The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c17.s5: (6) The Gaṅgas

The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c17.s5

Language: English

(6) The Gaṅgas

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Kings who traced their descent to the *Gaṅga-kula* appear to have ruled in the territories round about the Mahendragiri, in the Ganjam district of the Madras Presidency, from about the 7th century onwards. These princes may be conveniently divided into an earlier and a later group. The names of the rulers of the first group usually end in *Varman*.² They all claim to be lords of *Sakala-Kaliṅga* and devout worshippers of Gokarṇeśvara, who resided on the top of mount Mahendra.

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² Though all the donors of the land-grants of this family so far known had names ending in *varman*, yet it is to be noted that at least in one case king Indravarman (years 137 and 154) is stated to have been the son of Dānārṇava (*EI*, Vol. XIV, p. 362, and Vol. XVIII, pp. 307 ff.).

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With some exceptions,¹ most of their grants are issued from Kaliṅganagara, which has been identified with Mukhaliṅgam, some 20 miles from Parlakimedi, in the Ganjam district.² These grants bear dates ranging from about the year 51 to 351 'of the reign of the Gāṅgeya race.' But unfortunately the epoch of this era has not yet been determined. It is however clear that they continued to hold sway in the region about the southern portion of Ganjam district for about 300 years. They often assumed imperial titles, and on the whole appear to have been sovereign rulers. From the fact that they occasionally describe themselves as lords of the city of Kolāhala³ it is clear that they considered themselves to be a branch of the Gaṅgas of Mysore. But the story of their migration and settlement from Kolar to Ganjam and the details of their subsequent history, must in the present state of our knowledge remain shrouded in considerable obscurity.⁴ It is however likely that they may have suffered a temporary eclipse on account of the encroachments of the Karas of Tosalī, some of whose grants were discovered in Ganjam.

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¹ These are issued from Śvetaka.

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² Ramamurti, *EI*, Vol. IV, pp. 187 ff. See also *JBORS*, Vol. XV, pp. 105-15; for a recent attempt to revive the old identification with Kalingapatam, see *ibid*, pp. 623-34.

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³ *Ibid*, pp. 198 ff. The identification of Kolāhala with Kolar in east Mysore, first proposed by Rice is now generally accepted.

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⁴ The following inscriptions are known for these Gaṅga princes : (*i*) Dhanantara (in Gumsur) plates of Sāmantavarman, *EI*, Vol. XV, pp. 275-78. (*ii*) Ganjam plates of Pṛthvīvarman, *EI*, Vol. IV, pp. 198-201. (*iii*) Achyutapuram (near Mukhaliṅgam) plates of Indravarman, year 87, *EI*, Vol. III, pp. 127-30. (*iv*) Parlakimedi plates of Indravarman *alias* Rājasiṁha, year 91, *IA*, Vol. XVI, pp. 131-34. (*v*) Godavari grant of Pṛthvīmūla (of the time of *Adhirāja* Indra), *JBRAS*, Vol. XVI, pp. 114-20. (*vi*) Chicacole plates of Indravarman, year 128, *IA*, Vol. XIII, pp. 119-22. (*vii*) Chicacole plates of Indravarman, year 138. *IA*, Vol. XIII, pp. 122-24; also *EI*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 317 ff. (*viii*) Vishamagiri (in Aska, Ganjam) grant of Indravarman, *EI*, Vol. XIX, pp. 134-37. (*ix*) Chicacole plates of Devendravarman, year 183, *EI*, Vol. III, pp. 130-34. (*x*) Vizagapatam grant of Devendravarman, year 254, *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 143-46. (*xi*) Chicacole grant of Devendravarman, year 51 (?), *IA*, Vol. XIII, pp. 273-76. (*xii*) Alamanda (in Vizagapatam dist.) grant of Anantavarman, year 304, *EI*, Vol. III, pp. 17-21. (*xiii*) Chicacole plates of Satyavarman, year 351, *IA*, Vol. XIV, pp. 10-12. (*xiv*) Siddhantam (near Chicacole) plates of Devendravarman, year 195, *EI*, Vol. XIII, pp. 212-16. (*xv*) Urlam plate of Hastivarman, year 80, *EI*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 330-34. (*xvi*) Tekkali (in Ganjam dist.) plates of Indravarman, year 154, *EI*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 307-11. (*xvii*) Tekkali plates of Devendravarman, year 310, *ibid*, pp. 311-13. (*xviii*) Durmila (in Ganjam dist.?) grant of Devendravarman, *JBORS*, June, 1929, pp. 274-77. (*xix*) Korashanda (in Ganjam district) grant of Viśākhavarman, *ibid*, pp. 282-84. (*xx*) Parlu (near Palkonda, Vizagapatam district) grant of Indravarman, year 137, *EI*, Vol. XIV, pp. 360-63; Vol. XVIII, pp. 307 ff.

