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The Indian Analyst
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North Indian Inscriptions |
LITERATURE
..Most of the inscriptions of the Śilāhāras of South Koṅkaṇ and Kolhāpur are written in an artless style, and the descriptions in them are of a conventional type. Some records[1] of the Kolhāpur Śilāhāras written in Kannaḍa, however, show that the language had attained a far more developed form than Marathi in that age. II APARĀRKA-ṬĪKĀ OF APARADITYA .. Another important work of the Śilāhāra period which has made the royal family famous in the history of Sanskrit literature is the Aparārka-Ṭīkā, a commentary on the Yājñavalkya-Smṛiti by Aparārka or Aparāditya. In the introductory verse of this work the author is described as follows:[2]
.. In this verse, though the author of the commentary is not specifically named, he is described as an ornament of the family of Jīmūta ( i.e. Jīmūtavāhana), who has surprised Śiva by his devotion, Bṛihaspati by his intelligence, enemies by his valour, the Sun by his pure conduct, and the Earth by his forgiveness. In the last verse concluding the work he is described as follows[3] :-
.. This verse states that Aparāditya has composed this nibandha − (he) whose unchallenged rule is over the (whole) world, who has a full treasury and able allies, whose forts are invulnerable, whose army is capable of destroying (the enemy), who has trusted counsellors, who, though the sole lord of the whole world, is found of tasting the nectar in the form of the discussions of the śāstras, and who is rich in valour, charity and glory.
..
These verses show clearly that the author Aparārka or Aparāditya belonged to the
Śilāhāra family, which traced its descent from the Vidyādhara prince Jīmūtavāhana. There
were two kings of this name in the Śilāhāra family ruling over North Koṅkaṇ, the first of
whom flourished in circa A.D. 1127-1148, and the second in circa A.D. 1170-1197. Not much
is known about the second Aparāditya. He came to the throne after Mallikārjuna, who was
killed in an encounter with the Chaulukya king Kumārapāla of Gujarāt. He succeeded in
driving out the Chaulukyas from North Koṅkaṇ and later assumed the imperial titles Mahārājādhirāja and Kōṅkaṇa-chakravartin.[4] But, otherwise, he is not famous in history. His homonymous ancestor is more well-known. He also had to fight with the enemy to wrest his kingdom
from his clutches. After the death of his father Anantapāla, the country was occupied by
the Kadambas of Goā. Aparāditya was reduced to great straits, but, single-handed, he fought
bravely with them and succeeded in rescuing his kingdom from their grip. Though he did
not assume any grandiloquent imperial titles, he had the biruda Paśchima-samudr-ādhipati
(the Lord of the Western Ocean)[5] and is known to have extended his sway to South Koṅkaṇ.
[1] Nos. 48 and 50.
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