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A letter from Phatye Śamśera to the chief and clerks of the Bakyautā Aḍḍā of West Number 3 re the construction of a water-mill in Muktinātha (VS 1950)

ID: K_0097_0052

Edited and translated by Ramhari Timalsina in collaboration with Pabitra Bajracharya
Created: 2021-08-09; Last modified: 2023-08-29
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Published by Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities: Documents on the History of Religion and Law of Pre-modern Nepal, Heidelberg, Germany, 2023. 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 is a letter from Commanding General Phatye Śamśera to the chief and clerks of the Bakyautā Aḍḍā of West Number 3 in response to a petition submitted by Kubera Sīṃ Thakālī to allow construction of a water-mill in the area.

Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1श्री\

1श्रीमुक्तीनाथ
2 १

1श्रीदामोदरकुण्ड
2 २

1श्रीकम्यांडरईनचीफधन
2रत्नसाहेव ३

[1r]

[Unknown seal]

1स्वस्तिश्रीमद्राजकुमारकुमारात्मजश्रीदक्षीणतफकाकम्याडिङ्‌जनरलफत्यसम्सेरज
2ङ्गराणावाहादुरकस्यपत्रम्‌¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
3आगेपश्चीम्‌३लम्वरवक्यौताअडाकाहाकींम्‌कारीन्दाकेयथोचीतउप्रात¯ ¯१¯¯ ¯२¯ का
4तीर्थमाआउनेसंतमहंतजोगीजङ्गमवैरागीकानफट्टासन्यासीतीर्थवासीआउनेजा
5नेहरुलाईगुलामकावावाकापालादेषीसदावर्तदीआयाकोथीयोहालपनीगुलामले
6वरावरदींदैछुसोगुलामलेसदावर्तदीनेठाउ¯ ¯१¯देषीडेरकोसपर्न्येझुंसम्वाभंन्याज
7गामाहोभोट्‌कोजगाहुदारनीजतीर्थवासीसंतमंहतहरुलाईसदावर्तचावलदी
8दावडोपाक्‌पुग्दैनभनीलीदैनगहुवाफापरकोपीठोदेउभनीकरलगाउछसोपि
9ठोसतुदीयाषुसीपनीहुन्छपीठोपीन्नलाईतेसझुंसम्वाजगामाघट्टयेकपनीछैनता
10हादेषी३कोसकोजगाथाकसातसैकाजगामाआईपींनुपर्छवडोमुस्‌केलहुदाजाहे
11रगर्‍याकोछुप्रभुकसैकोसन्दीसर्पनतागादैल्होधारापानीपौव़ाकुलोअवादकेहीपर्दै
12नपट्‌वाको¯ ¯१¯देषीडेरकोसपर्न्येझुंसम्वाभनेछसोजगामाघट्ट१वनाउनुभंन्यासन
13दगरिवक्सेतेसठाउकोरैतीपनीषुसीराजीछंसोघट्टमापीठोपीनीआउनेसंतमहंत
14फकीडहरुलाईसदावर्तदीसर्कारकोजयेमनाईवस्दाहुप्रभोजोहुकुम्‌मर्जीदिन्यावेहो
15राकोझुंसम्वावस्न्याकुवेरसींथकालीकोव़ारीसपुर्णमानलेचढायाका२९२८लम्वर
16कावींतीपत्रमायस्मायोवींतीपत्रकोवेहोरावुझिजाहेरगरीजवाफ्‌वक्स्यावमोजींग[?]
17भनिसदरदफदरषानामापठाईदिनुभंन्या¯ ¯३¯साहेववाटमर्जिभयाकोछभ
18निप्रमांगीकपतानदानवाहादुरषतृछेत्रीलेयसअडामासहिछापगरेकोछअैन[?]
19व़ालकोरीतपुर्‍याईप्रमांगीवमोजीमगर्नुभनीअदालतगोस्वारावाटलेषीछापल
20गाईप्रमांगीपुर्जिनथीगरीपठायाकोमामोफसलवुझनुपर्नेमुदाहुनालेसदरदफ
21दरषानादोश्राअडाका२१लम्वरकासव़ालवमोजीम्‌योवींतीपत्रस्मेतयसैमा[?]
22मीपठायायाकोछसोइनलेघट्टवनाउछुभनेकोजगाकसैकामाफीरषानगीको
23रसन्धीसर्पन्‌पर्नेरतागोदैलोकरासोगौचरपानीघाटसर्कारवाटवन्धगराई[?]
24कोजगारहेछकीसुद्धरैकरपट्टवाझोरहेछसोघट्टलाईकुलोकाटील्याउदाकसैकावी[?]
25गुठीषानगीकोजगारघट्टविग्रन्छविग्रन्दैनइनलेसरकारमातिरोभरोगर्ने
26गरीघट्टवनाउछुभंन्छंनभंन्छंकीतिरोभरोनगरनेगरीगुठिलाईघट्टवनाउछुभंन्छं
27ताहाकासाधसधीयारजिम्मावालमुषियाभलादमीजानीफ्‌कारसनदकाग[?]
28पत्रजोजोझिकनुवुझ्‌नुपर्नेझिकीवुझिजजस्कोकागजगराउनुपर्छगराईइन[?]
29घट्टवनाउनुपाउछपाउदैनअैनसव़ालवमोजिम्‌तिमिहरुलेस्मेतठहराईर[?]‌
30जाहेरगरीपठाउनुभंन्यापश्चीम३लंम्वरवक्यौताकानाउमादस्कतगरीवक्स
31नुपर्लाभनीसदरदफदरषानादोश्राअडाकाहाकीम्‌कारीन्दालेहाम्राहजुरमा[?]
32तीपार्दाजाहेरभयोतसथसोवमोजिम्‌गरीपठाउनेकामगरइतिसम्वत्‌१९
33५०सालमीतीआसाढवदी९रोज१शुभ्म्‌¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯

