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The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c17.s3: (4) The Śūlkīs

The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c17.s3

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(4) The Śūlkīs

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The Śūlkīs are apparently the same as the Sūlikas mentioned in the Harāhā inscription of the Maukhari Iśānavarman (554 A.D.).¹ We are told by this record that Iśānavarman conquered the *Andhrādhipati* "who had thousands of three-fold rutting elephants," vanquished in battle "the Sūlikas who had an army of countless horses," and caused "the Gauḍas, living on the sea-shore, in future to remain within their proper realm." By mentioning the Sūlikas between the Gauḍas and the realm of the lord of the Andhras, the writer of the record probably gives us some idea about the location of the Sūlikas. As the records of the Śūlkīs have all been found in Orissa, they can roughly be said to be the rulers of that area which was in the possession of the Sūlikas in the middle of the 6th century A.D. Nothing is definitely known about the origin of these Sūlikas or Śūlkīs, but it is not impossible that their name may be one of the variation of the name *Caḷukya*.² Their records are not dated in any era, but are referred on palaeographic grounds to about the 9th and 10th centuries A.D.

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¹ *EI*, Vol. XIV, pp. 117 and 120, V. 13. In the Talcher grant of Kulastambha, his family is described as *Śūlkikāṁśa-vaṁśa*, see *EI*, Vol. XII, pp. 156 ff.

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² For the variations of the name Caḷukya, see *BG*, Vol. I, Part II, p. 336, fn. 3, and *IA*, Vol. XX, p. 95, fn. 10. See also *JASB*, 1895, Part 1, p. 124. Mr. B. C. Mazumdar rejects the identification of the Śūlkis with the Caḷukyas and wants to identify them with the modern Sulkis of Midnapore; see *ibid*, 1911, p. 447, and *OM*, pp. 103-06. R. D. Banerji thinks that Sūlki is the equivalent of Solāṅki, *JASB* 1911, p. 443. Hirananda Śāstrī identifies the Sūlikas with the *Saulika* of the *Bṛhatsaṁhita* and *Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa*, and locates them in the S. E., with Kaliṅga, Vidarbha, Cedi, etc.; see *EI*, Vol. XIV, p. 112.

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The first king of the Śūlkī or Sūlika line for whom we have epigraphic records is Raṇastambha *alias* Kulastambha. His Talcher grant supplies us with the names of two of his predecessors, *viz.*,

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1. **Rājā Kāñcanastambha**........*Śūlkikāṁśa-vaṁśa-bhūṣaṇa*.

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2. **Mahānṛpati Kalahastambha Vikramāditya**.

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The following records are known for the reign of Raṇa-stambha *alias* Kulastambha.

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(1) *Talcher grant.*—This belongs to the chief of the Talcher State. Exact find-spot not known. It contains 28 lines incised on both sides of a single plate bearing on its left a round seal. The impression of the seal " consists of a plane circle with a row of lotus petals along its circumference." In the upper part is " a deer couchant with a bough or some foliage in its mouth and a crescent, and a conch over its back." Below this is the legend *Śrī-Kulastambha-deva*. The space below the legend is " occupied by an expanding lotus flower." The inscription opens with *Oṁ svasti* and an invocation to Hara (*Siva*). It belongs to *Kodālādhirāsī Śrī-Stambheśvarī-ladbha-vara-prasādo parama-Māheśvaro-mātā-pitṛ-pādānudhyāyī Samadhigata-pañca-mahā-śabdo Mahārājādhirājaḥ Śrī-Raṇastambhaḥ parama-nāmadheyaḥ*¹-*Pb.-Kulastambha-rāṇaka*, son of Kalahastambha. It records the grant of the village of Siṅga in the Paścima-khaṇḍa of the Pūrva-Viṣaya to *Bhaṭṭa* Viśvarūpa who has come from Maṅgalavilā, on the occasion of the *Dakṣiṇāyana-saṁkrānti*. The income of the village is given in the last two lines as 44 *rūpya*. It was engraved by Dūrvadāsa.²

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¹ This word has been taken by the editor in the sense of *alias*. *Parama* may mean *first* or *chief*. But H. P. Sāstrī apparently regards Kulastambha as the son of Raṇastambha ; see *JBORS*, Vol. II, p. 400.

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² Edited by R. D. Banerji, *EI*, Vol. XII, pp. 156-59. It was originally edited by N. N. Vasu in (1) *Archaeological Survey of Mayūrabhañja*, Vol. I, pp. 157 ff.; (2) *Baṅger Jātīya Itihāsa, Vaiśya Kāṇḍa*, pp. 303-04; (3) *Journal of the Baṅgīya Sāhitya Pariṣad*, Vol. XVIII, Part I, pp. 59 ff. Mr. R. D. Banerji refers the script of the grant to the 9th century A.D.

