Political History of Northern India

SR No.: 001744
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Gulabchandra Chaudhary
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar
Publication Year: 1954
Total Pages: 482
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, History, & Culture
File Size: 10 MB

Page 257

THE DYNASTIES OF SAURASTRA
he carved out a principality in Sarasvata mandala by his own prowess.1 This would mean that for about thirty years Mülaraja sat quiet in Sarasvata mandala.
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His Achievements: After consolidating his position, Mülarāja began his conquests. Naturally, first he came in conflict with the neighbouring kings. According to the Jain sources he came in conflict with the daily growing power of the Paramāras in the South. Mülaraja was the junior. contemporary of Siyaka II and senior to his successor and son Muja (974-996 A.D.). I have already elsewhere (on the basis of the Bijapur stone inscription of the Rastrakutas of Hathundi) stated that Muñja attacked Mülaraja. Malaraja together with the ruler of Mewar had to flee before him, 'like timid deer.' Dhavala (the Raṣṭrakūta prince of Hathundi, (c. 980 A.D.) gave shelter to the armies of both the kings. According to the Jain inscription referred to above it seems that Mülaraja did not gain much in this struggle.
Two other wars, one with the king of Surastra and the other with his ally Laksa of Kaccha have been recorded by the Jain chroniclers. Hemacandra in his Dvyáśraya-kāvya, connecting these two wars in one episode, states that once Jehula, the Mahapradhana of Mularaja, told him all the mischiefs of Graharipu in detail such as his harassment of pilgrims and the sacrilege of the holy places by killing and eating sacred animals and hist treatment of defeated enemies as unworthy of a kṣatriya etc. Upon this Malaraja decided to punish him and accordingly he attacked Graharipu of of Vamanasthali (modern Vanthali, 9 miles west of Junagadh). This battle took place on the bank of the river Jambumati, which has been rightly identified with the river Jambari in Kathiawar. The same authority further says that in that combat Mularaja threw Graharipu (down from his elephant, tied him with ropes and made him prisoner. Then Laksa, the king of Kaccha and an ally of Graharipu chased Mularaja but was killed. then and there. At last Gräharipu, on the request of his queens was released."
Hemacandra has given the description of this war in great detail. He has devoted full four cantos of his work to this war.
The struggles with Graharipu and Lakṣa referred to find above no epigraphic support; and strangely enough the war with Graharipu is mentioned
1 WZKM., V, p. 300,
2 See supra p. 181.
3 Ramalāl Modi, Sanskrit Dvyasraya Mai Madhyakālīna Gujarātanī Sāmājika Sthili, pp. 66-67.
4 Cantos 2-5.