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

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A bakapatra supplied by Jhumāra Juṃ Upādhyā re Mahanta Chatranātha's abbatial succession in Rānagāũ (VS 1964)

ID: K_0469_0041

Edited and translated by Christof Zotter
Created: 2018-06-26; Last modified: 2019-01-04
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, 2019. 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

In this statement, made in front of Lieutenant Colonel Vīra Bahādūra Basynāt Chetrī of the Salyan district office (gauḍā), Mukhiyā Jhumāra Juṃ Upādhyā answers questions regarding the abbotship of Mahanta Chetranātha in Rānagāũ, Salyan.

Diplomatic edition

[1r-part1]

⟪42⟫

[seal]

1दःले•कःवीर[...]
2दूरवस्न्यात्‌क्ष[...]

1जील्लैसल्ल्याना•मौजेरानागाऊकामहतछत्रनाथपरलो
2कभय़ाकाहुनाले•महंत्याञीमामेरोहकहोभंन्यालोकना•
3थकावीन्तीपत्रमालेषीय़ाकासाछीमुषीय़ाझुमारजुंअचार्ज•
4उपाध्याये़लेसल्ल्यानागौडाका•ले•कर्णैलवीरवाहादुर•
5वस्न्यातछेत्रीकासामुनेमाधर्मसमझीवकेकोवकपत्र¯¯¯
6¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

[table1-part1]

1	सव़ालमामुली•¯¯¯¯¯¯¯१	जवाफ्‌मेरानाऊझुमारजुंउपाध्यावावुकोनाऊ नंदीकेसरउपाध्याजातऊपाध्याव्राह्मणघरसल्ल्यां वडाषोलामाछपेसाषेतीपातीगर्छु•उमेरवर्ष• ३३कोभञा•नीजहरुसंगलेंदेनझैझकडाकेही छैन•¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
2	सव़ाल•रानगाऊकामहंत•छत्रनाथ• लाइचीनेकाछौ•कीहालकाहाछं¯¯¯¯१	जवाफ्‌चीनेकोछुजीवितछैनंप्रलोकभय़ा¯¯¯¯
3	सव़ाल•नीजछेत्रनाथकैलेप्रलोक भय़ा¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯	जवाफ्‌ये़ही६४सालजेष्टमैन्हामाआफ्नाका लगतीलेप्रलोकभय़ा¯¯¯¯¯
4	सव़ाल•नीजप्रलोकहुनेमहंतछे त्रनाथकाचेला•छंछैनन्‌भय़ाकोहो•	जवाफ्‌•नीजमहंतछेत्रनाथकाचेलालोक नाथ•छं¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
5	सव़ाल•नीजलोकनाथकतीवर्षऊ मेरकाछंकैलेकेवेहोरासंग•चेलोभय़ा काहुं¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	जवाफ्‌नीजलोकनाथवर्ष१२काभय़ा• नीजमहंतछेत्रनाथले•नीजलोकनाथलाई ५।६वर्षभय़ो•दाङचौघेरारतंनाथका• अस्थानमा•त्यागचुकाईचेलोगराय़ाका हुं¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
6	सव़ाल•नीजछेत्रनाथले•अरुलाई चेलोतुल्य़ाकाछंकी•भय़ासोमहं त्याञीकोहक•कस्कोहो•¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	जवाफ्‌•नीजछेत्रनाथकाचेलाअरुछैनं नीजलोकनाथमात्रनीजकाचेलाहुंनीज• छेत्रनाथले•चेलोपनीनीजलोकनाथलाई मात्रतुल्य़ाकारनीजछेत्रनाथ सोर्गेहुनेवषत्‌मा•य़ोमठ्‌गद्दीतेरोभयो भनीपाषुरासमाईपीठीय़ामाधाप दीअषतीय़ारीदीय़ाकाहुनालेसोमहं त्याञीकोहक•नीजलोकनाथकोहो
7	सव़ाल•महंत्याञीगद्दीवस्तासावी कदरसावीकमाकेगरीआय़ाकोहो• कतीरीतपुर्‍याईगद्दीवस्नुप्रर्छ	जवाफ्‌सावीकमहंतछेत्रनाथस्वर्गेग दीवस्ता•नीजछेत्रनाथकागुरुमहंतही रानाथस्वर्गेभय़ापछी•सल्ल्यानागौडा काकर्णेलरनवीक्रमवाहादुरराणजी• लेपलटंकासीपाहीपट्टीरबाजागा• जास्मेत्‌लीनीजकर्नैलरानागाऊमठमा आफैगै•महंतछेत्रनाथलाईगद्दीमा वसाईसकारमाजाहेरगर्‍याकाहुंअरुरी तपुर्‍याउनेकुराथाहाछैन¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