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(2) *Puri grant.*—This was preserved in the Rāghava Dāsa *maṭh* in the town of Puri in Orissa. It contains 43 lines incised on both sides of a single plate. 'From the middle of the top of both the plates rises a circular piece' which contains on its face a half-moon; below this is the figure of a boar (or a bull), and below this is the legend *Śrīmān Kulastambha-deva*. "The letters look like the 10th century Kuṭila inscription given in Princep's work." It opens with an invocation to Śiva, then follows the praise of Kulastambha-deva—born in the *Śulkī-kula* by a boon from the goddess Stambheśvarī. In lines 14-15 occurs the name of Kacchadeva, who may have been the governor of Kodāla. In lines 21-22 the donor seems to address the officers of Kaliṅga (?). It records grants of the village of Kāṅkanira in the Ulā(lo ?)-*Khaṇḍa* to *Bhāṭaputra* Madhusōdana (Madhusūdana ?) by *Parama-māheśvara Mahārāja* Rala(ṇa ?)stambha-deva. The grant was written by the *Kāyastha Mahāsāndhivigrahika* Kanānaya Jāka.¹

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¹ Edited by M. Chakravarty, *JASB*, 1895, Vol. 64, pp. 125-27. The editor suggested *Kula* in the place of *Rala*. But he probably mistook the cerebral ṇ for l; both the letters are almost alike in the script of the period (*OM*, p. 115). The Talcher grant shows that Kulastambha was also known as Raṇastambha. Dr. Barnett suggests that the 'division of names' in Kanānaya Jaka is 'probably wrong.'

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(3) *Dhenkanal grant.*—This is reported to have been washed out of a field called Bhīm Nagarī Gaḍh, close to the Brahmani river in the State of Dhenkanal. It contains 44 lines incised on both sides of a single plate. The circular seal attached to the top of the inscription contains a crescent, a deer couchant, and the legend *Śrī-Kulastambha-deva*. It gives the following genealogy of the donor:

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In the Sulki (Śūlki ?)-*kula*
Vikramāditya......*Stambheśvarī-labdha-vara-prasāda*.
|
Raṇastambha.

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It records the grant of the village of Jharabāḍa in the Goyilla-*Khaṇḍa* of the Saṅkhajotivalaya-*Maṇḍala* by *Parama-māheśvara-Samadhigata-pañca-mahā-śabda-Sakala-Gondamādhinātha*²-*Mahārāja* Kulastambha-deva to *Bhaṭṭa* Bṛhaspati.³

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² According to the editor it means 'lord of all the Gonds.'

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³ Edited by H. P. Śāstrī, *JBORS*, Vol. II, pp. 395-96 and 400-05. The relation between Raṇastambha and Kulastambha is not clearly stated in this record.

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Nothing is known of the political incidents of the reign of Kulastambha. But from his titles we may assume that he was a feudatory of some stronger neighbour. It is not unlikely that he may have acknowledged the sovereignty of either the Somavaṁśīs of Kosala or the Karas of Tosalī. His son was Raṇastambha.¹ The following grants may be referred to his reign :

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¹ This is known from the Dhenkanal grant of Raṇastambha's son Jayastambha; see *ibid*, p. 406.

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(1) *Dhenkanal grant.*—Found in the State of Dhenkanal; exact find-spot not given by the editor. It contains 35 lines, incised on both sides of a single plate. The characters belong to the 10th century. The seal attached to the left of this inscription is no longer legible. The record, which was issued from Kodālaka, does not give any genealogical details. It records the grant of the village of Kolampoṅka, attached to this (Kodāla ?)-Viṣaya to *Bhaṭṭa* Sudarśaṇa by *Parama-māheśvara-Mātā-pit(ā?)-pādānudhyātaḥ Samadhigata-pañca-mahā-śabda-Samastamahāsāmantādhipati* Raṇastambha-deva. The date *Saṁvat* 33 comes in lines 31-32. It was written by the *Bhogī* Kalyāṇa-deva and incised by Muṇḍaka.²

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² Edited by H. P. Śāstrī, *JBORS*, Vol. II, pp. 396-400. The editor refers the grant to 'Raṇastambha who is known to us from the grants of his son Kulastambha.' But the word *parama-nāmadheya* which separates the names Raṇastambha and Kulastambha in the Talcher grant, if properly interpreted by R. D. Banerji, shows that the former was not the father of the latter. The two names belonged to the same person.

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(2) *Puri grant.*—Found in the Rāghava Dāsa *maṭh* in the town of Puri. It contains 37 lines incised on both sides of a single plate. The circular seal attached to the middle of the top of the plate contains the legend *Śrīmāṁ Raṇa(?)stambha-deva*³ and the figure of a boar.⁴ The letters belong, according to the editor, to the 10th century A.D. It begins with an invocation to *Śiva*. It records the grant of the village of Pajara in the Ulo-*Khaṇḍa* to *Bhaṭṭaputra* Veluka.⁵ (3) *An incomplete grant.*—Find-spot not stated. It contains 21 lines on one side of a single plate. The seal bears the figure of a bull, a crescent moon, and the legend *Śrī Raṇa-stambha-devasya*. It was issued from Kodālaka. It records the grant of the village of Jārā in the Jārā-Khaṇḍa in the Rāḍhā-Maṇḍala to Paucuka by the *Parama-māheśvara-Samadhigata-pañca-mahā-śabda-Raṇastambha-deva*. Among his ancestors can be read the names of Kaṁ(Kāñ)canastambha and Kulastambha.¹

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³ The editor read it as *Ralastambhadeva*; but see Kielhorn in *EI*, Vol. V, Appendix, No. 666; also B. C. Mazuındar, *OM*, p. 115.

