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The accounts of the later chroniclers clearly bring out the fact that Kumarapala had become a foot-ball of fortune before he came to the throne. The same is confirmed by contemporary evidence. The Kumārapālapratibodha says that Kumarapala, thinking one day that he must practise dharma as he had come to the throne after passing through many vicissitudes of life, told his minister his desire to know real religion.2 We, moreover, find a reference to his wanderings in a verse in the Moharājaparajaya which says, "To whom is this prince of the Gurjaras, the banner of the Chaulukya race not known, who through curiosity wandered alone through the whole world "3 Hemasuri's silence on this
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Chalukya after his accession to the throne of Anahilavāda ( Western India, p. 141). Uncorroborated 86 Tod's statement is, we shall have to reject it in the light of the evidence of Hemasuri who traces his descent from Bhimadeva. Hemasuri's statement is confirmed by a Chitoda inscription of the reign of Kumarapala.
According to Merutunga, Kumarapala's great grandmother was a courtezan, but the statement is not confirmed by other evidence.
2. Somaprabha, Kumarapalapratibodha, P. 5.
3. Moharajaparajaya,, I, 28; Kielhorn, Report (188081), p. 34.
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
