Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 23

JANUARY, 1923] THE ORIGIN, ETC., OF THE VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE
Orissa. But his conquest and occupation of Bijapur is the crowning event of his glorious military career. No part of the presidency is there, where his inscriptions are not found. During his time the Hindu as well as Muhammadan adversaries in the north of the Vijayanagara Empire had their beards singed in their own strongholds.
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Krishnarâya was not merely a conqueror and general but also a sagacious and farseeing statesman. His personality commanded a glorious literary homage from contemporary poets and the highest personal regard from his vassals. With the Araviti family, a member of which had formerly helped Sâļuva Narasimha a great deal in the firm establishment of his kingdom, Krishnarâya formed marriage relations. Râmarâja and Ti amala, the later ministers and masters of the Vijayanagara state, were his sons-in-law. The other families also were kept warmly attached to him. About ten ruling families of the Telugu and Kanarese provinces were his devoted supporters and participated in his conquests and administration. With these commanding and attractive qualities he combined a delicate sense of chivalrous honour for his captive adversaries. The Gajapati prince who had resisted his attacks on Udayagiri and Kondaviḍu was taken a political prisoner. But as the next diplomatic step Krishnarâya made him the Governor of a Kanarese province in Maisur. He was also much sought after by the Portuguese of Goa, who in other reigns were either challenging or setting at nought the power of the Vijayanagara king.
With Krishnaraya passed away the days of expansion. Consolidation again occupied the attention of the ruler in Achyutarâya's time. The extreme south of the peninsula revolted. A special expedition under the personal command of the Vijayanagara emperor quelled the rebellion. The Portuguese of Goa declared their independence. Achyutadêva was of much softer stuff than Krishnaraya. He was mostly led by his brother-in-law in the Government of the Empire. Family dissensions broke out after his death. But the interest of the Government and the maintenance of its ancient glory brought to the front the political genius of Râmaraja, the son-in-law of Krishna the Great and the brother-inlaw of Sadasiva the Mild, the successor of Achyuta. He was one of the greatest ministers of the Vijayanagara throne. In his time the empire was almost in the same glorious condition as in Krishna's time. The Bahmini kingdoms in their political vicissitudes very often appealed to and got a mediatory help from him. In many a treaty between any two of these Muhammadan states he had a voice the very powerful voice-of the arbitrator. This reminds us strongly of the position of England as an arbitrator in the European continental affairs in the time of Henry VIII. His greatness was acknowledged by his contemporary sovereigns. He had a great genius for organisation and command at home and effective diplomacy abroad. If the battle of Talikôta succeeded it was during a providential moment of union among the bickering Bahmini kingdoms; for before and after the event these were ever divided amongst themselves. Even the loss of the battle with the fall of this pillar of Vijayanagara is by some Muhammadan contemporary writers attributed to a plot laid by two Muhammadan employees in Ramaraja's army. Ramaraja had but shortly before offended Muhammadan susceptibilities by the misuse of their sacred places at a time of friendly but advantageous occupation of their territory. Vengeance was intended and wreaked. Vijayanagara the capital town, the 'like of which was not known elsewhere in the mediaeval world,' changed its face. The cloud of desolation rose on her skies. Like Ayodhya after the withdrawal of R&ma, Vijayanagara remained desolate and disconsolate. The old royal line had become almost extinct. And like the Saluvas, the Aravitis, who were relations of the royal family by marriage, assumed the crown. Though after 1565 the city of Vijayanagara might not have been the same famous city of yore, the Amaravat! of the times, the Vijayanagar Empire did not end then. For fully a century later, its supremacy was willingly recognised in the south, and its memories lovingly enshrined in tradition and literature.