Epigraphia Indica Vol 09

SR No.: 032563
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: E Hultzsch, Sten Konow
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1907
Total Pages: 498
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 28 MB

Page 424

SARNATH INSCRIPTION OF KUMARADEVI.
No. 51.]
was Madanachandra, elsewhere known as Madanapâla, who again was the father of Govindachandra. He is said to have saved Benares from the wicked Turushka-soldier.
The fourth part of the inscription (verses 21-23) specifies the gifts of Kumaradevi, and her praise is sung in verse 24. Verses 25-26 then inform us that the inscription, which is here called a prasasti, was composed by the poet śri-Kunda, and engraved by Vâmans.
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Govindachandra is the well-known king of Kanauj, whose inscriptions are dated between A.D. 1114 and 1154. Our inscription teaches us that he guarded Benares against the Turushkas, i.e. the Muhammadans. We do not know of any Muhammadan expedition against Benares in Govindachaudra's time. In A.D. 1033 a Muhammadan army under Ahmad Niáltigîn arrived at the town, but only stayed there for a day, and there is no indication of a permanent settlement. We know, on the other hand, that Mussalman settlers remained in the country about the Jamna from the days of Mahmud and down to the end of the 12th century. It seems probable that Govindachandra took some action against such settlers, and the term turushkadanda, which occurs in many of his and his predecessors' inscriptions, gives us a hint as to the nature of this action. The word turushkadanda has been variously translated as "tax on aromatic reeds" and "Muhammadan amercements." The information furnished by our inscription seems to show that it was in reality a tax on Muhammadans, the exact nature of which cannot, however, be determined.
Oar inscription introduces us to a new queen of Govindachandra, Kumaradêvî, the granddaughter of Mahapa. Three other queens are already known from inscriptions, vis. Nayanakêlidevi, Gôsaladevi and Dâlhanadevi. While Govindachandra was himself an orthodox Hindû, his fourth wife Kumaradêvî was a Buddhist. According to information kindly supplied by Mahamahopadhyaya Hara Prasad Śâstri, the king had still another Buddhist wife Vasantadevi, who is mentioned in the colophon of a manuscript of the Ashṭasáhasriká in the Nepal Darbar Library (No. 381 of the third collection). The colophon runs--sri-sri-Kanyakubj-adhipaty-asvapati gajapati-narapati-rdjya-trayadhipati-irimad-Govindachandradivarya pratúpavalata niji-irpravara-Mahayana-yayinyaḥ paramôpásiká-rájni-Vasanta dêvyá déyadharmmo-yam.. It is possible that Vasantadêvi and Kumaradevi are one and the same person, one of the meanings of vasanta being "youth "kumára. It is, however, more probable that they are two different persons.
Some information about Mahana, the father of Kumaradevi's mother, and about the lord of Pithi, her father, can be gleaned from Sandhyåkara Nandi's Ramacharita, which work has been brought to light by Mahâmahôpâdhyâya Hara Prasad Sâstri.7 We are there told that Mahapa was the maternal uncle of the Gauda king Râmapala. Vigrahapâla, the father of Råmapâla, made a successful war against the Chêdi king Karna of Dâhåla, of whom we possess an inscription dated Kalachuri Samvat 493-A.D. 1042.8 Karpa's reign probably extended over a long period. We cannot, therefore, determine when the war against Vigrahapâla took place. We have an inscription of the time of Vigrahapâla's grandfather Mahipala, dated A.D. 1026,10 and Mahipâla's son Nayapala reigned at least 15 years.11 Vigrahapâla's accession cannot, therefore, be placed earlier than A.D. 1041. His son Râmapâla, who was preceded on the throne by two brothers Mahipala II. and Sûrapâla, was a contemporary of
1 See H. M. Elliot, The History of India as told by its own Historians, Vol. II. 1869, pp. 112 and ff. 2 Ibid., pp. 250 and ff.
See Führer, Journal Bengal Society, Vol. LVI. Pt. I. p. 113.
Above, Vol. IV. p. 108.
See Führer, loc. cit. p. 115, 1. 19.
1 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1900, pp. 70 and ff.
Kielhorn, Northern List, No. 407.
10 Kielhorn, Northern List, No. 59.
Kielhorn, Northern List, Nos. 127 and 131.
Se: Kielhorn, above, Vol. 11. pp. 302 and ff. 11 Ibid, No. 642.
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