The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c14.129.1

v1.c14.129.1

For Arimalladeva we have 3 dates (327-36 = A. D. 1201-16) from MSS. copied during his reign. A MS. of *Sattrabādhāpraśamana* in the Nepal Durbar Library is dated in 322 (A. D. 1201) in the *vijayarājya* of Arimalladeva.² A palmleaf MS. of the *Karmakriyā-kāṇḍa* of Somaśambhu carries the date 326 (A. D. 1206), in the reign of *Arimalladeva-nṛpa*.³ A Cambridge MS. of the *Sādhana-Samuccaya* bears the date 336 (A. D. 1216) in the *vijayarājya* of *Rājādhirāja-Parameśvara Arimalladeva*.⁴ In spite of these imperial titles, the instability of the Mallas' power in the Valley is shown by a unique MS. of the *Vidyāvalī* by Aghora in the British Museum which bears the date 342 (A. D. 1221) in the *Pravardhamāna vijayarājya* of *Paramabhaṭṭāraka-Mahārājādhirāja-Parameśvara* Raṇaśūra.¹ This prince is utterly unknown to the Nepal chronicles. It is likely that he was one of the local chiefs of the Valley who, as his high-sounding imperial titles show, for a time succeeded in seizing the sovereignty of *Nepāla*. But the Malla power appears to have been restored again before *c.* 344 (A. D. 1223) by Abhayamalla, for whose reign we have a MS. of the *Bhāratīya-nāṭyaśāstra* with this date. The dates found on MSS. copied during this reign range over a period of 30 years, from *c.* 344 to 373 (A. D. 1223-1252). A MS. of the *Devīmāhātmya* was copied in *Saṁvat* 358 (A. D. 1238) in the victorious reign of Abhayamalladeva.² A British Museum MS.