[1r-part2]

[table1-part2]

1	सव़ाल•महंतछेत्रनाथप्रलोक हुन्यावषत्‌मासोमठकोकामती मीलेगर्नु•भनीनीजछेत्रनाथले मलाईअषतीय़ारीदीय़ाको छभनीदेवीनाथजीलेउजुर• गरेकाछसोकुराहोकी¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯	जवाफ्‌महंतछत्रनाथप्रलोकहुन्याव षत्‌मानीजदेवीनाथलाईअषतीय़ारी दीय़ाकोहोहोइनमलाईथाहाछैन
	सव़ाल•सोमहंतछेत्रनाथकाम ठ्‌कोआमदानीलगतकतीछ	जव़ाफ्‌मलाईथाहाछैन ¯¯¯¯¯¯
	सव़ाल•य़ोमाथीलेषाय़ाकोसवै कुरादुरुस्तसाँचोहोकी¯¯¯¯¯¯	जवाफ्‌य़ोमाथीलेषीय़ाकोसवैदुरु स्तसाचोहोझुट्टाठहरेऐनवमोजीमवु झाऊला

7झुमारजुंअचार्जउपाध्या¯¯¯ \
8इतीसम्वत१९६४साल्‌श्रावणगते११रोज५शुभ्म्‌¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

1स्हीझुमारजुंअ
2चार्जउपाध्या
3घरवडाषो
4ला¯¯

1दःले•
2कः
3सही

Translation

[1r-part1]

421

[seal]

[signature of] Da.2 L[ieutenant] C[olonel] Vīra [Bahā]dūra Basynāt Kṣa[trī] - - -

Testimony (bakapatra) given, keeping the dharma in mind, in front of L[ieutenant] Colonel Vīra Bahādura Basynāta Chetrī of the Salyan district office (gauḍā) by Mukhiyā Jhumāra Juṃ Acārja Upādhyāye, a witness mentioned (lekhīyāko) in the petition (bintīpatra) from Lokanātha which states "inasmuch as Chetranātha,3 the abbot (mahanta) of Rānāgāũmaujā, Salyan district (jillā), has passed away, the right to the abbotship is [now] mine."4

[table]

	Question: general [introduction]	Answer: My name [is] Jhumāra Juṃ Upādhyā; [my] father's name [is] Naṃdīkesara Upādhyā. Caste (jāta): Upādhyā Brahman. [My] home is in Baḍākholā, Salyan. Profession: I do farming. Age: 33 years old. I have had no business dealings5 [or] any dispute with the said persons.6
	Question: You know Mahanta Chetranātha of Rānāgāũ, or not? Where is he now?	Answer: I know [him]. [He] is not alive [anymore]. [He] passed away.
	Question: When did the said Chetranātha pass away?	Answer: He died a natural death (āphnā kālagatīle) in the month of Jyeṣṭha of this year, [VS 19]64.
	Question: Is there a disciple of the said late Mahanta Chetranātha, or not—[someone who] became one?	Answer: There is a disciple of the said Mahanta Chetranātha: Lokanātha.
	Question: How old is the said Lokanātha? When and in what manner did [he] become a disciple?	Answer: The said Lokanātha is 12 years old. The said Mahanta Chetranātha made the said Lokanātha [his] disciple 5 or 6 years ago at Ratannātha's site in Dang Caugherā, 7 after [the latter] had conclusively left [his parents].8
	Question: Did the said Chetranātha make others his disciples, or not? If so, who has the right to the abbotship?	Answer: There are no other disciples of the said Chetranātha. The said Lokanātha is the only disciple of the said [mahanta]. The said Chetranātha, too,9 made only the said Lokanātha disciple, and the said Mahanta Chetranātha, when he was about to die, said: "The throne of this maṭha is yours", seized the [disciple's] upper arm, slapped [him] on the back [and] assigned [to him] authority; the right of abbotship is the said Lokanātha's.
	Question: What is traditionally done in the customary practice once [the selectee is set to] occupy the abbotship [and] the throne? How many rituals have to be completed in order to occupy the throne?	Answer: As customary, once Mahanta Chetranātha [was set to] occupy the throne, after his guru Mahanta Hīrānātha died, Colonel Ranavīkrama Bāhādura Rāṇā-jī of the Salyan district office took a group (paṭṭī) of soldiers of the battalion (palṭana) [who came] singing and playing instruments (bājāgājā), [and] the said Colonel himself went to the Rānāgāũ maṭha, installed Mahanta Chetranātha on the throne [and] informed the government. I do not know of other rituals to be completed.

