________________
266
C. 950
C. 950
C. 950
C. 950
959
CHRONOLOGY OF GUJARAT
A passage from the Vastrapalha māhātmya, a section of the Probhasa-Khaṇḍa of the Skandapurana, deals with the sacred sites of Girnar, tending to show that Bhoja's authority extended upto Saurăṣṭra.-(K. C. Rayachaudhari, IHQ, V, pp. 129-135). It is needless to go into the story centring round a woman with the face of a doe accompanying a herd of deer in the forests at Raivataka, her capture by the Baladhyakṣa, and her revelations at Kanyakubja, referring to the sanctity of the waters of the Suvarnarekha. The story is uncredible, but it adduces the following points which deserve consideration: firstly, it refers to Bhoja's connnection with Saurästra where he appointed a Vanapala, and despatched his army (AI. 25); secondly, Bhoja is mentioned as the Emperor of Kanauj:
कान्यकुब्जे महाक्षेत्रे राजा भोजेति विश्रुतः ।
पुरा पुण्ययुगे धर्म्यः प्रजा धर्मेण शासति ॥ VI, 201
The Una Plates of Bhoja clearly mention that his empire extended up to Saurăştra, and ascended the throne at Kanauj. Thus the date presented by the passage from the Skanda Purana is in conformity with facts known from other sources.(Baij Nath Puri, The History of the Gurjara-Pratihāras, p. 59).
No less than five centres that were manufacturing swords are mentioned in Agni Purana, along with the distinctive qualities of their products. These are Sūrpāraka (Sopara), Khatikhattara and Risika (Khandesh), Vanga (East Bengal) and Anga (Monghyr and Bhagalpur Districts).-( The Age of Imperial Kanauj, p. 400).
Laksmanarajadeva, Kalacuri or Cedi, son and successor of Yuvaraja I, married Rähada. The Bilhari inscription records his defeat of the lord of Kosala, and his expedition to the very pleasant Western region, during which campaign he worshipped the God Someśvara in Gujarat. His daughter Bonthâdev!, was the mother of the Western Câlukya Tailapa II (973-997 A.D.).-(EI, ii, 174).
Sri-Harşadeva, Siyaka II or Simhabhața, Paramāra of Mälava, son and successor of Vairisimha II; married Vadajā; he took in battle the wealth of (the Răştrakūta) king Khottiga.-(Udayapura Prasasti).
Dhanapala's allusion in his Paiyalacchi namamala (V.S. 1029) to the plunder of Manyakheta by the lord of Malava probably refers to this conflict.--(EI, i, 225).
Dhanapala who was a protége of Munja and Bhoja of Dhārā, wrote the Risabhapancasika and also the Tilakamanjari-(IA, ii, 166; iv, 59).
Jain Education International
A flood of light is thrown on the state of Jainism during the 9th and 10th century by Yasastilaka campa, a literary romance in Sanskrit prose and verse, composed by Somadeva Sări in 959 A.D.
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