Indian Antiquary Vol 14

SR No.: 032506
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 418
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

Page 117

APRIL, 1885.]
THE GAHARWARS AND RATHORS
99
historical notices. contained in the opening verses of that grant has been quite correctly understood.
The vijayt or victorious king' of the second verse is Chandra Deva himself, whose descent is described in that verse. The following verse (No. 3) relates the circumstances under which he obtained the throne of Kananj. In this verse, it is stated that, after the death of a king Bhoja, there were troublous times under a king Karpa,' to which Chandra Deva put an end by possessing himself of the country. The king Bhoja, I take to be Bhoja Deva II. of the earlier Kanauj dynasty, who reigned about A.D. 925-50; for his father Mahendra Påla was still reigning in A.D. 921. Bhoja Deva II.'s son, Vinayaka Pala Deva, may, therefore, be put down to A.D. 950-75. About this time a Rájá Kokalla II., of the Kalachuri dynasty, was on the throne of Chedi. He and his sucoesBors, Gangoya Deva and Karna Deva, carried on many successful wars. They must have invaded the territories of Mahoba and Kanauj; for Gångeya Deva is recorded to have died at Prayaga, and his coins are found on the site of Kanauj. Karņa Deva must have reigned about A.D. 1025-50, as he is recorded to have been a contemporary of Bhima Deva of Gujarat (A.D. 1022-72) and of Bhoja Deva of Dhår (A.D. 1021-42). This makes him also a contem- porary of Chandra Deva, the first Rathor king of Kanauj (about A.D. 1050). I take it, therefore, that the inscription refers to Karna Deva of Chedi.
Further, in the second verse, Chandra Deva
is called a son of Mahiala, which is either a mere provincialism, or a clerical error for Mahitala. By the same name (Mahitala) Chandra Deva's father is called in the Rahan land-grant of Govinda Chandra, published in the Bengal Asiatic Society's Proceedings for 1876, p. 131. Usually his father is called Mahichandra; while his son is always called Madanapala. This fact shows that the term Chandra was by no means so distinctive, as is often thought, of the Kanaaj royalfamily. Terms like chandra, tala, pálu, were interchangeable appendages to the actual name; and Mahichandra might also call himself Mahitala or Mahipala. The Sârnâth inscription of Mahîpála is dated A.D. 1026,-a date which synchronises with Chandra Deva's father Mahichandra, alias Mahipala. The father of the Sirnáth Mabipala was Vigrahapala; while the father of Mahî. chandra is called Yaśo-Vigraha. As Pála and Chandra are interchangeable, I take Vigrahapala and Mahipala of Benares as likely to be the same as Yaso-Vigraha and Mahichandra (alias Mahipala), the ancestors of Chandra Deva. Dates and names favour the identification.
But more, the date of Vigrahapala and Mahipala is from A.D. 991 to 1058, which synchronisos with the date of the Chedi rulers, Kokalla II., Gangeya, and Karna. The Chedi rulers were of the Haihayo race ;1o and Vigrahapala is said to have married Lajji, a princess of the Haihaya race." The Pâlas of Benares and the Kalachuris of Chedi, therefore, were closely allied. Now Vinayakapila Deva of the earlier Kanauj, lino" possessed Benares about A.D.
* Not Karla, as given in the transcript in the Bengal (No. 2), which is a sloka, and which admits of reading Journal ; see note 7 below, and p. 103, note 8.
Mahipfla' equally well. I may add hero that the ink See General Cunningham's remarks in Archæol. impression clearly proves the name of the predecessor of Suru. Ind. Vol. IX p. 85.-[These remarks and dates, Chandra Deva to be Karna, not Karla, as given in tlve however, must be accepted with caution.-ED)
transcript in the Bengal Journal. The signs for 1 and, sid. p. 85. id. p. 86.
which often occur in the grant, are easily distinguishable "The Basibi plate spells Mahiala, but the Rihan from each other, and the sign of an in the name is & plate spells Mahitala. The name Mahitala means the distinct double nn. very earth. It is an unusual name, and if it were not There may have been a spocial reason for Madans for the fact that it agrees with the metre (Upendravajra) reverting to the ancestral title of PAL' in the fact of of the verse in which it oocura, one would be inclined to his extending his kingdom over portions of the old Pala look upon it as one of the clerical errora (for Mahipla) empire. For two inscriptions of his, dated in his 3rd with which this particular record abounds. The oopper. and 19th years, have been found at Bihar and at plate is among the Society's collection, where I have Jayanngar near Lakhi Sarai respectively. (See Archæol. examined it, and verified the correctness of the printed Suru. Ind. Vol. XV. p. 151.) The Madariapala of these transcript of the second verse. As it is, Mahitala inscriptions is usually placed among the later members evidently owes its origin merely to the exigencies of the of the proper Pala dynasty; but beyond the fact of the metre. Of the other grant, published in the Journal for title of Pila' there is nothing in favour of that theory, 1873, I have not seen the original, which is in the Seo & subsequent paper in this Journal on the Lucknow Museum. But I possess, through the kindness
Pala Rajaa alao Jour. Beng. 48. Soc. Vol. XLVII. of Mr. J.F. Fleet, a very carefully prepared ink-impres. Part I. p. 394 . sion, which clearly shows the name to be Mahiala, not 10 Archaol. Surv. Ind. Vol. IX. p. 77. MahiAla as published in the Journal. In all probability 1 Jour. Beng. 48. Soc. Vol. XLVII. Part T. p. 394.
Mahiala' is a clerical error, apparently for Mahitala; id. Vol. XXXI. Part I. p. 5.-[But see note 4 above. but the latter is not required by the metre of the verso
of the verse! -ED.