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BHÄSKARAVARMĀ OF DAŅDI AND BANA:
AN APPRAISAL* **
Sudarshan Kumar Sharma
Dandi in his Dasakumāracarita (Viśrutacaritam) has described Bhaskaravarmă as a son of Anantavarma and a grandson of Punyavarma, a king of Vidarbha. Punyavarma was a righteous king acting upon the saner suggestions of Vasurakṣita while Anantavarma duped by the wicked counsel of Vibārabhadra led a dissolute life and fell a prey to the overtures of Vasanta-Bhãou the king of Asmaka who having incited Bhānuvarma, a king of Vanavāsi made the latter wage a war against Anantavarma. VasantaBhānu in league with other princes encampted at the Bank of Narmada while Anantvarmā was busy enjoying the dance of a female dancer in service of Avantideva, the ruler of Kuntala. He joined together with Vlrasena, the King of Murala, Ekavira, the ruler of Rşika, Kumāragupta the ruler of Koskaņa and Nagapāla the prince of Nasikya, killed Apaatvarma and also arranged a quarrel among the four rulers and destroyed them. Having disposed of Bhānuvarma with a small share of the booty he ostablished himself over the kingdom of Vidarbha. This implies that Vasantabbanu became the sovereign lord of Aśmaka Vidarbha confedoration along with that of Kuntala-Murala-Rşika-Konkaņa and Nasikya.
After the death of Andatavarma and the escheatment of his territory Vasurakṣita the old Hereditary Counsellor of Punyavarma in conformity with some hereditary servants of the king managed to escape alocg with the minor prince Bhāskaravarmā, his elder sister Maõjuvādini, about thirteen years old and the Queen Vasundhară, their mother. Vasurak şita died of burning fever. Nālijangha took the queen to Mabiqmati and conducted her along with her childern to Mitravarma king of that place and a half brother of Anantavarma. Jilted by the queen Mitravarmă planned to kill Bhaskaravarma but with the expert anticipation of Nalijan ha Bhaskarvarma was conducted safely to the Vindhya forest where Visruta came in contact with them. Viśruta pledged to restore the lost kingdom from Vasantabhanu and reinstate Bhaskaravarma in so far as Visruta was a son of Susruta, son of Sindhu Datta, and Suśruta and Vasundhra had the same maternal grand father. The king of Utkala Pracaņdavar na a brother of Capdavarmt bad planned 10 espouse Manjuvādini daughter of Mitravarma (as known in public). Viśruta proclaimed the supposed death of Kumara Bhaskaravarma at the hands of a lion and sent a poison Vatsanābha along with a garland through Nalijangha who managed to kill Mitravarma and
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