Book Title: Epigraphia Indica Vol 24
Author(s): Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

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Page 363
________________ 292 EPIGRAPHIA INDICA. (VOL. XXIV. records of this family, with Yasovigraha (v. 2) whose son was Mahichandra (v. 3). The latter's son was the P. M. P. Chandradēva, who is stated to have acquired the kingdom of Kanyakubja by the prowess of his arm. He is also said to have protected 'the holy tirthas at Kasi, Kusika, Uttarakobala and Indrasthāna (i.e., Benares, Kanyakubja, Ayodhya and probably Indraprastha or Delhi)- after he had acquired them, and bestowed to Brahmins his weight in gold in hundreds. His successor was his son tbe P. M. P. Madanapala and his son was the P. M. P. Govindachandra wbo by his creeper-like long arms secured the elephant which was the newly acquired) kingdom '(v. 8). Commenting on this verse Kielhorn observed : "Attention may also be drawn to the fact that the sovereignty over Kanyakubja is described as having been newly acquired, even when Govindachandra, the grandson of Chandradēva, was reigning.". But as this verse is found in the Kamauli Plate of V. S. 1171, the earliest known record of this ruler and which is separated by only five years from the last known record of his father Madanapala, it is probable that nava-rajya in the verse refers to the kingdom to which Govindachandra newly succeeded. It was also this ruler who for the first time assumed the birudas a sva pati-gaja pati-nara pati-rajatray-ādhi pati, originally used by the Kalachuri rulers of Tripuri, the use of which was continued by all his successors. It is significant that these epithets appear for the first time in the Bengal Asiatic Society's plate of V. S. 11776 which records the transfer by Govindachandra to one Thakkura Vasishtha of the village Karanda in the Antarāla-pattalā which was originally granted to the Rājaguru Rudrasiva by (the Kalacburi) Yasahkarņa. As these are not found even in the two grants of Govindachandra issued in V. S. 1176 it is obvious tbat shortly before the issue of the grant of V. S. 117? the Gahadavāla ruler wrested a part of the Kalachuri kingdom, probably from Yasahkarna himself, and to mark the occasion assumed the birudas hitherto used by the Kalachuri kings. Govindachandra's Bon was the P.M.P. Vijayachandra whose son was the P.M.P. Jayachchandra. Vijayachandra is stated to have "swept away the affliction of the globe by the streams (of water flowing) from the clouds in shape of the eyes of the wives of Hammira, the abode of wanton destruction to the earth" (v. 10). There is little doubt that this passage contains a reference to some historical incident not known from other sources. As this event is referred to in the Kamauli Plate of Vijayachandra of V. S. 1224,' the earliest record known of this ruler, it must have taken place between this date and V. S. 1211, the last known date of his father Govindachandra, i.e. between A. D. 1154 and A. D. 1167. It is, however, difficult to identify definitely this Hammira. The earliest numismatic reference to this title is found on the coins of Muhammad bin Sám otherwise known as Muhammad Ghūri, whose invasion of India did not take place till a later period. Probably Hammira was a popular designation for the Muslim chiefs in India, and therefore Dr. H. C. Ray may not be wrong in identifying Hammira of these records with Khusrav Malik Täj-ud-Daulah (1160-1186), the last prince of the Yamini dynasty, who was noted for his weakness as a ruler and who might have suffered a defeat at the hands of this Gahadavala ruler. See Ind. Ant., Vol. XV, p. 8, n. 46. * Ibid., p. 6. • Above, Vol. IV, p. 102 and n. 3. • Viz., the Raban Plate of V. 8. 1166 (Ind. Ant., Vol. XVIII, pp. 15 ff.). J.A.S.B., Vol. XXXI, pp. 123-24. . Above, Vol. IV, pp. 109 ff. and Vol. XVIII, pp. 218 ff. . Above, Vol. IV, pp. 118 #. • Dynastic History of india, Vol. I, pp. 535-36. See also l'he Cambridge History of India, Vol. III, p. 37. . Major Raverty notices two coins, one of Khusrav Malik and another of his father Khusrav Shih, but the legends on them give them the titles of Sulţün and Badshah respectively. See Tabaquát-i-Nasiri, Transl. (Bibl. Ind.), footnote under p. 114.

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