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A copy of a lālamohara from Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa Śāha re land donations for Yogīs' cakrapūjās (VS 1826)

ID: K_0440_0007


Edited and translated by Christof Zotter
Created: 2020-04-14; Last modified: 2020-10-16
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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, 2020. 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

In the lālamohara of which this is a copy, King Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa Śāha donates one house and 37 plots of land in different named localities amounting to 219 3/4 ropanīs (= 8 khetas and 79 murīs) to Gorakhanātha in order to finance the cakrapūjās of the Yogīs.



Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1श्री­गोरषनाथजीकन­२­

1श्री­गुह्येस्वरी­३­

1⟪22­⟫

[seal of Dhārīnātha]

1सकल­वमोजीं­नकल­दुरुस्त­छ­भनी­•सहीछाप­गर्न्या­
2पीरमहंत­धारीनातजी­¯¯¯¯¯

1स्वस्ती­श्रीगीरिराजचक्रचुडामणीनारायणेत्यादीवीवीधवीरुदावलीवीराजमान
2मानोनत्‌श्रीमंमाहाराजाधीराजश्रीश्रीश्रीमत्पृथ्वीनारायणसाहदेवानां­सदा­समरवीजई
3नाम्‌­॥•आगे­¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯¯चक्रपुजाकन­गुठ­चह्राञौं­¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
4पंडुव्राह्मणको­अपुताली­पर्‍याको­षेत्‌­
5रोपनी­४०­दलकापको­•
6रोपनी­३­फेरी­दलकापको­
7रोपनी­१०­मोलपाकुको­
8रोपनी­१२­मोलपाकु­नदीवारीको­
9रोपनी­७­कींडोल्‌को­
10रोपनी­३­ईचाडोलको­
11रोपनी­३­व़ोषीमाहाको­
12रोपनी­३­भंगल्‌को­
13¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
14चुल­३­तपींताको­
15चुल­३­मालको­
16¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
17रोपनी­१­ठवैलीको­
18रोपनी­४­पुडोपाको­
19रोपनी­५­लपट्टेचोकोट्‌को­
20रोपनी­२२­ईउडाछेउको­
21¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
22चुल्‌­३­फीवछेउको­
23¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
24ज्मा­रोपनी­११५­चुल्‌­१­
25¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
26ईन्द्रचोक्‌माहा­ठौढी­जोसीको­
27घर­१­तावापत्र­गरी­गुठ­राष्याको­
28¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
29टायेमडुटोलको­चक्रको­गुठ­
30रोपनी­७­टेपधुको­
31रोपनी­३­वेषावुको­
32रोपनी­१­वंषुडोलको­
33रोपनी­१­वंसीको­
34रोपनि­१­गंडवालाल्‌को­
35रोपनी­२­चुल­१­पापीगाउको­
36चुल­२­रेषुको­
37¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
38ज्मा­रोपनी­१५­चुल­२­      १६॥­•
39¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
40असंटोल्‌का­चक्रको­गुठ­•
41रोपनी­९­धरंथलीछेउको­
42रोपनी­४­चुल­२­कोषयनाकछेउको­
43रोपनी­३­चुल­३­पंभुछेउको­
44रोपनी­२­भगुषुलको­
45चुल­३­त्यपधुछेउको­
46¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
47ज्मा­रोपनी­२०­
48देउरालीमाहा­जोगीटार­षेतको­कुत्‌­
49मुरी­२०­धान्‌­आउछं­येती­असं
50टोल्‌को­गुठी­
51¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
52वालाचतुर्दसिका­दीन­¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ का­वंमा
53हा­चक्रपुजाको­गुठी­¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯
54रोपनी­१९­टौगाल्‌को­•
55रोपनी­१२­टोषाछेउको­
56रोपनी­४­देउपाटंछेउको­
57रोपनी­६­चषुछेउको­
58रोपनी­७­सांलाछेउको­
59रोपनी­७­क्वाठछेउको­
60¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
61ज्मा­रोपनी­५५//५३­
62¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
63ईन्द्रचोक्‌को­चक्रको­गुठ­
64रोपनी­४­स्याँपुरिको­डीहीछेउको­
65रोपनी­५­टुकुचाछेउको­
66रोपनी­६­रषुवुछेउको­
67¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
68ज्मा­रोपनी­१५­
69¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
70सव­ज्मा­रोपनी­२१९।।।­तस्को­
71सये­मुरिको­हिसाव­गर्दा­
72सव­ज्मा­षेत­८­मुरी­७९­हुं
73छ­सम्वत्‌­१८२६­का
74र्तिक­सुदी­
75४­रोज­५­मुकां­
76कांतीपुर­सुभ्म्‌­ ॥ ॥ ॥ ॥ ॥

