Epigraphia Indica Vol 31

SR No.: 032585
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1955
Total Pages: 506
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 30 MB

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No. 44]
INSCRIPTIONS OF THE TIME OF YAJVAPALA GOPALA
seven (Nos. 1-7) out of those records for publication, although the remaining eight records (Nos. 8-15) have also been noticed in an appendix. Seven such epigraphs were first briefly noticed in the Annual Administration Report of the Archaeological Department, Gwalior State, for V. S. 1991 (193435), 1938, pp. 8, 12, 25-26 (Nos. 7-13), and then in Dvivedi's List, Nos. 133-39. Although these meagre notices are not free from errors, they should have attracted the attention of scholars, which they rightly deserve. Unfortunately even the authors of the recently published works on the history of the Chandellas have not taken their evidence into cognizance.1
The date of the battle between the forces of Gopala and those of Viravarman, in which the partisans of the former lost their lives, is quoted in six of the records (Nos. 2, 4-6, 9 and 12) as V.S. 1338, Chaitra-sudi 7, Friday. It regularly corresponds to the 28th March 1281 A.D. In one case (No. 3), the week-day, is quoted as Chaitra-sudi 2, Saturday, instead of Chaitra-sudi 7, Friday, of the other cases (Nos. 1-2, 4-9, 11-12; cf. also No. 10), and in five cases (Nos. 1, 7-8, 10 and 15) the year is given as V. S. 1337. The confusion about the week-day is apparently due to an error of the scribe concerned. But the reference to both V. S. 1338 and 1337 to indicate the same year may be explained away. If the year is regarded as Kärttikadi, V. 8. 1338 current was the same as V. S. 1337 expired.
In some cases, the warriors specifically claim to have obtained victory in the battle. It is clear that the army of Viravarman invaded the kingdom of Yajvapala (Jajapella) Gopala and succeeded in penetrating as far as the immediate neighbourhood of the latter's capital Nalapura (Narwar). But the Yajvapala forces then offered battle and repulsed the invaders. The Chandella king thus seems to have been defeated in his contest with the Yajvapälas after having gained some initial success. The battle referred to in the inscriptions probably lasted only for a day. A large number of soldiers on Viravarman's side must also have lost their lives; but there is no record of that besides vague claims on behalf of the partisans of Gopala in the records under study. The battle is stated to have been fought on the banks of the river variously called Valuva, Võlukä, Valua, Valubā, Väluka and Valuka which is no other than the modern Barua. The identity of the invading king Viravarman is made clear by his mention in one record (No. 2) as Charhdilla (Chandella), by another (No. 1) referring to his association with Jejahuti, and by two others (Nos. 8 and 11) describing him as the lord of Jäjäbhukti and the king of Jejahuti respectively. Jejahuti and Jējābhukti are variant forms of the name applied to the Chandella dominions, Jējāka-bhukti, Jējāka-desa and Jejaka-mandala being often mentioned in the records of the Chandellas themselves." Two of these records (Nos. 1 and 11) further say that Viravarman was accompanied by four other kings who were no doubt his allies or vassals. But no other details about these rulers are given.
The records from Bangla throw some light on the interpretation of a passage in the Dahi copperplate grant of Chandella Viravarman which bears the date V. S. 1337, Vaisakha-sudi 15, Sunday. The inscription, which is now lost, was secured by Ellis in 1848 from Dahi, 44 miles to the east of Bijäwar in Bundelkhand, and he supplied a note on its contents (based on a hopelessly inaccurate transcript) to Cunningham who succeeded in suggesting some corrections on the basis of a transcript (also erroneous) that was prepared by him from an impression of the record. Kielhorn equated the date with the 4th May 1281 A.D. which is just a little over one month later than the date of the
1 See N. Bose, History of the Candellas, Calcutta, 1956; The Struggle for the Empire, Bomby, 1957, pp. 60, 146. See Ray, op. cit., pp. 669-70 and notes. The name was supposed to have been derived from that of Jayasakti, popularly called Jäjä or Jejaka. A Kalachuri inscription (above, Vol. I, p. 35, verse 21) mentions the Chandella kingdom as Jējābhuktika. Al-Birani mentions Kajuräha (Khajuraho, the capital of the Chandellna) as the capital of Jehähäti (trans. Sachau, Vol. I, p. 202). The vernacular form of the name is Jajahat! or Jajähöti (above, Vol. I, p. 218).
Bhandarkar's List, No. 600.
See Cunningham's Reports, Vol. XXXI, pp. 74 ff.
Kielhorn's Northern List, above, Vol. V, App., pp. 34 f., No. 240.