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A deed of emancipation written by Rājakumāri Pãḍenī for her slaves Indravadan and Ujīra Khavāsa (VS 1943)

ID: K_0118_0032


Edited and translated by Manik Bajracharya in collaboration with Bal Gopal Shrestha
Created: 2016-12-19; Last modified: 2018-06-21
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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, 2017. 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 CCby-SA.

Abstract

This is a document drawn up by Rājakumārī Pā̃ḍenī and delivered to two slaves, Indravadan and Ujīra Khavāsa, wherein she frees them on condition that they serve her throughout the remainder of her life.



Diplomatic edition

[1r-part1]

1श्री­\

1श्रीगुजेकाली­
2१­

1श्रीपसुपतीनाथ­
2२­

1रुजु­सहि­Shamir­Shumshere­

1⟪१८०­⟫

1⟪११­नं.­⟫

1सकल­वमोजीं­नकल­दुरुस्त­भनी­सही­छाप­गर्ने­उजीरे­घर्ती­ ¯¯

1श्रीकृष्णचरण­राजकुमारी­सरण­भंन्ये­छाप­तेस्का­तल­लापच्ये­सही­मसी­नमीलेको­स्ही­छाप­रूजु­नहुदा­प्रेम­वाहादुर­भंन्ये­लेषेको­

1लिषितं­नरदेवी­टोल­वस्न्या­कजेनी­राजकुमारी­पडेनि­छेत्र्यानीकस्ये­दाइजो­केटी­इन्द्रवंदन्‌­निजको­छो
2रो­उजीरे­केटोहरू­स्मेत्‌के­हजुरको­हामीहरूले­अघीदेषी­आजस्म­रूजु­रही­चाकरी­गरीआयाका­
3⟪छौ­⟫अव­हामीहरूलाई­पारपत्र­गरिवक्स्या­हजुरको­सरिर्­षडा­छन्‌ज्यालस्म­आठौ­प्रहर­रुजु­रही­
4टहल­चाकरी­गरि­हजुरकै­•सोझो­चिताई­हजुरका­टहल­चाकरी­गरौला­टहल­चाकरी­गर्दा­
5साहेवको­सरिर्को­सरदा­भक्ती­धर्म­थामी­टहल­गरौला­रूपैय़ा­पैसा­नगद­जीन्सी­कौनैको­
6कुरामा­हामीहरूले­साहेवमाथी­कुभलो­चीताञौ­भने­हाम्रो­कैले­भलो­नहव़स्‌­लोभानी­पापा
7नी­गरि­हजुरमाथी­कुभलो­ची[?]­अपराध­गरेउ­र­हजुर्को­अधर्म­चीताई­अनेत्र­छाडी­जाने­
8छैनौ­हजुरका­सेषपछी­हामीलाई­हजुरवाट­गरीवक्स्याका­पारपत्र­वमोजीं­आफ्नु­आफ्नु­
9षुस­गरौला­य़ो­पत्रमा­लेषीय़ाका­वेहोराका­वंदेजमा­नरही­हजुरका­सरीर्­षडा­छदै­अने
10त्र­गञ्यू­भने­र­पाप­नास­गै­लोग्न्या­अरू­कसैका­करा­सुनि­लेषीय़ाका­वन्देजमा­नरही­अने
11त्र­गञ्यू­भने ­¯१¯­र­¯२¯­देवता­र­पंच­भलाआद्मी­साछी­राषी­रीत­पुर्याइ­अंलेष­गराई­हामी
12लाई­पारपत्र­गरीवक्स्याको­छ­तापनि­हामीलाई­चाकर­तुल्याई­हजुरको­षुस­गर्नु­पारपत्र­ग
13रीदीय़ाकोमा­हाम्रो­उजुर­लाग्ने­हो­तापनी­हाम्रो­वेउजुर­उजुर­गर्ने­छैनौ­उजुर­नास्ती­उजुर­ग
14र्यौं­भने­सो­लीषत्‌­झुट्टा­गरीदीनु­हजुरका­सेषपछी­मात्र­सो­कवुलपत्र­छ­तापनी­हजुरका­दर­
15संतान­हकव़ाला­दैय़ादार­अरू­कसैको­टहल­चाकरी­गर्ने­छैनौ­य़ही­पत्र­वमोजीं­आफ्नु­आफ्
16नु­षुस­गरी­वस्नु­वसौला­य़स­पत्रमा­लेषीय़ा­वमोजीं­गर्नु­भनी­मेरा­मनोमान­षुसी­राजीसंग­पार
17पत्रको­नामापत्र­लेषी­नीजहरू­दाइजो­इन्द्रवदं­नीजको­छोरो­उजीर­षव़ासलाई­दीञ्यू­साछी­छो
18डोल­
वस्न्या­लेफ्‌टें­भिम्वल­कव़र­१­असन्‌­वस्न्या­हर्षनन्द­गुभाजु­१­नैकंतला­वस्न्या­कप्‌तान्‌­इन्द्रधोज­

