Epigraphia Indica Vol 26

SR No.: 032580
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Hirananda Shastri
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India
Publication Year: 1945
Total Pages: 448
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 24 MB

Page 111

84
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA.
[VOL. XXVI.
Who was this Rajakesarivarman, whose date of accession was A.D. 949-50? We know from the Atakur record1 that the combined armies of Rashtrakuta Krishna III and the Ganga Būtuga had defeated the Chōla army led by prince Rajaditya at Takkōlam in the North Arcot District and that this Chōla prince had also lost his life in the encounter. This record is dated simply in Saka 872, current, Saumya, corresponding to A.D. 949-50; but in the absence of other details, its exact date cannot be calculated. From the foregoing facts it can, however, be inferred that soon after the death of the eldest prince Räjäditya in the end of A.D. 949, Parantaka had nominated his second son Gandaraditya as the heir-apparent in the beginning of A.D. 950, and that the latter began to count his own regnal years from this year onwards.
As some records dated in the 8th year are definitely assignable to Gaṇḍarāditya, his reign may have extended from A.D. 950 to 957 at least. His end is cryptically described in the expression Merkelundarulina-Detar' i.e., he who was pleased to proceed west', but its significance is not quite clear. It is possible that he had lost his life in one of the skirmishes with Rashtrakuta Krishna III's army in occupation that may have occurred in the western frontier, and that this event, was sought to be euphemistically expressed as a journey to the west', from which, however, the king probably never returned alive.
No. 9.-BIJHOLI ROCK INSCRIPTION OF CHAHAMANA SOMESVARA: V. S. 1226. BY SAMSKRITI PT. AKSHAYA KEERTY VYAS, M.A., UDAIPUR.
The rock inscription under description was at first published by Kaviraja Syamaldās of Udaipur in 1886, in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. LV, part I (pp. 14-15, 28-32 and 40-46) together with some other epigraphs. Since then it has been dealt with by many scholars in connection with the genealogy of the Imperial Chähamana dynasty of Sakambhari. But the transcript of the record as published by the Kaviraja was far from satisfactory' and the necessity for re-editing it properly has frequently been felt by scholars. Dr. D. R. Bhandarkar, it appears, was to re-edit it', but as he has not been able to undertake the work so far, I have taken up the task at the instance of Dr. N. P. Chakravarti, Government Epigraphist for India.
Bijholi is a small fortified picturesque town situated in 25° 10' N. and 75° 20' E., about 112 miles north-east of Udaipur. Its position is in the midst of what is known as the uparamāla or the uppermost table-land called Pathar, in the Aravalli Hills. This table-land extends from Bārolli and Bhainsarorgarh in the south to Jahazpur in the north through Menal, Bijholi and Mandalgarh, once forming an important portion of the Imperial Chāhamana dominions of Sambhar and
1 Ante, Vol. VI, p. 51.
The statement in verse 21 of the Larger Leiden plates of Rajaraja I that after Räjäditya, Gandaraditya succeeded to the throne, has to be taken to refer to this heir-apparency only (ante, Vol. XXII, p. 256).
No. 176 of 1907 and No. 574 of 1908 which are records of a Rajakesarivarman refer to Pillaiyar (Prince) Arikulakesarin, who was the younger brother of Gandaraditya.
It may be mentioned that the same dates have been suggested by Prof. K. A. Nilakanta Sastri in his Colas, Vol. I, p. 180. The facts noted above support his chronological scheme for this period.
The transcript of the record which the Kaviraja later on published in the Vira-vinoda (Part I, pp. 383-89) is far better than the one under reference.
Above, Vol. V, Appendix, p. 22, n. 3; H. C. Ray's Dynastic History of Northern India, Vol. II, p. 1082, n. 1. Above, Vol. XII, p. 222.