The Dynasties of the Kanarese Districts of the Bombay Presidency from the Earliest Historical Times to the Musalman Conquest c8.s6.40

c8.s6.40

Singhaṇa’s invasions of Gujarât. Singhaṇa seems to have invaded Gujarât several times. In an inscription at Ambem a Brâhmaṇ chief of the name of Kholeśvara of the Mudgala Gotra is spoken of as a very brave general in the service of the Yâdava sovereign. He humbled the pride of the Gûrjara prince, crushed the Mâlava, destroyed the race of the king of the Âbhîras, and being like “wild fire to the enemies” of his master, left nothing for Singhaṇa to be anxious about. His son Râma succeeded him, and a large expedition under his command was again sent to Gujarât. Râma advanced up to the Narmadâ, where a battle was fought, in which he slew numbers of Gûrjara soldiers, but he himself lost his life.⁸ From this it would appear that Gujarât was invaded by Singhaṇa on two occasions at least, if not more; and this is borne out by what we find stated in the authorities for the history of Gujarât. Somadeva, the author of the Kîrtti-kaumudî, which gives an account of the minister Vastupâla and his masters the princes of the Vâghelâ branch of the Chaulukya family, describes an invasion of Gujarât by Siṅhaṇa in the time of Lavaṇaprasâda and his son Vîradhavala. "The capital of Gujarât trembled with fear when the advance of Siṅhaṇa's army was reported. Being afraid of this foreign invasion no one among the subjects of the Gûrjara king began the construction of a new house or stored grain, and the minds of all were restless. Neglecting to secure the grain in their fields they showed a particular solicitude to procure carts, and as the army of the enemy approached nearer and nearer, the people with their fears greatly excited removed farther and farther. When Lavaṇaprasâda heard of the rapid advance of the innumerable host of the Yâdava prince, he knit his brow in anger; and though he had but a small army, proceeded with it to meet that of the enemy, which was vastly superior. When the forces of Siṅhaṇa arrived on the banks of the Tâpî he rapidly advanced to the Mahî. Seeing, on the one hand, the vast army of the enemy and, on the other, the indomitable prowess of the Chaulukya force, the people were full of doubt and could not foresee the result. The enemy burnt villages on their way, and the volume of smoke that rose up in the air showed the position of their camp to the terrified people and enabled them to direct their movements accordingly. The Yâdavas overran the country about Bharoch while the plentiful crops were still standing in the fields; but the king of Gujarât did not consider them unconquerable."¹ In themean while, however, four kings of Mârvâḍ rose against Lavaṇaprasâda and his son Vîradhavala, and the chiefs of Godhâ and Lâṭa, who had united their forces with theirs, abandoned them and joined the Mârvâḍ princes. In these circumstances Lavaṇaprasâda suddenly stopped his march and turned backwards.² The Yâdava army, however, did not, according to Someśvara, advance farther; but he gives no reason whatever, observing only that "deer do not follow a lion's path even when he has left it."³ But if the invasion spread such terror over the country as Someśvara himself represents, and the army of Siṅhaṇa was so large, it is impossible to conceive how it could have ceased to advance when the Gûrjara prince retreated, unless he had agreed to pay a tribute or satisfied the Yâdava commander in some other way. In a manuscript discovered some years ago of a work containing forms of letters, deeds, patents, &c., there is a specimen of a treaty with the names of Simhaṇa and Lavaṇaprasâda as parties to it, from which it appears that a treaty of that nature must actually have been concluded between them.⁴ The result of the expedition, Second Invasion.