The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c16.430

v1.c16.430

Ballāla was noted for his learning. In the Barrackpur grant of his father he is said to be “the cherished lover of the intellect of the preceptor of the gods (Bṛhaspati) (which has become like) an excessively passionate woman” (V. 8). In the beginning of the *Dānasāgara*, a work on various kinds of gifts and connected ceremonies completed by him in *Śaka* 1091 (A. D. 1169-70)¹ we are told that he “learnt all the *Purāṇas* and the *Smṛti* works (*adhigata-sakala-purāṇa-smṛti-sāraḥ*) from his preceptor Aniruddha.” In addition to the *Dānasāgara*, he began the compilation of another work, the *Adbhutasāgara* (dealing with omens and portents) in *Śaka* 1090 (A. D. 1168-69), which was completed after his death by his son Lakṣmaṇasena.² But much of the credit of these encyclopaedic compilations must go to the preceptor (*guru*) of the king, who is described as *ślāghya-varendrī-tale*, and who must have composed also some other works on ritual.³ Ballāla, like his father, was a Śaiva. He also had the title *Parama-māheśvara*, and his grant also begins with *Oṁ namaḥ Śivāya*, and praises Ardhanārīśvara (Śiva). He is given the *biruda* Niḥśaṅka-śaṅkara by his father’s Barrackpur grant, and the Madanpara grant of his grandson Viśvarūpasena adds *Arirāja* before this title. The *biruda* is also mentioned in the colophon of the Dānasāgara. A MS. of the *Adbhutasāgara* contains the following passage *Bhuja-vasu-daśa-1082-mita-Śake Śrīmad-Ballāla-sena-rājy-ādau-* *varṣa*....¹ The word *ādau-varṣa* has been variously interpreted as the first year or the beginning of his reign.² I have already referred to the possible interpretation of the passage in the colophon of the *Sadukti-karṇāmṛta*, which gives the date 1185 A.D. as the first year of the reign of Lakṣmaṇasena, the son of Ballāla. Under the circumstances we venture to place his accession in about 1159 A.D. and his reign-period in about 1159-85 A.D. So far only one inscription of this reign has been found. This is his *Naihāti grant*. The inscription is written on a single plate of copper and "was discovered by some coolies while digging some waste land between the villages of Naihati and Sitahati in the Katwa sub-division of the Burdwan district in Bengal; the place where it was discovered is locally known as *Nai rājār bhiṭā*. A copper cup, a copper censor, four small stands and three carved small conch shells were also found in the same place." The inscription consists of 64 lines, 32 lines on each side. At the top of the plate is attached the usual seal "a seated image of the ten-armed Śiva known as Sadāśiva." The seal does not contain any legend. The characters show a "well developed Bengali alphabet of the 12th century A. D. The inscription opens as usual with *Oṁ namaḥ Śivāya*. The first verse contains an invocation to Ardhanārīśvara (Śiva). Then comes the usual praise of the moon. The third verse tells us of the *rājaputras* of the lunar family who ornamented *Rāḍhā*. Verses 4 to 13 give the genealogy of the Senas from Sāmantasena to Ballālasena. Verse 7 tells us that Vijayasena "outshone Sāhasāṅka by his deceitless prowess." The grant was issued from the *jayaskandhāvāra* situated at Vikramapura by *M. Vijayasenadeva-pādānudhyāta-P.-Paramamāheśvara-Pb.-M. Ballālasena* to the *ācārya* Ovāsudeva Śarman and records the gift of Vallahiṭṭhā-*grāma* measured by *Vṛṣabha-śaṅkara-nala*, with an annual income of 500 *Kapardaka-Purāṇas*, in Svalpa-dakṣiṇa-*vīthī* of Uttara-Rāḍhā-*Maṇḍala* of the Vardhamāna-*Bhukti*, as *dakṣiṇā* of the *Hemāśva-mahādāna* made by the king’s mother Vilāsadevī on the banks of the Ganges. The village granted has been identified with modern Vāluṭiyā in the Murshidabad district. The *Dūtaka* of the grant was the *Sāndhivigrahika* Harighoṣa. Then comes the date *Sam*. 11, *vaiśākha-dine* 16. At the end occur the words *Mahāsām Karaṇa-ni*.¹