A History of Assam c12.204

c12.204

After the cessation of hostilities with the Muhammadans vigorous enquiries were set on foot with a view to the arrest and deportation to Nāmrup of all the chiefs and other prominent men who had been disloyal to the Ahom cause. In the course of these enquiries, it was reported that amongst those who had taken the part of the Muhammadans was a priest named Chakrapāni, a descendant of the Vaishnava reformer Sankar Deb, but it was impossible to punish him as he had escaped across the frontier. The accounts which he heard of this man's learning and piety aroused the king's interest; he induced him to pay him a visit under promise of pardon and, after hearing him discourse, was so impressed, that he gave him a grant of land at Sāmaguri and made him his spiritual preceptor. He ordered his officers and people to follow his example, and many did so, but some of the nobles were greatly offended and persuaded his younger brother to join them in a conspiracy against him. This became known to the king, who at once ordered the gates of the city to be closed and his brother to be arrested. The latter, being thus driven to extremities, collected his adherents and appeared with them at one of the gates in the middle of the night. The guards refused to let him in, but he broke down the gate and, entering the city, seized the person of the king. He put to death the Bar Barua and other officials who had refused to countenance the conspiracy. The people then hailed him as king. Next day Udayāditya was taken to Charāideo and poisoned. His three wives were put to death, while the unfortunate priest, who had unwittingly caused the revolution, was impaled and set adrift on a raft on the Dikhu river. These events took place in August 1673.