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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA The successor of Goṅkarāja II in the rulership of the Andhra country was his son prince Rājēndra-Chōḍa II, the donor of the present plates. In the records of the family as well as in the present inscription (lines 102 ff.) it is stated that emperor Rājarāja II was pleased to appoint him ruler of the Andhra country which is said to have extended at this time from Mahēndragiri on the north to Kālahasti on the south. It would appear that Rājēndra-Chōḍa’s accession took place towards the end of Śaka 1082 or the beginning of 1161 A.C. For, the last known date on which Goṅkarāja II is said to be alive was the Uttarāyaṇa-saṁkrānti, Śaka 1082, corresponding to the 25th December, 1160 A. C., according to a stone record of his minister at Bāpaṭla, Guntur District.[1] It would appear that Rājēndra-Chōḍa II was associated with his father in the administration of the kingdom from about Śaka 1058 corresponding to 1136-37 A. C.[2] The subordinates and other vassals of the Chālukya-Chōḷas in the Andhra country would seem to have recognised Rājēndra-Chōḍa as their future sovereign even during the rule of Goṅkarāja II and frequently made grants to the temples in the country for his merit as well as for the merit of his father. A stone record from Pamiḍipāḍu-agrahāra, Narasaraopeta taluk, Guntur District, dated Jyēshṭha, śu. 5, Śaka 1077 expired, corresponding to 8th May, 1155 A. C., records the grant of a piece of land for the temple of Chennakēśava at the village for the merit of the kings Goṅkarāja II and his son Rājēndra-Chōḍa, and incidentally states that the latter granted the tolls of the village Pahiṇḍipāḍu (Pamiḍipāḍu) and the tax on marriages for the benefit of the temple.[3]
Though the reign of Rājēndra-Chōḍa II appears to have commenced in peace, within a short time it soon became troubled and engulfed in internecine wars among his feudatories and wanton incursions by hostile neighbours. About the beginning of Śaka 1085, i.e., about March 1163 A.C., it would appear, a civil war broke out in Kōna-maṇḍala, between the two rival branches of the ruling family, which soon threatened to assume large proportions. Kōna-maṇḍala is the ancient name for the region of the lower branches of the Gōdāvarī, comprising the taluks of Amalapuram and Razole, in the East Godavari District. At the time of the civil war, Kōna-maṇḍala was ruled by a powerful clan of Haihayas of the Ātrēya gōtra.[4] After the death of Kōna Rājēndra-Chōḍa I which would seem to have occurred shortly after 1137 A. C.[5], his elder brother Kōna Mummaḍi-Bhīma II and his younger step-brother Kōna Satyāśraya I, according to the Piṭhāpuram inscription of Mallidēva and Manma-Satya II,[6] divided the principality among themselves but ruled it conjointly in peace for a long time. Mummaḍi-Bhīma II was succeeded by his son Lōka-Bhūpa, who died apparently without leaving an heir to succeed him. Lōka-Bhūpa’s death would seem to have taken place just about the same time as the accession of Rājēndra-Chōḍa II. There are reasons to believe that Bhīma (III) the younger son of Kōna Satyarāja I occupied the whole of Kōna-maṇḍala to the exclusion of his cousins Bēta and Mallidēva, sons of Kōna Rājēndra-Chōḍa I,[7] who would seem to have succeeded to or claimed the principality held by Lōka-Bhūpa. This led to a civil war which necessitated the intervention of Rājēndra-Chōḍa II. A large army was despatched under the command of the Brāhmaṇa general Dēvana-preggaḍa of Amṛitalūru, early in Śaka 1085 corresponding to 1163 A. C., with instructions to put down the insurrection and _________________________________________________
[1] SII, Vol VI, No. 181. The earliest known date for Goṅka II is Śaka 1029 according to a record at Tripurāntakam. Ibid., Vol. X, No. 63. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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