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TILAKAMANJARĪ OF DHANAPALA
mantrin to the status of a Samdhivigrahika or Mahāsāmdhivigrahika of the Paramāra inscriptions who was the minister for war and peace. He was to be adept in the six-fold policy, a judge of what was expedient and a diplomat. He received envoys of friendly courts and ushered them into the king's presence, dealt also with the envoys of the hostile courts, drafting threatening letters to the enemy. In addition to these he was required to draft royal charters and despatches.'
292
In view of the qualities recounted above, Vijayavega coming to Meghavahana with the gift concealed within the hem of his scarf and followed by a porter, coming to deliver the report of the proceedings of the battle between Vajrayudha, the Mahādaṇḍādhipatiḥ and Kusumasekhara, the lord of Kāñcī (Dakṣiṇāpatha) and later on conducting the ushering in ceremony of Samaraketu into the court hall of Meghavahana (Samaraketu being a vanquished enemy, rather an ally of the enemy come to help the enemy and captured in the process)2, strikes a true parallel to the Mantrin or Mahāsāndhivigrahika of Meghavahana. But he has been called by Dhanapala as his chief devotee i.e. a firm devotee of Vajrayudha (Hyeff) an accomplishment of all the material gains. It may mean also 'His ardent admirer'. A minister for war and peace can be an ardent admirer of the army in chief. The expressions:
'देव संप्रत्येव दक्षिणापथादागतो दक्षिणदण्डाधिपतेर्वज्रायुधस्य प्रसादभूमिर्विजयवेगनामा प्रधानपुरुष : 3
solve the controversy and prove Vijayavega to be a chief officer subservient to and an object of the grace of the army in chief Vajrayudha. Hence Vijayavega was not a mantrin or Mahāsāmdhivigrahika of Meghavahana. He was rather a subsidiary sentinel conducting the messages of war between the king and the army-in-chief.
Surānanda, a mantrī, referred to in a later reference might have been the real minister for war and peace or even the Pradhana mantrin referred to by Dhanapala might have been the minister-in-charge of the foreign affairs (war and peace). Mantrī Surānanda might have been an earlier predecessor of Vijayavega who might have worked under Meghavahana and might have died by that time. The building of a religious grove by him might have been a memoir recounted by Harivahana during his sojourn for a survey of the personal Mandala.
1. Sukraitih II 96.97. p. 71. Paramaras p. 210.
2. TM Vol II. p. 190-191
3. Ibid. Vol II. p. 190. LL. 8-9
