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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[OCTOBER, 1928
of Nå gåvalóka (Nagabhata II. of Kanauj), and that (his descendant Simharaja) kept in confinement many princes till the universal sovereign of the earth in Raghu's race came to him for their liberation27.
Since, during the period in question, the universal sovereigns in Northern India were the Imperial Pratih&ras of Kanauj, the King Nâgávalóka of the above inscription must refer to Nagabhata II. of Kanauj, who was also called Någávalóka. From the version of the above inscription, Guvaka seems to be a subordinate to Nagávalóka. It, therefore, follows that Simharaja, the sixth28 in descent from him (Guvaka), was also subordinate to his contemporary Pratihâra kings of Kanauj. Since Simharaja was the father of Vigraharaja (II) whose known date is v.s. 1030 29 (A.D. 973), he should have been contemporary with Dêvapala or Vijayapåla of Kanauj, whose known dates are s. 1005 30 and s. 1016 31 (A.D. 948 and 959) respectively. The term 'Raghu's race'must therefore refer to one of them.
(3) The poet Rajasekhara calls his pupil Mahendrapala of Kanauj 'Raghukulatilaka'32 (gem of Raghu's race) in his Viddhasalabhanjika and RaghugrAmani '33 (leader of Raghu's race) in his Balabharata.
Thus we see that the Imperial Pratihäras of Kanauj were a race of Pratihåra rulers, who belonged to the Solar (Raghu's) race and not to the Gurjara clan. To call them, therefore, Gurjara-Pratihêras does not seem to be justified. They remained the paramount sovereigns in Northern India for about a period of two and a half centuries, and extended their sway in the Panjab, Bihar, Gujarat, Kathiâ war, Rajputana and Central India (Malwâ). It was Nagabhata II, the fifth ruler of the dynasty, who having dethroned Chakrayudha of Kanauj about 816 A.D., made it his capital.34 Since then, the Raghuvarai Pratiharas are also known as the Pratihåras of Kanauj. With Yasapala, however, the last ruler among them, or with his successor, the rule of the Pratiháras of Kanauj came to an end, and it was the Gaharwap36 king Chandradêva, who acquired the sovereignty of Kanauj in v.g. 1154 (A.D. 1097).36 Though the reign of the Raghuvamsi Pratihåras came to an end at the end of the 11th century A.D., nevertheless some of the scions of the family yet ruled for sometime in distant parts of the country, as is evident from the Kureth437 inscription of Malayavarma, dated v.s. 1277 (A.D. 1220) and the Rajgarh.38 inscription of the Pratihara Prithvipaladeva dated v.s. 1208 (A.D. 1151).
1 आद्य : श्रीगुवकाल्याप्रथितनरपतिश्चाहमानान्वयोभूत् श्रीमन्नागावलोकप्रवरनृपसमालब्ध(ब्ध)वीरप्रतिष्ठः।
तोमरनायकं सलवणं सैन्याधिपत्यौद्धतं युद्धे येन मरेश्वरा : प्रतिदिशं निर्मा(D)शिता जिष्णुना । काराश्मनि भूरयश्च विधृतास्तावद्धि यावगृहे तन्मुत्यर्थमुपागतो रघुकुले भूचक्रवर्ती स्वयम् ॥
Ep. Ind., vol. II., pp. 121-22. 28 R. B.G. H. Ojha's Supplementary notes to Tod'. Rajasthan (in Hindi), p. 398. 29 See note 27 above. 30 Siyadoni-Inscription, Ep. Ind., vol. I, p. 172. 81 Ep. Ind., vol. III, p. 263. 39
65918: canto I, sloka 6. 33 देवो यस्य महेन्द्रपालनृपति : शिष्यो रघुप्रामणि :।
canto I, fóka 11. 84 Ep. Ind., vol. XVIII, pp. 105-6. Also Sastri, Ep. Ind., vol. XIX, p. 17.
According to Duft [Chronology, p. 75] Chakriyudha gained sovereignty of Kanauj in 840 A.D., while NAgabhata II is supposed to have ruled from v.s. 872-90 (A.D. 815-33) [Ep. Ind., vol. IX, pp. 199, and · Prabhduaka-charit, p. 177). Hence, either the date in Chronology is wrong, or Chakrayudha's doposition becomes impossible unleas Nagabhata's reign lasted longer.
88 The Gaharwape also belonged to the solar race, as appears from their inscriptions. 36 Duff's Chronology, pp. 134-5.
37 Ind. Ant., vol. XLVII, p. 242, n. 4. 38 1 Report of the Rajpaidna Museum, Ajmer, 1918-19, 4(6) V.
