61 
1894.] U. C. Batavyal— Copper-plate Grant of Dharmapala. 
patriotic Bhatta wished that the Pancalas should rise against their 
enemies, and make an effort to regain their freedom. He was, however, 
disappointed in his hopes : and when he came to a foreign country 
to seek that royal patronage which was denied to him in his own, he 
pathetically exclaimed WTTfaff Tisnfai Jim: &c ! 
Many MSS. of the drama end with the verse m?: 
II I think the drama as originally composed, ended here: 
but in the MSS. current in Bengal we have the following additional 
verse : 
STJlfrT I 
Ov j Ov 
wirepy ii 
It is a remarkable fact that in the MSS. current in Western India 
this verse is wanting. 
How the w T ords at the beginning of this verse seem distinctly to refer 
to the Palas. We know that the Palas were frequently called 
or ^afmrr^r. The dynasty being called the founder of it 
aitm^r even came to be called by many authors. In the copper¬ 
plate itself Dayita Visnu, the progenitor of the family, is called 
fi r m in'- The words ^f?rv^f?rqT^n: therefore, seem to meanj‘ May 
the Pala princes continue to rule over this earth ; ” otherwise if we 
understand by the words “ May kings rule over the earth ” the meaning 
would be most trivial. I am of opinion that this very interesting verse, 
the full meaning of which now dawns upon us for the first time, was 
composed after the poet settled in Bengal. It was, in fact, his benedic¬ 
tion to the Pala king who bestowed on him the four villages. 
And as to the grant of the four villages there is a very significant 
passage in the drama. Thus, in the first act, in the message of peace 
of which Krsna was the bearer, Yudhistira thus addresses the Kaurava 
monarch— 
mTWmj i 
^f% it 3 n 
Now, when the drama was acted in Bengal, it was this characteristic 
passage which, it seems to me, suggested the grant of four villages to the 
poet. ^ was interpreted by the patrons of the poet as 
the expression of his own desire. And, what is also very striking,— 
