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JULT, 1888.)
BAGUMRA PLATES OF DADDA II.
195
him, that "he illumined the world of the The description of the next king, Jayabhata living by his pure precepts" and that "he pos- II.-Vitaraga II. yields no historical informasessed the supreme knowledge."** The second tion. His biruda probably indicates that his phrase leaves no doubt that he had studied one religious inclinations were of the same kind as of the philosophical systems, supposed to lead those of Jayabhata I. to môksha. The assertion that he illumined A great deal more is known about Dadda the world by his pare precepts, may mean that IV.-Prasantaraga II. The inscriptions Khê. I. he himself had composed a philosophical work and II. shew that he occupied the throne or had caused one to be written in his name. during the years 628-633 A.D., which, as the It may, however, also refer to his real for the dates of Kû. and Na. show, fell in the comspread of his doctrines and indicate that he mencement of his reign, and that he was an established maths and made the ascetion preach adherent of the Sauras or worshippers of the his and their faith among his people. In Sun. Na, adds that he gained great fame by addition we learn from the inscriptions that he protecting the ruler of Valabbi against the occupied the throne between the years 478-495 supreme lord Sriharshadêva. The latter is, A.D. and that he assumed the title Mahárdja- of course, Sriharsha-Harshavardhana of Thanedhirdja, the probable meaning of which has sar and Kanauj, who ruled over the whole of been discussed above.
Northern and Central India during the greater Dadda III., the first king named in Khê. I. part of the first half of the seventh century and II., seems to have been a great warrior. 606-648 A.D. At first sight it seems difficult The inscriptions say (11. 3-4), thrt he conquered to understand how the king of Valabhi whose the hostile family of the Nâgas, and (Il. 9-10) capital lay west of Broach, could be attacked that “the lands lying at the foot of the Vin- by a Central Indian power before Broach had dhya hills gave him joy as if they were been subdued, and it seems still less intelligible his wives carrying beauty on their high how the ruler of a very small state, a mere bosoms." Dr. Bhagvånlal has called atten- Samanta, could afford protection against the tion to the fact that the first passage contains armies of one of the most powerful kings of India. an allusion to a historical event, and he has | The first difficulty is, however solved by the also stated that it is difficult to decide which Valabhi inscriptions. For a grant of Dharasûna Nagas are meant. Nagavamsas ruled in II., dated Samvat 270" or 588-89 A.D., grants Northern and in Central India, in Rajputana & village in the Khêţakahara, the district of and even in the South. In the absence of any Khêda, and thus proves that Gujarat, north of specification the choice is difficult, and we must the Mahi, had been annexed to Valabhi before wait for further documents before we can the end of the sixth century. Hence the come to a decision. As regards the inter- princes of Valabhi were in the seventh century pretation of the second passage, which hitherto the immediate neighbours of Malva, which has not been noticed, it indicates without a latter country was according to the Sriharshadoubt that Dadda III. made conquests out charita" a dependency of the grent central of Gujarat. The Vindhya hills do not extend empire, Sriharsha was, therefore, able to send to the latter province, but end in the neigh- an army against Valabhi without touching the bouring Malva, and it is probably a piece of Broach territory. The ancient road from the latter country which Dadda III. added for Central India and Mälva to Kheda leads
time to the dominions of the Gurjaras. through the pass of Dôhad (Dadhipadru). The Whenever the rulers of Malva were weak and second point, too, finds its elucidation partly those of Gujarût felt strong, an attack from throngh the Valabhi inscriptions and partly the Gujarat side was the invariable consequence, through some remarks in the writings of Hiuen and it sometimes was successful and led to Tsiang. As Khê. I. and II. say nothing abont temporary conquests. The position of Dadda the deed which reflected according to Na. great III., vis, his being only * Samanta, has been
glory on Dadda IV., it appears that it was mentioned above.
performed after 633-4 A.D. Between these
" See below the text 1. 11. " anto, Vol. VII. p.701.
Sriharshacharita, p. 188, Kashmir edition.
