Imprecatory Verses in Copper Plate Grant
Summary
This brief article analyses the imprecatory verses (curses) often found at the end of copper‑plate land grants issued by Indian kings. Such verses threaten anyone who would attempt to revoke the gift with severe punishments in this life and the next. The author notes that these curses follow formulaic patterns: they invoke deities as witnesses, call down diseases and disasters upon violators, and promise merit to those who uphold the grant. By comparing examples from different periods and regions, the article shows how the wording of the imprecations evolved, becoming more elaborate over time. The legal significance of the verses is discussed, and it is argued that they served both to deter tampering with grants and to sacralise the act of donation.
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Conclusion
Imprecatory verses functioned as both legal deterrents and religious invocations. Their formulaic nature across centuries points to a shared conception of royal gifts as sacred and inviolable.