48. Kauvatal (Raigadh District, Madhya Pradesh) Plates.
IHQ. Vol. XXI (1945), pp. 294-95 & Pl. (L. P. Pandey), ibid., Vol. XXII (1946), pp. 62-63 (D. C. Sircar); Ancient India, No. 5, p. 49; IE.AR. 1945-46, p. 12, No. 53, App. A & Pl.; EI. Vol. XXXI (1955-56), pp. 314-16 (A. N. Lahiri); Ajay Mitra Shastri, Studies in Indian Epigraphy, iii, 152-53; AMS, I:XII. 

[The inscribed faces of the plates and the seal attached to the record have been illustrated in the Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy, 1945-46, Plate facing p. 12.-Ed.]These copper plates [The inscription was first noticed by Pandit Pandeya in IHQ, 1945, pp. 294-95, and discussed by Dr. D. C. Sircar in the same journal, 1946, pp. 62-63. They were also noticed in Ancient India, No. 5, p.49, and in A.R.Ep., 1945-46, p. 12, No. 53 of App. A, and Plate.] were received from Pandit Lochan Prasad Pandeya, Secretary, Mahakosal Historical Society, Raigarh, who seems to have secured them from a gentleman residing at Kauvatal in the old Sarangarh State. The set consists of three rectangular plates, each measuring about 7.4" X 4.2". They are strung together on a circular copper ring, the thickness and diameter of which are .6" and 3.375" respectively. The ring passes through a square hole bored in the middle of the left margin at a distance of about 1.5" from the left edge. The square hole measures .5" on one of its sides. The inner side of the first plate and both sides of the remaining two plates contain writing. There are altogether 25 lines. Each, of the first four inscribed faces of the plates has six lines of writing, while the fifth has only one line. The seal soldered to the ring is 3" in diameter. It has a circular border and is divided in almost equal halves by two straight lines. In the upper half Lakshmè stands facing front on a lotus with her right hand bent upwards and the left hand hanging downwards; on her two sides are two elephants pouring water over her; and in the left and right fields are a chakra and a ùaêkha respectively. In the lower half is the legend in two lines, below which there is the representation of what looks like a póría-kumbha. The three plates weigh 75 tolas, while the seal together with its ring weighs 25 tolas. The characters are of the box-headed variety of what Fleet calls the 'Central India Alphabet.
(A. N. Lahiri)
Language: Sanskrit. In prose with the exception of a few imprecatory and benedictory verses and the legend on the seal.
Metres: Verse 1: Vasantatilaka; Verse 2: Indravajrd; Verses 3-6: Anuffubh.
Script: Box-headed variety of the Central Indian alphabet.
Date: Regnal Year 7, Margasirsa 10. Latter half of the sixth century A.D.
The plates are 7-4" long and 4-2" broad.
The seal is circular, its diameter being 3". Having a circular border, it is divided into two parts by a couple of horizontal lines in the middle. In the upper half we have the figure of Gaja-Lakømè as described above, and a wheel (cakra) and a conch-shell (ùaêkha) in the left and right fields respectively. The lower half has an Anuøòubh stanza in two lines and below it what looks like a póría-kumbha.
(AMS)

TEXT

Seal

Kram-àdhigata-ràjyasya vikram-îtkhàta-vidviøa[õ] [|*] ùrèmat-Sudåvaràjasya sthiraì jagati ùàsanaì(nam ||)

First Plate

1 siddhaì [|*] svasti [|*] ùrèpuràd=vikram-îpanata-sàmaì(ma)nta-makuòa-cóäà-maíi-prabhà-prasåk-à-
2 mbu-dhauta-pàda-yugalî ripu-vilàsinè-sèmaì(ma)nt-îddharaía-håtur=vvasu-vasudhà-
3 gî-pradaõ paramabhàgavatî màtà-pitð-pàd-ànuddhyàtaõ ùrè-Mahà-Durggaràja-putra-
4 ùrè-Mahà-Sudåvaràjaõ Hakirè-bhîgèya-Sunikàyàì prativàsi-
5 nas=samàjãàpayati | Viditam=astu vî yath=àsmàbhir=ayaì gràmaõ Tð(mas-tri)daùa-
6 pati-sadana-sukha-pratiøòhàkarî yàvad=ravi-ùaùi-tàrà-kiraía-pratihata-

Second Plate, First Side

7 ghîr-àndhakàraì jagad=avatiøòhatå tàvad=upabhîgyaõ sa-nidhiõssî(dhis=s-î)panidhi-
8 r=a-càòa-bhaòa-pravåùyaõ sarvva-kara-visarjja(rjji)taõ màtà-pitrîr=àtmanaù=ca
9 puíy-àbhivðddhayå Pàràsa(ùa)ra-gîtràya Vàjasanåyinå Bhaòòa-Pura-
10 da(nda)ra-svàminå tàmbra(mra)-ùàsanån=àtisðøòaõ [|*] tå yóyam=åvam=upa-
11 labhyà(bhya) àjãà-ùravaía-vidhåyà bhótvà yath-îcitaì bhîga-bhàgam=upanaya-
12 ntaõ sukha[ì*] prativatsyatha [|*] bhaviùya(øya)taù=ca bhómipàlàn=anudarùayati [|*]

Second Plate, Second Side

13. dànàd=viùiøòam=anupàlanajaì puràíà dharmmåøu niùcitadhiya[õ]
14. pravadanti dharmmaì(rmmam) [|*] tasmà[d*]=dvijàya suviøu(ùu)ddha-kula-ùrutàya dattà(ttàì)
15. bhuvaì bhavatu vî matir=åva gîptuì[ptum*] [||1||] tad=bhavadbhir=apy=åùà(åøà) dattir=anupàlayi-
16. tavyà [||*] Vyàsa-gètàìù=c-àtra ùlîkàn=udàharanti [|*] Agnår=apatyaì
17. prathamaì suvarííaì bhór=vvaiøíavè sóryya-sutàù=ca gàvaõ [|*] dattàs=trayas=tå-
18. na bhavaì(va)nti lîkà yaøkà(yaX=kà)ãcanà(naì) gàã-ca mahèì-ca dadyàt [||*] øaøòè(øòi)-varøa-

Third Plate, First Side

19 sahasràíi svarggå mîdati bhómidaõ [|*] àcchåttà c=ànumantà ca tàny=åva
20 narakå vasåt [||3||*] Bahubhir=vvasudhà dattà ràjabhiõ Sagar-àdibhi[õ|*] yasya ya-
21 sya yadà bhómis=tasya tasya tadà phalaì(lam) [||4||] Svadattà[ì*] paradattà[ì*] và yatnà-
22 d=rakøa Yudhiøòhira [|*] mahè[ì*] mahi(hè)matàì ùråøòha dànàc=chråyî¸nupàlana-
23 m=iti(m ||5|| iti) | sarvvàdhikàràdhikðta-ùrè-mahàsàmaì(ma)nta Indrabalaràja-|
24 ù=c-àtra dótakaõ [|*] pravarddhamàna-vijaya-sa(saì)vva(va)tsara 7 Màrg[g]aùèrøa-di 10 [||*]

Third Plate, Second Side,

25 U[t*]kèrííaì Gîlasiêghåna[|]