Recovered from Sankheda, Vadodara district, Gujarat, this single copper-plate forms the concluding section of a land charter. Issued in the Kalacuri year 391, on the fifteenth tithi of the dark fortnight of Vaiśākha, corresponding to 15th May 641 CE, the record features the Sanskrit language with engravings in two variations of the Brāhmī script. The donor is Raṇagraha, son of Vītarāga and the presumed brother of the ruling monarch Dadda II.
The extant text documents the formal endowment to the brāhmaṇa Adityaśarman, consecrated with a ritual libation of water. It issues a direct injunction to subsequent administrators to uphold the grant, warning that confiscation incurs the five grave sins. This admonition is reinforced through standard imprecatory verses attributed to Vyāsa. The administrative execution was overseen by the dūtaka, bhogikapālaka Dujjāna, and drafted by Mātṛibhaṭa, the officer of peace and war. It concludes with the sign-manual of the sun-worshipping donor, Raṇagraha, bearing the formal endorsement of his liege lord, Dadda II.
1. brahmaṇādityaśarmmaṇa udakātisarggeṇotsṛṣṭam | yatosmadvamśyairanyairvvāgāmibhogapatibhiḥ aya–
2. masmaddāyonumantavyaḥ pālayitavyaśca | yo vājñānatimirapaṭalāvṛtamatirācchindyādācchidyamānam vā–
3. numodeta sa pañcabhirmmahāpātakaiḥ samyuktaḥ syāditi | uktañca bhagavatā vedavyāsena vyāsena | ṣaṣṭim varṣa–
4. sahasrāṇi svargge modati bhūmidaḥ | ācchettā cānumantā ca tānyeva narake vaset || 1 ||
5. koṭaravāsinaḥ | kṛṣṇāhayo hi jāyante bhūmidānāpahārakāḥ || 2 || yānīha dattāni purā narendrairddānāni
6. dharmmārtthyaśaskarāṇi | nirbhuktamālyapratimāni tāni ko nāma sādhuḥ punarādadīti || 3 || svadattām paradattām vā
7. yatnādrakṣa yudhiṣṭhira | mahīm mahimatām śreṣṭha dātā tu dānācchreyo nupālanamiti || 4 ||
8. samvatsaraśatatraye ekanavatyadhike vaiśākhabahulapañcadaśyām sam 300 90 1 vaiśākha ba 10 5 |
9. dūtakotra bhogikapālakaṭujñānaḥ | dinakarakiraṇābhyarccanaratasya svahastoyam śrīvītarāgasūno
10. raṇagrahasya | śrīdaddapādāntajñātam likhitamidam sandhivigrahādhikaraṇādhikṛta mātṛbhaṭena ||
Lines 1 and 2
(The field ……) has been granted (by us) with a libation of water to the brāhmaṇa Ādityaśarman. Wherefore, future rulers, whether born in our family or others, should consent to and preserve this our gift. Whoever, with his mind shrouded by the veil of the darkness of ignorance, confiscates it or allows it to be confiscated, shall incur the five great sins!
Lines 3 to 7
And it has been declared by the holy Vyāsa who arranged the Vedas-
(Here follow four benedictive and imprecatory verses.)
Lines 8 to 10
In the year three hundred (increased by) ninety-one, on the fifteenth (tithi) of the dark (fortnight) of Vaiśākha, (in figures) the year 300 (and) 90, (the month) Vaiśākha, the dark (fortnight), (the lunar day) 10 (and) 5.
The dūtaka of this (grant) is the bhogikapālaka Dujjāna.
This is the sign-manual of Raṇagraha, the son of the illustrious Vītarāga, who is devoted to the worship of the sun. (As) sanctioned by the feet of the illustrious Dadda (II), this (order) has been written by Matṛibhaṭa who is in charge of (the department of) Peace and War.
| Dynasty: | Gurjara |
| Ruler: | Raṇagraha |
| Date: | 15th May 641 CE (Vaiśākha, bahula 15, varṣa 391) |
| Donor: | Raṇagraha |
| Donee: | Brāhmaṇa Ādityaśarman |
| Language: | Sanskrit |
| Script: | Brāhmī |
| Religion: | Vedic |
| Nature of grant: | Land donation |
| Purpose: | To obtain religious merit |
| Provenance of inscription: | Sankheda, Vadodara, Gujarat |
| Type of Inscription: | Copperplate grant |
| Source: |