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In the first half of the 11th century we find another series of kings claiming descent from the same line as the above. Like the first group of Gaṅga princes, they were also worshippers of Gokarṇeśvara on mount Mahendra. With some exceptions, they also issued most of their grants from Kaliṅganagara. That they also traced their descent from the Gaṅgas of Kolar is proved by the Vizagapatam grant of Anantavarman Coḍagaṅga, which clearly mentions Kolāhala, the founder of Kolāhalapura, in the Gaṅgavāḍi-*Viṣaya*, as one of his ancestors.¹ The same inscription distinctly says that Kāmārṇava, a distant descendant of Kolāhala, leaving Kolāhalapura with his brothers, came to the Mahendra mountain, and having conquered Balāditya through the favour of the god Gokarṇasvāmin, took possession of the Kaliṅga countries.² As Vajrahasta (*c.* A.D. 1038), the earliest Gaṅga prince for whom we have any authentic date, is the 17th prince from Kāmārṇava, we may place the latter approximately somewhere in the 7th or 8th centuries A.D.³ But unfortunately there are so many discrepancies in the genealogical lists supplied by the different grants that we cannot accept these calculations with absolute certainty. It is however possible that the forefathers of the earlier and later groups of the Gaṅgas, if not identical, had at least migrated to Kaliṅga, about the same time. It is certain that they belonged to the same stock.

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¹ *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 165 ff.

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² *Ibid*, lines 43-47.

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³ According to the Vizagapatam grant of Coḍagaṅga the total of the reign-period of the 16 predecessors of Vajrahasta was 301½ years; see *ibid*, p. 171. This would place Kāmārṇava in *c.* 737 A.D. (1038 — 301½ = 737½).

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The causes that led to the revival of the Gaṅga power in Kaliṅga is at present uncertain. I have already suggested that the power of the earlier Gaṅgas may have been eclipsed by the encroachments of the Karas of Tosalī. Though there is at present no direct evidence to support our guess, it is not impossible that the renewal of Gaṅga power may have been connected with the invasions of the Coḷa kings. Rājarāja (c. 985-1016 A. D.) conquered Gaṅgavāḍi, Veṅgināḍu, and Kaliṅga sometime before 1005 A.D., while the armies of his son, Rājendra Coḷa, advanced even up to the Ganges about 1021-25 A.D.¹ From two inscriptions in Sanskrit and Tamil we learn the interesting fact that Rājendra Coḷa, having defeated his brother-in-law, the Eastern Cālukya Vimalāditya (c. A.D. 1015-1022), set up a pillar of victory on the Mahendra mountain.² Both these inscriptions with the Tiger crest of the Coḷa kings were found on the top of the Mahendragiri, where still exists the sacred shrine of Gokarṇeśvara, the tutelary deity of the Gaṅgas. As the date of the invasion of Rājendra Coḷa is only removed by about 25 years from *Śaka* 960 (A.D. 1038), the earliest known date of the later Gaṅgas, it is not unlikely that the Coḷas may have revived the power of one of the local Gaṅga rulers as their feudatory in Kaliṅga. The period of comparative weakness in Coḷa administration which followed the death of Rājendra about 1044 A.D. possibly helped Vajrahasta in asserting his complete freedom from Coḷa hegemony about 1045 A.D.

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¹ *EI*, Vol. IX, p. 230. S. Krishnaswami Aiyangar, *Ancient India*, London, 1911, pp. 104 ff.

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² *MER*, pp. 7 and 94, Nos. 396 and 397.

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'The earlier Gaṅga inscriptions supply us with no pedigrees of their mythical and semi-mythical ancestors. Some of the later grants however contain long lists of this kind. These names, as contained in the Vizagapatam plates,¹ of Avanti-varman Coḍagaṅga (S. 1003)² may be tabulated as follows :

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¹ *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 165 ff. With some slight variations this is also found in the Kendupatna plates of Narasiṁha II (*JASB*, Vol. LXV, pp. 229 ff.), and the Puri plates of Narasiṁha IV (*ibid*, Vol. LXIV, pp. 128 ff.).

