Epigraphia Indica Vol 07

Author(s): E Hultzsch
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 98

No. 8.]
proclaimed himself king. Narasa-Nayaka was succeeded by his son " Busbal Rao," who died after a reign of six years and was succeeded by his younger brother Krishnadevaraya,
DEVULAPALLI PLATES OF IMMADI-NRISIMHA.
79
Nuniz expressly states that Narasa-Nayaka was the father of Krishnadevaraya and that "Busbal Rao" was his eldest son and successor. Narasa-Nayaka must therefore be identified with Narasimha, the founder of the second dynasty, and "Busbal Rao" with his eldest son Vira-Narasimha. Mr. Sewell finds this account confusing and conflicting with known facts. This is because he identifies " Narsymgua," the first usurper, with Narasimha, the founder of the Tuluva dynasty, which leads him to the conclusions that his successor Narasa-Nayaka, whom he identifies with Via-Narasimha, was not his son, and that between Vira-Narasimha and Krishnadôvaraya there was an intermediate king-conclusions which are certainly opposed to express statements contained in several inscriptions and books.
These difficulties would vanish entirely if we admit the theory of double usurpation and identify Narasa-Nayaka with the founder of the Tuluva dynasty. The theory of double usurpation is not only not inconsistent with known facts, but is highly probable, since but for the first usurpation Narasimha would have had no locus standi in the affairs of the empire and certainly no opportunities or excuse for usurping the throne. The statement in the inscription that Nrisimharaya with the aid of his sword defeated all and became a Sárvabhauma or emperor (v. 13) seems to me to point unmistakably to his usurpation of the Karpâta throne.
The account of Nuniz as to the nature of the relationship which existed between SâluvaNrisimbaraya and Narasimha is directly and fully corroborated by the Vardhapuranam. The first chapter (svása) of the book gives the genealogy of both these persons and says that Narasimha's father Isvara, who is also called Isvara-Nayaka, was Nrisimharâya's general, and that he was succeeded by his son in that office. In another place Narasimha is said to have been honoured by Nrisimharâya and appointed commander of his forces, and in a third place he is described as the "supporter of the kingdom of Nrisimharâya." In the penultimate verse of the sixth ásvása he is addressed as Saluva-Narasinga-dharadhara-dandanátha, i.e. 'commander of the forces of king Sâluva-Nrisimharâya."
There are at present no means of fixing the exact year in which Nrisimharâya usurped the Vijayanagara throne; but this event must be placed between the Saka year 1408 (=A.D. 1486-87). which is the latest known date of the first dynasty, and the Saka year 1418, Rakshasa (= A.D. 1495-96), which is the earliest known reliable date of Immaḍi-Nrisim haraya.7 That the latter was recognised as king of Vijayanagara, at least in name, is expressly stated by Nuniz, and Dr. Hultzsch informs me that an inscription at Bårukûr (No. 166 of 1901) of Saka-Samvat 1421, Siddharthin (= A.D. 1499-1500), states that in this year the Mahamandalésvara Mêdinimisaraganda Kathâri Sâluva Immaḍi-Narasimhariya-mahârâya was ruling at
1 A Forgotten Empire, pp. 305-315.
2 I confess I cannot derive "Busbal Rao" from Vira-Narasimha, but there is no doubt about the identity of the persons.[Perhaps the name is connected with Bhujabala, a surname of the Hoysalas.-E.H.]
A Forgotten Empire, p. 308, note 2.
Verse 35 of the first dévása.
The penultimate verse of the second dvdsa.
A Forgotten Empire, pp. 96 and 404.
7 South-Ind. Inser. Vol. I. p. 131, No. 115. Inscriptions Nos. 116 and 119 of the same volume appertain to the reign of Immadi-Nrisimha's father Nrisimharâys. Dr. Hultzsch's suggestion that these two donors were kings of Vijayanagara is clearly untenable. The donors style themselves Mahdmanḍaléévara, and their family name Saluva is also given. There was no Narasimha on the throne of Vijayanagara in Saka 1395 and 1404, which are the dates of the inscriptions Nos. 116 and 119.-[An inscription at Vallam near Wandiwash (No. 75 of 1900), dated in Saka-Samvat 1391, Virôdhin, belongs to the time of the Mahdmandaléfrara Médinimisvaraganda Kathari Saluvasaļuva Narasingaiyadeva, and the same chief is mentioned in an Âmbûr inscription of the Vijayanagara king Rajasekhara, son of Mallikarjuna, dated in Saka-Samvat 1390, Sarvadhârin (No. 4 of 1896). Bukka, an ancestor of the third Vijayanagara dynasty, is said to have "firmly established even the kingdom of SaluvaNrisimha" (above, Vol. III. p. 238), whence it may be concluded that he was the minister of Nrisimharaya. Krishnaraya had a minister named Saluva-Timma; see above, Vol. VI. pp. 109 and 231.- E.H.]