________________
CHAPTER VIII
1. THE GUHILAPUTRAS OR GUHILOTAS The Jain sources also possess certain information regarding the history of Guhilotas. They, however, have no record of the origin of the family nor do they give correct genealogical list of some early members of the dynasty.
Before dealing with the individual members of the dynasty we should know their early history. They are said to have been an ancient tribe. They originally belonged to Gujarāta. Their earliest member Guhadatta (Guhita) flourished in c. 550 A.D. They seem to have migrated to Mewar as early as the first quarter of the 8th century A.D. and one of their early members, namely Bappa, was first to migrate. At first they were the feudatories of the Mauryas of Citor, then of Gurjara Pratīhāras of Kanauj, and after the downfall of Gurjara Pratīhāras of Kanauj, they were vassals of the three imperial powers, the Caulukyas of Anahilapattana, the Paramāras of Mālava and the Cabamānas of Sākambhari. Their early attempts to secure a sovereign position were frustrated by the growing strength of these three powers. There are three sain inscriptions that confirm this fact. The Bījāpur Jain inscription of Rāştrakūta Dhavala states that the Paramāra Muñja vanquished Śaktikumāra, the Guhilot of Medapāța. The capital Aghāta (mod. Ahad) near Udaipur was also plundered. Saktikumāra sought asylum with the Rāştrakūța prince Dhavala of Hastikundi.? The Cirwa inscription composed by a Jain monk Ratnaprabhasūri informs us that the Mālava Paramāra Bhoja occupied Citor.3 The Citorgarh inscription of Kumārapāla, composed by the Jain Rāmakirti shows that Mewar was included within the Caulukya dominions during the first half of the 12th century. These facts show that they could get no chance to become independent sovereign rulers. But soon after the disintegration of the Paramāra and Caulukya powers, they no doubt had certain opportunities to establish themselves as sovereigns.
This tribe was scattered in various places and it established several principalities. Thus they were naturally divided among several branches. We, however, know something of Guhilaputras of Mewar and Nadūladāgikā from Jain sources.
1 DHNI., II, pp. 1153-63. 2 EI., X, P. 17, ff. V. Io. 3 W2KM., XXI, PP. 142-62. 4 EI., II, p. 421. 5 DHNI., II, p. 1162.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
