History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c19.22.1

v1.c19.22.1

Though Śīlabhañja I is mentioned in two only of the three charters of his son Śatrubhañja, he is known to us from many inscriptions of his grandson Raṇabhañja I. Thus he is mentioned in the Singhara plates of Raṇabhañja I of the regnal year, 9, in the Baudh unpublished plates of the same king of the regnal year 28, and the Chakardharpur plates of this king of the regnal year 24. The birth of the ancestor of the dynasty from an egg is mentioned in two grants only but this account is further elaborated in the inscriptions of his successors. The mention of the legend shows that the legend of the birth of the founder of the dynasty from the egg of a pea-hen was very well-known even at that time. Nothing is known of the manner in which Śatrubhañja acquired independence. The fact that he presumed to issue grants of land even though he dared not assume royal titles openly shows that he was merely a rebellious vassal of the Kara Kings who had usurped royal functions. From the fact that he is mentioned as being in possession of both the Khiñjalīs shows that he ruled over both banks of the Mahānadī. His son and probably his immediate successor, Raṇabhañja I, gradually assumed independence. Śatrubhañja is styled a Rāṇaka in his charter of the 15th year of his reign but is called simply a devout worshipper of Viṣṇu in the earlier inscriptions. His son, Raṇabhañja I,¹ gradually rose from the rank of a Rāṇaka to that of a Mahārāja.