An arjī from Bālāśaṃkara to King Rājendra requesting support and reporting dispatches of Delhi newspapers (VS 1901)
ID: DNA_0002_0034
Edited and
translated by Nirajan Kafle
Created: 2024-12-18;
Last modified: 2025-12-02
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Abstract
This arjī from Bālāśaṃkara to King Rājendra Vikrama Śāha reports the dispatch of newspapers and reaffirms loyal service. It follows a customary tone, humbly seeking the king’s compassionate gaze and modest support.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1॥श्री॥1श्री५सर्कार2१1नं१५१1॥स्वस्तिश्रीगिरिराजचक्रचूडामणिनरनारायणेत्यादि
2विविधविरुदावलीविराजमानमानोन्नतश्रीमन्महा
3राजाधिराजश्रीश्रीश्रीश्रीश्रीमहाराजराजेन्द्रविक्रमशाह
4बहादुरशंशेरजंगदेवानांसदासमरविजयेषु।इतः
5भिक्षुकबालाशंकरकाकोटिकोटिशुभाशिषपूर्वक
6बिन्तीपत्रम्।अत्रकुशलंतत्रश्रीमतांकुशलंवान्छामि
7उप्रान्त।ग़रीबपरवरमेरे।पौषसुदी२रोजमेलिषी⟪अर्जी़⟫
8बन्देकी।¯ ¯१¯ केचरणोमेगुज़रीहोगीबाद
9मुलाहेजे़अर्जी़के।बन्दा।¯ ¯१¯ केचरणोसेक्रिपापूर्व
10क।अर्जि़योँकेपहोँचनामेका।औरटुकडेरोटीका
11उम्मैदवारहै।फ़र्द३दिल्लीकेअष़वारके।शामिलइस
12अर्जी़के।¯ ¯१¯ केचरणोमेहाज़रकर्त्ताहूँ।सोमुला
13हेजे़मेगुज़रेँ।बन्दाहजू़रकेदर्बारसे।क्रिपादृष्टका
14औरपरवरशकाउम्मैदवारहै।औरजोकारषि़दमत
15मेरेलायक।¯ ¯१¯ सेहुकुमहोवे।सोमाफि़कबन्दा
16बजालावे।ज्य़ादाक्याबिन्तीकरूँ।मेरेहालशिकस्तै
17कोमुलाहेज़ाफ़र्माकरटुकडारोटीकाबष्श़नेको
18¯ ¯१¯समर्थहैँ।जानअजानकुसूरमाफ़होवे।सं१९०१
19मितीपौषसुदी१३रोज३मुक़ाम
20दिल्ली।शुभम्¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
Translation
[1r]
No. 1511
Hail! A letter (arjī) from Bālāśaṃkara, with crores and crores of auspicious blessings from here to him who is shining with manifold rows of eulogy [such as] ‘The venerable crest-jewel of the multitude of mountain kings’ and Naranārāyaṇa (i.e. an epithet of Viṣṇu) etc., high in honour, the venerable supreme king of great kings, the fivefold venerable great king, Rājendra Vikrama Śāha, the brave swordsman, the divine king always triumphant in war.
Tidings here are fine. I wish Your Excellency good health there.
Further (uprānta): O my Lord of the poor, your devotee's letter (arjī), written on the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of the month of Pauṣa, may have reached your feet (text: -1- ke caraṇa, i.e. the feet of Śrī 5 Sarkāra). After my arjī is reviewed, this devout fellow is a candidate for a receipt of the letter and a piece of bread from the feet of -1- [i.e. Śrī 5 Sarkāra].
I am presenting this arjī together with 3 copies of the Delhi newspaper at the feet of -1- (i.e. Śrī 5 Sarkāra). May they reach you. This devotee is a candidate for your compassionate gaze (kṛpādṛṣṭi) and support from your palace.
Further, should orders regarding any service worthy of me come from -1- [i.e. Śrī 5 Sarkāra], may your devotee duly carry them out. What more can I request? Considering my distressed condition, -1- [i.e. Śrī 5 Sarkāra] is compassionate enough to grant even a piece of bread.
May my faults, whether committed knowingly or unknowingly, be forgiven.
Tuesday, the 13th day of the bright fortnight of Pauṣa, in [the Vikrama] era year 1901 (1844 CE). [From] Delhi. Auspiciousness.
Commentary
This letter from Bālāśaṃkara to King Rājendra Vikrama Śāha reflects the respectful and dependent tone typical of a master–servant relationship in early 19th-century royal correspondence. As in his other letters (see DNA_0001_0076, DNA_0002_0039, DNA_0002_0049, DNA_0003_0025), Bālāśaṃkara opens with elaborate praise of the king and proceeds to mention the dispatch of newspapers from Delhi. The content contains no exceptional or new information; instead, it expresses the expected loyalty and devotion of a court servant. He humbly presents himself as a recipient of the king’s compassionate gaze (kṛpādṛṣṭi) and hints at his difficult circumstances through the symbolic request for “a piece of bread.” Such expressions were common in his correspondence and reflect the ceremonial etiquette of petitioning, where gestures of loyalty and need were ritually reaffirmed as part of maintaining royal favour and livelihood.