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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA meaning ‘ the commander of an army’.[1] An inscription (V. S. 1237)[2] of a Paramāra chief named Jaḍaṇa, from Nāṇa in the old Jodhpur State, uses the same word as Sāhaṇi (cf. the family name Sāhnī) which has been supposed to indicate ‘ the master of the royal stables ’. In Mērutuṅga’s Prabandhachintāmaṇi the expression Mahāsādhanika is used in the sense of a chieftain or military governor.[3] We have seen that the list of donees discussed above mentions Sāº Salakhaṇasiṁhavarman and Sāº Palhaṇadēvavarman respectively as the father and grandfather of Chāhamāna Anayasiṁha. Verses 57-66 (lines 75-86) of the introductory part of the inscription offer further information about this Chāhamāna family owing allegiance to the Paramāras. Verses 75-76 speak of Rāutta (i.e. Rāvat from Sanskrit Rāja-putra) Rāṭa and his son Palhaṇadēva (respectively the great-grandfather and grandfather of Anayasiṁha) and of the power of their arms. The master of Palhaṇadēva is vaguely referred to without disclosing his name, although he must have been the contemporary Paramāra king. Verse 59 mentions Palhaṇadēva’s son Salakhaṇasiṁha who is stated to have assisted Arjunadēva in his battles. This Arjunadēva is no doubt the Paramāra king Arjunavarman whose known dates are V. S. 1267 (1211 A. D.), 1270 (1213 A.D.) and 1272 (1215 A. D.).[4] It is not impossible that the said Chāhamāna chief is identical with Rājan Salakhaṇa mentioned as the Mahāsāndhi (i.e. Mahāsāndhivigrahika) in Arjunavarman’s Bhopal plates (Set 2).[5] A very interesting instance of military assistance rendered by Salakhaṇsiṁha to the Paramāra king is offered by verse 60. It is stated that the Chāhamāna leader of Paramāra forces defeated the army of Siṁhaṇadēva, no doubt the Yādava king of that name who ruled in e. 1210-47 A. D., and captured seven plumes (chāmarāṇi which appear to have been fitted with the turban) from the general Sāgaya rāṇaka, apparently a leader of Siṁhaṇadēva’s forces, after having pulled the general down from his horse which was in the middle of a contingent. This feat of valour pleased both Siṁha and Arjuna (i.e. Paramāra Arjunavarman) who shook their heads in appreciation.
The Bahal inscription[6] of Yādava Siṁhaṇa and the Paithan plates[7] of his great-grandson Rāmachandra (c. 1271-1310 A. D.) refer to Siṁhaṇa’s victory over Arjuna who is none other than the Paramāra king Arjunavarman of Malwa. The Hammīramadamardana relates how Chāhamāna Sindhurāja, brother of Arjunavarman’s feudatory Siṁha of Lāṭadēśa, was killed by Yādava Siṁhaṇa.[8] This Siṁha of Lāṭa seems to be mentioned as appreciating the valour of Chāhamāna Salakhaṇa in verse 60 of our inscription, referred to above. The stanza, therefore, probably refers to the Yādava invasion of Lāṭa which formed a part of the dominions of Arjunavarman. Sāgayarāṇaka, who was a leader of the Yādava army and was defeated by the Chāhamāna general of the Parmamāra king, may be the same as the cavalry officer Saṅga mentioned in a Yādava inscription[9] of Śaka 1119 (1197 A. D.). __________________________________________________
[1] H. T. Seth, Pāiasaddamahaṇṇavo,s.v.
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