Raj Prashasti

Raj Prashasti (IAST: Rāja Praśasti; Sanskrit: राज प्रशस्ति) is a Sanskrit text and inscription commemorating the construction of the Rajsamand Lake In Rajasthan in 1676 by Maharana Raj Singh. The text of the Prashasti was authored by Ranchhod Bhatt Tailang at the orders of his patron Raj Singh. It was inscribed on the stone slabs by the order of Maharana Jai Singh in 1687. It is the largest and longest stone inscription in India and is engraved on 25 black stones pillars of the nine outposts at Rajsamand Lake. It states that the Rajsamand Lake was constructed as part of famine relief works. The Prashasti provides historical achievements of Mewar rulers from Bappa Rawal to Raj Singh, details of the construction work, measurements, and costs associated with the Rajsamand lake and dam as well as reports on the rituals performed and gifts and charities donated to the Charanas and Brahmins on the consecration ceremony. The prashasti text was first published in the history of Mewar written by Kaviraja Shyamaldas, in Vir Vinod.

The text Raj Prashasti was composed by Ranchhod Bhatt on the orders of Raj Singh, however, it was Maharana Jai Singh who got the prashasti inscribed on the stone pillars installed at the lake outposts. The text contains 1106 Sanskrit shlokas divided in 24 chapters, which are inscribed on the marble slabs attached to the 25 stone pillars. The first chapter is inscribed on the first 2 pillars, while the rest of the chapters take space of one pillar each.

Vocabulary Source:

Chapter 12 Source:

In Shlok 26-27, the poet Ranchhod Bhatt has referred to Raj Singh as Shripati (i.e. Krishna) and called himself Sudama and pleads with him for wealth.

Chapter 19 (Charities and gifts) Source:

Chapter 21 (Cost of construction) Source:

There are 45 verses in this sarga.

At the beginning of this sarga, there is a description of the money spent on the construction of Rajsamudra. Rs. 1,51,72,233 were spent on its construction work and its pratishtha.

In Samvat 1734, on the occasion of his birthday, Raja Singh gave two great donations - Kalpadrum and Hiranyashva. In the first, 200 pals and in the second, 80 tolas of gold was used. In the same year, while going to bhilwara in Shravan, he made Rao Varisal the Raja of Sirohi accepted one lakh rupees and five villages like Korta from him. When a gold-urn of Maharana was stolen in Sirohi, he recovered 50 thousand rupees from Varishal for the urn.

In Shloka 34-41, the glory of Raj Singh's valor and charity has been described by the poet.

Chapter 22 (Conflict with Aurangzeb) Source:

The verses in this sarga are 50.

In Samvat 1735, Chaitra Shukla 11, Maharajkumar Jai Singh went to Ajmer by order of Raj Singh. From there, he went on to Delhi and met Aurangzeb. This meeting took place in a camp, two kos outside Delhi. Aurangzeb felicitated him with a garland of pearls, Urobhusha, Zareen clothes, an ornate elephant and many horses. Similarly, he gave zareen clothes and horses to Chandrasen Jhala and Purohit Garibadas and appropriate gifts to other Thakurs who accompanied them.

Afterwards, Jai Singh went for a darshan of Ganyuktesvar Shiva temple and took a bath on the banks of the Ganga and donated silver-tuladan. He also donated an elephant and a horse. Later, he travelled to Vrindavan and Mathura and arrived back in Udaipur in Jyeshtha month.

In Samvat 1736, Aurangzeb arrived in Mewar on the day of Paush Krishna Ekadashi. Prior to this, his son Akbar and commander Tahavvar Khan had already made camps in the palace of Rajnagar with their army. There his soldiers committed atrocities. Sakta, the son of Sabal Singh Puravat, fought against them. One Chundavat and twenty other warriors were killed in this battle.

Then Maharana ordered the Rajputs to reach the valley of Dewari with determination to fight along with cannons and ammunition. Aurangzeb also came to the valley of Dewari and stayed there for 21 days after demolishing its gate. It is said that once he went to Udaipur hiding in the night. Akbar and Tahavwar Khan also came to Udaipur.

From there, Akbar proceeded towards Eklingji. But he returned to his camp after encountering the forces at the ghats of Anderi and Cheerwa. Jhala Pratap Singh of Kargetpur snatched two elephants from the royal army and presented them to Maharana. The Balla people of Bhadesar caught many elephants, horses and camels from the emperor's army and presented them to the Maharana. Maharana was then staying in Nainwara. In this way, with around 50 thousand people killed, Aurangzeb reached Chitrakoot by an alternate route. Prince Akbar and Hasan Ali Khan too arrived there through 'Chappan' region.