[1r-part2]


19पाडे­कप्तान्‌­विश्नुकुमार­पाडे­मेजर­अजिटन्‌­टेक­वाहादुर­पाडे­ठमेल­वस्ने­सुवेदार­वलध्वजभ­
20भडारी­छेतृ­
लेषक­साछी­प्रय़ागदत्त­पाध्या­इति­सम्वत­१९४३­साल­मीती­फाल्गुण­वदी ­
21७/२­शुभम्­¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Translation

[1r-part1]

Śrī

Glorious Guhyakālī - 1

Glorious Paśupatinātha - 2

Attested, signature; Shamir Shumshere1

1802

No. 113

Signed by Ujīre Ghartī in attestation that the copy is identical with the original4

A fingerprint signature under a seal reading "The feet of glorious Kṛṣṇa [are] the refuge [of] Rājakumārī"; [and] since the (foregoing) signature, in a different ink (from the rest of the document), is unattested, [the name] Prema Bāhādura has been written.5

Written by Kajenī6 Rājakumārī Pãḍenī Chetryānī, resident of Naradevī Ṭola, to the female slave (keṭī) Indravadan and her son, the slave-boy (keṭo) Ujīre, [both acquired as] dowry.

"We have been attending and serving you from the past up until today. If now you provide us with a deed of emancipation (pārapatra), we will attend you throughout [all] eight praharas (i.e., around the clock) to take care of you with honest intent for the remainder of your life. While serving you, [our] mistress (sāhebako sarir, lit. mistress's body), we will do so by keeping alive [our] faithfulness, devotion and duty [to you]. Regarding money, valuables and property, if ever we intend you [our] mistress ill, may it never go well with us. We will not leave you and go elsewhere out of greed and sinfulness, having intended you ill, committed a crime, or intended something unlawful towards you. In accordance with the deed of emancipation granted by you, we will each act according to our wishes after your death. If, instead of remaining within [the terms of] agreement written in this deed, we go elsewhere while you are still alive, or if we, going [down] to sin and destruction from listening to [my] husband or anybody else, fail to remain within [the terms of] the agreement and go elsewhere, then—even if you have granted us the deed of emancipation, with the deities -1- (i.e., glorious Guhyakālī) and -2- (i.e., glorious Paśupatinātha) and five notables as witnesses—make us [your] slaves [again] and do [with us] as you wish. Since you have provided us with a deed of emancipation, we might mount a legal appeal (against re-enslavement). However, our [case] would admit of no appeal. We would not appeal; there is no appeal (we could mount). If we did file an appeal, please show that what is written in it is false. The agreement (kabulapatra) is [valid] only after your death. Nevertheless, we will not [afterwards] serve your descendants, rightful inheritors or anybody else. In accordance with this document, we will each live as we please."

I have written [this] deed of emancipation (pārapatrako nāmāpatra) willingly, having given instructions to act according to what is written in this document, and have handed it over to the aforementioned [persons acquired as] dowry, Indravadan and her son Ujīra Khavāsa.

Witnesses: Leutenant Bhīmbala Kavara, resident of Choḍola - 1, Harṣananda Gubhāju, resident of Asan - 1, Captain Indradhvaja Pāḍe, resident of Naikaṃtalā,

[1r-part2]

Captain Viṣṇukumāra Pāḍe, Major Adjutant Ṭeka Bāhādura Pāḍe, SubedāraBaladhvaja Bhaḍārī Chetrī, resident of Ṭhamela [and] the scribe [and] witness Prayāgadatta Pādhyā.

The 2nd (i.e., Monday?) of the 7th of the dark fortnight of Phālguna in the [Vikrama] era year 1943 (1887 CE).


Commentary

This is one of two documents copied together in a collection belonging to the Garuḍanārāyaṇa Guṭhī. Both this and the other document, K_0118_0033, officialize the emancipation of slaves Indravadan and Ujīre by Rājakumārī Pãḍenī. In the left margin of the document, Ujīre Ghartī attests that the copy is identical with the original. It is not clear if this Ujīre Ghartī is the same Ujīre mentioned in the document. Both the documents, K_0118_0032 and K_0118_0033, are good examples of how the slaves were made to work for their masters even after their emancipation.

For documents regarding a legal case involving Rājakumārī Pãḍenī, see K_0175_0018, K_0118_0039 etc., K_0175_0032 and K_0175_0033, which are the receipts of an expiation fee paid by her, and K_0175_0034, which is a patiyā-pūrjī issued to her.


Notes

1. Added by a second hand in the upper margin. []

2. A number of unknown meaning added by a second hand in the upper margin. []

3. Manuscript number, added by a second hand in the upper right margin. []

4. Written in the left margin. []

5. Written in the left margin. The fingerprint in the original must have been that of Rājakumārī. She would have had to sign the document in addition to her seal to make it official. Prema Bāhādura probably was an authority who was called upon to confirm the validity of the signature. []

6. Kajenī refers to the wife of a kājī. []