The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c8.s13.179

c8.s13.179

In connection with Krishna I. we have already met with a separate line of Râshṭrakûṭas, the last of whom, at least, was a paramount sovereign in Gujarât, or more particularly in the Lâṭa province of Gujarât. In a more or less independent form, the power of the members of this separate branch of the family must have continued on to the time of Gôvinda III.; for, as has been already mentioned, one of his acts was to give "the province of the lords of Lâṭa,"² or as it was also called, "the Lâṭa province,"³ to his brother Indrarâja, in whose person there was thus established another Gujarât branch of the family, feudatory to the kings of the main line, but perhaps not always maintaining a condition of very close and faithful obedience. Of Indrarâja himself, we have as yet no records. And all that we are told, is, that it was to him that Gôvinda III. gave the province; that he quickly put to flight the leader of the Gurjaras, who attempted to oppose the arrangement; that, apparently in opposition to his brother and sovereign, he gave protection to some chieftains of the south, whose possessions were taken away from them by Gôvinda III.;⁴ and that he had for his friends a certain people named Mâna.⁵ The record which mentions the last point, declares his feudatory position,—which is also clear enough from various other details,—by saying that the province of Lâṭa had been given to him by his "lord or master."⁶ Of both his sons, however, we have records, belonging to the time of Gôvinda III., which, with another record of Gôvindarâja, of the time of Amôghavarsha, I., make the feudatory position of this branch of the family still clearer, if possible. The first of them is the Barôda grant, No. 5 in the list above. After the description of Indrarâja, it mentions his son Karkarâja, with the biruda of Suvarṇavarsha, "the rainer of gold," whom it styles Lâṭêśvara or "lord of Lâṭa," and who, it says, protected the king of Mâlava against a lord of the Gurjaras who had become evilly inflamed by conquering the lords of Gauḍa and Vaṅga. It gives to Karkarâja the feudatory title of Mahâsâmantâdhipati; and it further emphasises his position by speaking of Gôvinda III. as his svâmin or master. And it furnishes for him a date either in April, A. D. 811, or in the same month of the following year. The other record is the Tôrkhêdê grant, No. 6 in the list above. In the opening passages, it refers itself to the reign of Gôvinda III. It mentions Gôvindarâja as the younger brother of Karkarâja.¹ And it furnishes for him a date in December, A. D. 812. The later date for Gôvindarâja, in April, A. D. 826 or 827, — his biruda Prabhûtavarsha, — and his title Mahâsâmantâdhipati, — are supplied by a grant from Kâvî, which will be noticed more fully in connection with Amôghavarsha I.