Translation

To the Glorious (Śrī) Gorakhanāthajī – 2 1

Glorious Guhyesvarī – 3

222

[seal of Dhārīnātha]3

Attesting that the copy is true to the original, the abbot (pīramahanta) Dhārīnātha

[main text:]

Hail! [A decree] of him who is shining with manifold rows of eulogy [such as] "The venerable crest-jewel of the multitude of mountain kings" and Naranārāyaṇa (an epithet of Kṛṣṇa) etc., high in honour, the venerable supreme king of great kings, the thrice venerable great king, Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa Śāha, the brave swordsman, the divine king always triumphant in war

Āge: We have offered the [below mentioned] trusts (guṭha) for the cakrapūjās [to the Glorious Gorakhanāthajī].4 [The following plots of land are donated:]

Fields among the escheated property (aputālī) of a Brahmin named Paṇḍu (text: Paṃḍu):5

40 ropanīs in Dalakāpa,6

3 ropanīs again in Dalakāpa,

10 ropanīs in Molapāku,

12 ropanīs in Molapāku Nadīvārī (° Nadivāri),

7 ropanīs in Kiṃḍol (Kimaḍola),

3 ropanīs in Īcaḍol (Icāḍola),

3 ropanīs in Voṣīmāhā (Voṣimahā),

3 ropanīs in Bhaṃgal (Maṃgal),

3 culas in Tapīṃtā (Tapiṃtā),

3 culas in Māla,

1 ropanī in Ṭhavailī,7

4 ropanīs in Puḍopā (Puḍoṃpā),

5 ropanīs in Lapaṭṭecokoṭ (Lapaṭyaco Koṭa), 8

22 ropanīs near Īḍā (Iṃḍā), 9

[and] 3 culas near Phīva;

in total 115 ropanīs and 1 cula

A guṭha was established, after a copperplate (tāvāpatra) was issued for the house of one Ṭauḍhī Josī (Ṭauḍhi Josi) in Īndracok (Iṃdracoka). 10

The guṭha for the cakra[pūjās] in Ṭāyemaḍu Ṭola (Ṭāyamaḍu Ṭola): 11

7 ropanīs in Ṭepadhu,

3 ropanīs in Veṣāvu,

1 12 ropanī in Vaṃṣuḍola, 13

114 ropanī in Vaṃsī (Vaṃsi), 15

1 ropanī in Gaṃḍavālāl16 (Gaṃḍavāhāla), 17

2 ropanīs 1 cula18 in Pāpīgāu19 (Pāpigāũ),

[and] 2 culas in [...]reṣu20 ;

in total 15 ropanīs 2 culas, 21 16 1/2.22

The guṭha for the cakra[pūjās] in Asaṃ Ṭol (Asaṃ Ṭola):23

9 ropanīs near Dharaṃthalī (Dharaṃthali),

4 ropanīs 2 culas near Koṣayanāk24 (Koṣaṣanāka),

3 ropanīs 3 culas near Paṃbhu,

2 ropanīs in Bhaguṣula, 25

3 culas near Tyapadhu; 26

in total 20 ropanīs.

[Furthermore, there is] the Jogīṭāra (Jogiṭāra) field in Deurālī (Deurāli ) [that] brings 20 murīs of unhusked rice (dhāna) as rent (kuta). This much [belongs to] the guṭhī of Asaṃ Tol. 27

The guṭhī for the cakrapūjā in the forest of the [Glorious Guhyeśvarī]28 on the day of Bālācaturdaśī: 29

19 ropanīs in Ṭaugāl (Ṭaugāla),

12 ropanīs near Ṭoṣa,

4 ropanīs near Deupāṭhaṃ (Deupāṭan), 30

6 ropanīs near Caṣu,

7 ropanīs near Sāṃlā (Sāṅglā), 31

[and] 7 ropanīs near Kvāṭha; 32

in total 55 // 53 ropanīs 33

The cakraguṭha of Īndracok (Indracoka):

434 ropanīs near the mound (ḍīhī) of Syāṃpurī (Syāmapuri),35

5 ropanīs near Ṭukucā,

6 ropanīs near Raṣuvu;

in total 15 ropanīs.

