A Copper‑plate Grant of Viśvarūpa Sena of Bengal
Summary
Haraprasad Sastri publishes and analyses a copper‑plate charter issued by Viśvarūpa Sena, a ruler of Bengal in the 11th century. The inscription, transcribed in Sanskrit and translated into English, records a grant of land to Brahmins and details the king’s lineage from the Sena dynasty. Sastri discusses palaeographic features, such as the mix of Siddham and Gaudiya scripts, and compares the genealogy with that of other Sena inscriptions. He also examines the socio‑economic context of land grants, touching on Brahmanisation of eastern Bengal and the role of revenue‑free villages in state formation. Photographs of the plates and their seal accompany the article.
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Conclusion
The author concludes that the grant not only elucidates a little‑known ruler but also sheds light on the administrative machinery and religious diplomacy of medieval Bengal.