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.
The largest recipients of gifts and charities were the Brahmins (around 46 thousand in number), second were the Charanas, and third were the various Sardars (thakurs), paswans, and mutsaddis (state officials).
Vocabulary Source:
Raj Prashasti is written completely in the Sanskrit language, but alongside Sanskrit vocabulary, there are also words of Arabic-Persian and Rajasthani language used throughout the text.
Chapter 1 Source:
The first sarga, there are 39 verses.
In the beginning there is 'Mangalashtak' in which there are eight verses in praise of Eklinga, Chatubhuj Hari, Amba, Bala, Ganesh, Surya and Madhusudan. It is written in verses 9-10 that on Saturday 1718 Magh, on the day of Kripa Saptami, Raj Singh started the construction of Rajsamudra. Then he was living in Gogunda village. Ranchod Bhatt, by getting his permission, started the composition of this prashasti on the same day. In the next seven verses, the importance of Sanskrit language, Sanskrit poets and of the prashasti has been described.
In Shloka 19-24, the story of Ekaling Mahatmaya given in under Vayupuran is described. Her eyes filled with tears, Parvati says to Nandi – "Today, I am shedding tears in the separation of Shankar. Because of this prior curse given by me, you will become a king named Vashp. Worshiping Shankar while staying in the Naghrud shrine, you will get a kingdom similar to that of Indra. Then, you will be able to come back to heaven." After this Parveti spoke to a gana named Chand that "Even as a gatekeeper, you did not protect the door today and broke your dignity. That's why you will become a sage named Harit in Medpat. After staying there and worshiping Shankar, you will be able to attain heaven again."
The greatness of Prashasti and the family tree of the poet have been given in the last 27-39 verses.
Chapter 2 Source:
It has 38 verses. In the beginning of the sarga, there is a shloka of praise of Govardhanendra. After this the genealogies of the kings of the Suryavansh is given. At the beginning of creation, the world was watery. Narayan was present there. From his navel, a lotus appeared and from the lotus Brahma appeared. Then the lineage went like this:-Marichi-Kashyapa Vivasvan Manu - Ikshvaku - Vikshi ( alias - Shashad) - Puranjaya (alias Kakutstha) - Nena- Prithu - Visvarandhi - Chandra-Yuvanasva - Shavasta–Vrihadasva–Kuvalayasva (alias Ghunghumar) - Dridhasva - Hayantra - Nikumbha - Bahrnasva - Kushasva - Sena Jit - Yuvanasva -- Mandhata (alias Trasadrisyu - Purukutsa - Trasadrisyu - Anaranya - Haryasva - Aruna - Tribandhan - Satyavrata (alias Trishanku) - Harichandra - Rohit - Harit - Champa-Sudeva - Vijaya - Bharuk - Vrak-Vahuka - Sagara.Sagara had sixty thousand sons by his wife Sumati, who created the sea, and Keshini had a son named Asamanjas The order of the lineage of Asamanjasa is as follows: – Anshuman – Dilip – Bhagiratha – Shruta - Nabha - Sidhudvipa – Ayutayu — Rituparnam – Sarvakama – Sudas - Mitrasah ( alias Kalmapapada) - Ashmaka – Mulaka - Dasaratha – Edvard - Visvasah - Khatwang - Dilip – Raghu - Aj- Dasaratha.Dasaratha had sons named Rama from his wife Kaushalya, Bharata from Kaikeyi and Lakshmana and Shatrughna from Sumitra. Rama had sons named Kush and Luv from Sita, and Kush had a son named Atithi from Kumudrati. The lineage of the Atithi went like this: – Nishadha – Nal – Pundarik – Kshemghanva – Devanik – Ahin – Pariyatra – Bal – Sthala – Vajranabh – Sangan – Vidhriti – Hiranyanabha – Pushpa – Dhruvasiddhi – Sudarshan – Agnivarna – Soon – Marut – Prasushruta – Sandhi – - Marshan - - Mahasvan - Vishwamahva - Prasenjit - Takshak - Vrihadval.Vrihadvala was killed by Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata-battle which is mentioned in the 'Mahabharatagrantha' In the ninth Skanda of the Bhagavata, the lineage order beyond Vrihadbala is given as follows: - Vrihadrana – Urukriya – Vatsavrddha - Prativyoma - Bhanu -- Divaka - Sahadeva - Vrihadashva – Bhanuman – Pratikasva – Supratika – Marudeva –Sunakshatra - Pushkar - Antariksha – Sutapa — Mitra Jit — Vrihad Bhraj - Varhi – Kritanjaya – Sanjaya --Shakya - Shuddhoda -Langal – Prasenajit – Kshudraka - Runaka – Suratha – Suratha – Sumitra.The Ikshvaku dynasty continued till Sumitra. These 122 were kings. Then the order of the Sun dynasty is given:Vajranabh - Maharathi - Atirathi - Achalasena - Kanaksen - Mahasena - Anga - Vijayasena - Ajayasena - Abhangasena - Madasena - Sinharatha.These kings were residents of Ayodhya. Sinharatha had a son named Vijay. He conquered the kings of the south country and left Ayodhya and started living in the south. There he heard from an Akashvani (prophecy) that he should give up the title of 'Raja' and assume the title of 'Aditya'. The number of rulers who became kings from Manu to Vijay is 135.
