Political History of Northern India

Author(s): Gulabchandra Chaudhary
Publisher: Sohanlal Jain Dharm Pracharak Samiti Amrutsar

Page 62

POLITICAL HISTORY OF N. INDIA FROM JAIN SOURCES
ing Indräyudha or Indrarāja as the king of the north? Is there any indication to assume that in the Saka year 705 or 783-4 A.D. Rāştrakūta Indrarāja was the ruler of the north? Is there any relation with the ruler of the south, mentioned by Jinasena as Srivallabha, son of Krşnanspa, who is certainly a Rāștặakūţa ruler? For all these queries we should go to the history of the Rāştặakūta dynasty.
The Rāştrakūta documents inform us that Dantidurga's uncle and successor Kșşņa I had two sons namely Govinda II and Dhruva I. According to the statement of Jinasena, one who was called Srivallabha, was the ruler of the south in the Saka year 705 or 783 A.D. The Paithān plates of Govinda III mention Śrīvallabha, as an epithet of Govinda II and Kalivallabha as that of Dhruva. But Sravanabelgola Inscription No. 24, which is an almost contemporary document, describes the father of Stambha i.e. Dhruva, as Srivaliabha. Another contemporary record from Māțakari in Mysore district refers to Dhārāvarsa Śrīvallabha as the overlord of Kambarasa, proving thereby that Dhruva was known both by the epithets of Srivallabha and Kalivallabha. Since Śrïvallabha was thus the epithet of both Govinda II and his immediate successor Dhruva, Srīvallabha mentioned by Jinasena as ruling in 783 A.D. can be either Govinda or Dhruva. But since the latest known date of Govinda II is 779 A.D. from the Dhūlia plates, it may be reasonably assumed that Srīvallabha, who is mentioned by Jinasena as ruling over the south in 783 A.D., may have been Dhruva rather than Govinda II
At the time of his accession in c. 780 A.D. Dhruva was a mature man of about 50; for when the Dhūlia plates were issued in 779 A.D. his son was a grown up man invested with the Pañcamahāśabdas and taking an active part in administration. Dhruva had a number of sons. The names of four of them are known as Stambha Raņāvaloka (Kambarasa in Canarese), Karka Suvarnavarşa, Govinda II and Indra. Stambha was a viceroy of Gangawādi and Karka an administrator of Khānadeśa even before his father's accession. Govinda, who was the ablest and worthiest among them was selected by Dhruva for succession and Indra was later on put in charge of Gujarāta province. Dhruva died some time between April, 793 A.D. and May, 794 A.D.2
Dhruva is regarded as the usurper of the throne of his elder brother who was a weak and vicious ruler. After his accession Dhruva must have
1 Altekar, Dr. A. S., The Rāstrakūtas and Their Times, pp. 52-53. 2 Ibid., p. 58.