Indian Antiquary Vol 26

SR No.: 032518
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 170

164
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JUNE, 1897.
have been built during this latter period. The testimony of the Prithvirajavijaya, of course, outweighs that of the modern tradition as well as that of the Hammiramahákávaya and of Ferishta, For the poem was composed during the reign of Prithviraja IL or in the last quarter of the twelfth century, while the Hammiramahákávya dates at the best from the end of the fourteenth century and Ferishta wrote two hundred years later towards the end of the sixteenth century. Moreover, the Prithvirajavijaya is ne only work, in which, as Dr. Morison has stated, the genealogy of the Châhamânas agree with that contained in their inscriptions, while those of the other Sanskrit sources do not even agree with each other and clearly contain anachronisms.
With respect to one of Ferishta's statements, the sack of Ajmer by Mahmûd of Ghazni, it must be pointed out that the older accounts of the expedition against Sômnâth do not name the town. Ibn Astr, the oldest author, merely says that after crossing the desert on his way from Multan to Aphilvâd, Mahmûd perceived "on one side a fort full of people, in which place there were wells," and that he took and sacked it.10 In Ferishta's other references the expression" the king of Ajmer" no doubt is meant to denote the Châhamânas (Chôhâns) of Sakambhari, who, to judge from the length of the list in the Prithvirajavijaya, seem to have ruled in Eastern Rajputana since the sixth century A. D. The fact that Ajmêr was their capital at the time of the Mahommedan conquest explains Ferishta's mistake.
It deserves to be noted also that the name of Ajmer does not occur in the Indian intineraries of the earlier Arab geographers, given in the first volume of Elliot's History of India, that only one of the Gujarât chronicles, the Prabhavakacharitra (XXII. 420), mentions it in connection. with Kumarapala's war against Arnôruja (when it did exist) and that the only Châhamâne inscription, found at Ajmêr, is that of the time of Vigraha IV., mentioned above. All these points, of course, speak in favour of the assertion of the Prithvirajavijaya, that Ajaya, the twentieth Châhamâna king of Sakambharf, was its founder, and the late date for the town must be accepted as historical.
As regards the name of Ajayaméru, its meaning is no doubt, as the Prithvirajavijaya, v. 100, suggests, "the Mêru made by Ajayaraja." Méru is primarily the name of the fabulous golden mountain (hémádri), the centre of Jambudvipa on which the gods dwell (suralaya) and it is figaratively applied in geographical names to any hill covered with splendid temples and palaces.!! Thus we have in Rajputana Jésalaméru,12 "the Mêru made by Jêsala," which primarily denotes the hill-fort, rising with its temples and palace above the town of Jesalmer or Jêsalmîr in Marvad, Komalmer, properly Kumbhalaméru, " the Mêru built by Kumbhala or Kumbhakarna," which is the well-known hill-fort13 in Mêvad, and Balmer or Barmer, properly Bahaḍameru, the Meru made by Bahada," a hill-fort in Mallâni. In Kathiâvâd, there is Jhânjmêr,15 properly Jhanjhaméru, "the Mêru made by Jhanjha," and in the Central Provinces there is another. Ajmirgarh, properly Ajayamérugadha," the fort, i. e., the Mêru made by Ajaya."
March 12th, 1897.
10 Elliot's History of India, Vol. II. p. 489.-This unnamed fort no doubt was erroneously converted into Ajmer by Ferishta or his informants. It is more probable that Mahmud took the straighter road to Aphilvåd vid Mandor and Pli, and that one of these forts is meant by Ibn Asir.
11 Another figurative meaning of meru, derived from the notion that mount Mêra is the home of the gods, is "a large temple with six towers, twelve stories and wonderful vaults" (Brihateamhita, lvi. 20). According to the Prabandhachintamani, p. 134 (see also p. 175 f.) king Karns of Gujarat constructed a building of this kind, called Karnamêrub práddal, in Aphilvåd. Similarly, the Prabhavakacharitra, XII. 402, mentions a Siva temple, called
Siddhameru.
13 This form is still used by Pandits and Yatis, and occurs regularly in the colophons of the palm-leaf MSS., in the inscriptions and in the Jaina books.
18 In the Rajputana Gazetteer, Vol. III. p. 52, the fort is called Komalgarh, while Col. Tod gives Komalmer. The name Kumbhalaméru occurs in the Jaina Pattavalis, see the description of the Kharatara Sripuj Jinabhadra, Ind. Ant. Vol. XI. p. 249.
14. Rajputana Gazetteer, Vol. II. p. 271. The form Bahadamfru is used by the Jainas, see the description of the Kharatara Sripuj Jinasamudra, Ind. Ant, Vol. XI. p. 249.
18 Bombay Gazetteer, Vol. VIII. p. 459.