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CHAPTER VI THE DYNASTIES OF CENTRAL INDIA (continued)
THE PARAMĀRAS. After the decline of the Gurjara Pratibāra power started and before the throne of Kanauj was occupied by the kings of the Gāhadavāla dynasty, the political power in Avanti shifted into the hands of the Paramāra kings. We know that the region of Mālava was for a long time a veritable bone of contention between the Pratīhāras and their inveterate enemies, the Răştrakūtas of Mänyakheţa, who conquered it during the northward incursion of Dhruva Nirupama, Govinda III, Indra III and Krşna III. None of them could, however, hold Ujjain permanently. We know from the Pratāpagarh inscription that upto V.E. 1003 (946 A.D.) the territory of Mālava was under the control of the Pratihāra rulers. After this it seems that the sway of the Pratihāras totally disappeared from Mālava and Western India. Their hold over Mālava: The first recorded date of the Paramāra rulers is obtained from the Harasola copper plates grant, wherein Siyaka, the father and predecessor of Vākapati II, is described as ruling over that region in V.E. 1005 (949 A.D.). The last date for Siyaka is V.E. 1029 as known from the Jain Dhanapāla's Päiyalacchi-kośa, wherein it is stated that Dhanapala prepared the work in V.E. 1029 when Mānyakheța was looted by the king of Mālava." This fact is corroborated by that of the Udayapur (Gwalior) prasastio wherefrom we know that this king of Mālava was no other than Siyaka, as it is stated there in verse No. 12 that Sīyaka took away the wealth of king Khoțţiga of Mānyakheța. Since the period from 949 to 972 A.D. assigned to Siyaka is regarded as a period of the decadence of the Pratihāra monarchy, it seems that Siyaka availed of the favourable chances during this period to increase his power by occupying the province of Mālava. Origin: The Jain poet Dhanapāla, who was one of the court poets of king Muñja and his successors, tracing out the genealogy of the Paramāras, states:
"The Gurjaras of the mountain Abū still sing the glory of the king
1 V. 276: fa lse E 350TYTIR HEFRAI
मालवणरिन्दधाणीए लूडिए मण्णखेडम्मि॥ 2 EI., I., p. 234 ff.
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