30). Historians have described him as a liberal and progressive ruler (Ḍaṅgola et al. VS 2014: 119, R. Shaha 1990: 29-30, Whelpton 2005: 62). He made some attempt to abolish slavery in Nepal in the short period of his prime ministership, emancipating a total of 767 slaves alone during his enthronement ceremony. The slaves emancipated during the ceremony are listed in Ḍaṅgola et al. VS 2014: 115-20. Afterwards the prime minister attempted to emancipate all female slaves in Kaski and Lamjung, districts over which he had direct authority. Perceval Landon (Landon 1928/II: 81) mentions that he planned to emancipate slaves in Kathmandu as well. Given the opposition of slave owners, however, he did not succeed in either of these undertakings. He did manage, though, to issue an order on the 10th day of the dark fortnight of Āṣāḍha in VS 19589 banning the buying, selling, pledging as security and donating slaves (C. Nepālī VS 2021: 16-17).

The document mentions a certain Section 16 of the Ain for determining the price of slaves. It is not clear which edition of the Ain this refers to. In the Ain of 1854, the prices of slaves are found in Section 4 of Article 82, which is entitled Jyū Māsnyā Becanyā (see Fezas 2000/I: 409-10 and MA-KM 1854/82 §4). The prices remained unchanged in the amended Ain of 1870 (see MA 1870: 224).

For the actual emancipatory declaration issued to the slaves mentioned in this document, see K_0614_0023.

Notes

1. Āryaghāṭa, a cremation site at Pashupati in Kathmandu. [⇑]

2. This number represents a running count of documents recorded in the ledger. [⇑]

3. Inserted from the space numbered 1 above. [⇑]

4. Lit. Firewood Guṭhī, the guṭhī responsible for [supplying] firewood [for funeral pyres] and cremating. [⇑]

5. Inserted from the space numbered 2 above. [⇑]

6. I.e., the Guṭhī Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā [⇑]

7. The document in which Deva Śamśera declares the emancipation of the seven slaves was microfilmed on K_0614_0023. [⇑]

8. This probably is the same Syatī above in this list. [⇑]

9. This corresponds to 12 June 1901 (generated from M. Yano and M. Fushimi's http://www.cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp/~yanom/pancanga/, accessed on 2018.11.13). [⇑]

Word	Notes
ain	var. āin, aina; n. 1) laws, statutes, rules, regulations enacted by authority 2) law-code of Nepal, first promulgated in 1854 during the rule of Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā and amended several times before it was completely revised in VS 2022. The revised law-code was renamed as Mulukī Ain.
Bakyautā Tahasila Aḍḍā	n. offices established to collect revenue on taxable lands. Prior to their establishment in 1860s, collection of such revenue was done traditionally by village headmen and other non-official functionaries (cf. Regmi RRS 11 (2): 18-19).
mohararupaiyā̃	var. mohararupaiyām, mohararūpaiyā, moharaṭaṃkā (New.); often abbreviated as moru, morū, moharu, moharū, moharru, mohorru; n. monetary unit based on and equivalent to two eight-anna silver coins (moharas); in calculations usually broken down into four sukās, 16 ānās or 64 paisās (cf. Pant and Pierce 1989: 93) or 256 dāmas; the exchange ratio with paisās was calculated differently at different times and in different parts of the kingdom, depending on the relative values of silver and copper, ranging between 52 and 80 paisās (Regmi 1982: 73). In documents sums are represented in four numerical fractions, with the rupaiyā represented by numbers; the sukās by one to three daṇḍas or the avagraha sign representing zero; the ānās by one to three diagonal dashes, sometimes as a loop with two or three jags; the paisās again by daṇḍas or numbers; the dāmas by numbers or horizontal dashes.
purjī	[fr. P. purja] var. purji, pūrjī; n. 1) slip of paper, note. 2) formal letter written by a government institution or an official to another institution or to a person.
sanada	var. sanad; n. a regulation, order, decree or certificate of appointment, esp. from the prime minister (prāimaminisṭara yaṇḍa kamyāṇḍara ina cipha) or the commander-in-chief general (kamyāṇḍara ina cipha janarala); "government orders" (Karmacharya 2001: 327).
satī	n. 1.) widow, concubine or female slave who follows her deceased husband or master into death by immolating herself either on her husband's or master's fire, or on a separate funeral pyre. 2.) the ritual of self-immolation.
śrī	[S.] n. word of blessing, can be used as apprecatio, in which case it means 'good fortune' (Pant and Pierce 1989: 12), can be used as a prefix to names of persons and gods, in which case it means 'venerable' or 'glorious' respectively. The number of śrīs used varies, depending on context.
śrī 3 sarkāra	lit. "three-times venerable ruler"; title used by the Rāṇā prime ministers (cp. Whelpton 2005: 266).
sukā	n. monetary unit worth one fourth of a rupee, i.e. half of a silver mohara, and comprising four ānās; in documents the second of the four usual monetary fractions of the system based on the rupee, usually represented by either the avagraha-shaped sign for zero or one to three daṇḍas.
uprānta	var. uprāṃta, ūprāṃnta, ūprā̃nta, prāṃta; also yathocita uprānta; conj. after that, besides, in addition to, hereafter. In earlier prose and official documents, this word marked the beginning of a text or paragraph. It has no equivalent in English (Clark 1989: 231). In some (mostly Rāṇā period?) documents, it takes the form of yathocita uprānta.