All in all 219 3/4 ropanīs, 36 [or], calculated in hundreds of murīs,37 8 khetas and 79 murīs.

Thursday, the 4th of the bright fortnight of Kārtika in the [Vikrama] era year 1826 (1769 CE).38 Residence: Kāntīpura. Auspiciousness.


Commentary

As Unbescheid aptly observes, the present document marks a turning point in the history of the cakrapūjā, a ritual of central importance for the cult of the Yogīs in the Kathmandu Valley (Unbescheid 1980: 114, 178). We have evidence of privately financed cakras among the Yogīs at the Kāṣṭhamaṇḍapa in Kathmandu from the 15th century onward,39 and in the 17th century the Patan king Śrīnivāsa Malla, who adopted Avalokiteśvara-Karuṇamaya of Buṅga as his tutelary deity and made the god's annual procession a state ritual,40 financed a “jogīcakraguthi” at the Rāto Machindranātha temple at Ta Bahā in Patan in the name of his mother Bhānumatī.41 King Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa's support of the cakra was on a bigger scale. Soon after his conquest of the Kathmandu Valley he issued this lālamohara from his new residence, Kāntīpura (Kathmandu), and assigned land to finance no fewer than four such pūjās in different places. Among these rituals is the so-called "Great cakrapūjā" (mahācakrapūjā),42 which was supported by a major grant of 55 (or in the corrected version, 53) ropanīs of land. When Unbescheid conducted his fieldwork in the late 1970s, this ritual marked the beginning of a cycle of altogether 34 cakrapūjās performed in different localities, and usually linked with the beginning of a procession of the local deity.43 According to Unbescheid, the widespread performance of these pūjās throughout the whole Valley represented an important factor when it came to projecting power. Without the Yogīs’ pūjās the other rituals could not start (Unbescheid 1980: 114). But Unbescheid also observed signs of decline in the 20th century. Fields were lost and rituals had to be cancelled.44

The importance of Pṛthvīnārāyaṇa's lālamohara is also evident from the relatively great number of copies kept in the records of different trusts. The copy from the Gorakhanātha Cakrapūjā Guṭhī documents filmed by the NGMPP in the record office in Bhadrakālī—the one edited here—was attested by Dhārīnātha, who served as abbot (pīramahanta) of the Gorakhanātha monastery at Mṛgasthalī from 1905 to 1916, and bears great resemblance to the other available copies.45 As indicated in the notes to the translation, this material helped to solve some of the problems regarding the numbers in Naraharinātha's edition that caught N.R. Panta's attention but could not be verified by him and his team because "the original was not available". 46

The great number of copies may be indicative of contested interests and the need to prove claims. A study of the mass of other documents and copies relating to the cakraguṭhīs and the other trusts dedicated to Gorakhanātha and his Yogīs could probably help to place the copies consulted here in historical context, and to shed further light on the history of the Yogīs' ritual culture in the Kathmandu Valley.

Notes

1. In Naraharinātha's edition, the document starts with the invocation "śrīdurgāsahāyaḥ 1" (Naraharinātha VS 2013: 287). According to a copy kept in the documents of the Yogīcakra Guṭhī, the invocation is simply "śrī" (K_0132_0008). Other copies (for details, see note 45 below) do not record this diplomatic detail. [⇑]

2. This archival note probably indicates the document number (inside bundle 10, 60/84, of the Bhadrakālī Guṭhī Lagata Jā̃ca records). [⇑]

3. The legend of the seal reads: śrī pīra dhārīnātha mṛgasthālī 62. [⇑]

4. Inserted from the space above the main text. [⇑]

5. Given the structure in the rest of the document, I assume that this line is not a separate item of the list but serves as a kind of heading, and therefore translate kheta as "fields". [⇑]

6. The place names are given as spelled in the document. The variant (often standardized) readings found in the editions of the document by Yogī Naraharinātha (Naraharinātha VS 2013: 287-288) and Nayarāja Panta et al. (N.R. Panta et al. VS 2025: 1063-1064) are noted in brackets. Further variants found in other copies of the document are mentioned in footnotes. [⇑]

7. Naraharinātha (VS 2013: 287) mistakenly reads ṭha as 8 and gives the line as "ropani 18 vailikā" (see also N.R. Panta et al. VS 2025: 1063), which does not fit the batch total given below. The reading of the place name as Ṭhavailī and not Vaili is found elsewhere too (see K_0440_0019, K_0574_0058). Other available copies have Ṭhavela (see K_0044_0056A, K_0044_0058B, and K_0132_0008). [⇑]

