51 
1894.J U. C. Batavyal— Copper-plate Grant of Dharmapala. 
enumerated) the king, after paying his respects to the Brahmanas, 1 
conveys his greetings, sends his message, or issues his commands (as 
may be appropriate in each case) :—- 
Be it known unto you :— 
Onr Mahasamanfcadhipati, 2 fhi Narayana Varman, by the mouth 
of the Yavaraja fri Tribhuvana Pala, the messenger, addresses us as 
follows:— 
“ We, for increasing the merit of our father and mother, as well as 
of self have caused a House of God to be erected at Qubhasthali. 
There have we established the God-guided Bhatta Narayana, who came 
to visit the Brahmanas of the Lata country, whom we appointed as the 
guardians and worshippers of the said House of God. 
“ For the performance of the offices of religion in the said House, 
may your Majesty be pleased to grant to the said Bhatta Narayana 
four villages, together with their markets, roads, and everything on the 
surface.” 
Then we, in pursuance of his recommendation, have in the terms 
of his address, established and granted these above-written four vil¬ 
lages, with markets, roads, and everything on the surface, as far as 
their respective boundaries, as also with everything above them, 
together with the ten apacdras , free of all tribute, and free from all 
coercive measures. May this grant last, like the pores of the earth, as 
long as the sun and the moon ! 
Wherefore, all of you, out of respect for the merit attaching to 
grants of lands, and out of fear of falling into the great hell that 
awaits those who deprive people of their lands, should respect this 
grant, after giving your assent to the same. 3 And all resident culti¬ 
vators are hereby commanded to submit to these orders, and to pay 
their appropriate rents, food supplies, and all other tributes (to the 
grantees). 
Many kings, like Sagara and others, made grants of lands ; who¬ 
ever rules the earth, at any one time, to him, for that time, belongs the 
merit of these grants. 
Brahmanas with the words and afterwards to salute Kdyasthas with 
1 The Brahmanas, it must be remembered were the repositories of the law 
in those days: whence their mention here. 
2 The Sdmantas were the subordinate chiefs under the Hindu kings. A royal 
officer, superintended the king’s business relations with his Sdmantas : and it was 
this officer, whose title was the Maha-sdmantd-'dhipati. 
3 The words “ after giving your assent to the same ” would indicate that the 
grant had to be registered in the Vi§aya office. 
