South Indian Inscriptions

EARLY RULERS

campaigns of Pravarasēna. It has been suggested that he succeeded in imposing his suzerainty over the Western Kshatrapas Rudrasiṁha II and Yaśodāman II, who were his contemporaries, and who, unlike their predecessors, did not assume the title of Mahākshatrapa.¹ Three is, however, as yet no definite proof of this. The break in the use of the higher title by the Western Kshatrapas may be due to the rise of an independent kingdom in Central India under the Śaka king Śrīdharavarman. There is also no evidence to show that Pravarasēna I carried his victorious arms beyond the Narmadā and incorporated Baghēlkhaṇḍ into his dominion.² The only proof of Vākāṭaka suzerainty in Baghēlkhaṇḍ in this early period is furnished by the lithic records, at Nachnā and Ganj, of Vyāghradēva, who calls himself a feudatory of the Vākāṭaka Pṛithivīshēṇa; but as shown, elsewhere, these records belong to a much later age, Pṛithivīshēṇa mentioned therein being the second Vākāṭaka king of that name who flourished in circa 470-490 A.C.

...It is also unlikely that Pravarasēna I made any conquests in Northern Mahārāshṭra, Gujarāt and Koṅkaṇ, which were ruled by the powerful Ābhīra kings. He may have succeeded in conquering parts of North Kuntala comprising Kolhāpur, Sātārā and Sholāpur Districts of the Mahārāshṭra State. Eastward, he may have carried his arms to Dakshiṇa Kōsala, Kaliṅga and Andhra, which were ruled by petty princes in this period. The paucity of records of this age makes it difficult to state his conquests or the exact limits of his dominion.

...Pravarasēna I was a pious man and a staunch supporter of the Vedic religion. He performed a number of Vedic sacrifices. The records of his successors almost invariably mention his performance of the seven Sōma sacrifices³ as well as four Aśvamēdhas. The Purāṇas make a special mention of his Vājapēya sacrifices which were marked by liberal gifts to Brāhmaṇas.⁴ Thereafter he assumed the unique imperial title Samrāṭ, which is mentioned in several records of his descendants.⁵ Like the early Pallava kings, he took also the title Dharmamahārāja indicative of his piety and righteous conquests.⁶ Like the Viṇhukaḍa Sātakarṇis,⁷ he called himself Hāritīputra, as descendant of Hāritī. These two titles are indicative of his association with southern kings.

...By his conquests and performance of Asvamedha sacrifices Pravarasena I proclaimed his supremacy in the Deccan. He sought to strengthen his position still further by means of a matrimonial alliance with the Bhāraśivas of North India. The latter belonged to the Nāga race and may originally have been reigning in Vidarbha; for, an early stone inscription of a Bhāra king named Bhagadatta (circa second century A.C. ) has been found at Pauni in the Bhaṇḍārā District of Vidarbha.⁸ Subsequently they appear to have raided North India, where they established themselves. Copper coins of their Adhirāja (Emperor)
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¹ N.H.I.P., Vol. VI, pp. 58 f., p. 100.
² Ibid., p. 100. There is also no evidence that the empire of Pravarasena I extended to Bundēlkhaṇḍ in the north as stated in H.C.I.P., Vol. II, p. 220.
³ The seven Sōma sacrifices (called sapta Sōma-saṁsthāḥ) are usually named as follows :- Agnishṭōma, Atyagnishṭōma, Ukthya, Shōḍaṡin, Vājapēya, Atirātra and Āptōryāma. Vākāṭaka inscriptions mention all these except Atyagnishṭōma and add Bṛihaspatisava and Sādyaskra to them. Cf. No. 3, lines 1 f. No. 23 mentions Jyōtishṭoma, but omits Ukthya, Shōḍaśin and Atirātra.
⁴ D.K.A., p. 50. A. MS. of the Vāyupurāṇa mentions Vājimedhas in place of Vājapēyas.
⁵ The performer of a Vājapēya sacrifice is entitled to assume the title Samrāṭ. Cf. राजा वै राजसूयेनेष्‍ट्‌वा भवति सम्राड्‌ वाजपेयेन ॥ Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, V, 1, 1, 3.
⁶ The title Dharmamahārāja, which Hindu kings assumed in the early centuries of the Christian era, may have been suggested by the title Dharmamahāmātra borne by some high officials of Aśōka. We find it for the first time in the Hirahaḍagalli grant of the Pallava king Śivaskandavarman. Some northern kings assumed the title of Dharmavijayin or righteous conqueror. C.I.I., Vol. IV, pp. 15 and 609.
⁷ Ind. And., Vol. XIV, p. 333.
⁸ Ep. Ind., Vol. XXV, pp. 11 f.