Early History of the Dekkan down to the Mahomedan Conquest c18.170

c18.170

In the latter part of Vikrama's reign his dominions were invaded by a prince of the Hoysaḷa branch of the Yâdava family reigning at Dvârasamudra, the modern Haḷebîḍ in Maisur, and with him were associated the kings of the Pâṇḍya country, Goa, and Koṅkaṇ This Hoysaḷa prince must have been Vishṇuvardhana, the younger brother of Ballâḷa and the grandson of Vinayâditya, who first brought the dynasty into prominence For in the inscription of Vîra Ballâḷa, the grandson of Vishṇuvardhana, at Gaddaka, Vishṇuvardhana is represented to have overrun the whole country between his capital [87] and Belvoḷa and washed his horses with the waters of the Kṛishṇa-Veṇî It is also stated that "he was again and again reminded by his servants of the honour done to him by the king Paramardideva (Vikramâditya), who said, 'Know the Hoysaḷa alone among all princes to be unconquerable' "⁵⁵ Vikramâditya despatched against these enemies a dependent chief of the name of Âcha or Âchagi, whose territory lay to the south Âcha, who was "a very lion in war and shining like the hot-rayed sun, sounding his war-cry, pursued and prevailed against Poysaḷa, took Gove, put to flight Lakshma in war, valorously followed after Pâṇḍya, dispersed at all times the Malapas, and seized upon the Koṅkaṇ"⁵⁶ Âcha must have fought several other battles for his master, for he is represented to have made "the kings of Kalinga, Vanga, Maru, Gûrᶁara, Mâḻava, Chera, and Chola (subject) to his sovereign."⁵⁷ Vikramâditya himself had to take the field against the Chola prince, who had grown insubordinate He was defeated and fled, and the king returned to his capital ⁵⁸ Vikramâditya II constructed a large temple of Vishṇu and had a tank dug in front of it In the vicinity he founded a town which was called Vikramapura ⁵⁹ He governed his subjects well and they were happy under his rule The security they enjoyed was so great that, according to Bilhaṇa, "they did not care to close the doors of their houses at night, and instead of thieves the rays of the moon entered through the window openings " He was very liberal and bountiful to the poor and "gave the sixteen great gifts at each holy conjuncture."⁶⁰ That he was a patron of learning is shown by the fact of a Kâśmîrian Paṇḍit like Bilhaṇa, who travelled over the whole of India in quest of support, having been raised by him to the dignity of Vidyâpati or chief Paṇḍit Vijñâneśvara, the author of the Mitâksharâ, which is at present acknowledged over a large part of India, and especially in the Marâṭhâ country, as the chief authority on matters of civil and religious law, flourished in the reign of Vikramâditya and lived at Kalyâṇa At the end of most manuscripts of that work there occur three stanzas, which may be translated as follows ⁶¹ "On the surface of the earth, there was not, there is not, and there will be not, a town like Kalyâna, never was a monarch like the prosperous Vikramârka seen or heard of, and—what more?—Vijñânesvara, the Paṇḍit, does not bear comparison with any other⁶² [88] (person) May this triad which is like a celestial creeper⁶³ exist to the end of the Kalpa!