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JAINA MEN OF ACTION
103 and a number of rulers whose identity it is not possible to determine at the present stage of our investigations. The credit of annihilating the Western Cālukya danger under Rājāditya is to be attributed to Cāmunda Rāya. In the fortress of Ucchangi, Rājāditya had shut himself up. This stronghold had become “renowned as the fortress which had previously proved impregnable even to Kāduvetti who quitted it after having surrounded and besieged it for a long time inspiring terror by his eminent prowess.” The stone inscription which gives us these and other details, dated A.D. 974, was found on the Kūge Brahmadeva pillar on the Cikkabețţa at Śravana Belgola. It relates that the storming of this famous fortress (by Cāmunda Rāya) astonished the world. This is confirmed by Cāmunda Rāya himself who in his work mentioned above tells us that for his brave fight against Rājāditya in the fortress of Ucchangi, he received the title of Raņarangasinga,2 which biruda had evidently been borne by the vanquished Rājāditya. For in the Tyāgada Brahmadeva pillar inscription dated about A.D. 983, we have not only chat fact alluded to but also the confidence with which Cảmunda Rāya encountered the enemy. It says thus—"Let the saline ocean be the moat, Trikūța the enclosure, Lankā the city, and the enemy of the gods (Rāvana) the opposing king, yet, О king, Jagadekavīra, I am able to conquer him by your majestic lustre—the dignified speech thus made by him was proved true in a moment in the war with Ranasinga.” 3 The title Jagadekavira suggests that the victory was won in the reign of Rācamalla IV.
1. E. C. II, 59, p. 12. 2. E. C, ibid., p. 45; Kavicarite, I., p. 47. 3. E. C. II, 281, p. 126.
