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No. 40 )
A COPPER-PLATE GRANT OF SILAHARA CHHADVAIDEVA
285
indifferent to what is pure and impure; (but) by (his) munificence and unparalleled heroic deeds he became Sāhasănka in the world". This is supposed to be a case of protesting too much and it is believed that Govinda IV, if not actually caused, at least hastened the death of his elder brother, had incestuous connection with his wife and usurped his throne.
But one would like to have stronger evidence to prove these serious charges. The aforementioned verse institutes a comparison between Govinda IV and the Gupta king Sāhasănka (i.e., Chandragupta II). It states that though Govinda IV resembled Chandragupta II in munificence and daring, he did none of the heinous crimes of which the latter was guilty. We must remember that a similar comparison occurs in the Sañjān plates of Amoghavarsha I. He is described therein tus feeling ashamed when he was compared with a Gupta prince known for liberality (evidently Chandragupta II-Vikramaditya) as the latter had killed his brother and married his wife. In the Kävyamimāṁsă of Rājasēkhara again we have a comparison between Rāmagupta and Kärttikëya who has elsewhere been shown to be the Gurjara-Pratīhåra king Mahipala I of Kanauj. It seems that it was the practice of court-poets to institute such comparisons between their patrons and well-known princes of the Gupta dynasty and to show the superiority of the former to the latter. It would be unwise and unjust to see unintended insinuations in such comparisons. Besides, we have no other reference to the alleged evil actions of Govinda IV in any records of his successors, some of whom had little love for him and therefore would not have refrained from mentioning them if they had been true. From other inscriptions we know that Amoghavarsha III fomented A rebellion among the feudatories of Govinda IV, which cost the latter his life. The present record also states that Amõghavarsha completely uprooted: Govinda IV. It is therefore noteworthy that the Deoli and Karhād plates of Amõghavarsha's son Krishna III refer to Govinda's dissolute life, but are silent about these charges. On the other hand, they intimate that Amõghavarsha II died a natural, though pren.ature, death. In the absence of further evidence, therefore, we are not inclined to hold Govinda IV guilty of the murder of his elder brother.
To the glorification of Amöghavarsha III the present inscription devotes two more verses. Verse 9 states that with the water of his coronation Amoghavarsha washed away his taints as well As his wealth and greatly purified his self. Verse 10 states that he surpassed the god of love in handsome form and that, as he had three white royal umbrellas, he was as it were waited upon by the moon in three forms, mistaking him for Mahēša (Siva). Amõghavarsha's handsome form is described in the Bhādāna grant of Aparājita also, but that he had three royal umbrellas indicative of his suzerainty over three countries is stated nowhere else. The record under discussion does not specifically mention these countries, but the Deoli plates? of Amõghavarsha's son Krishna III, which were issued soon after his accession, mention some victories which he hnd gained while he was a crown-prince. We learn that Krishna killed Rachhyamalla (Rāchamalla),
1 This translation is practically the same as Dr. D. R, Bhandarkar's (above, Vol. VII, p. 44), except that bandhu has been rendered as a brother and not as relative' in view of the information supplied by the recently published extracts from the De-Chandragupta,
Above, Vol. XVIII, p. 248. • Ind. Ant., Vol. LXII, pp. 201 ff. . Above, Vol. XIII, pp. 328 ff.
Even these statements appear to be suspicious. They seem to imply that Govinda died of consumption As a result of bis dissolute life. But the present record and the Vikramärjunavijaya of Pampa show that he lost his life in a rebellion of his feudatories fomented by Amoghavarsha III and his son Krishna III.
. Above, Vol. III, p. 271.
Ibid., Vol. V, pr. 192 ff. The verses occur also in the Karhad plates of the same king which were lowed Bointtine later.
