An inscription recording the offering of a Buddha icon and a plot of land to Vantavāhāra Sūryavanta Mahāvihāra by Amaradeva Citrakāra and his wife (NS 893)
ID: PCVAM_0001_0017
Edited by
Nutandhar Sharma
in collaboration with
Pabitra Bajracharya and Rajendra Shakya
Created: ;
Last modified: 2026-02-27
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Abstract
A stone inscription located to the east of the sanctum entrance records the offering of a stone icon of the Buddha to Vantavāhāra Sūryavanta Mahāvihāra by Amaradeva Citrakāra and his wife Rājyeśvarī. It further notes that Tārādeva contributed an additional deity. The inscription also documents the allocation of two ropanīs and three javās of land in Taratakobu for performing the annual Buddha ritual of Vantavāhāra, together with details concerning the required offerings.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1ॐनम:वुधाय:नमधम्माय:नमोसघाय:।श्रीसव्व्ह2[?]पू[?]रिकाक्ष[...]ज्ञकु[?]रुकसमुदभद्रसदा|
3[?]﹨﹨सा[...]सिंह[?]संवत८९३भा
4[?]पदा[?]तिथौमूरानक्षत्रप्रीतिजोगेशु
5क्रवारश॥थ्वकुन्हुवन्तवाहार﹨सूर्य्यवन्तमाहाविहार
6[?]त्तारकस्यश्रीअक्षोभ्यवुधभगवान﹨रोहनज्याङान
7दुन्ताजुरो॥ङहवसवाङदेवजिर्णजुवमदुन्ता॥म्हं१ता
8रादेवंदुन्ता॥भाखा:ढरतकोबुरो२ज३थ्वतेनेयेक[...]
9जुदय॥वरसाननयावन्तवाहारभाट्टारकस्यवुद्धभगवा
10नयावरसाननयायमारा।ज[?]छोयकेमारप्वात१घेर
11देवाछोय्केमारजुरोनिसरावफं१देकम्हा।देवस्तमार
12गुरवाहारवकंवाहारयाश्रीपाहानजुनजज्ञयतकेमार॥
13थ्वतेदुत्ता।काथमुतिगृरवंन्तागृहचैत्रकारअमरदेव﹨भा
14र्य्याराज्येश्वरी﹨[?]पुत्रअमृतदेवपुत्रजसदेवपुत्र
15धनमित्रदेवथ्वतेसमुहनदुन्ताजुरो॥थ्वतेयाचिन्ताया
16कवन्तवाहारयाश्रीपहानजुछुसिखायाचैत्रकार
17मनसिंहह[?]या[?]त्रकारचिकाधिकथ्वतेस्व
18म्हस्यनअभिछिन[?]चिन्तायायमारजुरो॥अथे
19[?]मयातसापञ्चमाहापातकराक।उत्तमयातसाउत्त्र[?]
20तमजुरो[...]थ्वतेयावुज्याकमाधवत्यापगाम
21नभावोजुरो। ओय[?]थ्व[?]जुरो।। ।।
Synopsis
Oṃ. Homage to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṃgha. Reverence is paid to Śākyasiṃha, whose eyes resemble lotus petals, who is omniscient and compassionate, and who is the teacher of Samantabhadra.
Amaradeva Citrakāra and his wife Rājyeśvarī donated a stone icon of the Buddha (Akṣobhya Buddha Bhagavān) to Vantavāhāra Sūryavanta Mahāvihāra on the tenth (?) day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Bhādra, a Friday, under the constellation Mūla and the conjunction Prīti, in NS 893. The new icon was offered to replace the previous one, which had become completely worn out. Tārādeva contributed an additional deity (mhaṃ 1). Two ropanīs and three javās of land at Ḍharatako were also donated.
The inscription prescribes that the annual worship of the Buddha of Vantavāhāra be performed each year, including the lighting of one ghee lamp, the offering of nislā (a plate containing beaten rice, sweets, and a coin), and one pāthī of beaten rice. ŚrīPohorāju of Gunabahāra Vakaṃbāhāra is responsible for performing the fire sacrifice.
The donation was made by Amaradeva Citrakāra, his wife Rājyeśvarī, their sons Amṛtadeva, Jasadeva, and Dhanamitradeva, and the Citrakāras of Vantāgṛha. Pahāna of Vaṃbāhā, Manasiṃha Citrakāra of Chusikhā, and Cikadhika Citrakāra of Haḥkhā are assigned to oversee the guṭhī; they are enjoined to maintain it without interruption. Neglect of these duties will result in the five great sins, while proper maintenance will bring prosperity. Mādhava of an unspecified village was appointed as the cultivator of the donated land. Certain details could not be carried out.
Commentary
The edition and synopsis presented here are revised from the printed version published in Basukala et al. 2022: 185 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.17885/heiup.1116). For documentation of this inscription and Vaṃ Bāhāḥ in the DANAM database, see https://danam.cats.uni-heidelberg.de/report/d2578f40-cfce-4450-a8c1-3092c08ef487.