Translation

[1r]

Śrī

Śrī Muktinātha 1

Śrī Dāmodara Kuṇḍa 2

Commander-in-Chief Dhana Ratna Sāheba 3

[Unknown seal]

Hail! A letter from Southern Commanding General Phatye Śamśera Jaṅga Bahādura Rāṇā, a venerable prince born of a prince

To the Chief and clerks of the Bakyautā Aḍḍā of West Nnumber 3.

Yathocita uprānta: “A tradition of distributing sadāvarta to the santas and mahantas, jogīs (i.e. ascetics of the Nātha tradition), jaṅgamas (i.e. ascetics of the Vīraśaiva tradition), vairāgīs (i.e. Vaiṣṇava ascetics), kānaphaṭṭā sannyāsīs and pilgrims who visit -1- and -2- (i.e. Muktinātha and Dāmodara Kuṇḍa) has been running since [your] servant’s (i.e. my) father's time. These days I, your servant, am constantly distributing it. The place where your servant distributes sadāvarta is called Jhuṃsambā, which lies one and a half kosas from the -1- (i.e. the Muktinātha temple). The pilgrims, santas and mahantas themselves do not accept husked rice when it is given to them, arguing that since this area lies in Bhoṭa1 , rice cannot be cooked well there. They demand wheat or buckwheat flour, and are happy when I provide flour or powdered fried grains to them. There is not a single water-mill in the Jhuṃsambā area where one can grind flour. Thākasā, where one has to go for grinding, lies at a distance of three kosas from there. I have faced many difficulties, and can tell of them. My lord, [the proposed water-mill] would not occupy any property boundaries, [household] entrances and exits (tāgādaihlo = tāgo dailo?), watering places, pilgrim shelters, water channels or fields. There is the [above-mentioned] place called Jhuṃsambā, which lies at a distance of one and a half kosas from the Muktinatha [temple] in Paṭvā [village]. All the people of this place would be happy if you would kindly issue a decree giving permission to construct a water-mill in this area. I would stay [here] and distribute sadāvarta to the itinerant santas, mahantas and ascetics in general (phakīḍa), and would celebrate Sarkāra’s victories.”

My lord, as for details relating to a marjī: Captain Dānabahādura Khatrī Chetrī signed in this office a pramāṅgī wherein he states that a marjī has come from -3- (i. e. Commander-in-Chief Dhanaratna) Sāheba instructing that the document [containing] petition no. 2928, submitted by Purṇamāna (a representative of Kubera Siṃ Thakālī, a resident of Jhuṃsambā) and asking for the [above] permission be forwarded to the Sadara Daphadarakhānā for it to look into the details of the petition and to follow whatever orders come [from him afterwards]. Even though the instructions that were issued from the Adālata Gosvārā—tacked together with the pramāṅgī and [its own] purji instructing that action be taken in accordance with the Ain and the savālas and with the pramāṅgī—were sent out sealed and under cover, there is litigation requiring that the matter be looked into locally, so that this petition has been sent to this [office] in accordance with savāla no. 21 of the Second Office of the Sadara Daphadarakhānā.

“[What] will his (i.e. Kubera Siṃ Thakālī’s) construction of a water-mill mean: Will the land [it is on] be or not be freehold land (maphī), land provided in recognition of government service (khānagī), land around houses, pastureland, [at] a ghat or land whose use is restricted by the government, pure raikara land, or wholly uncultivated land? When a water channel is made for the water-mill, will it lead through someone's land grant (birtā), guṭhī- land, [or] khānagī? Will it disturb any existing water-mills or not? Does he say that he will construct a water-mill so as to pay land taxes or not? Does he say that he will convert guṭhī [land] into [land for] the water-mill? Consult people whose land borders [on the area], jimmāvālas, mukhiyās, bhalādamīs and persons who have expertise with this issue; acquire whatever sanadas or other documentation are needed from those who need to provide such documentation for the investigation, prepare written documents together with the signatures of those whose signatures are necessary, determine, following the Ain and savālas, whether he should be allowed to construct a water-mill there or not, draw up a report and send it.”

The chief and clerks of the Sadara Daphadarakhānā requested us to send [the above instructions] under our signature to the Bakyautā [Office] of West no. 3. Therefore, act accordingly and send us [the report].

Sunday, the 9th of the dark fortnight of Āṣāḍha in the [Vikrama] era year [19]50 (1893 CE). Auspiciousness.