[1r-part2]

[table]

	Question: Devīnāthajī has submitted a complaint, saying "When Mahanta Chetranātha was passing away, the said Chetranātha gave me the authority, saying, 'You do the work of [overseeing] the maṭha'." Is it so, or not?	Answer: I do not know whether or not Mahanta Chetranātha gave the authority to the said Devīnātha when he was passing away.
	Question: How much was the said Mahanta Chetranātha's assessment of the maṭha's revenue?	Answer: I do not know.
	Question: Is all that is dictated above the exact truth?	Answer: All that is written above is the exact truth. If a lie is proven, I will pay the price according to the law.

Jhumāra Juṃ Acārja Upādhyā - - -

signature Jhumāra Juṃ Acārja Upādhyā, home [village]: Baḍākholā

signature Da.10 L[ieutenant] C[olonel]

Thursday, the 11th solar day (gate) of Śrāvaṇa in the [Vikrama] era year 1964 (1907 CE).11 Auspiciousness.12

Commentary

For more information about the background to such witness statements and related documents, see the Commentaries to K_0469_0033 and K_0469_0038.

Notes

1. This archival notation indicates the card number (of bundle 15 of the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā records). [⇑]

2. The meaning of this abbreviation remains unclear. Perhaps it stands for darabāriyā or darabārī, that is, a courtier. [⇑]

3. The name, here written Chatranātha, occurs in the document more often as Chetranātha. Therefore the latter spelling is used in the translation. [⇑]

4. For this bintīpatra, see K_0469_0033. [⇑]

5. Text has leṃdena for lenadena, lit."giving [and] taking". [⇑]

6. The phrase nījaharusaṃga, “with the said persons” or “with my own people”, is unclear as to the referents. It is also found in other documents (cf. K_0469_0040 and K_0469_0042) and probably refers to individuals mentioned in the introductory passage of the document, in this case the previous and current abbots. The purpose of the statement would be to establish that the interviewee was not prejudiced for financial reasons in their favour against the rival claimant to the abbotship. It is possible, though, that the latter’s name was also mentioned in an oral introduction to the proceedings in order to rule out bias in his favour as well. K_0469_0038 has nijamahaṃtaharūsaṃga, “with the said mahantas”. [⇑]

7. Other witnesses report that Chetranātha was residing as pīra of the monastery in Dang Caugherā at that time (see K_0469_0038, K_0469_0039, K_0469_0040; for further details, see note 9 in K_0469_0038). [⇑]

8. While the present document only has tyāga cukāī, other witnesses more specifically say: bābu āmābaṭā tyāga cukāī (see K_0469_0038, K_0469_0039, K_0469_0040, K_0469_0044). [⇑]

9. I read celo panī as panī celo. [⇑]

10. Cf. note 2. [⇑]

11. The day and weekday do not correspond. Either the document was written as most of the other bakapatras on the 10th gate, that is Thursday, the 25th of July 1907, or is was written on the 11th gate and the weekday was a Friday. [⇑]

