The Rashtrakutas and their Times c19.s2.4

c19.s2.4

Some of the protected states like Hyderabad, Baroda and Kolhapur, have their own feudatories at present; a similar practice prevailed in our period as well. In 813 A.D., Govinda III was the emperor; his nephew Karkka was the feudatory ruler over southern Gujarat, and S'rī-Budhavarsha of Salukika family was governing Siharika 12 as a sub-feudatory, to which position he was raised by the younger brother of Karkka.⁶⁶ The Raṭṭas of Saundatti, who were the feudatories, first of the Rāṣṭrakūṭas and then of the later Chālukyas, had their own sub-feudatories.⁶⁷ Naturally, therefore the status and powers of the feudatories could not have been the same in all cases, a circumstance which reminds us of the present-day Indian polity, where also different ruling princes enjoy different powers and status. The important feudatory chiefs were entitled to the use of the five musical instruments, the names of which, according to a Jain writer, named Revākopyāchara, were S'ringa (horn), S'ankha (conch), Bheri (drum), Jayaghaṇṭā (the bell of victory) and Tammata.⁶⁸ They were also allowed the use of a feudal throne, fly whisk, palanquin, and elephants. Many of the sub-feudatories on the other hand may not have enjoyed any ruling powers at all, and may have been designated Sāmantas or Rajas only by courtesy. In many Canarese inscriptions even sub-divisional officers are seen having the title of *rasa* or king. It is probably on account of this circumstance that we read in the S'abara-bhāshya on the Mīmānsāsūtra 11; 3, 3 that the title *rājan* was used by the Āndhras even with reference to a Kshatriya who was not engaged in ruling over a town or country, and that Kumārila, a writer belonging to our period, amplifies the statement by observing that the term Āndhra has been used with reference to the southerners in general.