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150
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JULY, 1917
of his movement is testified by the remark that the object of his undertaking was to do good to the people, 40 although the undertaking entailed a cruel procedure.11
8. He along with his following enacted the last act of his life-drama (nishcha) and died between the Ganges and the Jumna 12 9 His career of conquest covered 25 years."
IDENTIFICATION. Now who was this great hero ?-He was a patriotic and religious Napoleon of India in the late 5th and the early 6th century A.D. No character seems to have left a dee per mark on the latter period of the Puriņas than he. We know his name: Vishnu-Yabas; we know his place of origin and rise-Rajputâna; we are reasonably sure of his date--the end of the 5th century A.D.; we know his conquests--from the Dravidian South up to the Northern regions, from the Western Ocean up to the Khasa country (Assam), including the subjugation of the Huns.
In view of these data, we can propose with some confidence the identification of VishnuYabas with Vishnu-(Vardhana)-Yaías (Dharman) of Malvå.
Name. Vardhana' is a title generally imperial, e. g., Harsha-Vardhana, Aboka-Vardhana. l'ishnu of Vishnu-vardhana and Yasas of Yaío-dharman have been joined together. Both these might have been assumed after conquests, as they imply great prowess and possibly a religious significance. Kalkf was probably the original name. The titla of Vishnu-Vardhana 'was assumed certainly later than that of Yaíodharman. In inscriptions on the Mandasore columns of victory which were engraved after all the
conquests, have only Yasodharman. But the inscription of the year 589 of the . Malava era has also Vishnu-Vardhana, 15
Religious aspect of the Career. Vishnu Yasodharman claims to have rescued the land from irreligious and wicked kings of the present Yuga' who had transgressed the path. He also claims to have undertaken his task for the good of the people (lokopakaravrata)*6 and that he did not associate with the rulers of that Yugatt and brought about the time of Manu, Bharata, Alarka and Mândhâtri. In his lifetime his history was regarded 1 sacred, as dostroyer of sins'18 and himself as home of dharma." His Brahman Viceroy is also described to have brought about the Krita Age in the kingdom. 50 These claims tally with the Puranio description of the religious aspect of Vishņu-Yakas' career. The claims ooupled with the assumption of the style Vishnu and the overwhelming military glory would warrant the Puranas in regarding him as 'an emanation of a portion of god Vishņu.'
rafareta V. 36-103. Tora (Bhag.) 11 per farer af to **UT V. 36.114. dai
N PITE: ara Bhag. 12.2.22. V. 38-116 पञ्चविंशति वैसमा । विनिमन् सर्वभूतानि मानुषानेव सर्वशः ।
V. 36.113. Fleet, Gupta Inscriptions, 146.
* Ibid. 163. * Fleet, p. 146 (line 2 of the column insåription).
1 Ibid, line 3. after line 8.
19 Year Para Ibid. 5 Fleet, pe 15, line 17 of the Mandasor Siovo Inscription.
