Loan Contract
Gandhāra, Kharoṣṭhī ∙ BC 15
BML edition (version 1, July 2026)
Based on Melzer 2020 (read version).
The loan contract documents that a certain amount of money (200 kahāpanas) was given by Bhudamitra to Saṃghaśrava. A camel was taken as security. The letter (hastalekha) is commissioned by the debtor Saṃghaśrava (resident of Mitrathaṇa, previously resident of Ṇag̱ara) and to be given to Bhudamitra (resident of Ṇag̱ara). There are three witnesses: Budharakṣida, Udhaṇa, and Jihoṇa, each of whom signed with his own monogram.
Sender and Addressee
Sender
§ 1
Ascribe A [i] .. ghra[ha]ye sa[ṃ]ghaśraveṇa
sa[ṃ]gha[vaḍha]ṇap[utr]eṇa ◊
hari(da) + (i) + (eṇa) ◊
mi[trathaṇavasta]veṇa ◊
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scribe A This [document is drafted, or commissioned, or sent] by the debtor (or:
householder) Saṃghaśrava, son of Saṃghavaḍhaṇa, (relative of) Harida, resident of Mitrathaṇa.
Addressee
§ 2
bhudamitras̱a kaṭ́heap[u]tras̱a ◊ gamaṇa
Going to Bhudamitra, son of Kaṭ́hia, (resident of Ṇag̱ara).
Document
Introduction
§ 3
v1 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + .. .. .. .. .. + .. .. .. .. .[e] + + + + + + + + + .. + .. + + + + + .. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 2 scribe B + + + + + + + + + + + + + + .. .. .. .. .. .. (ma)[s̱](e) [sa]ṃ + + + .. + + + .. .. .. .. .. .. .. [i]śa [d]i(vasa)[ṃmi ghr](ahaye
sa)[ṃgh](aśraveṇ̱a saṃghavaḍhaṇaputre)3ṇ̱a harida.. [i].. [e]ṇ̱a śaṃgaśia ṇag̱aradarade ṇikramita mitrathaṇavastaveṇ̱a yatha viṃñaveti
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123
1 … 2 scribe B … . (In the year … of the ruler …, in the) month …, (the … day). At
this date, the debtor (or: householder), Saṃghaśrava, (son of Saṃghavaḍhaṇa, 3 relative of) Harida,
resident of Mitrathaṇa, having moved [there] from Śaṃgaśia Ṇag̱aradara(?), informs as
follows:
Main Text
§ 4
ahomi azade vi [ṇu] purimasibaṃdhaṇ̱a bh[u]da[m]i(t)r(as̱a ka)4ṭ́hiaputras̱a [ṇa]g̱aravastavas̱a paridade uchedeṇ̱a kahavaṇa śadaduve ka 1 1 100
mu[la] ṇeva lia[ye]adi uṇ̱a apracarova[ye] vaḍhaṃti duveṇa śad[e]ṇa ka[r]i .. .. + + 5 .. [ṇa] va ca a aṃ ce ṇa .. .. .. + (a)[gr]e[ṇ̱a]
ki[r]tidaaki[r]ti[de] .. .. [ta] .. .. + + .. .. .. .e + + + .. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 6 + + + + + + + + + + .. .. .. .o .. .. .. .. [k]raṃ[t](e)[ṇa] (v)[ik]r(a).. [ṇ](e)[ṇ̱a] pa(r)i[vaṃc](a)[ṇ](a)[tipati]yo [v](a) [k](a)[l](e)ṇa apaḍ̱iharita ede kahavaṇa
aji hi viśpaṭh[e] .. .. + + + + 7 + + + + + + [t]r(a)[s̱a] .. da cajaeati bhudamitre ede kahavaṇa dadava [ye] (saṃ)ghaśraveṇ̱a
apaḍ̱ibadho samula savaḍhika ye [ca]ri[deṇa a] + + .. .. .[e] .. + + + + + 8 + + + + + + + + + + + abhisameti saṃghaśrave bhayamaṇ[e
s]iyo atvakiḍ̱a uṭhi ca uṭ́hapati yatra thaṇaṃmi prakaśeyati bh. + + + + + + + + + 9 + + + + + + + + + .. ti edo [aj]i hi viśpaṭh(a)[ko
h]i [sabhag̱a s](a)mu[l](a) [s](a)[va]ḍhik(a) [bh](u)[d](a)m[i](tras̱a) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 10 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + .[i a p]. .. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
4567891011121314
3–5 I(?), [of my own] free [will] … [concerning] the former(?) mortgage bond(?): The
capital
of two hundred kahavaṇas, ka., [taken] by extraction(?) from Bhudamitra, son of Kaṭ́hia,
resident of Ṇag̱ara, should not become less [even by] one, without raising [it] again (?), bearing an
interest of two percent … 5 … [as] specified and unspecified above … 6 … not brought back
in due time because of …, violation [of the regulations in the contract](?), or by
passing [the date
of repaying] by deceiving(?). These kahavaṇas, [as] today entrusted, … 7 … should be
abandoned(?). These kahavaṇas are to be given to Bhudamitra, which [are to be / have been]
… by Saṃghaśrava, without pratibandha, [but] including the original amount [and] including the
interest, … 8 … . [He/They] agree(s) [that] Saṃghaśrava should be liable(?) [in case of
damage(?)] caused by himself, and that a female camel is provided [as a security(?)].
