Laghuprabandhsangrah

SR No.: 001844
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jayant P Thaker
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 300
Language: Sanskrit, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari, History, & Story
File Size: 16 MB

Page 122

95
income of the then Gujarata. And to say that it shows the number of villages comprising the Gujarāta of those medieval times may be considered as an exaggeration at the present state of our knowledge. Perhaps it might be indicative of the population of the genuine land of Gujarāta not considering the territories conquered by the Gujaräti kings ! More probable than even this is to believe it to state the streng h of the army of Gujarāta. All the same the same text states later on (7. 10-11 ) that Jay a simha had encamped near Kantipuri with an army consisting of five hundred thousand sāhinas and nine hundred thousand padāti; ! Of course, this army might have included the divisions of the feudatories also. In these circumstances nothing more definite than these probabilities can be pronounced on the point at this juncture.
Siddharāja Ja ya simha is described here as the vanquisher of the three kings called A Ś va pati, Gajapati and Narapati (6. 15 16). It is very difficult to identify these three kings. The term 'Aśrapati' is used in literature to denote the kings of Delhi. Likewise, the term 'Gajpatı' is found employed in the sense of kings of Orissã, a royal dynasty itself being nam d'Gajapati'. One fails to understand, however, as to the kings of which place used to be called a aj ati's. One thing is certain: The king whose cavalry was more powerful than the other divisions of his army inight have been known as 'AŚ va pati'. He wb) possessed a very powertul elephant-torce might have been called 'Gajapati'. In the same way, the king having a mighty force of foot-soldiers might have been denoted by the term 'Narapati'. The kings of Delhi have been well-renowned for their very powerful cavalry. Similarly, the elephants of Orissã are also famous † The very idea, however, of Siddharaja's relations, of fight or truce, with the rulers of Delhi and Orissä appears baseless at the present state of our knowledge.
All the same if we go deep into the matter, we do gain some light. It is a well-known fact that the power of the Cā ha má na or Cau han a rulers of Så kambhari, Ajamera and Naddula was solely due to their very strong cavalry. Therefore the term Aśva pati' can well be applied to a Cå ha māna ruler. An inscription of the Cāha māna king A saraja of Nad dūla, dated V. S. 1200 ( =1144 A.D.) describes him as a Pādu padmopajivin of Mahirajāih rāja Jayasimha. Moreover, he accompanied Siddha. Iāja, with his army, in his great attack on Māla vā. Therefore there is no doubt that having been subdued by Siddharāja, he had become his
† Dr. B. J. Sándosarā, Jagannāthapuri ane Orisa (Guj.) p. 299.