The Formalism of the Tamra-sasanas and their Beginning in Ancient India

This article is an introductory part of the present writer\u27s studies on the tāmra-śāsanas (Copper Plate Grants) in Ancient India.Following Dr. B. Ch. Chhabra\u27s article in the Indian Archives, Vol. 5, he examines the content and making of the tāmra-śāsanas and points out their formalism as seen throughout India for a thousand years from 300 to 1300 A. D.In Gupta times the grants of land and village to the brahmanas were remarkably increased and numerous tāmra-śāsanas were issued by kings, queens and crown princes.But there is not extant tāmra-sasana made in Pre-Gupta times, although it was mentioned in the Yājñavalkya-smrti, which was composed between first century B. C. and third century A. D. according to Dr. P. V. Kane.It is noted that the formalism of the tāmraśāsanas are found in the inscripions of Gautamīputra Śatakarni (c. 88-112 A. D.) on the walls of Buddhist caves at Karle and Nasik.These suggest the existence of the tāmra-śāsana at that time