Notes

1. Ramble 1997: 391 states: states: "'Bhot' … derives from the Tibetan word 'Bod', meaning Tibet, via the late Sanskrit 'Bhotaḥ'. In Nepal, 'Bhot' was traditionally used not only for the Tibetan state but also of ethnically Tibetan areas that the Gorkha conquest had brought within the boundaries of the new Kingdom." [⇑]

Glossary

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).
bhalādamī	var. bhalā ādamī, bhalādmī; n. lit. a gentleman; local prominent person (Karmacharya 2001: 320), local notable; see also bhalā mānisa.
birtā	[fr. S. vṛtti] var. birttā, bīrttā, vṛtā, vṛttā; n. a royal land grant. For discussion, see M.C. Regmi 1976: 22-37.
guṭha / guṭhi / guṭhī	[fr. S. goṣṭhī] var. guṭh, guthi; n. 1) a socio-religious organization that manages and finances religious and charitable functions, a trust. 2) “endowed lands or other sources of revenue for financing religious and charitable functions“ (M.R. Pant 2002: 132; cf. M.C. Regmi 1988: 267).
jaṅgama	var. jaṃgama; n. 1) wandering ascetic; 2) ascetic of the Vīraśaiva tradition.
jimmāvāla	var. jimavāla, jimmavāla, jimvāla; n. a chief contractor (ṭhekedāra) who, before the introduction of the land administration, collected revenues from the lands in the hill region and submitted them to the government (Parājulī et al. 1995: s.v. jimmāvāla).
kanaphaṭṭā	var. kānaphaṭā, kānphaṭā; n. an ascetic of the Gorakhanātha tradition.
khānagī / khānkī / khāngī	n. 1) salary, wages, or an annual emolument. 2) emoluments of government employees and functionaries, generally in the form of land assignments (M.C. Regmi 1978: 227; cf. M.C. Regmi 1978: 860; Adhikari 1984: 351). 3) rents accruing from the lands assigned to jāgiradāras (cf. M.C. Regmi 1965: 18-19).
kośa	[Fr. skt. krośa] var. kosa; a measurement unit of distance varying between 3.2 and 3.6 kilometres (Bakker 2006: 34) in ancient India, equivalent to a quarter of a yojana.
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.
marjī	n. an order from the mukhtiyāra, Prime Minister or other high-ranked officers.
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).
phakira	[fr. A. faqīr] var. phakīra; phakīḍa; phakiraphageḍā; phakiraphakaḍa; n. lit. "beggar"; an ascetic, specifically a Muslim one. In the Mulukī Ain, however, the term is used (as bheṣadhārī) to refer to ascetics in general, also including Śaiva jogīs and sannyāsīs (Bouillier 1976 and 1985: 201; see also Clark 2006: 19n.).
pramāṅgī	[fr. P. farmān?] var. pramānagī, pramāṃnagī; n. permission, order; specifically an order or authorization letter from the king or a high-ranking government official such as the prime minister that have to be in written form and approved, often issued when existing legal norms are to be overruled.
sadābarta	[S. sadāvrata] var. sadāvartta, sadāvarta, sadābartta; n. 1) regular distribution of alms or food to mendicants, guests, pilgrims or the poor (cp. Adhikari 1984: 356). 2) a kitchen where raw or cooked food is supplied to these groups (cp. M.C. Regmi 1978b: 864). 3) a charitable foundation for the provision of food to poor, mendicants and pilgrims (cp. M.C. Regmi 2002: 302).
sannyāsī	var. sanyāsi; n. 1) someone who has taken the vow of asceticism. 2) In the context of the Mulukī Ain, this term seems to be used either to refer to anyone who has been initiated into asceticism or to refer to male heir of an ascetic who has converted into a householder.
santa	n. "a holy man; a saint; a hermit" (Karmacharya 2001: 93)
sarkāra	n. government; head of government; king; term used to refer indistinctly to the king and/or to his government (Lecomte-Tilouine 2015: 211).
savāla	n. 1) an enquiry. 2) a set of directives issued especially for the administrative purposes. Contrary to a sanada which is applicable to general public, a savāla refers to rules within a particular organization or an administrative unit (see Siṃha 1981 sv svāla. 3) rules and regulations enacted based on an existing law; administrative regulations (Adhikari 1984: 356; Karmacharya 2001: 328).
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.
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.
vairāgī	[S. vairāgin] var. vairāgi, bairāgi, bairāgī; n. someone who is free from the worldly desires; an ascetic; specif. a Vaiṣṇava ascetic (of the rāmānandī sampradāya)
yogī / jogī	[fr. S. yogin-] var. jogi; n. 1) ascetic, religious mendicant. 2) specif. a follower of the Nātha tradition; see also kanaphaṭṭā. 3) member of the Kusle community.

Bibliography

Ramble, Charles. 1997. "Tibetan Pride of Place; Or, Why Nepal's Bhotiyas are not an Ethnic Group." In: Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics of Culture in Contemporary Nepal, edited by David N. Gellner; Joanna Pfaff-Czarnecka; John Whelpton, 379-414. Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers.