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TULSI-FRAJNA, Oct.-Dec., 1992
Dr. A. C. Banerjee and Dr. A. B. L. Awasthi think they won the title by serving as the door-keeper of the national frontiers.40 The Purāņas derive the name from their mythical progenitor, PRATIHĀRA :
130
परमेष्ठी ततस्तस्मात् प्रतीहारस्तदन्वयः । प्रतीहारात प्रतिहर्त्ता प्रतिहर्तुर्भुवस्ततः ॥
(AGNIPURANA)
परमेष्ठी सुतस्तस्मात्प्रतीहारस्तदन्वयः । afagafa facura: 3597af8fq #1e99: 11
(KŪRMAPURĀŅA)
The earliest avaiiable inscription of the PRATIHĀRAS GWALIAR (SAGARTAL) STONE INSCRIPTION OF BHOJA-I-derives the word from 'PRAHARANAVIDHI' and claims their descent from the solar line. LAKSAMANA, the younger brother of RAMA served him as a PRATIHARA by expelling the enemies and therefore his descendants became known as the PRATIHARAS. As the word 'PRATIHARA' was mistaken for the original word such fictitions derivations were traced on one hand, association with some foreign invaders or intruders was sought on the other. That a new word can gain currency without a foreign invasion seems inconceivable to a section of our esteemed scholars. But that is not necessarily true nor we can even take the stories of the Hūņa invasion as good coin (we intend to discuss it in a separate article). It is more sensibe to hold that the word 'PALIBHADRA' became PALIBHĀRA and then PALIHARA in coures of time, while the alternative form PARIBHADRA led to the word PARIHĀRA. As '1' and 'r' are sometimes pronounced as 'T' () the same word assumed a third form, 'PARIHARA' (f). The origin of the words was forgotton after a lapse of centuries and faulty, false Sanskritization resulted in 'PRATIHĀRA'. That the PARIHĀRAS are the descendants of the Ksatriyas of PALBHADRA and belong to the SOLAR LINE as claimed in the GWALIOR INSCRIPTION makes sense and serious objections against it have never appeared. Baseless assumptions and obstinacy should have no room in historical research.
Jain Education International
SANDROCOTTUS
Justin has left an account of how SANDROCOTTUS became a ruler, that is the only information we have about the early life of that king. So we quote the passage in full :
"SANDROCOTTUS was the leader who achieved their freedom,
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