Grant of Bhaskara Varman of Kamarupa and the Nagara Brahmanas
Summary
This article edits and studies a set of copper‑plate grants issued by Bhaskaravarman, one of the most powerful kings of early Kamarupa (Assam) in the seventh century. The plates record the gift of villages and tax exemptions to a group of Brahmanas known as the Nagara Brahmanas. The author supplies a detailed transliteration and translation of the Sanskrit inscriptions, highlighting interesting linguistic forms and formulae. The genealogical portion of the charter traces Bhaskaravarman’s lineage back to mythical ancestors, providing insight into the dynastic ideology of the Varman line. In the analytical section the article discusses the socio‑economic implications of the grant: the rights conferred on the Brahmanas, the administrative obligations of local officials and the integration of donated land into the agrarian economy. Comparative references are made to other contemporary grants from Bengal, Orissa and central India, showing how the Kamarupa documents conform to and diverge from prevailing patterns. The paper concludes by arguing that these grants not only enriched Brahmanical institutions but also strengthened the king’s political alliances and extended his influence into frontier zones.
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Conclusion
Through meticulous epigraphic analysis the study underscores the role of land grants in the political economy of early medieval Assam. Bhaskaravarman’s gifts to the Nagara Brahmanas reveal how kings used religious patronage to consolidate their authority and foster agrarian expansion. These documents thus serve as key sources for reconstructing the administrative and cultural history of the eastern Himalayas.