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LXXXII
Kavyanusasada name by destroying his country" ( desabhangasamāsā. ditapanken Rankena.).
As to the time when this event took place there are three dates given by Jaina writers. A gāthā quoted by Merutunga-the author of the Prabandhachintamani gives 475 V. S. (or as given by a different reading 375) (=419 (319) A. D.); Rājasekharasūri – the author of the Prabandhakoşa gives, 573 V. S. (=517 A. D.); while, Jinaprabhasūri – the author of the Vividhatīrthakalpa gives the year 845 V. S. (=789 A. D.). The first two dates are clearly unacceptable because, as we saw, the latest Valabhi grant discovered is that of the year 447 ( =766 A. D.), unless we take them to refer to earlier sacks of Valabhi, which is not altogether improbable. The year given by Jinaprabhasūri - 845 V. S. (-789 A. D.) - seems to be correct. In the Arab references given in the B. G. (pp. 524-25 ), we find that the expedition of 776 A. D. though partially successful ended in disaster. This “dettered Al Mahdi ( A. D. 775 - 785 ) the succeeding Khalifah from extending the eastern limits of his empire.” From this we may conclude that the final Arab attack which with the help of the treacherous Ranka gave almost a death-blow to the city of Valabhi must have taken place after 785 A. D. This conclusion fits in very well with the date of Jinaprabhasūri; so we may further conclude that the glory of Valabhi was extinguished in the year 789 A. D.
“ After the overthrow of Valabhi ” says Vincent Smith. “its place as the chief city of Western India was taken by AŅhilwada, which retained that honour until the fifteenth century, when it was superseded by Ahmedabad.” (E. H. I. pp. 314 - 315 ). Before we
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