The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c16.20.1

v1.c16.20.1

Neither of these dynasties however appears to have succeeded in establishing a united and strong government in Bengal and Bihar. The result was that these rich tracts remained for about 50 years (c. 700—750 A.D.) a constant prey to foreign invaders. The first invasion so far recorded appears to have been that of the princes of the Saila family. The Ragholi (Balaghat district, C.P.) plates of Jayavardhana II inform us that his grandfather took Kāśi after killing its ‘self-conceited and cruel king,’ while the elder brother of this grandfather took the whole country of Puṇḍra after destroying its ruler. As the script of the inscription ‘very much resembles those of the Paithan plates of Govinda III, dated in the year 794 A.D,’ it is probably not unreasonable to refer the events recorded above to *c.* 725 A.D.¹ It is not improbable that the prince referred to as a Pauṇḍra king in this inscription was Jīvitagupta or one of the successors of Ādityasena. The invasion of the Sailas was followed by that of Yaśovarman, who is described in the *Rājataraṅgiṇī* of Kalhaṇa, as lord of “the land of Kanyakubja from the bank of the Yamunā to the Kālikā.”² Stein has identified this prince with ‘the king of Central India, *I-cha-fon-mo*, who in A.D.