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² *S* = *Śaka*.

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``` Ananta (Viṣṇu) : From his navel Brahman

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Atri ^3

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Saśāṅka (the Moon)^4

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Budha

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Purūravas.

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Āyus

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Nahuṣa.

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Yayāti.

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Turvaśu...Through the favour of Gaṅgā, was born to

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| him

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Gāṅgeya ^5...his descendants were known under the name of the Gaṅgānvaya.

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Virocana

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Saṁvedya...The glory of the Gaṅgānvaya

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Saṁvedin.

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Dattasena ```

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³ From this ancestor the Gaṅgas got their *Gotra* name: *Ātreya-gotra*, see *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 162, 168, 178, etc.

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⁴ Thus the Gaṅgas belonged to the Somavaṁśa or the Lunar race.

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⁵ Fleet pointed out that the descent here branches off from the Pauranic genealogy. According to *Viṣṇu-purāṇa* Turvaśu's son was Vahni, his was Gobhānu, see *IA*, Vol. XVIII, p. 170, fn. 45.

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``` Dattasena

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Soma

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Aṁsudatta

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Saurāṅga

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Citrāmbara

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Sāradhvaja

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Dharmākhya

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Parikṣit

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Jayasena I

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Jayasena II

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Jitavīrya

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Vṛṣadhvaja

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Pragarbba (lbha?)

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Kolāhala 1... built the city named Kolāhalapura

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| in the Gaṅgavādi-Viṣaya.

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Virocana

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In his lineage, after 81 kings had ruled in Kolāhalapura. Vīrasiṁha

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| . . . . .
| | | | |

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(1) Kāmārṇava I, (2) Dānārṇava Guṇārṇava I Mārasiṁha Vajrahasta I ruled for 36 years. ```

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We are told that Kāmārṇava I gave over his own territory to his paternal uncle (line 43), and with his four brothers, set out to conquer the earth. He came to the mount Mahendra and worshipped the god Gokarṇasvāmin. Having through his favour obtained the excellent crest of a bull (*Vṛṣabha-lāñchana*), and being decorated with the insignia of universal sovereignty, he descended from the summit of mount *Mahendra* and took possession of the Kaliṅga countries, after defeating Bālāditya. His capital was the city named Jantāvura.¹ He ruled for 36 years and was succeeded by his younger brother Dānārṇava. To Guṇārṇava, Mārasimha and Vajrahasta the three other younger brothers, he assigned Ambavāḍi-*Viṣaya*, Sodā-*Maṇḍala*, and Kaṇṭaka-vartanī respectively.² Then the succession continues as follows:—

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¹ Called Anantavarman Kolāhala in the Kendupatna grant.

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¹ Ramamurti suggested that this may be a mistake for Jayantapuram which is mentioned in the *Kṣetramāhātmya*, as one of the names of Kaliṅganagara, *EI*, Vol. IV, p. 188.

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² *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 167-68 and 170-74.

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[Figure: (2) Dānārṇava . . . . . ruled 40 years.

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(3) Kāmārṇava II...... ,, 50 ,, ; built a *pura* named Nagara,³ in which he built a lofty temple of the god *Īśa* (Śiva) under the name Madhukeśa.

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³ Was this city Kaliṅga-nagara, the capital of the Gaṅgas? Ramamurti pointed out that Mukhaliṅgam (=Kaliṅganagara) still contains the temple of Śiva *Madhukeśvara*. *EI*, Vol. IV, p. 188. See *Pavanadūta* of Dhoyī (Ed. by C. Chakravarti, Calcutta, 1926), V. 21 where 'Nagarī' is described as the capital of Kaliṅga (*Nagarīm nāma tām rājadhānīm*),

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(4) Raṇārṇava . . . . . ruled 5 years.

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(5) Vajrahasta II, ruled 15 years.
(6) Kāmārṇava III.........ruled 19 years.

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(7) Guṇārṇava II......... ,, 27 ,,

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| . . . . .
| | | |

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(8) Jitāṅkuśa, ruled 15 years. ✕ ?

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(9) Kaligalāṅkuśa, ruled Kaliṅga for 12 years.

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(10) Guṇḍama, ruled for 7 years.
(11) Kāmārṇava IV, ruled for 25 years.

