55. Mallar (Bilasapur, M.P.) copper-plates of Vyàghraràja of the reign of Pravararàja. R. Y. 41 (?) Pauøa 27
Ind. Arch., A Review, 1958-59, p. 60, No. 24 & Pl. LXIX-LXX (3rd Set); IE.AR. 1958-59, p. 26 No. 6, App. A; D. C. Sircar & G. Bhattacharya, EI. Vol. XXXIV (1961-62), No. 10. pp. 45-50 & pls.; Hitavàda (Nagpur), 28th August, 1958; AMS, APPENDIX II

According to a report appearing in the Hitavàda of Nagpur, dated the 28th August 1953, four sets of copper plates were recently discovered at the well-known village of Mallàr, about 16 miles from Bilaspur in Madhya Pradesh. Three out of the four sets, which are said to have been found by the villagers while digging for foundations, were secured by Mr. M. Sivayya, Exploration Assistant of the Department of Archaeology at Bilaspur, the fourth set being acquired for the Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum, Raipur, by Mr. Balehandra Jain. Assistant Curator of the said institution. The plates [See A.R.Ep., 1958-59, No. A 6.] published in the following pages represent one of the three sets secured by Mr. Sivayya. The other three inscriptions, which were discovered along with the one under study and belong to the rulers of the Ùarabhapurèya dynasty are also being published in this journal. [See ibid., 1958-59, Nos. A 5, 7-8; above, Vol. XXXIII, pp. 155 ff. (grant of Jayaràja, year 5); also pp. 28 ff. (grant of Jayaràja, year 9) above and pp. 53 f. (grant of Pravararàja, son of Mànamàtra-Durgaràja, year 3) below.]
The set consists of three rectangular plates with their corners rounded off and each measuring approximately 7 inches in length and 3-5 inches in height. The second plate, is somewhat thicker than the others. Each plate has a round hole about the centre of the left margin for the seal-ring to pass through. The seal affixed to the ring (about 1 1-4 inches in circumference and 1-3" in thickness) does not resemble that found with the charters of the Ùarahhapurèya kings, even though, as will be seen below, the donor of our record apparently belonged to the same family. The surface of the seal, which is 1-9 inches in diameter and is much corroded, has a thick line dividing it into two halves. The section above the line exhibits three symbols, viz. the side view of a chakra in the left, the head of an animal (probably a lion) in front in the middle, and a conch-shell in the right. The legend below the line, written in Southern characters similar to those employed in writing the text of the document on the plates, reads ùrè-Vyàghraràjaõ. There is another symbol below the legend, which is difficult to identify, though it may be the head of an elephant to front. It will be seen that Vyàghraràja's seal is totally unlike the seal of the Ùarabhapurèya kings, which exhibits the Gajalakømè emblem in the upper part and a legend below consisting of a stanza in the Anuøòubh metre written in two lines in the box-headed characters of Central India. The first and third plates of the set under study are written on the inner side only, the second plate having writing on both the sides. There are altogether twenty four lines of writing distributed in the following way: IB-6, IIA-7, IIB-5, and IIIA-6. The sixth line on the third plate consists of a few letters only. The three plates together weigh 53 tolas and the seal with the ring 18 tolas. (D. C. Sircar and G. Bhattacharya)

TEXT

First Plate

1 Svasti [|*] Prasannapuràd=upavana-vana-ràji-ràjitàd=Apa(ma)rapura-
2 kèrtti-vijayinaõ pravara-kàminè-nitamba-vi(bi)mb-àbhighàta-
3 bhinn-àmbhasà ca srîtasvatyà Niäilayà pavitrèkðtàd=Ama-
4 r-àryya-kul-àmbara-ùaùinaõ sakala-kalà-kalàpa-nilaya-
5 sya jita-tamasî jana-nayan-îtsavasya ùrè-Jaya-bhaòòàraka-só-
6 nîõ ùrè-Pravara-bhaòòàrakasya Pri(Pð)thîr=iva prè(pð)thu-nu(bhu)ja-

Second Plate, First Side

7 yugala-bal-àjjit-îjita-sakala-mahèmaíäala-maíäana-
8 yaùasî manîr=iva manujapatår=anujaõ ùrè-Vyàghraràjadåvî
9 varttamànàì(nàn) bhaviøyataù=ca bràhmaíàì sampójya ràjãaõ su-mànya-
10 ràjapuruøàì(øàn) samàjãàpayati viditam=astu vî yath=àsmàbhi-
11 r=ayaì Pórvva-ràøòrèya-Kunturapadraka-gràmî màtà-pittrîr=àtmana-
12 ù=ca puíyà(íy-à)bhivri(vð)ddhayå bahvðca-Kàpy-Àêgirasa-gîttra-dèkøita-Du-
13 rggasvàmi-sónavå dèkøit-Àgnicandrasvàminå datta ity=u-

Second Plate, Second Side

14 palabhya bhavadbhir=apy=anumantavyaõ pàlayitavyaù=c-åti |
15 Bahubhir=vvasudhà dattà ràjabhiõ[|*] Sagar-àdibhi[õ |*] yasya
16 yasya yadà bhómis=tasya tasya tadà phalaì(lam) [|*] Mà bhó-
17 d=aphala-sa(ùa)êkà vaõ para-dattåti pàrtthivàõ [|*] sva-dànà-
18 t=para-dànasya tasmàc=chråyo=¸nupàlanaì |(nam ||)

Third Plate

19 øaøòi-varøa-sahasràíi svarggå mîdati bhómi-
20 daõ [|*] àchå(cchå)ttà c=ànumantà cà(ca) tàny=åva narakå vaså[t] [||*]
21 Sva-dattàì para-dattàì và yî haråta vasundharaì(ràm) [|*] sva-vi-
22 øòhàyaê=kðmi[r*]=bhótvà, pitðbhis=sa[ha*] majyata [||*] iti prava[r*]ddha-
23 màna-vijaya-ràjya-saìvvat 40 1 Pî(Pau)øa-di 20 7 Jå(Jyå)øòhasi-
24 êghå(hå)na karmma sð(kð)ta[m*] [|*]

Seal

ùrè-Vyàghraràjaõ