50. Raipur (M.P., now Nagpur Museum) copper-plates, of Mahàsudevaràja.
Fl. No. 41; Bh. No. 1880; Cunningham, ASR, xvii, 55ff., pls. xxvi-xxvii; J.F.Fleet, CII, iii, 196-200, pl. xxvii; Hira Lal, ICPB, 106, No. 176; IE.AR. 1955-56, p. 19, No. 51, App. A. AMS I:XIII.

This inscription,-which was first brought to notice by General Cunningham, in 1884, in the Archaeol. Surv. Ind. Vol. XVII. p. 55 ff., and Plates xxvi. and xxvii.; and is now published in full for the first time,-is from some copper-plates that were obtained by Colonel Bloomfield at Ràypur [The 'Raepoor, Raipur, and Ryepoor,' of maps, &c. Indian Atlas, Sheet No. 91. Lat. 21o 15' N.; Long. 81o 41' E.], the chief town of the Ràypur District in the Central Provinces. The original plates are now in the Provincial Museum at Nàgpur.
The plates, of which the first is inscribed on one side only, are three in number, each measuring about 6" by 3 1/4" at the ends and a little less in the middle. They are quite smooth, the edges of them being neither fashioned thicker nor raised into rims. The inscription is in a state of perfect preservation throughout. The plates are of fair thickness; and the letters, though fairly deep, do not shew through on the backs of them at all. The engraving is very good; but, as usual, the interiors of some of the letters shew marks of the working of the engraver's tool.-Towards the proper right end of each plate, there is a hole for a ring to connect them. The ring is circular, about 1/4" thick and 3 1/2" in diameter; it had already been cut, for the purpose of taking impressions of the plates, when the grant came into my hands; but there is no reason to suppose that it is not the ring properly belonglng to the plates. The seal, in which the ends of the ring are secured, is circular, about 3 5/8" in diameter; and, like the seal of the Àraêg grant of Mahà-Jayaràja, No. 40 above, page 191 and Plate xxvi., it has the appearance of being made of a klnd of brass, rather than of copper. It has plainly, at some time or other, been subjected to the action of fire, which, with the effects of wear and tear, has almost completely destroyed the upper surface of it. But there are visible, in relief on a slightly countersunk and concave surface, faint traces of-across the centre, a legend, in two lines, of which, as restored, the text and translation are given below;-in the upper part, a standing figure of the goddess Lakømè, facing full-front; on each side of her, an elephant, standing on a waterlily, with its trunk lifted up over her head, to pour water over her; in the proper right corner, an expanded water-lily, on its stalk; and, in the proper left corner, a ùaêkha or conch-shell;-and, in the lower part, there seems to have been a floral device.-The weight of the three plates is about 1 lb. 5 1/2 oz., and of the ring and seal, 1 lb. 7 1/2 oz.; total, 2 lbs. 13 oz. (Fleet)
Language: Sanskrit. In prose but for the usual benedictive and imprecatory verses at the end and the legend on the seal.
Metres: Verse 1: Vasantatilakà; Verse 2: Indravajrà; Verses 3-6: Anuøòubh.
Script: Box-headed variety of the Central Indian alphabet.
Date: Regnal Year 10, Màgha 9. Latter half of the sixth century A.D.
Plates about 6" long and 3 1/4" broad at the ends and a little less in the middle.
The seal is circular, its diameter being about 3-5/8". The upper surface has been almost completely destroyed owing to the action of fire to which it was subjected at some time or other. But faint traces of the two-line Anuøòubh stanza are visible.(AMS)

TEXT.

V. 1. - Metre, Vasantatilaka, 2 - Indravajrà 3-5 - Ùlîka (Anuøòubh); (Fleet)

The Seal.

a Prasanna-hðdayasy-aiva vikkram-àkkrànta-vidviøaõ
b Ùrèmat-Sudåva-ràjasya ùàsanaì ripu-ùàsanaì(m) [||*]

First Plate.

