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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(1018-1040), who, after a long career, glorious through numerous victories, "received a garland, culled from the Parijata tree, from Indra's own hands."
After him came his son Ahavamalla deva* (1040-69), called also Trailoky a malla, who in songs, tales, and dramas was celebrated as 'the second Râma.' He conquered the Cholas;t he stormed Dh & râ, the capital of the Pram&ras in Målvâ, from which king Bhoja had to flee. He caused countless sacrifices to be offered, and by his liberality he surpassed the chintamani, the wishgranting philosopher's stone. He utterly destroyed the power of Karna, king of Dahala.§ He erected a pillar of victory on the shore of the ocean. He personally vanquished the king of Dravida, 'who had run to encounter him,' and stormed Kânchi, the capital of the Cholas, driving its ruler into the jungles. T¶ He beautified Kalyana so that it surpassed in splendour all other cities of the earth.**
But in the midst of his victories and his prosperity, Ahavamalla was tormented by a deep sorrow. For he had no heir. At last he formed the resolution to lay aside for a while all princely pomp, and to perform, together with his queen, severe penance in order to obtain a son through Siva's favour. He therefore made over the kingdom to the care of his ministers, and retired to a temple of Siva. There the royal couple slept on the bare ground, and entirely gave themselves up to devotional practices and to the service of the temple. The king gathered flowers for the worship of his guardian deity with his own hands, and the queen swept the floor of the temple and smcared it with cowdung. After they had spent some time in this manner, the king, one morning when engaged in his prayers, heard a heavenly voice, which announced to him that Śiva, pleased
1.79-86, compare Jour. R. As. Soc. vol. IV. p. 13; Lassen, loc. IV. 104. The phrase that Jayasimha received a garland of Parijata flowers from Indra means probably that he was killed in battle. Usually the Apsarasas are said to choose the dying warriors as husbands, and to throw the srayamvarmála on their necks. Between Satyaáraya and Jayasimha, the elder brother of the latter, Vikramadityawho, according to the inscriptions reigned from 1008-1018has been left out.
I. 87. The real name of this king is Somesvara (I.).. Bilhana always uses in its stead the honorific titles or Birudas given above. His reason is probably that as Vikrama's hated brother and predecessor was also named Somesvara (II.), he did not like to call the father, to whom Vikrama was much attached, by the same name.
+ I. 90.
II. 91.96.
I. 102 and 103. The two verses contain a pun on the word karna, which means 'ear,' and is also a proper name. II. 111.
TTI. 114-117. From Bilhana's statement it might seem that the Dravida and the Chola were two different persons. But all through the Charita the two names are treated as synonyms: compare, e. g. V. 28, 29, 43, 60, 61, 77, 79, 84, 85, 89; VI. 2, 4, 7, 9, 22. In the same way Kuntala and Karnata are used as synonyms to designate the kingdom of
[NOVEMBER, 1876.
with his faith and penance, was willing to grant him three sons, the second of whom would surpass in valour and virtues all the princes of the olden times. "Two sons, the voice added, will be born to thee by virtue of the merit acquired by thy works, but the second will come to thee by my favour alone." The king, highly rejoicing, acquainted his wife with this auspicious news, performed the ceremonies required to complete his vow, gave rich presents to the Brahmans, and resumed the government.†
In due time the queen bore a beautiful son, who "since he fed the eyes of the king, just as Soma, the moon, feeds the chakoras," received the name Soma (Someśvara). The king was, however, not satisfied. Remembering the predictions of the heavenly voice, he anxiously longed for the birth of his second son. At last he saw the cheek of the queen again become pale. He testified his joy by showering gold on the Brahmans and by making other thank-offerings. During this second pregnancy the queen had wonderful cravings, which presaged the future greatness of the child she carried. Sometimes she desired to place her feet on the elephants that guard the points of the horizon; sometimes she called on the nymphs. that are the guardian deities of the quarters of the universe to shampoo her feet, and at other times she eyed the swords as if desirous to drink the water of their steel.'
Great precautions were taken to ensure the safety of her precious burden. The lying-in chamber was secured by powerful spells and efficacious herbs, and carefully guarded by learned Brahmans. At last, in a most auspicious hour and under a most favourable conjunction of the planets, the eagerly desired son was born. Flowers fell from the sky, Indra's drum resounded, and as the gods rejoiced in heaven, so a festive tumult, the Chalukyas. Regarding the wars of Ahavamalla com pare Jour. R. As. Soc. vol. IV. p. 13, and Lassen, Ind. Alt. IV. 105. The inscriptions support Bilhana's statement that Ahavamalla conquered the Chola king, who had made an inroad into Kuntala, but they assert that the latter was elain. From Bilhana's statement it would appear that there was more than one Chola war. The defeat of Bhoja is also mentioned in the inscriptions. But Dáhala does not occur in the list of conquests, though it includes many countries of Central, Eastern, and Northern India.
**Sarga II. vv. 1-25. The word h, he made,' might be also taken to indicate that he founded Kalyana. But this was not the case, as the town existed long before his time: compare, e.g., Ind. Ant. vol. I. p. 209.
+ II. 25-58. The king's performing penance for the sake of a son is in harmony with Hindu customs, and in itself not in the least incredible. But in this and subsequent portions of Bilhana's narrative there is an evident design of representing Vikrama as the special favourite of the gods, and as such entitled to oust his elder brother from the throne. This circumstance ought to be taken into account in considering the credibility of the facts related regarding the internal history of Ahavamalla's family.
III. 57-58.