Wherever it stays, it should be revealed [in public that] … 9 … . This [amount], [as] today entrusted,
including the share(?), including the original amount, including the interest, [is
to] … to Bhudamitra.
… 10 …
§ 5
11 + + +
(b)[udha]rakṣide asuraputr[e u]dhaṇ[e] maha[di]ṇaput(r)[e] j[i]hoṇ[e]
11 […] [The witnesses] Budharakṣida, son of Asura;
Udhaṇa, son of Mahadiṇa,
Jihoṇa.
§ 6
saṃ[gh](avaḍhaṇa)⟨putreṇa saṃ⟩[gh](a)śrav(e)ṇa kiḍ̱a dharmaś̱ala[e]
purimo a[ḍha] .. .. [si pa]ḍ̱i[padi] .. .. .. .. + +
15
Saṃghaśrava, son of Saṃghavaḍhaṇa, made in the court of justice(?) the
previous … .
§ 7
12 + [ji]hoṇieṇ̱a aïrakh[i]das̱a darakacarya⟨s̱a⟩ putreṇ̱a aj̄[eṣ̱a]ṇa[ye] saṃghaśravas̱a
saṃgha(va)ḍhaṇapu(tras̱a) .. .. [ka]raviati diviṇajaṇami purade
12 On the request of Jihoṇia, son of the schoolteacher Aïrakhida, the … of
Saṃghaśrava, son of Saṃghavaḍhaṇa, should be made in front of … .
§ 8
edaṇame[va] .. + 13 [aj]i hi viśpaṭhakaṇa ye ca iṃmo hastalekho parihareati
tas̱a ede ka[ha]vaṇa a[ji] hi v[iśpa]ṭhaka samula savaḍhika paḍ̱ihaṭava ye sa(ṃ)ghaśraveṇa sa(ṃ)[ghavaḍha](ṇa)14(putr)e(ṇa) .. .. .[i ta] jaṇo
da a si yaṃ [sa] ta sa ce va aṃte eṣ̱e .. .. .. + .. .. [r]e [a]gr[e] ki[r]tida[akirti]de saṃpaj̄eati
16
Of these / To these / The thus-named(?) … 13 today entrusted ones(?), and this handwritten document should be delivered.
These kahavaṇas, [as] today entrusted, including the original amount, including the interest,
are to be brought back to him, which [are to be / have been] … by Saṃghaśrava, 14 son of
Saṃghavaḍhaṇa, … . This …, [exactly as] specified and unspecified above, should be carried
out(?).
Signatures of the Witnesses
§ 9
yatha aji hi viśpaṭhe ◊
As today entrusted:
witness 1
§ 10
scribe C sakṣi [jiho](ṇe) 15 (aïrakhi)[da]putre yatha aji hi viśpaṭhe ◽ⓝmonogram/signature 1Click to pin
scribe C The witness Jihoṇa, 15 son of Aïrakhida, as today entrusted. (It follows his monogram/signature [no. 1].)
witness 2
§ 11
scribe D sakṣi bu[dha]rakṣide asuraputre yatha{ṃ} aji hi ⟨viśpaṭhe⟩ ◽ⓝmonogram/signature 2Click to pin
scribe D The witness Budharakṣida, son of Asura, as today entrusted. (It follows his monogram/signature [no. 2].)
witness 3
§ 12
scribe E sakṣi [mahaḍ̱i](ṇapu)16(tre) [u]dhaṇe ◊ [ya]{r}tha ◊ aji hi viśpaṭhe ◽ⓝmonogram/signature 3Click to pin
scribe E The witness 16 Udhaṇa, son of Mahaḍ̱iṇa, as today entrusted. (It follows his monogram/signature [no. 3].)
Separate Fragments
§ 13
25i.a /// .. [k]. .. .. ///
25k–l.a /// + + + + + + + + + + + .. + + ///
25k–l.b /// .. [im](e) [ca] kahava[ṇa] .. + + .. .. .. + ///
25s.a /// .. .. ///
26b–c.a /// [ṇ](a)[p](u)[t](r). .. + + + ///
26o.a /// (saṃghaśra)[v](e)ṇ̱a [sa]ṃ[ghavaḍhaṇap](utreṇa) ///
26o.b /// + + + + .. + + + + + + + + ///
25k–l.a /// + + + + + + + + + + + .. + + ///
25k–l.b /// .. [im](e) [ca] kahava[ṇa] .. + + .. .. .. + ///
25s.a /// .. .. ///
26b–c.a /// [ṇ](a)[p](u)[t](r). .. + + + ///
26o.a /// (saṃghaśra)[v](e)ṇ̱a [sa]ṃ[ghavaḍhaṇap](utreṇa) ///
26o.b /// + + + + .. + + + + + + + + ///
25i.a …
25k–l.a …
25k–l.b … and these kahavaṇas …
25s.a …
26b–c.a … son of (Saṃghavaḍha)ṇa(?) …
26o.a … by (Saṃghaśra)va, son of Saṃghavaḍhaṇa …
26o.b …
25k–l.a …
25k–l.b … and these kahavaṇas …
25s.a …
26b–c.a … son of (Saṃghavaḍha)ṇa(?) …
26o.a … by (Saṃghaśra)va, son of Saṃghavaḍhaṇa …
26o.b …