Hathigumpha Inscription of Kharavela and Bhabru Edict of Asoka

SR No.: 006726
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Shashi Kant
Publisher: D K Print World
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 196
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 16 MB

Page 78

52 The Hāthigumphā Inscription and the Bhabru Edict to be a matter of style only. The event of his father's death has been ignored altogether, most probably because the record is too personal. Our record closes in his thirteenth regnal year when he was only 37 years old. Nothing is known about him after that year.
Campaigns He led six campaigns in all, one in the second year, one in the fourth year, one in the eighth year, one in the eleventh year and two in the twelfth year. They appear to be merely campaigns of conquest and no annexations appear to have been made except in one case. They, however, help in determining the extent of Khāravela's Kalinga.
The first campaign was in the western direction up to the capital of the Asikas on the R. Kamhabemā (Krsnavenā). The direction suggests that the Krsnvenā should be identified with the Wainganga.Its identification with the Krishna which flows to the south of Kalinga and not to the west, is incorrect. It is not possible to locate Asikanagara which probably lay across the Wainganga. In fact, his army reached only the river and does not appear to have sacked or entered the town itself. Presence and manoeuvres of his army on his side of the river were sufficient to cause alarm to the people across the river. The object of the campaign appears to be exploratory in the main and it seems to indicate that the Wainganga formed the western boundary of the kingdom of Kalinga.
The next expedition, in the fourth year, was a campaign of conquest. It was also in the western direction and was personally
1.
It joins the Pranhita at Seoni, which, in its turn, joins the Godavari near Sironcha, both in the Chandrapur district, Maharashtra. Barua supports this identification on the ground that the main tributary of the Wainganga is the Kanhan which joins it in the Bhandara district (I.H.Q., XIV, 3, p. 475 fn. 166), suggesting thereby that it might be known as Kanha-Wainā or Krsnā-veņā. I am inclined to agree with him.