The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c14.178

v1.c14.178

The chronicles of Nepal assign to this prince a long reign of 43 years. Of this period, as I have already pointed out, dated documents cover only a space of 14 years (1380-94 A.D.). A MS. of the *Mānavanyāyaśāstra* in the Nepal Durbar library bears the date N. S. 500 (A.D. 1380) in the victorious reign of Jaya-Sthitimalladeva, when Jayatavarmana was holding the post of *amātya*.¹ Another MS. of the *Guhyasiddhiśāstra* in the same collection was copied at Bhaktagrāma in (N.) *Saṁvat* 514 (A.D. 1394) in the same reign.² Bendall has mentioned 6 other dates for this king from the colophon MSS. which range between these two dates.³ The same scholar discovered a stone inscription of this king on a slab in in the courtyard of the temple of Śiva Kumbheśvara in Lalitapattana near Katmandu. That 'lofty' temple (*prāsāda*), we are told, was built by one Jayabhīma in fulfilment of a promise made to the god during his wife's illness in N. S. 512, in the reign of *Parameśvara-Paramabhaṭṭāraka-Śrī-Māneśvarīvaralabdha-prasāda Asura-Nārāyaṇetyādi-vividha-biruda-rājā-valīpūrva…Kriyāsamālaṁkṛta-Mahārājādhirāja-Śrī-Śrīmat-Jayasthiti-rāja-malladeva*.⁴ It will be observed that Jaya-Sthiti's reign covered the period when the Chinese were maintaining diplomatic relations with the descendants of Harisiṁha. But Jayasthiti appears to have gradually established his authority over them. Already in 1394 his authority was recognised at Bhaktagrāma (mod. Bhatgaon). In addition to imperial titles, the inscription quoted above gives him the *biruda Asura-Nārāyaṇa*. In the prologue to the *Abhinava-Rāghavānanda* composed by his court poet Maṇika, he is given the variant title *Daitya-Nārāyaṇa*.¹ According to Nepal tradtion the king was passionately devoted to Rāma, and is said to have caused a stone image of that god with his sons Lava and Kuśa to be made and placed on the bank of the Bagmati, opposite Ārya Tīrtha.² Another interesting fact revealed by the king's inscription, is his devotion to the cult of Māneśvarī, who remained after him the guardian of his line. The chronicles of Nepal tell us that Jaya-Sthiti re-established and re-organised the castes in his kingdom, and gave Nepal a system of weights and measures.³ There is enough evidence in Nepalese tradition to show that this prince was a wise and vigorous ruler, under whose intelligent guidance prosperity and peace again revived in the Valley.