A deed of surety executed by Herāmāna Karmācārya underwriting Jogalāla Śreṣṭha's biseṭ khānagī in service to Sveta Matsyendranātha (VS 1965)
ID: K_0213_0060
Edited and
translated by Manik Bajracharya and Rajendra Shakya
Created: 2022-02-03;
Last modified: 2023-09-11
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Abstract
In this document, Herāmāna Karmācārya agrees to act as guarantor of Jogalāla Śreṣṭha's financial obligations following the latter's acceptance of his appointment as a biseṭ in service to Kathmandu's Sveta Matsyendranātha (aka Janabāhāḥ Dyaḥ).
Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1श्रीश्वेतम[...]2२1श्री५सर्कार
2१1सहीहेरामान्कर्माचार्यके
2लटोल्1लिषितम्काठमाडौ∙केलटोलवस्न्यासाहेवसिंकोनातिजित्मान्कोछोरा∙हीरामान्कर्माचा
2र्य्येआगे∙केलटोलवस्न्याजोगलालश्रेष्ठले ¯ ¯ ¯ काविसेटषांगीकवुलगरेकोहुनालेनीजजो
3गलाल्∙श्रेष्टकोधंज्मानि∙मभञासो ¯ ¯ ¯ कोकामकाजनीजकाकवुलियेत्वमोजिम्जोग
4र्नुपर्नेनीजवाट∙गरेनौरकामकाजअडकाई∙नीजठेकदार∙मरीभागीवेपत्ताभयोभन्यानीजले
5वुझाउनुपर्नेदामकामकाजवेहोरा∙रसाविक्वमोजिम्कोकामस्मेत्मैलेचलाउला¯ ¯ ¯ को
6कामअडकाउनेछैनभनीमेरामनोमान्षुसिराजीसंगधंज्मानीभैधंज्मानीपत्रलेषी
7गुठीवन्दोवस्तअडामार्फत् ¯ ¯ ¯ माचढाञ्यूं∙सम्वत्१९६५सालकार्तिक्५गते३श्भ्म्
Translation
[1r]
Glorious Śvetamatsyendranātha1 – 2
Śrī 5 sarkāra – 1
Signed, Herāmān Karmācārya [of] Kelaṭola
Written (Likhitam) by Herāmān Karmācārya (text: Hīrāmān Karmācāryye), a resident of Kelaṭola in Kathmandu—grandson of Sāheba Siṃ [and] son of Jītmān.
Āge: Jogalāla Śreṣṭha, a resident of Kelaṭola, having accepted his appointment (khānagī) as a biseṭ of [the glorious Śvetamatsyendranātha]2 , I offer myself as his guarantor (dhanajamānī). If the aforementioned contractor (ṭhekadāra) does not fulfil his responsibilities relating to the affairs of [the glorious Śvetamatsyendranātha] as [written] in the agreement (kabuliyata), obstructs his [own] work or disappears, whether by reason of death or for having fled, I will pay the amount of money he should have paid, [submit] the report of activities and do [his] work according to what is customary. I will not hinder the tasks relating to [the glorious Śvetamatsyendranātha]. I have written this deed of surety, offering myself as the guarantor willingly, and submit it to [Śrī 5 sarkāra] through the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā.
Tuesday, the 3rd of Kārtika in the [Vikrama] era year 1965 (1908 CE). Auspiciousness.
Commentary
This document is a deed of surety submitted to the Guṭhī Bandobasta Aḍḍā by Herāmān Karmācārya of Kelaṭola in Kathmandu. He commits himself to underwriting Jogalāla Śreṣṭha's term as biseṭ in service to Śvetamatsyendranātha (also known as Seto Matsyendranātha in Nepali and Janabāhāḥ Dyaḥ in Newari). In case of Jogalāla's failure to meet his obligations, he agrees not only to stand in for him with his own wealth, but also to act as a replacement to fulfil the tasks assigned to the biseṭ. That Jogalāla is termed a ṭhekadāra means that the post of biseṭ was assigned to him on a contractual basis and that he was subjected to the payment of an agreed amount to the government.
The top section of the document is damaged, whence the invocation (usually the letter "śrī") is not visible.