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⁴ As the dynasty appears to have been a *Śaiva* family, could the editor have mistakcu the *Nandi* for a boar ? Unfortunately he gives no plates, and we cannot verify our guess.

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⁵ Edited by M. Chakravarti, *JASB*, 1895, pp. 123 ff. He refers the inscription to Kulastambha. It is true that with some differences this grant agrees generally with the Puri grant of Kulastambha. But as in all the grants of Kulastambha, the legend on the seal gives the name *Kulastambha* and not *Raṇa(or ṇa)stambha*, I venture to suggest that this grant may belong to his son. But unfortunately for want of plates our guess again cannot be verified.

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¹ Edited by H. P. Sāstrī, *JBORS*, Vol. II, pp. 168-71. The editor points out the existence of a village named Jara in the Hooghly district and of an influential body of cultivating middlemen who call themselves Sukli and trace their origin to a place called Kedālaka. Note that in a Dhenkanal grant of Jayastambha, No. (iii) the family name of the king is given as *Sulki-vaṁsa*.

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Raṇastambha was succeeded by his son Jayastambha, for whose reign the following grants are known :

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(1) *Dhenkanal grant (i).*—Found in the State of Dhenkanal. Exact find-spot not mentioned. It contains 22 lines incised on both sides of a single plate. The circular projection of the plate on the left which usually carries the seal in the grants of this family has been left vacant. The characters belong to the 10th century. It was issued from Kodālaka. After the usual invocation of Śiva, it gives the following genealogy :

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In the Solkī (Sūlkī ?)-*kula*.
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*Stambheśvarī prāpta-vara-prasāda* Kulastambha...*Kṣitipa*.
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Raṇastambha...*Kṣitīndra*.
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*Parama-māheśvara-Samadhigata-pañca-mahā-śabda Sakala-Gondamādhinātha-Mahārājādhirāja* Jayastambha-deva.

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The inscription records the grant of the village of Candrapura in the Koṅkula-Khaṇḍa of the Goilla-Viṣaya, attached to this (Kodālaka ?)-*Maṇḍala*, to the Brahman Vāvana, who came from Kolañca. It was incised by the *Vaṇik* Iśvara.¹

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¹ Edited by H. P. Sāstri, *JBORS*, Vol. II, pp. 405-409. The editor points out that Kolañca is mentioned in the genealogical works of Bengal as the place from which Ādiśūra is said to have procured his Brahmans.

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(2) *Dhenkanal grant (ii).*—Find-spot, etc., as in No. 1. It contains 32 lines incised on both sides of a single plate. The seal attached to the upper portion of the record is damaged. Characters belong to the 10th century. It was issued from Kodālā-pāṭaka. It is a joint grant of *Parama-māheśvara-Mahārāja*² Jayastambha-deva and his son Nidayastambha-deva. It records the grant of the village of Llolapura (*sic?*) in the Kodāla-*Maṇḍala* to the Brahman Riṣivaka.³

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² There are various other empty titles which I have omitted here.

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³ Edited by H. P. Sāstrī, *ibid*, pp. 409-12.

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(3) *Dhenkanal grant (iii).*—Find-spot, etc., as in No. 1. It contains 31 lines incised on both sides of a single plate, and written 'in a scribbling hand, much effaced and very incorrect.' The circular seal attached to the left of the plate is in the form of a full-blown lotus. It contains the figure of a bull couchant, behind which is a stag; on the top of the seal is a crescent; in the centre is inscribed the legend: *Śrī-Jayastambha-deva*. The genealogy of the donor is as follows :

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In the Sukli (Sūlkī)-*vaṁśa*
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*Rājā* Kāñcanastambha
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*Mahānṛpati* Vikramāditya *apara-nāmadheya*-Kaṇada-
stambha (Kalahastambha?)
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Alānastambha-deva (Raṇastambha ?)
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*Kodālakādhipati-Śrī-Stambheśvarī-labdha-vara-prabhāvo* (*prasādo* ?)
*Parama-māheśvara-Samadhigata-pañca-mahā-śabda-Pb.*-Jayastambha-deva.

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It records the grant of some land (name of village not mentioned) to the Brahman Gobbarahūli Śarmā.⁴

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⁴ Edited by H. P. Sāstrī, *JBORS*, Vol. II, pp. 412-7. This record is so corrupt that it requires to be re-edited. Possibly the writer of the record or the editor may have dropped a name (Kulastambha ?) in the genealogy. The editor takes *Kaṇada* as a mistake for *Kula* but on the evidence of the Talcher grant I suggest *Kalaha*.

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