Indian Antiquary Vol 62

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 117

JUNE, 1933 ) HISTORICAL DATA IN PADMAGUPTA'S NAVASAHASANKACARITA
105
also were subordinate to the Kalacuris of Tummâna. They are not, therefore, likely to have allied themselves with Sindhuraja against their lord, the contemporary Kalacuri king of Tummana, who, as we shall see below, was on the side of his enemy. Lastly they do not, 80 far as I know, call themselves lords of Bhogavati, the capital of the Naga king, to which Sasiprabhå was led by Nagas after her meeting with Sindhurâja. These considerations make the other hypothesis of the identification of Sankhapala with the ruler of Cakrakotya seem probable.
We know that the princes of Cakrakotya call themselves Nagavamsis and lords of Bhogavatî.25 This dynasty produced some powerful kings towards the end of the eleventh and the beginning of the twelfth century. Their capital, Cakrakûţa or Cakrakotya, often figures in inscriptions, which shows the strategic importance of that territory. The Vikramarkadericarita of Bilhana 20 states, for instance, that his hero Vikramaditya VI went to Cakrakůta and Kalinganagara, evidently to form a triple alliance with the kings of those countries to thwart the ambitious schemes of the contemporary Cola king, Virarajendra.27 What was the object of Sindhuraja in forming the matrimonial alliance recorded in the Navasáhaadikacarita? We have seen that soon after his accession Sindhuraja found a favourable opportunity to regain the lost territory from the contemporary Calukya king. In 1008 A.D. Satyasrava died. His successors, Daśavarman, Vikramaditya V and Ayyana, who reigned for a short period of seven years (from 1009 to 1015 A.D.) do not seem to have been sufficiently powerful. There was thus no danger of the Paramkra kingdom being invaded by the Câlukyas. But the weakness of the Calukya kings had added to the strength of Råjarâja the Great and his ambitious successor, Rajendracholadeva I. It was probably to check the onward march of the Cola king that Sindhuraja with commendable foresight entered into the matrimonial alliance with the king of Cakrakotya.28
That alliance must have benefitted the other party also. One of its objects has been explicitly stated in the poem, viz., the subjugation of Vajrånkuša. The demon-king must be none other than Vajjûka29 (also called Vajuvarman in one record 30), the lord of Komo Mandala. We know from the Ratanpur inscription of Jâjalladeva I (1114 A.D.) that Vajjúka wave his daughter, Nonalla, to Ratnadeva. 29 The marriage alliance must have made Ratnadeva very powerful, as is suggested by a passage in the above inscription.31 Hence we find this lady's name mentioned in the records of Ratnadeva's successors, 32 much in the same way as the name of Kumaradevi is mentioned in Gupta inscriptions. Vajjûka was, therefore, a contemporary of Ratnadeva's father Kamalar&ja, who contributed to the prosperity of Gangeyadeva, as described in the Amoda plates of the Haihaya king Prithviraja.33 Vajjaka was thus a junior contemporary of Sindhurâja, as we know that Bhoja and Gångeyadeva flourished in the same period. 34 The Någavamsi kings of Cakrakotya were often at war
2* Cakrakotya has been satisfactorily identified by R. B. Hiralal with the central portion of the Bastar Stato. See Inst of C. P. Inscriptions, p. 150.
35 Ibid., p. 148. 26 Vikramdåkaderacarita, IV, 30. 27 1.A., XLVIII, pp. 144-3.
28 This king must be identified with Nripatibhushana, whose inseription is dated 1023 A.D. See Erra. kot Telugu inscription at Jagdalpur (List of C. P. Inscriptions, 2nd ed., p. 166.)
29 THUS THA T yar gal THE TRICa ufuffen 242221 II E.I., 1, p. 22. 30 a TR F4 ft ITHTHUSGARTEN G UT: Il Amoda plates of Prithvideva
I, E.I., XIX, p. 79. 31 Note alia fuftent 32 Cf. Amoda Plates of Jajalladeva II, E.I., XIX, p. 209.
33 metafora Taifa : I translate this line as above, differing from the Editor of the Amoda Pletes. See E.1., XIX, p. 76.
31 Gangoyadeva was defeated by Bboja. See Dhar Prasasti of Arjunavarroa deva, E.)., VIII, p. 08.