Epigraphs from Amarāvatī (a) The Gahapati and Setti classes

The prosperity of the region led to the rise of the rich gahapati and the setti classes. They patronized Buddhism and gave donations along with the king for raising the magnificent stupa at Amarāvatī. They constituted 14.03% of the entire population. In literary texts the gahapatis were controller of property, tax payer and were associated with agriculture. Their association with agriculture is also indicated in the Pali literature. They became indigenous commercial and agrarian elite. In this category mention may also be made of the Vāṇīya and Heraṇika along with Gahapati and Seṭṭis. Their prosperity may be attributed to trade based primarily on agricultural wealth and intensification of craft^[1]. Innumerable epigraphs from Amarāvatī indicate donations by this class.

Some epigraphs from Amarāvatī may be cited which mentions donations by the gahapatis.

Text:-

(i) …. nili Gamila kasa gahāpatisa
(ii) … putasa ja Revatasa ja bal (i) kāya^[2]

Translations:-

…. of Gamilaka the householder… the son of … and the daughter of Revata.

Text:-

i) Gahapatisa Budhinoputasa Makābudhino Sapi
ii) tukasa sabhaginikasa sabhāriyasa deyadhaṃaparichikā be suchiya dānā.^[3]

Note:-

From this inscription it is understood that Makabudhi, the son of gahapati Budhi donated rails (Sūcī) along with his family members.

Text:-

i) Gahapatino vāsumitasaputasa Himalasa sabhāriyasa
ii) Saputakasa sabhagineyasa saduhutukasa thabo dānaṃ.^[4] Note:-

This inscription mentions that Himala, the son of gahapati Vasumita donated a pillar.

Text:-

i) Sidham Jadikiyanan Sidhāthagahapa
ii) tisa bhariyaya khadāya saduhutukaya
iii) saputikaya samatukāya sabhatakasa
iv) (sa) gharasun (hā) ya sahajanatihi
v) bhagavato macetiya padamale
vi) apano dhamathāna divakhaṃbo patithavi to^[5]

Translation:-

Success, at the foot of the great caitya of Bhagavato has been placed a lamp pillar as the seat of merit by Khada, the wife of gahapati Sidhata of the caityaka school with her daughters, sons, mother, brother, daughter in law and her jnatis.

Text:-

i) [Si] dham Rāno Vasiṣṭhiputasa Sāmi Siri Pulumāvisa savachharam …..piṃdasutariyānan …. Kahutaragahapatisa Purigahapatisa chaputasa Isilasa sabhakutasa.
ii) sa (bha?) ginikasa bhayāya chasa Nākanikāya Saputakasa…..[Bhagava] to mahāchetiye chetakiyā naṃ mikā [ya] sa parigahe aparaḍāre dhamachaka de dhamman [mātā] pitu [udisā?]^[6]

Translation:-

Hail! In the year… of the illustrious Lord the king Puḷumāvi, son of the Vasiṣtha (mother). The merit of the gift of a Dhammachakra (Wheel of law) on the western gateway in the great Caitya of Bhagavat (Buddha) in possession of the Chetika school of two Pinḍasutris, the gahapati Kahutara and lsila, the son of the gahapati Puri, with his brother, his sister, his wife, Nāganikā with (their) son.

Text:-

i) Sidhaṃ Sulasa gahapati putena gahapa [ti]
ii) nāgatāya bālikena ya Sulasena sadhūtu
[da]….. Khinapasedāre karita deyadha (ma)^[7]

Translation:-

Success! Meritorious gift made at the gate at the South side by the gahapati… son of the gahapati Sulasa (with) Nāgatā and his son and daughter.

Text:-

…. gahapatisa Maditisa duhutuya Uvasikāya sangha-Rakhitaya sabhasakāya,
Sabhagirinaya, tina ka putanacha Dāsa, Ajunasa cha Dāsa ghasa, bhatiyāna.^[8]

Note:-

This inscription gives information that a donation was made by Gahapati Maditi’s daughter Urvāsika, Sangh-Rakshitā Sabhāsakā, (and) Sabhagirinā, together with their sons and slave (Saṅ) gha.

It is interesting to note that the material prosperity of the gahapatis is also proved not only by their donations but by the nature of donations, that is, architectural structures in the form of pillars, upright slabs, slabs with footprints, railings, coping stone, cross bars, slabs with pūrṇaghaṭas, dharmachakra, lotus medallion, lotus medallion and ornamented rail pillar.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ray Chowdhury Sima, 2008, ‘Pattern of Patronage and Early Buddhist Art of Amaravati’ in Sengupta Gautam and Chakraborty Sharmi (ed), Archaeology of Early Historic South Asia, New Delhi, p 483.

[2]:

Sivaramamurti C, Op.cit, No. 32, p 278, Chanda Ramprasad, 1982, Op.cit, No. 25, p 267

[3]:

Burgess Jas, 1972, Op.cit, No. 174, p 35.

[4]:

Ibid, p 50.

[5]:

Lüders H, Op.cit, No. 1244, p 147 Sivaramamurti C, Op.cit, No. 118, pp 301-302.

[6]:

Burgess Jas, 1972, Op.cit, No. 121, pp 26-27 Sivaramamurti C, Ibid, No. 51, pp 283-284,

[7]:

Lüders H, 1912, Op.cit, No. 1255, p 149. Burgess Jas, 1972, Ibid No. 175, pp 35-36. Sivaramamurti C, I bid, No. 55, pp 284-285.

[8]:

Lüders H, Ibid, No. 1206, p 141. Rana Jyoti Rohilla, Op.cit, No. 20, p 148.