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A lālamohara from King Rājendra appointing Durgā Siṃ as a ḍiṭṭhā and outlining his responsibilities with regard to Matsyendranātha (VS 1895)

ID: DNA_0014_0106


Edited and translated by Manik Bajracharya and Rajendra Shakya in collaboration with Pabitra Bajracharya
Created: 2021-06-02; Last modified: 2023-04-03
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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, 2022. 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 lālamohara issued by King Rājendra appoints Durgā Siṃ as a ḍiṭṭhā and instructs him to collect the revenue on various lands and other property of Matsyendranātha and deposit it in the deity's treasury. It also directs him to use surplus income to make a silver gate and a throne at the temple of the deity.



Diplomatic edition

[1r]

1श्री­दूर्गा­ \

1श्री­मछिन्द्रनाथ­:
2१­

1 [Royal seal with the legend: श्री­दुर्गा­भवानि­]

1४९८­

1स्वस्ति­श्रीगिरिराजचक्रचूडामणिनरनारायत्यादिविविधविरूदा
2वलिविराजमानमानोन्नतश्रीमन्महाराजधीराजश्रीश्रीश्रीराजेन्द्र
3विक्रमसाहवाहादूरसम्सेरजङ्‌देवानां­सदा­समरविजयिनाम्‌­
4आगे­∙दुर्गा­सिंके­¯ ¯१¯ ¯का­वाधा­विर्ता­षेतवारिको­वालि­र­∙मालम
5त्ता­जो­भय़ाको­नगद­जिनिस्‌­∙ङाषाचोक्‌को­विसेट्‌­जना­६­ईषालषु
6को­
विसेट्‌­जना­६­वहिदार­जैसि­राषि­∙अघि­भयाको­थितिका­मोहर­
7वमोजिम्‌­पर्वपर्वको­काम­चलाई­∙वाकि­रह्याको­जो­छ­∙अघिअघि­
8भय़ाका­डिठा­र­उन्का­कारोवारि­रकमि­औ­मोहि­असामि­गैह्रको­व
9हि­वुझि­∙तिनवाट­उठ्याका­रुपैया­¯ ¯१¯ ¯का­भंडार­दाषिल­गरि­र
10सिद­लिनु­:अव­उप्रान्त­वर्ष­प्रति­उठ्याका­आमदनिले­षर्च­भै­वाकि­
11रह्याका­जगिराले­वर्ष­२­मा­¯ ¯१¯ ¯को­देव़ल्मा­चाँदिको­ढोका­व
12नाउनु­∙वर्ष­३­मा­सिंहासन­वनाउनु­∙वर्ष­५­को­वट्‌करार­गरि­∙किर्ति
13मान्‌का­
नाव़को­मोहर­हानि­∙तलाई­मोहर­गरिवक्स्यौ­∙आफ्‌ना­षा
14तिर्ज्मासग­∙अघिअघि­भैआयाका­रितिथिति­वमोजिम्‌को­का
15म­चलाई­∙अघि­भयाका­डिठाले­षाया­वमोजीम्‌­षानगि­षाई­¯ ¯१¯ ¯
16को­टहल्‌­सोझो­चिताई­काम्‌­गर­∙इति­सम्वत्‌­१८९५­साल­मिति­
17माघ­सुदि­४­रोज­७­शुभम्‌­∙¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯ ¯¯¯

[1v]

1(४९)­

1५२८­

1मार्फत्‌­पुष्कर­साह­:

Translation

[1r]

Śrī Durgā

Śrī Matsyendranātha (text: Machindranātha) - 1

[Royal seal with the legend: Śrī Durgā Bhavāni]

4981

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, Rājendra Vikrama Sāha, the brave swordsman, the divine king always triumphant in war

Āge: To Durgā Siṃ.

[Collect all] crops [due] on the paddy fields (kheta) and homesteads (bārī) that have either been mortgaged (bā̃dhā) or [given as] birtā, [and] property in cash and kind belonging to [Śrī Matsyendranātha]2 in the presence of 6 biseṭs of Nyākhā Coka (text: Ṅāṣā cok), 6 biseṭs of Ikhālakhu (text: Īṣālaṣu), a record-keeper (bahīdāra) [and] an astrologer (jaisī). In accordance with [earlier] moharas issued in regard to the prevalent customs, once the tasks relating to the various festivals are concluded, receive the ledgers (bahī) and the remainder [of the revenue] from the former ḍiṭṭhā, his dealers (kārobārī) and contractors (rakamī), tenants (mohī), debtors (āsāmī) and so on. Deposit the amount [thus] collected from them in the treasury of [Śrī Matsyendranātha]. Obtain receipts [for the amount thus deposited].

Thereafter use the remainder of the annual revenue—after covering [necessary] expenses—to instal (lit. make) a silver door at the temple of [Śrī Matsyendranātha] in the 2nd year. [Similarly,] construct a lion-throne (siṃhāsana) in the 3rd year. We have annulled the mohara [issued earlier] in the name of Kīrtimān and issued another mohara [in your name] for a contractual period of 5 years. Conscious og your own duties (khātirjmā), accomplish the tasks in accordance with customary traditions, enjoy the remuneration (khānagī) similarly to the former ḍiṭṭhā and serve [Śrī Matsyendranātha] with honesty.

Saturday, the 4th of the bright fortnight of Māgha in the [Vikrama] era year 1895 (1839 CE). Auspiciousness.

[1v]

493

5284

Through the hand of (Mārphata) Puṣkara Sāha


Commentary

This lālamohara in the collection of the National Archives Nepal was issued by King Rājendra appoints a certain Durgā Siṃ to the post of ḍiṭṭhā to oversee activities relating to Buṅgadyaḥ. It assigns Durgā Siṃ to the post for five years, replacing the former ḍiṭṭhā, Kirtimān. Tasks assigned to Durgā Siṃ include collection of annual revenue from the lands and other property serving the deity and deposit of the surplus into the treasury. He is also instructed to instal a silver door and a lion-throne in the temple of the deity.

The document states that the ḍiṭṭhā should have biseṭs, a bahīdāra and a jaisī present while collecting the revenue, probably as witnesses. It specifically calls for six biseṭs each from the localities Nyākhācuka and Ikhālakhu in Patan. It seems that charge of the guṭhī lands and other managerial tasks relating to Buṅgadyaḥ fell under bisets until the early Śāha period. Document RRC_0005_0159, issued by King Gīrvāṇayuddha Vikrama Śāha in 1806, took away this task from the biseṭs and appointed a ḍiṭṭhā instead.5 It is not clear, however, if this is the first such instance. Another document, K_0341_0018, dating from 1805 reappoints some traditional biseṭs to the service of Buṅgadyaḥ.

The document also mentions earlier moharas that apparently contained instructions on managing the festival for the deity. These moharas have yet to be located.

The back side of the document contains a signature of Puṣkara Sāha. He is probably Cautariyā Puṣkara Sāha who held the title of mukhtiyāra at the time this document was issued.


Notes

1. Unknown number added by a second hand []

2. Inserted from the space above []

3. Unknown number added by a second hand []

4. This number, added by a second hand, refers to the manuscript number assigned by the National Archives, Kathmandu. []

5. See Locke 1980: 267 and Regmi 1974: 129. []