The Kedarpur Copper-plate Inscription of Sri Candradeva
By Haridas Mitra
Summary
The Kedarpur Copper-plate Inscription of Sri Candradeva, discovered in 1325 CE in Kedirpur village (Faridpur district), is housed in the Dacca Museum. The copper plate features a Buddhist Dharmacakra emblem with two couchant deer and the inscription "Sri-Candradevah" below. The inscription, in early 14th-century Bengali script and Sanskrit, comprises 15 poetic verses followed by prose. It traces the lineage of the Candra family, starting with a Candra who led military expeditions, his son Suvarpa Candra (noted for purity), and his grandson Trailokya Candradeva, the first to establish a significant kingdom and assume the title Mahirijidhirija. Trailokya Candradeva, a Buddhist with minimal attachment to worldly desires, was succeeded by Candradeva, who first adopted an imperial title. The inscription ends abruptly during a mention of a camp at Vikramapura. Two other inscriptions of the Candra family—Idilpur and Rampail—are referenced. The text critiques earlier interpretations by Nalinikanta Bhattasalin, arguing his readings violated meter and misattributed lines to Suvarpa Candra instead of Trailokya Candradeva. The author re-examines Bhattasalin’s flawed conclusions, including the identification of Dipankara Sri Jina with the second son of Candra, deeming them unsupported. The analysis emphasizes the inscription’s peculiarities, such as engraving errors and linguistic complexities, and reasserts the need for meticulous examination of the original text.
Conclusion
The Kedarpur Copper-plate Inscription of Sri Candradeva offers a unique window into the political and cultural landscape of early medieval Bengal, highlighting the rise of the Candra dynasty through military conquest and imperial consolidation. The document’s emphasis on Buddhist affiliations, particularly Trailokya Candradeva’s detachment from worldly pursuits despite his expansive kingdom, underscores the interplay between governance and religious ideals. Its abrupt termination during the description of Candradeva’s lineage suggests unresolved historical narratives or intentional editorial choices, inviting further scrutiny. The inscription’s linguistic and metrical complexities, coupled with the challenges of deciphering a poorly engraved text, have led to divergent scholarly interpretations, emphasizing the need for rigorous philological analysis. This epigraph not only enriches our understanding of regional power dynamics but also serves as a critical source for reassessing the historical and cultural trajectories of early Bengal.