South Indian Inscriptions

KALACHURI OF SOUTH KOSALA

Talahāri mandala. Prithvīdēva II specially invited him to his capital, and entrusting the affairs of the state to him, obtained great peace of mind. The last known date of Prithivī dēva’s reign is K. 915 (1163-64 A.C.). The next known date K. 919 (1167-68 A.C.) belongs to the reign of his son and successor Jājalladēva II. Prithvīdēva II may, therefore, have closed his reign in 1165 A.C.

Soon after his accession, Jājalladēva II came into conflict with Jayasimha, the Kalachuri Emperor of Tripurī. The cause of this conflict is not known. Perhaps Jayasimha thought that it would be easy to subdue the new king before he consolidated his power and that he would thus be able to reestablish the supremacy of his house in Chhattisgarh. He personally led the expedition. Jājalladēva was determined to vindicate his right to independence. He was ably assisted by his feudatories and especially by the members of the collateral branch established at Sōnthiva. A fierce battle was fought. Ulhanadēva, a scion of the royal family, fought bravely and decimated Chēdi forces. Seeing this, Jayasimha, the Chēdi king, himself advanced to the forefront, being highly enraged like a serpent trodden under foot.¹ In the fight that ensued, Ulhanadēva lost his life, but the inscription does not state whether Jayasimha won a victory. Records of the Kalachuris of Tripurī are wholly silent about this campaign. Neither Jājalladēva nor his successors give any indication of their subordinate rank in their subsequent records. So the battle may not have ended unfavorably for Jajalladēva II. He treated Āmanadēva, the orphan son of Ulhanadēva, with special affection, as his father had died on the battlefield, fighting bravely for his lord, and as his mother had immolated herself as Satī.

Some time after this, Jājalldēva was caught by an alligator of the variety locally known as Thīrū.2 He was fortunately able to extricate himself, and by way of thanksgiving gave the village Bundērā to two Brāhmanas, the astrologer Rāghava and the family- priest Nāmadēva, in the year K. 919 (1167 A.C.).

As in previous reigns, there was a considerable building activity during the time of Jājalladēva II. Sōmarāja, the son of Gangādhara who had immigrated from Madhyadēśa, built a temple of Śiva at Mallāla. Several members of the collateral branch of the Kala- churi family, established at Sōnthiva, constructed religious and charitable works in their territory. At Pathariā, Rājadēva, the grandson of Sarvadēva, built a temple of Śiva, raised a mango-grove and excavated a tank. His son Ulhanadēva, who, as stated above, died later fighting with the Emperor Jayasimha of Tripurī, built the temple of Chandrachūda. This temple still exists at Shēorinārāyan. Ulhandadēva’s son Āmanadēva II donated the village Chiñchēlī to provide materials for the worship of the god Chandrachūda installed by his father .

All the three inscriptions of Jājalla’s reign are dated K. 919 (1167-68 A.C.).3 It appears that there was some trouble towards the close of his reign. The Kharod inscrip-tion states that when Jājalladēva attained, through accursed fate, union with Brahman (i.e., died), the world became enveloped in darkness on all sides, the people being distressed through the loss of their discernment on account of the Kali Age. The cause of the trouble is not known. Perhaps the country was invaded by some enemy, in consequence of which there were confusion and disorder throughout the land. In this time of trouble Jagaddēva, the elder brother of Jājalla II, came hastily from the Eastern country and established peace, order and good government in the kingdom. As the Kharōd inscription says, under Jagaddēva’s rule thieves disappeared, obstacles vanished, dangers departed and enemies took shelter in the corners of mountain caves.⁴
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¹No. 98, vv. 27 ff.
² For other interpretations due to misreading of v. 19 of No. 99, See below, p. 529 and n. 2.
³Nos. 97-99.
⁴No.100, V. 14