The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c13.271

v1.c13.271

After the death of Jagadeva, his son Rājadeva had fled to Kāṣṭhavaṭa; but the enemies of Padma brought him back to Kashmir. A civil war followed. But fortunately for the prince, when he was besieged in the fort of Sāhaṇa, Padma was accidentally killed by a *Caṇḍāla*. Rājadeva was then anointed king by the *Bhaṭṭas*. The royal power however was seriously curtailed by the powerful *Lavaṇyas*. One of them, Baladhyacandra, Lord of Lahara, took possession with his soldiers of half of Śrīnagara, ‘and the king,’ we are told, ‘was unable to cope with him.’ He died after a reign of 23 years 3 months and 27 days (*c.* 1235 A. D.).² His son Saṁgramadeva, who succeeded him, appears to have been a more powerful prince. He is said to have ‘terrified his enemies as the lion does the elephant.’ But his attempts to put down the feudal barons were largely frustrated by the treachery of his younger brother Sūrya who held the responsible post of *Pratinidhi*. When his evil intentions were detected by the king, Sūrya fled from the capital and raised a rebellion with the assistance of the powerful Ḍāmaras Candra of Lahara and Tuṅga of Śamālā. In the struggle that followed Tuṅga was defeated and Sūrya captured and killed. But this civil war had helped to build the power of the sons and relatives of Kalhaṇa.³ The king began to ‘fear them as serpents,’ and became anxious ‘to save his royal power.’ His attempts to save his crown however proved unavailing, and he was compelled to take shelter with the lord of Rājapurī. After this, utter anarchy prevailed in Kashmir, and “the kingdom was for a long time devoured by the *Ḍombas*, even like food polluted by the touch of low people.’’ How long this state of anarchy prevailed it is difficult to say, but in the end the king succeeded in defeating his enemies in a battle near Rājapurī and recovered his power. He however unwisely ‘did not kill the sons of Kalhaṇa because they were Brāhmaṇas,’ and was soon after cut down by them in about the year 1252 A.D. after a reign of 16 years and 10 days. Jonarāja describes this king as ‘a benefactor of his country,’ and a *Kalpadruma* to poets and learned men. The poet Yahśaka is said to have made this king the hero of his compositions. His piety is proved by his building of the *Śrī-Viśāla* a house containing 21 rooms, at Vijayeśvara, ‘for the habitation of cows and Brāhmans.’¹ Saṁgrāmadeva was succeeded by his son Rāmadeva, who, after taking prompt measures to execute his father’s murderers, entrusted the actual work of administration to one Pṛthvīrāja. The new king on the whole appears to have been successful in his administration. His queen Śrī-Samudrā, established at Śrīnagara on the Vitastā a *maṭha* ‘marked with her name.’ As no offspring was born to this king, he adopted the son of a Brahman of Bhiṣāyakapura as his own. When he died in *c.* 1273 A.D. after a reign of 21 years 1 month and 13 days,² Lakṣmaṇadeva succeeded his adoptive father. The new king was a learned man, but as ‘a painted stone does not take the beauty of a jewel,’ he never developed the vigour and bravery of a Kṣatriya. He was therefore soon defeated and killed by a Muhammadan (*Turuṣka*) invader named Kajjala in *c.* 1286 A.D. after a reign of 13 years 3 months and 12 days. Jonarāja mentions the foundation of a *maṭha*, by the chief queen Mahelā, by the side of her mother-in-law's *maṭha* at Śrīnagara.¹