________________
THB ŚVETĀMBARA LITERATURE
235
thing about the political history of the Caulukya period. A very good number of places of Western India, connected with Jainism, have also been mentioned.
The Prabandhacintāmaņi (PC)191, of Merutunga, written in V.S. 1361, corresponding to 1305 A.D., is undoubtedly the finest historical work after Kalhana's Rājatarangiņi. According to the Prasasti, given at the end of this book, the author wrote this work, at the well-known town of Vardhamāna of Gujarat. He was a disciple of the saint Candraprabha of the Nāgendra gaccha192. His history starts from Vikramāditya of the tradition, and in this connexion, he relates the story of that monarch, as found in the earlier story books and also the Bșhatkatha tradition. After devoting a paragraph on the Śatavāhana king (Hāla) and another on an unknown king of Kānyakubja, called Bhūyarāja, the author takes up the history of Gujarat from Vanarāja, the founder of the Cāpotkața dynasty and this may be compared with that given in the 1st canto of Arisimha's Sukstasankirtana193. There is little doubt that the year V.S. 802, given in the PC, as the beginning of the Cãpotkața rule, is based on solid historical tradition. However, that king is represented, in this work184, as having died, when he was one hundred nine years old, which appears somewhat improbable, but not entirely impossible. However the story, told in connexion with Vanarāja's accession, appears to be fanciful. There is a typical Jain bias as in this story. The history of the Caulukyas, has been told in much more sober manner, and it appears, that the author was using some earlier historical documents, in connexion with the description of the achievements of the kings of this dynasty. No miraculous story has been told. in connexion with the accession of Mūlarāja I, the founder of the dynasty. The achievements of Mūlarāja I, described in the PC are more or less confirmed by other writers, and also by the evidence of inscriptions195.
Regarding the Paramāras of Mālava, our author has very correctly described a few important historical details.
