The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c13.157

v1.c13.157

In the meantime the arrangement by which Kalaśa continued to be king and the real power remained in the hands of his parents, appears to have worked smoothly. But Kalaśa came more and more under the influence of depraved and licentious parasites. Kalhaṇa mentions 'five or six procurers' who were constantly at work to secure the king's 'enjoyment of the wives of others.' In one of these scandalous intrigues at night his presence was detected, and he was soundly belaboured by the *Caṇḍāla* guards of the house. His life was only saved with difficulty by declaring his identity. This dishonourable conduct of Kalaśa, caused an open rupture between father and son. When his efforts to imprison his son were frustrated by the fondness of Sūryamatī, anger and disgust at his wife's conduct led Ananta to retire in 1079 A.D. to the *Tīrtha* of Vijayeśvara (mod Vijᵇbrōr). There he was followed by his wife, court and most of the troops.¹ Kalaśa however was not long in taking advantage of this false step. After reorganising his administration at the capital and raising an infantry force by loans from rich people, he attacked his parents in their new residence. Fortunately for Ananta, the Dāmaras and the cavalry remained loyal. But he was again prevented from crushing his son by his wife, who, perceiving the weakness of her son, induced him to march back to his own capital.² But the enmity between father and son went on increasing, and when Ananta offered the royal dignity to the scions of his father's cousin Jassarāja, Sūryamatī, fearing evil for her own descendants, called Kalaśa's son Harṣa to Vijayeśvara. Harṣa, though well-guarded succeeded in eluding his father's cavalry, and arrived in safety at the residence of his grandparents. This made Kalaśa more judicious in his conduct towards his father, and when "the Brahmans held a solemn fast against father and son, in order to put a stop to their hostility which caused ruin to their country," Ananta relented and lived at the capital for a period of two months. But coming to know that their son was trying to imprison them, the royal couple hurried back to their retreat at Vijayeśvara. Kalaśa now took drastic steps to undermine the power of his parents. Realising that their firm position in the country was largely due to their wealth, he set fire and burnt down the town of Vijayeśvara with the residence of his father. Ananta thus lost many of his possessions and with them much of his power. Kalaśa then began to press him to leave Kashmir and retire to Parṇotsa. When his 'masterful wife' also 'urged him on again and again with taunts to effect this project,' the much harassed prince severely rebuked her for her baneful influence on his fortunes. The abusive retort of the angry queen led him to commit suicide ‘by driving a knife into his anus.’ Sūryamatī atoned for her faults by dying ‘with a bright smile’ on the funeral pyre of her husband. Ananta's age exceeded 61 years when he died in 1081 A.D.¹