While Aurangzeb left for Chitrakoot, Raj Singh went towards the Nai village. He immediately sent Kunwar Bhim Singh from Kotri village to Idar with the army who destroyed the region. Syed Shah fled from there. Then he looted Vadnagar and recovered 40 thousand rupees as punishment and reached Ahmednagar, where he looted goods worth two lakh rupees. Aurangzeb had demolished many temples in Mewar. Bhim Singh took his revenge by demolishing one big and three hundred small mosques throughout Ahmednagar.

Maharana permitted Jai Singh to attack Chitrakoot to conquer the enemy. He was accompanied by Jhala Chandrasen, commander Sabal Singh Chauhan and his brother Rao Kesari Singh, Gopi Nath Rathod, Arisingh's son Bhagwant Singh and thirteen thousand cavalry and twenty thousand foot soldiers in addition to other chieftains. The Mewar chieftains fought throughout the night. One thousand soldiers of the royal army, three elephants and many horses were killed in that battle. Akbar fled from there. The Rajput warriors brought fifty horses from the royal army and presented them to Jai Singh. Jai Singh then returned to Maharana.

Kunwar Ganga, the son of Kesari Singh Shaktawat, brought 18 elephants, many horses and camels from the royal army and presented them to Maharana.

Maharana again sent Kuwar Bhim Singh with the army. He crossed the canal of Desuri and fought a fierce battle against Akbar and Tahavvar Khan in the city of Ghanora. Bika Solanki fought to protect the ghats. On the orders of Maharana, Kunwar Gaj Singh also arrived at Begu with the army destroyed it.

Finally, Aurangzeb made a treaty with the Maharana by paying three lakh rupees.

Chapter 23 Source:

This sarga has 62 verses.

In Samvat 1737, Maharana Raj Singh passed away on the day of Kartik Shukla Dashami. 15 days later, Jai Singh was crowned in a city named Kuraj.

In the Margashirsha of 1737, at Kuraj, Jai Singh received news that Tahavvar Khan had rafte returned crossing the canal of Desuri. Jai Singh sent his brother Bhim Singh to fight. Bika Solanki also accompanied him. Together they destroyed the enemy army. Tahavvar Khan was surrounded from all sides. He ran away after eight days.

Maharana advanced near Ghanora and Dalel Khan went in the hills of Chappan region. Maharana's soldiers gave way and let Dalel Khan move forward. When he reached the ghats of Gogunda, Raj Singh closed all the ghats. Rawat Ratansi was present at one of the ghats. He did not allow Dalel Khan to leave. Jai Singh then sent Jhala Versa to make a treaty. Versa told Dalel Khan that you was a respected person of the emperor. You have 15,000 horsemen with you. Still, one Rajput Rawat Ratansi has caged you. But, as Maharana has affection for you, you have been allowed to enter till now. If you want to leave, you can leave and if you want to stay, you can stay.

On this, the Mughal Nawab replied that he has consult with his soldiers who are coming behind him. Before this, Dalel Khan had sent some of his men to check the routes of the three Ghats. They returned and reported that all the three ghats are closed. So when he could not leave from there, he bribed a local Brahmin with 1000 rupees to find out another route. Thus, he tried to escape in the night by some alternate route. But there too, Rawat Ratansi had arrived with his army who attacked the running Mughal soldiers. However, Dalel Khan was able to escape.

Running away by deceit, Dalel Khan reached Delhi. On being asked by the emperor why did he come running away and not attack the Rana, he replied that he did not get any food there. Maharana had come to kill me. He killed many of my soldiers. Fourteen hundred of my soldiers would die due to hunger. That's why I ran away from there. Hearing this, the emperor panicked. Thereafter, Mughal prince Akbar was sent to make a treaty with the Maharana. Shyam Singh, son of Garibdas, the second son of Rana Karan Singh, met him. He talked about the treaty with Rana and after confirming it, he returned. Dalel Khan and Hasan Ali Khan made preparations for the treaty.

Chapter 24 Source:

This is the last chapter of this poem. It has 36 verses. In the beginning, there is a description of the toranas (pylons) made by Maharana Raj Singh, grandson Amar Singh, Patrani Sadakuvari, Purohit Garibdas and his son Ranchhodrai. These toranas are built on the pal of Rajsamudra. Later, the importance and excellence of Rajaprashasti is described.

Shloka 25-27 describes the valor of Dayaldas. He had destroyed Khairawad and looted Banera. By destroying Dharapuri, he had demolished the mosque there. Ahmednagar was also looted and destroyed by him. He had also demolished the grand mosque there. After this, the charity of Hiramani Mishra is described in five verses.

In the end, there are two sorthas praising Raj Singh, which are in Mewari language.