8. The place name could possibly be read as Lapaṭyecokoṭ in the present document, but on the basis of other copies (see K_0044_0056A, K_0132_0008, and K_0440_0019) Lapaṭṭe° seems more plausible. K_0044_0058B has Lapaṭe° and K_0574_0058, like Naraharīnātha (VS 2013: 288) and N.R. Panta et al. (VS 2025: 1063), Lapaṭya°. [⇑]

9. My correction of Īuḍā to Īḍā is based on the readings of other copies (K_0044_0058B, K_0132_0008, K_0574_0058). K_0440_0019 has Īdā. [⇑]

10. This is not the first house the Yogīs owned in the Indracok area. Already in 1764 (NS 884) one Yogī Lakṣamaṇanātha together with one female tulādhāra (tulādhāranī, cf. K_0044_0043) named Bhikhvālamayī bought a house in Ogla Ṭola for 50 kavīndramallī ṭaṃkās and donated it to Gorakhanātha (see K_0044_0044). Just two months later, the same two person were appointed as trust members (guṭhijana ) to oversee a house (in the street east of Ogla Ṭola) that was donated by King Jayaprakāśa Malla to the cult (see K_0044_0042). [⇑]

11. Most of the other copies spell the name as Ṭāyamaḍu Ṭola or ° Ṭol (K_0044_0056A, K_0132_0008, K_0440_0019). Other variants found are Ṭhāyemaḍu Ṭola (K_0044_0058B) and Thāya° (K_0574_0058). [⇑]

12. The published editions (Naraharīnātha VS 2013: 288 and N.R. Panta et al. VS 2025: 1063) and two other copies (K_0132_0008 and K_0440_0019) give the number as "1॥" (one and a half). In another copy (K_0574_0058), Pīramahanta Bharapuranātha states in a note in the left margin that (in the original) for the present and the next entry 1/2 ropanī are written in a different ink (... ādhā ropanī lekhemā masī pharaka pareko). [⇑]

14. The published editions (Naraharīnātha VS 2013: 288 and N.R. Panta et al. VS 2025: 1063) and four copies (K_0044_0056A, K_0044_0058B, K_0132_0008 and K_0440_0019) give the number as "1॥" (one and a half). See also note 12. [⇑]

18. According to Naraharīnātha (VS 2013: 288) and N.R. Panta et al. (VS 2025: 1064) 2 culas were donated. [⇑]

19. With the exception of K_0574_0058 (Pāpīgāū) all copies have the same spelling. [⇑]

20. According to the two published editions (Naraharīnātha VS 2013: 288 and N.R. Panta et al. VS 2025: 1064) the line reads "ropani 23 Ṭeṣuko" but none of the available copies give the place name as Ṭeṣu. All clearly have ...reṣu. The sign which Naraharinātha reads as 3 is questionable. In some copies it might be indeed interpreted as an oddly written 3 (but it always differs from the 3 given a few lines before). In most copies, the sign has a head line, which suggests that it is an akṣara (kṛ or dṛ?) and not a number. Anyhow, neither 2 nor 23 culas yield the batch sum given below (see next note). [⇑]

21. This batch sum is not correct, and not only in the copy edited here. Even in Naraharinātha's "corrected" version (see nn. 12, 14 and 18) the numbers would yield the sum only if the last dubious line (see previous note) is ignored. [⇑]

22. This second number, written as "16 ||" after some space at the end of the line, is found in all copies. It is seemingly a correction made (already in the original?) to fit the total account given at the end of the document (see note 36). The addition of a half ropanī in two items found in some of the copies (see nn. 12 and 14) was probably made at the same time. [⇑]

23. The cakrapūjā at Asan Ṭol is still performed. According to Unbescheid it takes place on the 9th of the bright fortnight of Caitra when the chariot (ratha) of Kathmandu's Seto Matsyendranātha makes the first halt in front of the Annapūrṇa temple (Unbescheid 1980: 119). [⇑]

24. Given the fact that all other available copies have Koṣayanāka or °nāk, I take the place name's last akṣara, which could be also read as n or t (with virāma), as an obscurely written k. [⇑]

27. In all available copies of the document (and therefore probably in the original as well) these lines are written at the end of the first column before the text continues in the second column. In the published editions (Naraharinātha VS 2013: 288 and N.R. Panta et al. VS 2025: 1064), they appear at the very end of the document after the date and apprecatio. [⇑]