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(12) Vinayāditya, ruled for 3 years.
(13) Vajrahasta IV, ruled for 35 years . . . . .

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(14) Kāmārṇava V, ruled for ½ year. (15) Guṇḍama II. ruled for 3 yrs. (By another wife) (16) Madhu-Kāmārṇava VI, ruled for 13 years

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(17) Vajrahasta V, ruled for 30 years.]

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A somewhat different list of the predecessors of Vajrahasta is given in some other records of the Gaṅgas. The Nadagam grant of Vajrahasta¹ (Ś. 979) gives us the following list of his predecessors :—

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¹ *EI*, Vol. IV, pp. 183 ff.

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In the *Ātreya-gotra* and Gaṅga family.
(1) Guṇamahārṇava...acquired the glory of *Sāmrājya*.

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(2) Vajrahasta I...united the earth which has been formerly divided into five kingdoms; ruled for 44 years.

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| . . . . . | . . . . . |

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(3) Guṇḍama I, ruled for 3 years
(4) Kāmārṇava I, ruled for 35 years,
(5) Vinayāditya, ruled for 3 years.

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(6) Vajrahasta II *alias* Aniyaṅkabhīma, ruled for 35 years.

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| . . . . . | . . . . . |

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(1) Kāmārṇava II, ruled for ½ year = Vinaya-mahādevī of the Vaidumba family.
(8) Guṇḍama, ruled for 3 years. (By another wife) (9) Madhu Kāmārṇava III, ruled for 19 years.

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(8) Vajrahasta III (crowned in May 1038 A.D.).

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The above list is also found in two Vizagapatam grants of Coḍagaṅga, dated in Ś. 1003 and 1057.² A comparison of the two lists would show that while in the first the *praśastikāra* tries to trace the genealogy of the dynasty from the beginning of things, the second traces it from Guṇamahārṇava, who may have been the real founder of this branch of the Gaṅgas. Possibly the latter is to be identified with Guṇārṇava II, the 7th prince of the first list. There is some amount of agreement in the names of the kings in the two lists who follow this prince. But there are the following discrepancies :—³ (*i*) List II shows that Guṇamahārṇava-Guṇārṇava of list I had a son named Vajrahasta who reigned for 44 years; but list I omits his name, evidently through an oversight of the officer who drafted the inscription. For the fifth king in the 1st list is called Vajrahasta II and the 13th king Vajrahasta IV. (*ii*) List I gives the names of two kings, Jitāṅkuśa and Kaliṅgalāṅkuśa (his brother's son), who are said to have preceded Guṇḍama I and to have reigned for 15 and 12 years respectively, but these names are omitted in list II. (*iii*) The reigns of Guṇḍama I and that of (his brother) Kāmārṇava IV are stated in list I to be 7 and 25 years, while list II has the figures 3 and 35 instead. (*iv*) Finally list I makes Vajrahasta V the son of Madhu-Kāmārṇava VI, while the 2nd list states that Vajrahasta was born from Kāmārṇava, the eldest son of Vajrahasta.

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² *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 161 ff. and 172 ff.

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³ *EI*, Vol. IV, p. 187.

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In spite of these discrepancies there is on the whole substantial agreement in the total reign-period assigned by the two lists to the predecessors of Vajrahasta from Guṇamahārṇava-Guṇārṇava onwards. According to the first list, the total is 146½ years (27+15+7+25+3+12+35+½+3+19), while according to the second it is 142½ years (x+44+3+35+3+½+3+19). Calculating backwards from Ś. 960 (A.D. 1040), the date of Vajrahasta's coronation, we arrive at the last decade of the 9th century as the date for Guṇamahārṇava-Guṇārṇava. There is no inherent improbability in this date. It is possible that after the first Gaṅga dynasty lost power through the encroachment of the Karas of Tosalī the kingdom became dismembered into a number of smaller Gaṅga principalities. Towards the end of the 9th century Guṇamahārṇava-Guṇārṇava, the chief of one of these principalities, began to grow powerful. His son Vajrahasta III, who is credited with the conquest of 5 kingdoms, may have by his ambitious policy consolidated his position by incorporating some neighbouring principalities. When the Coḷas came to Kaliṅga, they probably found the successors of Vajrahasta III willing agents of their ambitious policy on this frontier.¹ I have already suggested that Vajrahasta V may have thrown off the Coḷa yoke by taking advantage of the disasters that fell on the rulers of the South after Rājendra Coḷa's death (*c.* 1042-43).² Though it is stated that Vajrahasta V was crowned in Ś. 960 (A. D. 1038)³ it is significant that his earliest inscription so far discovered bears the date Ś. 967 (1045 A.D.).⁴

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¹ Dr. Barnett suggests that this name is perhaps a mixture of Dravidian and Sanskrit: *Kaligala* + *aṅkuśa*, 'a goad to heroes'?