1 Siddhaì [|*] Svasti [|*] Ùarabhapuràd=vikkram-îpanata-sàmanta-makuòa-cóäà-maíi-
2 prabhà-prasåk-àmbu-dhauta-pàda-yugalî ripu-vilàsinè-sèmant-îddha-
3 raía-håtur=vvasu-vasudhà-gî-pradaÛ paramabhàgavatî màtàpitð-
4 pàd-ànuddhyàtaù=ùrè-Mahà-Sudåvaràjaõ Pórvvaràøòrèya-Ùrèsàhi-
5 kàyàì prativàsi-kuòumbinas=samàjãàpayati || (|) Viditam=astu vî
6 yath=àsmàbhir=ayaì gràmas=tð(tri)daùapati-sadana-sukha-pratiøòhàka-

Second Plate; First Side.

7 rî yàvad=ravi-ùaùi-tàrà-kiraía-pratihata-ghîr-àndhakàraì jagad=ava-
8 tiøòhatå tàvad=upabhîgyas=sa-nidhis=s-îpanidhir=a-càòa-bhaòa-pràvåùya[õ*]
9 sarvva-kara-visarjjitaX=Kî(kau)íäinyasagîtra-Vàjasanåya-Savit[ð*]-
10 svàminå [à*]tmèya-kanyà-pradànå[na*] Aupamanyava-[Va*]tsasagîtra yàmà-
11 trî[õ*] Nàgavatsasvàmi-Bandhuvatsasvàminîs=tàmbra(mra)-ùàsanån=àti-
12 stð(sð)øòakî bhótv=àsmàbhir=apy=uttaràyaíå màtàpitrîr=àtmanaù=ca

Second Plate; Second Side.

13 puíy-å(à)bhivðddhayå=¸numîditaõ [||*] Tå yóyam=åvam=upalabhy=àsy=àjãà-ùra-
14 vaía-vidhåyà bhótvà yath-îcitaì bhîga-bhàgam=upamupanayantas=su-
15 kha(ì) prativatsyatha [||*] Bhaviøyataù=ca bhómipà[n=a*]nudarùayati | Dànàd=viùiøòa-
16 m=anupàlana-jaì puràíå(nà) ddha(dha)rmmåøu niùcita-dhiyaÛ pravadaì(da)nti dharmmaì(rmmam) | tasmà[d]-
17 dvijàya su=viùuddha-kula-ùrutàya dattà(ì) bhuva(ì) bhavatu vî matir=åva gîptu[m ||*1] Ta-
18 d=bhavadbhir=apy=åøà dattir=anupàlayitavyà [||*] Vyàsa-gètà[ì*]é=c-àtra ùlîkàn=udàharanti [|*]

Third Plate; First Side.

19 Agnår=apatyaì prathamaì suvaríía[ì*] bhór=vvaiøíavè sóryya-sutàù=ca gàva[õ*] dattà-
20 s=trayas=tåna bhavanti lîkà yaX=kàãcanaì gàã=ca mahiã=ca dadyàt [||*2] øaøòi-va-
21 røa-sahasràíi svarggå mîdati bhómi-daõ àcchåttà c-ànumantà ca tàny=å-
22 va na[ra*]kå vasåt [||*3||] Bahubhir=vvasudhà dattà ràjabhi[õ*] Sagar-àdibhiõ yasya
23 yasya yadà bhómis=tasya tasya tadà phalaì(lam) [||*4||] Sva-dattà[ì*] para-dattà[ì] [và*] ya-
24 tnàd=rakøa Yudhiøòhira [|*] mahi mahimatà[ì*] ùråøòha dànàc-chråyî ¸nupà-

Third Plate; Second Side.

25 asminå(nn-å)va gràmå pórvva-taòàkasya paryyatta(nta)-bhómi-vapra-baddhà Ùrè-
26 vàpikà patthà(nthà)naì yàvaj=jà(jjyå)øòha iti kðtvà Nàga[va*]tsasvàminå gràm-àrddhasy=àdhikà dattà
27 lanam=iti ||[5||] Sva-mukh-àjãayà pravarddhamàna-vijaya-saìvvatsara 10 Màgha 9
28 uktè(tkè)ríía[ì*] Drîíasiêghà(êghå)na [||*]