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 52

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POLITICAL HISTORY OF N. INDIA FROM JAIN SOURCES
jealousy of a co-wife' and Bappabhatti was his preceptor who taught him all the seventy-two arts and converted him to Jainism. The story of Bappabhattisūri is a long one, written for the purpose of glorification of Bappabhattisūri and of King Ama in his association. We get, however, some remarkable historical materials from the story. It is stated there, firstly, that King Ama bore the title Nāgāvaloka' conferred upon him by Bappabhattisūri due to his taking hold of a poisonous cobra which succeeded in killing a mongoose in fight. By this title the king became known thereafter the world over.Secondly, it alleged there that King Ama, during a considerable period of his reign, was at enmity with the ruler of Bengāl, who is stated to have been known by the name Dharma and Dharmabhūpala or Dharmabhupa almost certainly Dharmapāla of Bengal. Dharma actually states himself, in the course of the narrative, that, having been thwarted several times, it became difficult for him to control his long cherished feeling of enmity to King Āma of Kanauj. Thirdly it states a long period of King Ama's reign from V.E. 800 to 890 or A.D. 743 to 833-34.
These are some of the points which are to be discussed here in the light of the other available sources. As regards the first and third points a confusion arises from the history and chronology of Gurjara-Pratihāra dynasty, which records a king Nāgabhața bearing the title Nāgāvaloka whose known date from the inscription is V.E. 872 or 815 A.D. The period, therefore, seems to correspond with Ama-Nāgāvaloka, since he died in A.D. 853. The confusion increases still further when we look into the possible grounds for identification. We know from the narrative that Ama-Nāgāvaloka had a son by name Dunduka who had a son Bhoja. Similarly Nāgabhata II had for his son Rāmabhadra and had a grandson who too bore the name of Bhoja. Thus both of them had a grandson by name Bhoja, but the names of the sons differ. On the basis of this resemblance many scholars have attempted to 1 PCA., XI, (SJGM, XIII), Vs. 53 & 54.
साऽवदीत् तातपादानां किमकथ्यं तत: प्रभो, श्रीकान्यकुब्जभूपालयशोवर्मकुटुम्बिनी।
अहं सुतेऽत्र गर्भस्थे संपन्यां मत्सरोदयात् , पुरा लभ्य वरं प्रार्थ्य नृपान्निर्वासितास्म्यहम् । 2 Ibid., V. 73: tarat si a anahitaart 3 Ibid., V. 188: TIE RIETI I TESTI
ततः प्रभृत्यनेनापि नाम्ना विख्यातिमाप सः॥ * PCA., XI, V. 168: SETARIST ATTE:
तदाबानात यदा पश्चात् याति तन्मे तिरस्कृतिः॥ 5 Ibid., V. 719 & 721: ferat anfort aige Tradit 7 TECI
श्रीमान् नागावलोकाख्यो राजा प्राप दिवं तदा ॥ 6 Jodhpur Stone inscription. EI., IX, pp. 198-200,