Chapter 3 Source:
It has 36 verses. The first verse is devoted to Hari. Then the genealogy of the kings after Vijaya is given which is as follows: – Padmaditya —- Shivaditya – Haradatta-Sujasaditya ----Sumukhaditya - - Somadatta - Shiladitya – Keshavaditya -Nagaditya – Bhogaditya — Devaditya - Ashaditya - Kalabhojaditya – Grahaditya.These 14 kings bore the title of 'Aditya'. Descendents of Grahaditya were called Gahilaut. The eldest son of Grahaditya was Vashp.
The Gana Muni of Shiva named Chand became Harit Rashi. Vashp became a disciple of Harit and by his permission, while staying in Nagahradpur, he worshiped the Eklinga Shiva. Pleased, Shiva granted him a boon that he should rule Chitrakoot till his lineage and his lineage shall continue. Vashp died in the month of Magha in the year 919 on the seventh day of Shukla Paksha. Then he was 95 years old.
Vashp was a mighty king. He used to wear a 35 cubits long pattavastra, 16 cubits long nichola and 50 palls of gold kada. His sword was 40 ser in weight. He used to kill two buffaloes in one stroke of the sword. Four big goats were used in his diet. He defeated King Manuraj of Mori dynasty and snatched Chitrakoot from him and established his kingdom there. Then his title was 'Raval'. His lineage went like this:– Khuman – Govind – Mahendra – Alu – Sinhvarma – Shaktikumar – Shalivahan – Narvahana – Ambaprasad – Kirtivarma – Narvarma – Narpati – Uttam – Bhairav – Sripunjraj – Karnaditya – Bhavsingh – Gotrasingh – Hansraj – Shubhayograj – Vairad – Varisingh – Tej Singh – Samar Singh.Samar Singh was the husband of Pritha, the sister of Prithviraj. In the war between Prithviraj and Shahabuddin Ghori, he fought on behalf of Prithviraj, and caught Ghori. He was killed in that battle. This war has been described in detail in the text called Rasa.
Karna was the son of Samar Singh. Thus, these became 26 Rawals. Karna had two sons - Mahap and Rahap. Mahap became the king of Dungarpur. Rahap was of a furious nature. With permission from his father, he reached Mandovar and defeated its ruler Mokalsi and captured him and brought him to his father. Karna took the title 'Rana' of Mokalsi and gave it to his son Rahap. Rahap became the king of Chitrakoot and was called Sisodia because of residing in the Sisod village. 'Rana' was his title, which was adopted by the later kings also.
At the end of the canto is the introduction of the poet's lineage.
Chapter 4 Source:
This chapter is completed in 50 verses. In the beginning, there is praise of the Tamalvriksh. Then the next lineage sequence from Rahap is given: -Narpati - Jaskarna - Nagpal - Punyapal - Prithvimalla - - Bhuvansingh - Bhim Singh - Jaisingh - Laxm Singh.Laxm Singh was called 'Ghadmadlik'. His younger brother was Ratanasi, who was the husband of Padmini. When Alauddin besieged Chitrakoot for Padmini, Lakshma Singh along with his 12 brothers and 7 sons fought against him and were killed. After this, Lakshma Singh's eldest son Hamir ruled. He installed the black stone-made four-faced pratima of Ekling. Along with this, the idol of Parvati was also consecrated.
Hamir's son was Kshetra Singh and Kshetra Singh's Lakha, who made great charities. Lakha's son was Mokal. For the attaining of moksh for his childless brother Wagah, he built a pond named Baghela in Nagahrid. He also got the wall of the temple of Eklingji constructed. After this, he travelled to Dwarka, and visited a place of pilgrimage called Shankhoddhar. Mokal's son Kumbhakarna was avtar of an Siddha. After Mokal, Kumbhakarna ruled. He had sixteen hundred wives. He built the 'Kumbhalmeru' fort. After Kumbhakarna, his son Raimal became king. Sangram Singh was born to Raimal. Taking two lakh soldiers along with him, he reached Fatehpur in the country of Delhi-ruler Babur and there he made the border of his country till piliya khal. After Sagram Singh, Ratna Singh ascended the throne and then his brother Vikramaditya. After Vikramaditya, his brother Udai Singh ruled. He built a beautiful lake called Udaysagar and established the city of Udaipur. His warriors named Rathor Jaimal, Sisodia Patta and Chauhan Ishwardas fought with the army of Emperor Akbar in Chitrakoot.
After Udai Singh, Pratap Singh ascended the throne. While having a meal with Mansingh Kachwaha, enmity rose between them. Due to this, Man Singh went to Akbar and took the army and reached the village of Khamanor. There was a fierce battle between the two. Man Singh was sitting on an elephant in a seat made of iron. First Pratap's eldest son Amar Singh attacked the elephant with a spear, and later Pratap did too. The elephant ran away from there. Pratap's brother Shakti Singh was on Mansingh's side. Seeing Pratap, he said - "O lord! Look back." Turning back, Pratap saw a horse and he left from there. Man Singh sent two Mughal soldiers after Pratap. Taking Man Singh's permission, Shakti Singh also followed them. Those soldiers reached Pratap but both Pratap and Shakti Singh together killed them.
After that Akbar arrived. He continued battling against Pratap. But considering Pratap's position to be strong, he left for Agra and appointed his eldest son Shekhu in his place. After Akbar, his son Sheikhu became the lord of Delhi by the name of Jahangir. He fought with Pratap. In the end, he left his son Khurram in charge and went back to Delhi after setting up eighty-four Mughal outposts.