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POLITICAL HISTORY OF N. INDIA FROM JAIN SOURCES
became a general of the armies of Vanarāja. Lahara went to the Vindhya Mountains and caught many elephants. Lahara presented his elephants to Vanarāja who being satisfied with his work rewarded him with the grant of the village Sandāthala.
From this statement we may imagine as to how Vanarāja got the help of powerful and rich persons in strengthening his army and treasury.
Another Jain work the Moharāja-parājaya of Yaśaḥpāla referring to the Cāvadā in general states that they were addicted to drinking liquors excessively.” It also records that "formerly the king Sri Vanarāja observing the good features of the land founded a city on it." In the same play Kumārapāla is addressed as one enjoying the kingship earned by Śrī Vanarāja.* The same tale is recorded in the Dvyāśraya-kāvya of Hemacandra and in the Prabandha-cintāmaņi of Merutunga. Abhayatilakagani, the learned commentator of the Duyāśraya-kāvya, frankly says that it is a 'Loka Śruti', i.e., the hearsay of the people.?
Parentage: From the early references to Vanarāja we now come to his parentage which furnishes certain clues to the early history of the family. It is stated in one place in the Prabandha-cintāmani that Cāvadā belonged to the Haihaya race. Regarding the parentage of Vanarāja, however, opinions differ. The Prabandha-cintāmani states:
"A part of Kanyakubja (Kingdom) was Gurjara dharitri. There in the village of Pañcāsara in the province of Vadiyāra a mother placed his son of Căpotkața clan in a cradle under a tree called Vana and
1 Introduction of Kavyānuśāsana, Vol. II, Pt. I, p. ciii. 2 GOS, IX, V. 47, p. 108: 5490 Ft 13TT etc. 3 Ibid., Act III, p. 67. 4 Ibid., Act IV, p. 108. 5 Canto I, V. 4.
6 SJGM., I, p. 13: 3721 PRESTATT 154rtata atagtight: AHS FAITT: .... BTOTERAIH TE: Framaragia à: gelatine JEST TOUTER-TORTET FEITHGTI: ततस्तां भुवमावेदयामि इत्यभिधाय जालिवृक्षसमीपे गत्वा .... भुवं दर्शयामास। तत्र प्रवेशे अणहिल्लपुरमिति नाम्ना नगरम्।
DV., Canto I, p. 8: TEA TISTE FagriafariT STEFTAH 719107 8: .... तत्रैव चाणहिलेन वनराजराजः पुरनिवेशं स्वनाम्ना कारित इति लोकश्रुतिः।
8 SJGM., I, p. 16: a an E TUTTI fart gia: uraat RUTIET....
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