The Rashtrakutas and their Times c12.s2.28

c12.s2.28

In the latter half of his reign Kṛṣṇa had to undertake expeditions to the north. S'ravaṇa Belgola epitaph of Mārasimha (33) states that he conquered the northern regions for Kṛṣṇa III and thereby acquired the title of the King of the Gurjaras. It is thus clear that Kṛṣṇa had to attack some ruler, who had risen to eminence and was defying his authority in Gujrat. Konow thinks that the Gurjara king, who was defeated by Kṛṣṇa and Mārasimha may have been Mūlaraja.(34) It is, however, more likely that Sīyaka, the Paramāra feudatory of the Rāṣṭrakūṭas, governing Mālva and northern Gujrat, may have been the ruler defeated by Mārasimha and Kṛṣṇa III. Holkeri inscriptions Nos. 23 and 33, dated 968 and 965 A.D. respectively, refer to two of Mārasimha's captains, Sūdrakayya and Goggiyamma, as Ujjenībhujangas.(35) These captains were appointed to rule over Kadambalige 1000 probably as a reward for their services in the expedition against the Ujjain ruler. Since Sīyaka's dominions included northern Gujrat in 949 A.D., we can well understand how Mārasimha II became known as Gurjarādhirāja by his victory over that ruler. We have seen how Sīyaka was a Rāṣṭrakūṭa feudatory in 949 A.D.; his sack of Malkhed in 972-3 may have been a revenge for the defeat that was inflicted upon him by Kṛṣṇa III.