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¹ On the strategic importance of this frontier, see *JL*, 1927, Vol. XIV, pp. 15 ff.

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² *Cf.* death of Rājādhirāja (*c.* 1048-53 A. D.) in the battle of Koppam; see *Ancient India*, p. 118.

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³ *EI*, Vol. IV, pp. 190-91 and 193, V. 8.

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⁴ *Ibid*, Vol. XI, pp. 147 ff.

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The following inscriptions are known for the reign of Vajrahasta V:

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(1) *Narasapatam grant.*—This was 'received from Narasapatam taluka of the Vizagapatam district.' The inscription consists of 74 lines, incised on 5 plates held together by a circular ring. The oval seal attached to the ring is surmounted by a high recumbent bull with various emblems round it which represent 'a conch, an elephant goad, a *triśūla*, a battle axe, a crescent, a mace, a rope and a drum.' The alphabet is Nāgarī, the language Sanskrit. Like other grants of the kings of this dynasty, the inscription 'opens with a panegyrical passage describing the virtues and valour of the Gaṅga kings, their royal insignia,' *viz.*, the unique *Śaṅkha*, the *bherī*, the *pañcamahāśab las*, the white parasol, the golden *caurī*, and the excellent bull-crest, acquired by the favour of Gokarṇasvāmin of mount Mahendra. Then comes the genealogy of the donor, as given in list II above. We are then told that from Dantipura *Parama-māheśvara-Pb.-M.-Trikaliṅgādhipiti* Vajrahasta-deva granted the whole of Gorasatta-*Viṣaya* with its 35 villages outside Tampavā-grāma to Irugana Mānāditya Cotta¹ and Vīra Bhūriśrava. Amongst the boundaries of the *Viṣaya* is mentioned ‘to the west Kāñcaśilā on the Vaṁśadharā.’² The charter was written by the *Śāsanika-Kāyastha Sandhīvigrahin* Dhavala of Taṁpavā (village). The date, *Śakābda* 967 (A. D. 1045), is given in line 73. It ends with *Kāraki-Meṇṭojunāpi likhitam*.³

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¹ The editor suggests that the name of this donee may be Śrīmān Āditya Cotta, though ‘this reading would imply a serious grammatical slip in line 60.’ The donee is said to be the son of Śrī-Mānāditya (Śrīmān Āditya ?) Cotta, son of Cotta Vādayarāja and Rūpadevi, ‘the sun of the Vaidumba family.’ This donee was therefore a relative of the donor. See above, list II; the wife of Kāmārṇava, No 7, and the mother of the donor, Vinayamahādevi also belonged to the Vaidumba family. On the word *Vaidumb'āditya* see *EI*, Vol. XI, p. 158, fn. 1.

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² Apparently the river of the same name which flows between the Ganjam and Vijagapatam districts, *EI*, Vol. XI, p. 149.

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³ Edited by Sten Konow, *EI*, Vol. XI, pp. 147-58. First mentioned in Krishna Sastri's *Annual Report on Epigraphy*, 1908-09, p. 111.

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(2) *Nadagam grant.*—Discovered in a field at Nadagam, a village in the Narasannapeta taluk of the Ganjam district. It contains 57 lines, incised on 5 plates. The ring which holds the plates has the same circular seal as in No. 1. The inscription opens as in No. 1 and gives the same genealogy. It records the grant of the Erada-*Viṣaya* containing the 12 villages of Velpūra, Trumumkā, Vappuḍām,⁴ Vallurama, Arnago ...... (tpemmimbā, Konūrana, Poduru, Vāḍām,⁵ Muringām, Kanamarampa, Devaremacikīḍamba, and Gudrapī, having been (clubbed together and) named Vepūrā-*Viṣaya* to one Pāṅgu-Sāmaya,⁶ by *Parama-māheśvara-Pb.-M.-Trikaliṅgādhipati* Vajrahastadeva. It was issued from Kaliṅganagara,⁷ in the *Śaka* year of Aja (9), the mountains (7) and the treasures (9), *i.e.*, *Ś.* 979 (A. D. 1058). Verse 9 tells us that the donor was anointed when the aggregate of the *Śaka* years was reaching the number of the sky (0), seasons (6) and treasures (9), *i. e.*, Ś. 960 (A. D. 1038). In the last line is further recorded the grant of the village of Nugila in the *Viṣaya* of Kōlu-vartanī.¹ The last line (line 57) is in portions indistinct apparently being written on three lines of partially effaced writing.²

