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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
ABHIRAS of the so-called Kalachuri-Chēdi era. Like his predecessors, the Sātavāhanas, he also used a metronymic and called himself Mādharīputra. This clearly indicates that he took pride in tracing his descent on the motherâs side from a Vedic sage. Though the Ābhīras themselves spoke an Apabhramśa or corrupt language, they, unlike the Sātavāhanas, seem to have patronised Sanskrit. It is worthy of note that the Nasik cave inscription of Īśvarasēnaâs reign is written in a language which is predominantly Sanskrit. It is, of course, not an official document, but it clearly shows that Sanskrit was slowly asserting itself under the rule of the Ābhīras. Judging by the extent of his era, Īśvarasēna appears to have ruled over a large territory comprising Gujarat, Konkan and Maharashatra. He was followed by nine other kings, whose names have, unfortunately, not come down to us.1 The Ābhīras seem to have ruled for 167 years2 and were supplanted by their feudatories, the Traikūtakas, in circa 415 A.C. As stated above, Khandesh was the stronghold of the Ābhīras. Petty princes of the Ābhīra dynasty appear to have continued to rule in Khandesh till the 13th century A.C. A stone inscription at Āmbē in the Hyderabad State records that Khōlēśvara, a general of the Yādava king Simhana, exterminated Lakshmīdēva, the lord of Bhambhāgiri, who belonged to the Ābhīra dynasty.3 Bhambhāgiri is probably identical with Bhāmēr, four miles south of Nizampur in the Pimpalner tālukā of the West Khandesh District. Near Bhāmēr is a great fortified hill which has many ruined gateways, gates, towers and also some old caves locally known as âRājā’s houses.â 4 This fort was probably known as Bhambhāgiri. The aforementioned Āmbē inscription describes Khōlēśvara as a very wild fire which burned the forest of the family of Lakshmīdēva, the Ābhīra king of Bhambhāgiri, and a similar statement occurs about Simhana in the Uddari stone inscription.5 This plainly indicates that the whole family of Lakshmīdēva was exterminated, and his kingdom was annexed by the Yādava king Simhana.
Another king named Kāmapāla, who was vanquished by the Krishna, the grandson and Successor of Simhana, probably belonged to the Ābhīra dynasty; for, his defeat is said to have delighted the cowherds, who may have been oppressed by him.6 The Tāsgaon plates of Krishnaâs reign intimate that Krishnaâs feudatory Kēśava obtained a victory over a chief of the cowherds, who may have been identical with the aforementioned Kāmapāla.7 He also may have been ruling in some part of Khandesh. After the thirteenth century we do not hear of the Ābhīra kings.
Judging by their names, both Īśvarasēna and his father Śivadatta were followers
of the Hindu religion and devotees of Śiva. But like their predecessors, the Sātavāhanas,
the Ābhīras seem to have extended their patronage to the followers of other faiths also.
That Buddhism was flourishing during their rule is clearly indicated by the Nasik cave
inscription of Īśvarasēna’s reign. Even foreigners like the Śakas embraced it and made
munificent donations for the benefit of the Buddhist monks. Several guilds were
1Vātsyāyanaâs Kamasutra mentions the Ābhīra Kōttarāja, who was murdered in anotherâs house
by a washerman at the instigation of his brother. The commentator Yaśōdhara says that he was ruling at
Kōtta in Gujarat. Kōttarāja was probably his personal name. He may have been a successor of Īśvarasēna.
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