North Indian Inscriptions

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE SILAHARAS OF KOLHAPUR

ably identical with the Gōmantha mountain, on which the capital Chandragupti or Chandragutti is described as situated in the Kōṭāvalli copper-plate grant, dated Śaka 1268 (A.D. 1347). It is in the Shimōgā District of the Karnāṭaka State. This shows that though the Śilāhāras of Kolhāpur originally hailed from Tagara (Tēr in the Ōsmānābād District), they were settled for some time in South Karnāṭaka before they conquerred and shifted to the Kolhāpur region. The other particular that this Jatiga was the maternal uncle of the Gaṅga prince Pērmānaḍi lends colour to this view; for Pērmānaḍi is the famous Gaṅga king Mārasiṁha, son of Būtuga from his wife Kallabarasī. Būtuga was the borther-in-law of the great Rāshṭrakūṭa king Kṛishṇa II, and was placed in charge of the modern Dhārwār, Beḷgaon and Bijāpur Districts. This matrimonial connection with Būtuga must have brought Jatiga to the notice of Kṛishṇa III. Jatiga was rightly proud of his relationship with Mārasiṁha, son of Būtuga, who took a prominent part in the campaigns of Kṛishṇa III, both in North and South India, and tried to save Rāshṭrakūṭa power in its last days.

..Jatiga I was succeeded by Nayima, and the later by Chandra. Chandra’s son was Jatiga II. Of the four sons of Jatiga II, only Gōṅkala and Gūvala are mentioned in this grant. Gōṅkala’s son was Mārasiṁha, and the latter’s eldest son was Gūvala II, who succeeded him. The description of the princes from Nāyima to Gūvala II is quite conventional and contains of historical information. About Bhōja I, the younger brother of Gūvala II, we get several details. He is said to have worshipped the feet of Vikramāditya with the lotus-like head of the Kadamba king Śāntara. The description seems to show that Bhōja killed Śāntara and presented his head to Vikramāditya. This Vikramāditya is the well- known Later Chālukya Emperor Vikramāditya VI. In the intervening period the Śilāhāras appear to have transferred their allegiance from the Rāshṭrakūṭas to the Later Chālukyas. This Śāntara is Śāntivarman II, the Kadamba king of Vanavāsī. He is, however, described in the Arālēśvara (Hangal tālukā) inscription as a feudatory of Vikramāditya, and ruling in A.D. 1089. Perhaps, the description in the present plates is to be understood in the sense that Bhōja defeated Śāntivarman II and forcibly made him acknowledge the supremacy of Vikramāditya VI and make homage to him.

..Bhoja is further said to have brought about the downfall of the king of Kōṅgaja. The latter cannot be identified. Again, he is said to have sent Bijjaṇa, born in the Solar race, to the home of Indra. Khare has identified this Bijjaṇa with Bijjaṇa or Bijjala, uncle of Jōgamarasa, the ruler of Maṅgalavāḍa or Maṅgalavēḍhē. Bhōja exterminated Kōkkalla, who also is unknown to history.

..Other exploits of Bhōja mentioned in verse 13 are : (1) the burning of Vēṇugrāma (modern Beḷgaon), (2) the destruction of Gōvinda, (3) and of Kurañja, (4) the conquest of Kōṅkaṇa and (5) the release of Bhillama. These cannot be satisfactorily accounted for in the present state of our knowledge. The first probably refers to Bhōja’s conflict with the Raṭṭas of Saundatti (Sugandhavatī) who were ruling in the neighbourhoos of Vēṇugrāma. Gōvinda may have been the homonymous prince of the Maurya family reigning from Vāghlī (in Khāndesh) in Śaka 991 ad suggested by Khare. Kurañja cannot be identified. The ruler of Kōṅkaṇa may have been Ananatapāla (c. A.D. 1070-1110). The cause of the conflict with him is not known. Bhillama, released by Bhōja, may be the third king of that name ruling over Sēuṇadesa.

.. Ballāla, the younger brother of Bhōja, gets only conventional praise. His younger brother was Gaṇḍarāditya, who made the present grant. We are told that his Suzerain Vikramāditya VI gave him the biruda Niśśaṅkamalla (the fearless Wrestler). He may have taken part in the campaigns of the Chālukya Emperor, but we have no details of them in this record. One of his exploits specifically mentioned in this grant is the destruction of