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⁴ The editor suggests its identification with Boppadam, a village at a distance of about 15 miles from Badam.

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⁵ The editor suggests its identification with the village of Badam in the Narasannapeta taluka.

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⁶ The editor suggests Somāya (?). But Dr. Barnett thinks the form given in the grant ‘quite good.’ *Somāya* to him ‘seems almost impossible.’

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⁷ The editor identified this city with Mukhalingam.

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¹ Krishna Sastri wanted to identify this place with Varāha-vartanī, occurring in other grants (*EI*, Vol. IV, p. 185, fn. 5, etc.) on the ground that *Kōla* is a synonym for *Varāha*. See *EI*, Vol. III, p. 127, fn. 5, for references to two other Gāṅga grants, which mention Varāha-vartanī.

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² Edited by Ramamurti, *EI*, Vol. IV, pp. 183-93. The grant is now in the Madras Museum. More than two lines of the original writing on the 'second side of the 4th plate can still be read; *ibid*, p. 184 (lines 57-59).

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(3) *Madras Museum grant.*—Its find-spot is not known. It contains 54 lines, incised on 5 plates. The seal and the introductory portion are nearly the same as in No. 1.³ It records the grant of the village of Tāmaraceru⁴ in Varāha-vartanī, together with Cikhalī-*vāṭaka*, as an Agrahāra to 500 Brahmans by Anantavarmā Vajrahasta-deva,⁵ and also the grant by the same of land with the produce of 200 *Murakas* of grain to the god Koṭīśvara for *bali*, *caru*, *naivedya*, *dīpa-pūjā*, etc. It was issued from Kaliṅganagara in the *Śaka* year of the dice (4), vasus (8) and treasures (9), *i. e.*, Ś. 984 (A. D. 1061).⁶

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³ The emblems of the seal are somewhat differently described by Venkayya, *EI*, Vol. IX, p. 94.

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⁴ This village and *Viṣaya* are mentioned in an early Gaṅga grant, see *IA*, Vol. XIII, p. 275, lines 11-12.

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⁵ Titles as in Nos. 1 and 2.

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⁶ Edited by Sten Konow, *EI*, Vol. IX, pp. 94-98.

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(4) *Parlakimedi grant.*—Found in the Parlakimedi Zamindary of Ganjam district. It consists of 29 lines, incised on three plates. According to the editor the script belongs to about the 11th century A. D. The seal bears in relief a bull couchant, a crescent, and the legend *Śrī Dāraparaṇo*. It opens with praise of *Parama-māheśvaro Mātā-pitr-pādānudhyāto Gaṅgāmala-kula-tilaka M.-P.* Vajrahasta-deva, resident of Kaliṅganagara and a devout worshipper of Gokarṇasvāmin installed on the summit of mount Mahendra. Then we are told that in his reign *Parama-māheśvara Gaṅgāmalakula-tilakaḥ Pañca-viṣayādhipati* lja, son of Cola-Kāmadirāja and a resident of Lankākoṇa, gave a village named Hossaṇḍi to the Rājaputra Kāmadi, of the Naggari-Saluki family. It is undated. It was written by *Mahāsandhivigrahin* Droṇācārya, and incised by *Sūtradhāra* Naṁkañcyemācari.¹

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¹ Edited by Kielborn, *EI*, Vol. III, pp. 220-24. The editor identified the Vajrahasta of this grant with the grandfather of Coḍagaṅga But I have a suspicion that this Vajrahasta belongs to the early Gaṅga dynasty. This grant begins like the grants of Indravarman and other early Gaṅga princes and is, like those grants, incised only on 3 plates. Note the connection of Saluki with Sūlika, Sālki, and Cāḷukya.

