________________
THE DYNASTIES OF RAJASTHANA
The later Prabandhas describe this elaborately.1 The Prabandha-cintamani throws more light on this episode. It relates that once Kumarapala heard a bard bestowing on the king of the country of Konkana the biruda of Raja-pitamaha. Deeply indignant he looked round the [assembly and, finding Amrabhata (also known as Ambaḍa, a son of the prime-minister Udayana) willing to lead an army to destroy that semblance of a king, appointed the general of the army and despatched him with all his chieftains.2 Somaprabhasüri, a contemporary author, confirms this information of the Prabandha-cintamani by saying that Kumarapala used to win victories even with Vanija generals of the army like Ambada. Ambada marched to Konkana without any break and encamped on the further bank of the river Kanavini. Then he was suddenly attacked and put to flight by Mallikarjuna. Ambada returned feeling disgraced, but on his request Kumarapala sent him a new army and other samantas. Ambaḍa now crossed the river by planning a bridge across it and when the unequal fight began Ambada carefully spotted Mallikarjuna and approached him. He managed to mount Mallikarjuna's elephant and threw him down, when other samantas or chiefs where engaged in looting the city, he cut off the head of Mallikarjuna and wrapped it in gold and, after establishing the authority of Caulukya sovereign, presented it to his lord at Anahillapur. Kumarapala, thereupon, conferred the title Raja-pitamaha on Ambada. According to the Pythviraja-vijaya Mallikarjuna was killed by Cahamana Someśvara, who was at that time living at Kumarapala's court.5 This Mallikarjuna has been rightly identified with the Silähāra prince of that name for whom we have inscriptions dated Saka 1078 (A.D. 1156) and 1082 (A.D. 1160) respectively. That these Silahāras generally bore this title 'Raja-pitämaha', is also known from the history. Pt. Bhagawanlal conjec
1 PC., Hem-suri-pra: V. 723, 724: KC. of Jayasimha, Canto IV, Vs. 455-531; KP., 38, 39: KC., of Carita-Sunder, Canto IV; Suk.-samkirtana, Canto II, V. 43: Vasantavilasa, Canto 3, V. 29 etc.
2
SJGM., I, pp. 80-81:
चौवयचक्रवर्ती की जणदेशीय मलिकार्जुनाभिधानराशो मागधेन
'राज पितामह' इति विरुदमभिधीयमानमाकर्ण्य तदसहिष्णुतया सभां निभालयन्नृपचित्तविदा मंत्रिणाम्बडेन तन्नृपं प्रति प्रयाणाय दलनायकीकृत्य पचगप्रसादं दत्या समस्तसामन्तेः समं विससर्ज ।
GOS., XIV, p. 47
HEMÍ BÁ NA ATS: |
वणिजैरपि जीवन्ते दण्डेोरम्बडादिभिः ॥
4 SJGM., I, p. 81: तस्मिन्देशे चौलुक्यचक्रवर्तिनः आज्ञां दापयन् तदवदातप्रीतेन । राशा श्रीमुखेन राजपितामह इति विरुदं ददे ॥
271
.
5 JRAS., 1913, pp. 274-75.
GMRI., II, p. 294.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
