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No. 301
CHARTER OF VISHNUSHENA, SAMVAT 649
The Kalachuris certainly extended their power over the northern Maratha country and Malwa1 and probably also over some adjoining regions. King Krishna's coins, styled Krishnaraja-rupaka in the Anjaneri inscription of Prithivichandra Bhōgasakti, dated 709 A. D., are not only found in the Nasik District but also in the islands of Bombay and Salsette. The above facts no doubt suggest that the Kalachuris very probably succeeded in extending their power over the GujaratKathiawar region or at least over wide regions of that area and that, from the middle of the sixth century A.D., all rulers of that region, bearing subordinate titles, owed allegiance to the Kalachuris. It may further be noted that the date of our inscription falls in the period between the rule of the Maitraka ruler Dharasēna II (Gupta-Valabhi years 252-70-571-89 A.D.) and that of Siladitya I Dharmaditya (Gupta-Valabhi years 286-90-605-09 A.D.). Thus if 'Vishnushēņa (Vishnubhaṭa) actually belonged to the Maitraka dynasty, his rule may be accommodated between 589 and 605 A.D., although it has to be admitted that the introductory part of the epigraph under study does not follow that of the Maitraka records. But if Lohața, and not Valabhi, was his headquarters, it is possible to suggest that he was ruling side by side with the Maitraka king or kings of Valabhi, even though he belonged to the same family or a branch of it. Lōhață is, however, mentioned as Lõhāṭaka-grāma in the endorsement and may have been merely a village in the dominions of Vishnushēņa.
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The inscription says that Vishnushëna had been approached by the community of merchants, apparently of Lōhätä as suggested by the endorsement, with the request of being favoured with the ruler's achara-sthiti-patra which they might utilise in protecting and favouring their own people (loka-samgrah-anugrahārtham) and that the merchants were actually favoured with the ruler's sthitipatra used in the protection and settlement of the people of his dominions (janapadasya...... parirakshana-sannivēšanāya). This sthiti-patra or achara-sthiti-patra is elsewhere also called anugrahasthiti-patra, sthiti-vyavastha and sthiti-patra-vyavastha and is actually a long list of regulations which look like prevalent customary laws without much modification. At the end, king Vishnushēņa (Vishnubhata) further says that, in addition to the achāras quoted, he also approved of other ächāras that were handed down from ancient times. He ends with the request that his anugrahasthiti-patra should be approved and followed by the future rulers of the country. The executor (dütaka) of the document was Bhaddaka who was an officer of the department of war and peace (sandhivigrah-adhikaran-adhikrita). The main document ends with the date and the representation of Vishnushēņa's signature.
This is followed by an endorsement according to which Samanta Avanti issued an order from Darpapura to his own officials informing them that he had given his assent to the sthiti-vyavastha granted by the illustrious Vishnubhata (Vishnushēņa) to the community of merchants residing at Lõhāṭakagrama (apparently the same as Lõhaṭā, from where Vishnushena's document had been issued) and that persons conducting their respective trades and following the above sthitipatra-vyavastha should not be disturbed in any way. The endorsement ends with the second date referred to above. Whether Samanta Avanti was a subordinate of Mahasamanta-Mahārāja Vishnushēna (Vishnubhata) or whether the Löhäță area came to form a part of the district ruled by Avanti at a later date cannot be satisfactorily determined. It is not improbable that Avanti was a Gurjars who dated his document in the Kalachuri era. If this suggestion may be accepted the endorsement is to be regarded as dated in 605 A.D., only about 13 years after the original document.
The said list of regulations or customary laws, which is full of obscure and technical words, is very valuable not only to a lexicographer but also to all students of ancient Indian history.
1 They granted lands in the Nasik region and issued charters from Ujjayin! and Vaidisa (Vidisa). Cf. Bhandarkar, loc. cit., Nos. 1206-08.
Above, Vol. XXV, p. 229.