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According to these records, Vajrahasta V appears to have reigned over Kaliṅga from at least 1038 to 1061 A.D. In the Vizagapatam grants of his grandson Coḍagaṅga, he is assigned a reign of 30 to 33 years.² It is difficult to know the real extent of his power but as he assumed imperial titles and in the opening panegyrics of his grants even lays claim to universal sovereignty (*Sāmrājya*) for his family, we may conclude that he at least succeeded in consolidating his rule over portions of Ganjam and Vizagapatam districts. He was succeeded sometime before 1075-76 A.D. by Rājarāja, his son, through the queen Naṅgamā. The Dirghasi stone-inscription is the only record of this reign. It was found among the ruins of a temple near a hill called *Durgā-meṭṭa* in the village of Dirghasi 4 miles north of Kaliṅgapatam in Ganjam district. It contains 23 lines, the first 16 being in Sanskrit verse and the rest in Telugu verse. The alphabet is Telugu. It records that the *Maṇḍalika Mahāpratihāri-mukhya Calamarti-gaṇḍa Bhaṇḍana-vijaya Gaṇḍa-gopāla* Vanapati, son of Gokarṇa, of Ātreya-*gotra* and Brahman caste built a *maṇḍapa* (or *nāṭyaśālā*; see lines 15 and 20) in front of the temple of Durgā, in the town of Dīrgharsī in the reign of Gaṅga king Rājarāja, in the *Saka* year 997 (c. A.D. 1075-76). It also records the grant of a lamp by Padmāvatī.¹

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² An inscription at the Bhīmeśvara temple at Mukhaliṅgam is dated in the 32nd year of Anantavarmā Vajrahasta, see *MER*, p. 18, No. 258.

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¹ Edited by Ramamurti, *EI*, Vol. IV, pp. 314-18.

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This inscription supplies a list of the victories of Vanapati who appears to have been the Commander-in-chief of Rājarāja. We are told that he became in battle "a conflagration to the great forest (which was) the army of the Coḍa king." He also completely burnt "the trees which were the commanders of the troops of elephant and horses of the Utkala," and took away the whole property of the Veṅgi king by frequently defeating him in battle. Daddārṇava was sent by him "to Yama as an envoy to report his conquest of the whole world."² In the Telugu portion of the record we are told that he "defeated in battle the kings of the Veṅgi country, Kimiḍi Kosala, the Gidrisiṅgi country, and Oḍḍa country."³ The victory of Rājarāja over the Coḷas and the Eastern Cāḷukyas (Veṅgi) is also referred to by a Vizagapatam grant (S.1040) of Coḍagaṅga. We are told by this grant that Rājarāja "first became the husband of the goddess of victory in battle with the Dramilas, and then wedded Rājasundarī, the daughter of the Coḍa king, and when Vijayāditya,⁴ beginning to grow old, left Veṅgi, as if he were a sun leaving the sky and was about to sink in the great ocean of the Coḍas, he, Rājarāja, the refuge of the distressed, caused him to enjoy prosperity for a long time in the western regions."⁵ The Coḷa king referred to above is probably to be identified with Vīra-Rājendra⁶ (*c.* 1062-72 A.D.), who is reported to have invaded Kaliṅga, no doubt in an attempt to recover the lost hegemony of his family over that region. Three other grants of Coḍagaṅga distinctly state that Rājasundarī was the daughter of Rājendra Coḷa.¹ The Utkala (or Oḍḍa) ruler was probably one of the later Karas of Tosalī, while the ruler of Kosala was possibly a scion of the Somavaṁśīs of that country. Kimiḍī appears to be identical with the Zamindari of that name in the Ganjam district. I am unable to identify either Daddārṇava or the Giḍrisingi.

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² *Ibid*, p. 317, Vs. 4-6.

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³ *Ibid*, p. 318.

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⁴ This Vijayāditya was the uncle of the Eastern Cāḷukya Rājendra. The latter was the daughter's son of Rājendra Gaṅga-koṇḍa (*c.* 1013-44 A.D.) and son-in-law of the latter's son Rājendra (*c.* 1052-62 A.D.). He later succeeded in unifying Veṅgi and the Coḷa kingdoms under his authority and assumed the name of Kulottuṅga (*c.* 1072-1118 A.D.).

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⁵ *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 169 and 171, lines 83-89.

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⁶ S. K. Aiyangar, *Ancient India*, 1911, p. 145.

