The Rashtrakutas and their Times c12.s2.43

c12.s2.43

Phalguna of S'aka 889 i. e. before the 17th February 968 A.D. (No 236 of 1913): It is possible to argue that the death of Krishna took place between the 5th and 15th day of Chaitra of S'aka 890; for, Holkere No. 23 (E. C. XI), dated Chaitra S'uddha Panchami, refers to Krishna as sovereign ruler, while Sorab No. 531 (E. C., VIII), dated Chaitra S'uddha Paurnima, refers to his successor Khottiga as the ruling emperor. But the mention of Krishna as the ruling emperor in Holkere No. 23 was very probably due to the fact that the news of his death had not travelled till then to Simoga district. Krishna's death, therefore, took place before February 968 A.D. or Phalguna 889 S'aka. Now since Krishna ascended the throne not earlier than December 939 A.D., his 30th year, referred to in Kolagallu inscription mentioned above, could not have commenced before December 968 A.D. But Krishna had died at least ten months before that date and therefore the 30th year of his reign was impossible. This discrepancy can be explained on the supposition that Amoghavarsha III, being mostly preoccupied with religious practices, his son was the de facto ruler even in his father's life-time. His regnal years may have been counted in some localities from a date earlier than his formal coronation or his father's death. This overlapping of dates is similar to that of the reigns of Amoghavarsha I and his son Krishna II. The causes in both cases were probably the same.