28. Inserted from the space above the main text. [⇑]

29. This pūjā, held at Mṛgasthalī on the 14th day of the dark fortnight of Mārga, marks the beginning of the annual cycle of cakrapūjās performed by the Kanphaṭṭās throughout the Valley, and is also known as mahācakrapūjā or gaṇacakrapūjā (Unbescheid 1980: 117). For the other ritual activities of this day—also known as the "sowing of one hundred seeds" (śatabījāropaṇa)—in the Paśupati temple area and the Yogīs' interpretation of the event, see Unbescheid 1980: 105-107. [⇑]

30. With the exception of K_0044_0056A (also Deupāṭan), all other copies spell the name as Deupāṭaṃ. [⇑]

31. While K_0044_0056A has Sāṅglā and K_0132_0008 Sāṃlā, all other copies spell the name as Sāṅlā. [⇑]

33. The total amount of land mentioned in this portion of the list is 55 ropanīs, but with the exception of K_0574_0058 (having only "55") all copies and editions give the number as "55//53". As elsewhere in this document (see note 22), this batch sum was probably corrected to fit the total sum given at the end of the document (see note 36). [⇑]

34. Naraharinātha (VS 2013: 287) and N.R. Panta et al. (VS 2025: 1064) mistakenly give the number as 7. [⇑]

35. Other spellings found are Syāṃpuri (K_0440_0019) and Syāmpurī (K_0574_0005). [⇑]

36. This sum is correct if the corrected numbers (see notes 22 and 33) are used. [⇑]

37. What is meant here is a system of land measurement used in the hill region according to which 1 kheta, consisting of 100 murīs, equals 25 ropanīs. [⇑]

38. The lunar date corresponds to 2 November 1769. [⇑]

39. According to Unbescheid (1980: 67, 113) a copperplate issued in 1379 CE (see K_0055_0005) ordered the Darśana(dhārīs) to perform the gaṇapūjā (=cakrapūjā) at the Kāṣṭhamaṇḍapa. This assertion, which caused some confusion (see Bouillier 1993: 86 n. 20), cannot be confirmed. The first reference to an annual cakra among the Yogīs there is found only later, in a copperplate issued in 1465 CE which commemorates the donation of 9 ropanīs of land made by one Caitanyanātha, a Yogī from Gauḍa Deśa (a kingdom in the region of modern-day Bengal), to the venerable avadhūtas (see K_0055_0004). Other donations for a yogīcakra at the Kāṣṭhamaṇḍapa followed in 1485 CE (see K_0054_0057) and 1512 CE (see K_0055_0001). [⇑]

40. Locke 1980: 308 n. 68, 414-415 [⇑]

41. A long stone inscription dated NS 793 (1673 CE) which regulated many details of the cult of the deity lists the plots of land assigned to this guṭhī, which was established to supply the jogīcakra with food after the ghaṭasthāpana on the new moon day of Caitra (D.R. Regmi 1966: 156; Tevārī, Rāmajī et al. VS 2020: 10 and Locke 1980: 311). [⇑]

42. See note 29. [⇑]

43. Concerning these pūjās, see Unbescheid 1980: 117-127; see also Locke 1980: 442 n. 105. [⇑]

44. He gives as examples the pūjās terminated at the Kāṣṭhamaṇḍapa and in Deopatan (Unbescheid 1980: 115). [⇑]

45. The following copies were filmed by the NGMPP in Bhadrakali: a copy kept in the Gorakhanātha Guṭhī records (as doc. 1?), the name of whose attester can unfortuanately not be deciphered in the available photo (K_0044_0056A); a copy of this copy, the attester this time not named, Gorakhanātha Guṭhī doc. 17 (K_0044_0058B); another copy attested by Dhārīnātha, Jogīcakra Guṭhī Poka 2 kha (K_0132_0008); a copy attested by Pīramahanta Nārāṃnātha Jogī, Guhyeśvarī Guṭhī Poka 10, 60/84 under no. 182 (K_0440_0019); and a copy attested by Pīramahanta Bharapuranātha, Poka 3 of Bha. Gu. La. Ta. Aḍḍā, Ta. no. 165 (K_0574_0058). [⇑]

46. Mūla patra napāieko hũdā (N.R. Panta et al. VS 2025: 1064 note). [⇑]