The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c6.s4.9

c6.s4.9

Retaining Kalyāṇa as his principal capital, he established other local headquarters at a place called Eṭagiri,³ and built or improved Arasibīḍi, in the Bijāpūr district, thirteen miles east of Bādāmi, which he called Vikramāpūra. At another place he constructed a large temple of Viṣṇu, and had a tank built in front of it. During his reign the Hoysaḷas of the south, who were growing more formidable under Viṣṇuvardhana, made an incursion into his districts but were repulsed by his Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Āchugi II. of the Sinda family of Erambarage. The country became so settled, and his subjects were so secure, that "they did not care to close the doors of their houses at night, and instead of thieves the rays of the moon entered through the window openings"⁴. His people were happy under his rule, and he was always mindful of the poor whom he treated with a generous hand. “That he was a great patron of learning is shown by the fact of a Kāśmirian Paṇḍit, like Bilhaṇa, who travelled over the whole of India in quest of support, having been raised by him to the dignity of Vidyāpati or chief Paṇḍit. Vijñāneśvara, the author of the *Mitāksharā*, which is at present acknowledged over a large part of India, and especially in the Marāṭha country, as the chief authority on matters of civil and religious law, flourished in the reign of Vikramāditya and lived at Kalyāṇa. At the end of most manuscripts of that work there occur three stanzas, which may be translated as follows :