12. The word śubham is written in an ornamental fashion. [⇑]

Glossary

Word	Notes
bakapatra	[baka+patra] var. vakapatra; n. testimony, witness statement.
bintīpatra	[fr. S.] var. bintipatra, biṃtipatra, bīntīpatram; n. formal letter written to an authority; more specifically, a petition or request letter. Cf. bintī.
gaũḍā / gauḍā	var. gaurā; n. 1) a fortification, fortress (see Parājulī et al. 2052: s.v. gaũḍā and gauḍā); 2) certain districts were known as gauḍā, according to Adhikari (describing the situation after 1850): Doti, Salyan, and Palpa in the West and Dhankuta in the east (Adhikari 1979: 16); 3) a district office for maintaining law and order (cf. Karmacharya 2001: 91) established in the districts known as gauḍā. According to Adhikari this judicial offices were placed under responsible military officials—at first under kājīs or sardāras, and later on, under generals (janarala) and colonels (karṇela). In the Ain the chief officer of a gauḍā is referred to as hākima or mālika. Gauḍās decided original cases and served as appellate courts. They had jurisdiction regarding pañcakhata cases but could order a death sentence only after receiving a lālamohara from the kausala (Adhikari 1979: 16). The other levels of courts in the disctricts besides gauḍās or gaũḍā adālatas (cf. Adhikari 1984: 310) were: adālata (sometimes also called aḍḍās) and amāla (Adhikari 1979: 14). According to Kumar there were three "first courts of appeal" known as gauḍās covering twelve lower courts after the reorganisiation of the country's judiciary by Vīra Śamśera Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā in 1887: I. Palpa gauḍā (covering 1. Salyan, 2. Piuthan, 3. Pokhara, 4. Doti, 6. Bhagwanpur, 6. Taulihawa), II. Doti gauḍā (covering 7. Jumla, 8. Dailekh, 9. Banke, 10. Kanchanpur), III. Dhankuta gauḍā (covering 11. Morang, 12. Saptari) (Kumar 1967: 129f.).
Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā	var. Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍā, Guṭhi Bandobasta Aḍā; n. "Guthi Administration Office", office responsible for the management of guṭhīs; established under Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā in 1852-1853 as replacement of the former Guṭhī Kacaharī. Its foundation marks the change from the guṭhīyāri system of the guṭhī management to the contractor based system; remained the central office to coordinate all offices subsequently established for handling different aspects of guṭhī management, including the Guṭhī Kharca Aḍḍā and others. Separate Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍās managed the śrī 5 sarkāra guṭhīs and the śrī 3 sarkāra guṭhīs (cf. M.C. Regmi 1978: 713-715).
jāta	[S.] n. lit. "species"; a caste or ethnic group, see also jāti.
jillā	var. jillai, jīllā; n. a major administrative district.
mahanta	[S.] var. mahaṃta; n. the temporal and spiritual head of a centre (āśrama, maṭha, sthāna, akhāḍā) or wandering group (khālsā) of an ascetic order (cf. Burghart 1976: 100); an abbot.
maujā	[fr. A. mauja] var. mauje, maujye; n. 1) unit of land revenue administration in the Tarai (cf. Krauskopff and Deuel Meyer 2000: 184). 2) revenue subdivision constituted by a group of villages in some hill districts and the Kathmandu Valley (cf. Michael 2012: 132).
mukhiyā	var. mukhīyā, muṣiyā, muṣīyā; n. a designation for an administrative post used at the local, district and central level. At the local level mukhiyās functioned as village headmen and revenue functionaries (Pant and Pierce 1989: 93; M.R. Pant 2002: 134; cf. M.C. Regmi 1988: 269). District headmen were also called mukhiyās. In the central administration, mukhiyās were writers who kept accounts or supervised officials of lower ranks (Edwards 1975: 107 ; cf. M.C. Regmi 1978: 228 ; M.C. Regmi 1978: 862 ; Kumar 1967: 16).
palṭana	[fr. Eng. platoon] var. palṭan; n. regiment, battalion (Turner 1931: s.v. palṭan); army unit, according to Adhikari (1984: 158) smaller than a kampu. According to Hamal (1995: 32), in the early 19th century those companies stationed in the Kathmandu Valley and under the command of the general were called kampu, while those outside palṭana. Commonly, however, both were known as palṭanas.
paṭṭī	[fr. S. patti] n. a squad headed by a subedāra in the Nepalese Army.
pīra	[P.] n. 1) a venerable old man, a spiritual guide. 2) a Muslim saint. 3) (esp. in the Nātha tradition) used as title for the head of important maṭha (Bouillier 2017: 60 and passim).