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POLITICAL HISTORY OF N. INDIA FROM JAIN SOURCES
writers prefer 'Caulukyas' as the form of the family name. But some of our Jain Prākrt works mention them as Cālukkas.2
We, however, know from the early inscriptions (other than the Jain) belonging to the tenth century that they were called by several variants such as Calukika, Culukika, etc.3 The Jain grant of the same period referred to above gives another variant Caulkika.
Whatever may be the variants of the name we can say on the basis of the Jain inscriptional as well as literary sources that downward to the eleventh century the word Caulukya is found generally preferred and adopted.
Referring to the etymological meaning of the word 'Caulukya' the Jain sources record the traditional myth of the origin of the Caulukyas. Several Jain authorities like the Vadanagar Prasasti of 1151 A.D., a Jain inscription of Khambāța of the 13th century, the commentary of the Dvya śraya-kavya Vasanta-vilasa, Vastupala-Tejapala-prasasti and the Prabandha-cintamani etc. can be quoted as references. They all state that " once God Brahmã who was approached, while he was engaged in performing his Sandhyā devotions, by the gods with a request to create a hero to put an end to the increasing evil in the world, looked steadily into his Culuka and as a result, a hero named Culuka sprang up from it. From him sprang a race, renowned as Caulukya." 4 This kind of legend, however, can easily be described from the historical point of view. It seems, however, that the authors of this period were in the habit of investing any name with a myth while attempting an etymological elucidation of words.
As regards their race there are certain references in the Jain sources. Hemacandra in the ninth canto of his Dvyaśraya-kāvya referring to the long conversation between the envoy of Bhima and the Kalacuri king Karņa states that Bhīma was praised by Karna as belonging to the Lunar race and he also sang at that time the greatness of Purūravă etc., the early members of the race. Having followed Hemacandra, Jinaharşagani in his Vastupalacarita calls Bhima I as the ornament of the Lunar race. It may be commented on this point that they are simply recording the tradition.
1 DV., Canto I, p. 39, 13THAT | Sukyta-samkirtana, p. 1o: arrastra
:.... 2 GOS., LXXVI, pp. 212, 254. 3 D. K. Sastri, Gujarātano Madhyakālīna Itihāsa, I, pp. 118, 119. 4 Cf. Vadanagar Prasasti V. 2. DV., Canto I, Commentary of V. 2:
चुलुके संध्यावन्दनाय विधात्राम्बुनाभृते हस्ते भवो इति ये चुलुक्याः। 5 Canto 9, Vs. 40-59. Cf. V. 42: A HASTtitit frati & I, V. 79: 7THOTHORS gaf 591Hall
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