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 48

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POLITICAL HISTORY OF N. INDIA FROM JAIN SOURCES
Rajatarangini of Kalhaya. Some Jain works also cast side-lights on his chronology and successors. Mention may be made here of some of the important works like Prabhavaka-carita of Prabhācandra, Prabandha-kosa of Rajasekhara, Bappabhatti-Suri-carita of Manikyasūri, Vividhateerthakalpa of Jinaprabhasuri and Tapagacchapaṭṭāvali of Dharmasagargani. Though these Jain works are not contemporary records records like like the Gaudavaho, the material preserved by continuous tradition in them contains details of historical character.1 These Jain works range from the thirteenth to the fourteenth century A.D. As regards the authoritativeness of contents of the works, the authors themselves say that they have taken their narratives from the tradition handed down by learned men as well as by previous works. And from the point of view of history such a tradition coming about six or seven generations later cannot be absolutely discarded. Among these works the life of Bappabhattisūri contains the material for our purpose and may be regarded as a reliable source for the chronology of Yasovarman and his successors.
Lineage: The question of the lineage of Yaśovarman is still shrouded. in mystery. Väkpati the author of the Gauḍavaho praises him as "an ornament to the Lunar race of kings." Cunningham thinks that he is a descendant of the Maukharis, having the common termination varman of the dynasty, but the Jain works on the other hand, represent Yasovarman as "the illustrious ruler of Kanyakubja, who was the head-jewel of the famous dynasty of Candragupta, and who made illustrious the already illustrious family of the Mauryas. It is interesting to add that the Prabhavaka carita (13th cent. A.D.) also described Yašovarman as having descended from and been a bright ornament in the family of Candragupta. But the
1 Aiyangar, S. K., Ancient India, (1941), p. 345 ff. See also JBBRAS, III, May, 1928, pp. 103.
2
(i) PCA (SJGM, XIII), p. 1: aggagaara: angings affigi
उपधुस्येतिवृत्तानि वर्णयिष्ये किमन्यपि
(ii) PK., (SJGM, VI) P. इदानीं वयं गुरुमुलतानां विस्तीर्णानां रसादयानां चतु विंशतेः प्रबन्धानां संग्रहं कुर्वाणाः स्मः । Gaudavaho (S. P. Pandit's ed.). Vs. 1064-65. See also Introduction p. XXXIX.
.
ASIR., XV, p. 164; See also E.A. Pires, The Maukharis, pp. 136-375 IA., IX, pp. 171, 181, Bappabhaṭṭisüri carita, V. 13.
• Vs. 45-46 : वर्यमौर्यमहागोत्रसम्भूतस्य महाश्रुतेः श्री चन्द्रगुप्तभूपालवंशमुक्तामनिश्रियः ।
कान्यकुब्जयशोवर्मभूपतेः
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