The Rashtrakutas and their Times c7.s1.87

c7.s1.87

In my opinion the various Raṭṭa or Rāṣṭrakūṭa families of our period were the descendants of some of the Rathika families, that were ruling over small tracts in the feudatory capacity since the time of Aśoka. Aśoka inscriptions describe Rathikas as westerners, but they also associate them with the Bhojakas, which will show that they were occupying portions of Mahārāṣṭra and Berar as well. The next reference to them is in the Nānāghaṭ inscription of Queen Nayanikā, where we learn that she was the daughter of Mahārathi Traṇakayira, whose statue was erected by the side of his daughter at Nānāghaṭ. There existed at this time numerous feudatory rulers known as rathikas. In connection with the western expedition of king Khāravela his Khaṇḍagiri inscription tells us that he carried away the wealth and crowns of all the rathikas and bhojakas. There are two records at Kārli (38) belonging to a little later period, recording the benefactions of Mahārathi Gotiputa Agimitanaka and Mahārathi Vasithiputa Somadeva. The latter grants a village which shows that he was a ruling chief. A Bhājā record (39) discloses the existence of a Mahārathi Viṇhudatta, and a Kaṇheri one that of a Mahāraṭhinī Nāgamūlanikā, who was the daughter of a mahārāja and sister of a mahābhoja. This record again shows, like that of king Khāravela, that raṭhis and mahāraṭhis were feudal chiefs, and not mere generals or local district officers.