A stone block inscription at Nala’s Lagana Hiti recording the construction of a water spout by Dhruvaśīla and Aṇaṅgaśīla (LS 118)
ID: NHDP_0002_0004
Edited and
translated by Shyam Sundar Rajbanshi and Rajendra Shakya
Created: 2025-07-23;
Last modified: 2026-11-03
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Abstract
This inscription, inscribed on a stone block above a row of three water spouts in Nala’s Lagana Ṭola, records Dhruvaśīla and his brother Aṇaṅgaśīla having constructed a water spout in abbreviated Licchavi Samvat 118 (695 CE) during the reign of King Śivadeva for the residents of Uparima Nālaṅga.Diplomatic edition
[1r]
1᠀1 संवत्११८ज्येष्ठशुक्लदशम्याम्राजाधिराजश्रीशिवदेवस्यराज्यम्2उपरिमनालङ्गग्रामस्योपभोगम्2 तत्रैवग्रामाधिवासीहूंध्रुवशीलस्य
3तद्भ्राताहूंअणङ्गशीलसहितेनपुण्याधिकारप्रणालीकृतम्3
Translation
[1r]
[May there be] success! On the 10th of the bright fortnight of Jyeṣṭha in [abbreviated Licchavi] era 118 (695 CE), during the reign of [Mahā]rājādhirāja ŚrīŚivadeva, a water spout (praṇālī) was constructed for the benefit and use of the residents of Uparima Nālaṅgagrāma. This virtuous act was carried out by HūṃDhruvaśīla and his brother HūṃAṇaṅgaśīla, residents of that same village.
Commentary
This inscription can be seen on a stone block placed above the row of three water spouts at Lagana Hiti (see DANAM NLA0030) in front of Nala’s well-known Ugracaṇḍī temple in Lagana Ṭola. Dated abbreviated Licchavi era 118 (695 CE), it records the construction of the water spout by Dhruvaśīla and his brother Aṇaṅgaśīla from Uparima Nālaṅgagrāma. The hiti has had a continuous flow of water since the 7th century, sourced, according to locals, from a spring located in Thāmbre, north of Nala.
When this inscription was installed, Nala village was divided into two halves: upper and lower. The inscription mentions that the hiti was built for use by the residents of the former, Uparima Nālaṅgagrāma.
In the words rājyam and bhogam, the character ma is carved higher than the preceding letters, with a slanting dash (halanta) inscribed below it to signify that the character ends without a vowel (म्). However, in kṛtam, the word that concludes this inscription, the ma is written on the same level.
Nothing is known about the donor brothers, Dhruvaśīla and Aṇaṅgaśīla. Interestingly, their names in the inscription are prefixed with what is normally an exclamatory sound, huṃ, instead of the usual honorific, śrī. The reason behind this is unclear.
The hiti’s construction took place during the reign of Śivadeva II, addressed as “rājādhirāja.”
The year denoted as 118 is a reduced representation of the 618th year in the Licchavi Samvat. It falls within the Śaka era years 616 (commencing in Kārtika) and 617 (concluding in Āśvina). As the month of Jyeṣṭha falls within the Śaka year 617, the addition of 78 years places this at 695 CE. The inception of the Licchavi Samvat has been a topic of scholarly discussion for roughly a century and a half. It is now generally accepted that this calendar system is a reduced form of one that began two years prior to the Śaka era. On this basis, the Licchavi Samvat year 118 can confidently be equated with 695 CE.
