Indian Antiquary Vol 31

SR No.: 032523
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 556
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
DECEMBER, 1902.
Dholká, and called upon him, with the help of his son, to save the kingdom which had fallen into decay in the unskilled hands of Bhima.17 Someśvara further states that he himself was called before Lavanaprasada on the following morning and asked concerning the meaning of the vision. He convinced his master, he assures us, that he was appointed by Providence to save his fatherland and induced him to obey the command of the goddess.18 Thereupon Lavaņaprasada entrusted to his son the execution of the daty laid upon him. A short time afterwards, Vasta pala and Tejahpåla were appointed his ministers." 20 If we reject the mythological additions in this record, which someśvara, as a good court poet and artist, held himself bound to put in, it merely says that Bhima was a weak and unskilful ruler, and that Lavanaprasada and Viradhavala made use of his weakness in order to found a kingdom of their own. To this understanding we are led particularly by the circumstance, that Somesvara, in the description of the kings of Anhilvad, expresses himself by no means respectfully concerning Bhima II., when he says (Kirtikaumudi, II. 61): "Powerful ministers and barons gradually divided the kingdom of this young and foolish (bálasya) ruler," and elsewhere again (ibid. II. 4) he gives the king the same not very complimentary epithet bála. On the other hand, there is nowhere a question of Lavanaprasada's service, and in the numerous inscriptions in the temples built by Vastupala and Tejabpala on Girnår and Âbû, and in other places, any mention of the suzerain of Gujarât is entirely wanting. On the other hand, in the Girnar inscriptions, which were written V.-S. 1288, ten years before Bhima's death, -Viradhavals receives the title of Maharajadhiraja, as if he were an independent ruler. Such a disregard of the forms which Indian etiquette prescribes for Vassal-princes and their servants, shews that Bhims did not stand in great esteem at the court of Dholka, and that he was not powerful enough to force from Lavanaprasada and Viradhavals the respect due to him. In spite of this it was probable, before the discovery of the Suksitasash kirtana, that Someśvara's account did not quite correctly represent the true relation of his master to Bhima II. For Merutunga says in the Prabandhachintamani, p. 250
Bombay edition), quite clearly, - Srimad Bhimadevarájyachintákári Vyághrapalliya-sushketaprasiddhah srimad- Anákanandanaḥ śrf-Lavanaprasádas chirak rájyasi chakára, 91 - the administrator of the illustrious Bhimadeva, the illustrious Lavanaprasáda, son of the illustrious ÂnÂka (Arporaja) Burnamed Vaghrapalliya (Vaghela), ruled a long time. This note led me in my first discussion of Somesvara's works (Indian Antiquary, Vol. VI. 187 ff.) to suppose that Lavanaprasada, was for a time in Bhima's service, and that he only later, when Bhima's folly, to this day proverbial in Gujarât, his arrogance and extravagance, convinced him that there was no help for it,-undertook to found a kingdom of his own. As the date of this defection, I thought proper to fix the Vikrama year 1276, in which, according to the Girnar inscriptions, Vastupala was appointed minister. Arisimha's account, which, coming from a contemporary, possesses 88 much authority as Somesvara's, coptırms only a part of these suppositions, wbilst he makes it necessary to modify another part of the same. We learn from him that Bhima II., through his inability to keep the Vassals in order and through various difficulties, was forced to seek help and support, and that he himself chose bis relative. The choice was prompted partly by Lavanaprasada's personal qualities, the description of which agrees with that of other sources, partly through his father Arnoraja's having (v. 18 above already done no portant service to Kumarapala and having been helpful to Bhima himself in obtaining the throne (vv. 19 and 88 above). The title Sarvesvara, Lord over All,' which Lavanaprasada, according to Arisimba's representation, received, has much the same meaning as Merutunga's expression ájyachintákarin, and hints that Lavanaprasada's position was a very independent one. The further tatement that Viradhavala was at the saine time named heir to the throne (Yuvardja), takes for ranted that Bhima had no sons. Nor do the Prabandhas make any mention of such. It must,
• 11 Kirtikaumudi, II. 89-107. 1 Kirtikaumudf, 11. 83-86, 108-118. Kirli kemud, IL. 114-115.
30 Kirlikaumudi, III. 51. compare also II. 112, where Some vers accentuate to his lord the necessity of ppointing oapable advisers.
11 The edition and MSS. of my colleotion writo, evidently incorrectly : Vydghrapalliaan. Lavanaprosidalis the reading of I.O. L. B. S. M9, No. 206, instead of the Lavananthapraaddas of the published edition.