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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA MASER INSCRIPTION OF A SULKI CHIEF and Lāṭa. In fact some successful attempts were made by the neighbouring powers to encroach upon them. The earliest attempt in this direction was made by the Chandēlla ruler, Yaśōvarman (c. 950 A.C.). The Khajurāho inscription (II)[1] of his son Dhaṅga dated V.S. 1011 states that Yaśōvarman captured the fort of Kālañjara. This fort had been held in his possession by Kṛishṇa III from about 935 A.C. Yaśōvarman followed up this success by overrunning the kingdom of Mālwā which must have been then under the rule of Paramāra Sīyaka II. The Khajurāho inscription (II) testifies to this event for it states that Yaśōvarman was the very death to the Mālavas (v. 23). His son Dhaṅga seems to have actually occupied a portion of Mālwā early in his reign as he is stated in the same Khajurāho inscription (v. 45) to have acquired the territory as far as Bhāsvat on the river of Mālava, i.e., Bhilsā on the Vētravatī (Betwa) in Gwalior. Besides the Chandēlla ruler, the Chēdi king Lakshmaṇarāja (c. 945-70 A.C.) setting at naught the authority of the Rāshṭrakūṭas over Mālwā and Lāṭa marched across these territories as far as Sōmanātha-Pāṭan in Saurāshṭra, Kathiawar.[2] Not long after the date of these happenings the Lāṭa country seems to have slipped from Rāshṭrakūṭa hold since it is found that Bārappa, the Chāḷukya chief, evidently taking advantage of the Chēdi king’s raid across the country, assumed the title of the king of Lāṭa some time about 960-1 A.C.[3] All these encroachments seem to have been made at the instigation of the Gūrjara-Pratīhāra ruler. For, we have it explicitly stated in the Kuḍlūr plates of Mārasiṁha II of 963 A.C. that Kṛishṇa III set out on an expedition to the north to conquer the Aśvapati.[4] The Aśvapati was the Gūrjara-Pratīhāra king to whom the title of Aśvapati has to be applied at this period.[5] The distinguishing appellation, ‘ King of the Gūrjaras ’ by which Mārasiṁha II is stated to have become known by conquering the northern region for Kṛishṇarāja (III) would support our surmise that the Aśvapati against whom Kṛishṇa III directed his campaign was the Gūrjara-Pratīhāra ruler.[4] As we have seen, the Jura inscription affords some evidence for the conduct of this expedition. Under the above circumstances, Kēsarin’s encounter with the Lāṭēśa and the Kachchhavāha might have taken place during this compaign, the Lāṭēśa being perhaps Chālukya Bārappa, and the Kachchhavāha being Lakshmaṇarāja, both of whom were Pratīhāra feudatories.
The facts stated further on in the last part of the present record are important inasmuch as a number of contemporary rulers are introduced. Thus mention is made of Vākpati and a Tantrādhipa and of some action relating to Muñja and Chachcha. The Hūṇas dispatched by Lōlikya are stated to have been defeated at Paṭṭaṇaka. Among the contemporaries (of Kēsarin ?) figure Vākpati Muñja and Chachcha, both Paramāra chiefs. Muñja was the well-known Vākpati II Muñja whose known dates range from 974 to 995 A.C. Chachcha was the Paramāra prince of Naddūla, who is mentioned in verse 28 of the Paṇahera inscription of his descendant Jayasiṁha,[7] and whose date falls in this period (c. 950-75 _________________________________________________
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