Indian Antiquary Vol 48

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 141

AUGUST, 1919] THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHALUKYA VIKRAMADITYA
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feet of Bhôjadêva and this furnishes us, says Prof. Kielhorn, a sure and fairly definite limit beyond which the reign of Bhôjadêva could not have extended.'95 Bhôja must therefore have died in A.D. 1055 at the latest and it is probable that he died only shortly before. The death of Bhôja without issue after a long and illustrious reign of about 50 years (A.D. 1005 to 1055) involved Malava in difficulties and furnished a golden cpportunity to his neighbour and hereditary enemy Karna of Chêdi-one of the greatest warriors of the age-who had formed a confederacy with Bhimadêva I of Gujarât with a view to attack Mâlava from two sides and sacked Dhârâ soon after Bhôja's death. 97 Even the Karnâțas would appear to have joined this confederacy for some time. 98 The country was thus invested by enemies on all sides and Jayasimha, Bhôja's relative, unable to maintain himself against this powerful combination, requested Ahavamalla not only to secede from the confederacy but also to assist him. Keen diplomat as he was, Ahavamalla began to reconsider his decision and thought that a weak Mâlava would swell the strength of Chêdi and Gujarat and might prove a source of anxiety to the Châlukya frontier on the north. but a strong and friendly one would not only be a check on the southern aggressions of these neighbours but might go a long way towards healing the old hostile memories of the Paramâra and the Chalukya which would be of no small value, especially against the troublous Chôlas in the south. He therefore changed sides and at once marched against Chêdi in person to draw off Karna from Mâlava and defeated him in battle. At the same time Ahavamalla directed his son Vikramaditya, who was then in the southern end of his dominions, to go to Mâlava and settle its internal affairs. Accordingly the son proceeded to Mâlava, successfully interfered in its chaotic domestic affairs, befriended Udayâditya, another relative of Bhôja, who in the meanwhile was defending himself as best he could against Karpa and succeeded in reinstating Jayasimha on the throne of Dhârâ.99 Not long after Jayasimha died and he was succeeded by Udayâditya. This conjoint and timely help of both the father and the son for forlorn Jayasimha and their timely intervention in the affairs of Malava
"It seems customary among the Paramaras to meditate on the feet of their illustrious predecessors on the throne.
95 The discovery of the Mandhâta plate settles beyond doubt the duration of Bhoja's rule over Malava. In the face of this record .Bühler (Vik. Charita, Introduction, 23, n. 1) must give up his contention that "it is not impossible that Bhoja was alive in A.D. 1063-5' and that Bhôja of Dhara was a contemporary of Bilhana whom he did not visit though he might have done so.' Vik. Charita, XIII, 96, on which Bühler relies for his conclusion does not bear him out. Even according to his own transla tion it runs thus: "Dhard is said to have cried to Bilhana in pitiful tones- Bhoje is my king; he forsooth is none of the vulgar pringes; woe is to me ! why did'st thou not come into his presence" (while he was alive ?)" Bahler misinterprets the above stanza to mean that Bhoja was merely out in amp without minding the significance of the italicised expressions (which are our own) which would be too strong language to refer to the temporary absence of the king and which certainly suggest the death of the king as a woe which had befallen Dhara. Rajatarangini (VII, 935-7) states that Bilhana left Kashmir during the reign (probably nominal) of Kalasa (A.D. 1062-80). He next stayed for some years in the court of Karna of Dahala and then only came to Dhârâ. So it must have been at least a decade after Bhoja's death when he could have visited Dhara. Moreover Bilhana, who according to Kalhana's Rajatarangin, felt even the splen. dour of a poet-laureate in Karnata a deception (VII, 935-7), would not have gone to the Dekkan if such a liberal patron of letters as Bhoja were out in camp, without waiting for him, which was not unusual with -oriental poets.
Lassen places Bhôja's reign between A.D. 997-1053 which is very near the truth.
Udepur prasasti. Mêrutanga's Prabandhachintamani.
Epi. Ind., I. Epi. Ind., II, 99 Bilhana's Vik.
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292. Nagpur stone inscription, v. 32. Ibid. II, 308; Benares copperplate. Charita, III.