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Kathavate's introduction
Abu, who owed allegiance to Viradhavala, to keep himself in a state of readiness. He advised him to let the Mahomedans pass southwards,w and then close the mountain passes against their return. The plan succeeded. The Mahomedans being attacked by Vastupāla in the front, and pressed by Dhārāvarsha in the rear, became panic-stricken. The slaughter which ensued was great. Cart-loads of their heads were sent to Viradhavala at Dholka.
Some years after this the mother of Moujadin started on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Having beard this news from his messengers, he ordered his sailors to take possession of all her property and bring the same to him. This being done, the captain of the ships employed by Moujadin's mother came and complained to Vastu pāla that pirates had robbed the property of an old Mahomedan lady, their passenger. On their stating further that she was the mother of Moujadin, Vastupāla received her with the greatest respect, and feigning to have caught the pirates, restored the property to her. He showed her every mark of respect, and provided most carefully fot her comfort and safety. On her way back to Delhi, she insisted upon Vastupala's accompanying her. With the permission of Viradhavala, Vastupala went to Delhi. He was received there with great honour. He obtained from the emperor a promise to keep friendship with Viradhnvula, and, for himself, five large pieces of marble, of which he caused statues to be made to be placed in Jaina temples. On his return Viradhavala received him with great pomp and distinction. Merutunga in his Prabandhachintāmani, says it was not Moujadin's mother, but his religious preceptor who led to the formation of friendship between him and Viradhavala. Merutunga further says that Vaslu pāla saved the emperor's preceptor from the violence of the father and the son, Lavanaprasāda and Viradhavala, as a sheep from two foxes. Such are the principal facts which may be gathered from Jain compositions.
It seems clear from the account given in this book and several inscriptions of the time that Lavanaprasāda and Viradhavala though they had cast Bhimadeva into shade, had not yet formally assumed the title of the kings of Pattana,1 As is often the case among the Hindus, those who actually attain high power by the strength of their arm rather take a pride in keeping formally their former status, and rendering cheerfully, or even boastfully, submission to the hereditary monarch, who has it no longer in his power to compel it by force. It may well be illustrated by the attitude of the First Maratha conquerors towards the Emperor of Delhi, and that of the Peishwas towards the Mahārājās of Sattara. The Peishwa held a grand Durbar at Poona for the assumption of the title which Sindia had obtained for him from the fallen emperor of Delhi, and no Peishwa ever assumed authority without going through the form of obtaining the robes of state from Sattara. However, those who succeed these great men by right of birth have not got for their satisfaction the true glory of personal achievements, and they become impatient of the acknowledgment of fictitious subordination. By this time the old dynasty also has generally lost its hold on the affections of the people, and a public assumption of soverign power by the new line does not give much offence to any
1. One of the Prabandhas says that Vastupāla proposed to Viradhavala that he shoul assume the title of Mahārāja, but Viradhavala did not approve of it. He said he was contented witi his title of Rāraka.
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