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¹ Vizagapatam grants dated in Ś. 1003 and 1057, *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 163 and 174. See also the newly discovered Korni grant, dated in Ś. 1003. *Quarterly Journal of the Andhra Historical Society*, July 1926, pp. 40 ff.

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³ For a complete list of Coḍagaṅga's *birudas* and titles see *JASB*, 1903, pp. 108-10. Among the more important may be mentioned *Gaṅgeśvara*, *Cālukya-Gaṅga* and probably *Vikrama-Gaṅga*.

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In the grants of his son Rājarāja is assigned a reign of only 8 years (*c.* 1069-77 A.D.). He was succeeded some time before 1078 A.D. by his son Anantavarmā Coḍagaṅga.

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The following inscriptions are known for the reign of Anantavarman :—

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(1) *Vizagapatam grant (i).*—This was ‘obtained from the Collector of Vizagapatam’; its exact find-spot is not known. It contains 43 lines incised on 5 plates. The seal attached to the ring bears the usual figure of the bull couchant and other emblems;² The introductory portion is nearly the same as in Vajrahasta's Nos. 1 and 2. The additional genealogical information is as follows :—

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² These are somewhat different from those on Vajrahasta's seals; see for details *IA*, Vol. XVIII, 161.

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{cc} Vajrahasta-deva V & Rajendra Coḷa. / \mid & \mid / Rājarāja = Agramahiṣī & Rājasundarī / \mid & / Parama-māheśvara-Pb.-M.-Trikaliṅgādhipati & Ananta-varma-Coḍagaṅga- / deva.³ &

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The inscription records that this last prince from Kaliṅganagara, in the *Saka* year (that is numbered by) the eyes of Hara (3), sky (0), sky (0), and moon (1), *i.e.*, 1003 (A.D. 1081), granted the village of Cākivāḍa in the Saṁvā-Viṣaya to the Rājarājeśvara (Śiva) whose temple was at the village of Reṅgujeḍ. Lines 30-33 give the date of the donor’s accession to the throne as the Śaka year that is numbered by the Nandas (9), apertures of the body (9), and planets (9), *i.e.*, 999, ‘while the sun was standing in the sign of Kumbha (A.D.1078).¹ The inscription does not give us the names of its writer or engraver.²

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¹ On the date see Fleet, *ibid*, pp. 161-62; also M. Chakravarti, *JASB*, 1003, pp. 107-8.

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² Edited by Fleet, *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 461-65. The language of the grant is Sanskrit; the script is a southern variety of Nāgarī.

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(2) *Korni grant (i).*—This was discovered in a pot while digging for the foundation of a house in the village of Korni, near Kaliṅgapatam, in the Ganjam district. It contains 55 lines, incised on 5 plates. In its introductory portion, script, language, seal, and royal titles, it closely resembles No. 1. It records the grant of the village of Khonna in Varāha-vartanī to 300 Brahmans by Anantavarmā Coḍagaṅga-deva from Kaliṅganagara in the Śaka year 1003 (A.D. 1082). It was written by Dāmodara the son of the *Mahākāyastha Sandhivigrahin* Māvuraya and engraved by *Mahākṣasāli* Vallemoja.³

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³ Edited by G. V. Sitapati, *Quarterly Journal of Andhra Historical Society*, July 1926, pp. 40 ff. The editor has identified the village Khonna with mod. Korni. For this and other suggestions about the localities mentioned in the grant, see *ibid*, p. 43.

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(3-4) *Mukhalingam stone-inscriptions (i-ii).*—Written in the Telugu language and alphabet ‘on a slab to the left of the second entrance, west face’ in the temple of Mukhaliṅgeśvara at Mukhaliṅgam.⁴ Each of them records the gift of a lamp in the 8th year of Anantavarman in Ś.1004.⁵

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⁴ In later references I shall use the abbreviation MM to designate this temple.

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⁵ Noticed in *MER*, p. 18, Nos. 244 and 246. The editor reads the date of (2) as Ś. 1005; but see *JASB*, 1903, pp. 99 ff.

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(5-6) *Roṇanki stone-inscriptions.*—Written in the Telugu language and script ‘on a stone lying on the bank of the Vaṁśadharā at Roṇaṅki.’ They record the gift of some land in the 19th year of Coḍagaṅga in Ś.1015 to the temple of Siddheśvara by queen Lakṣmīdevī.⁶ (7) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (iii).*—Written in the Telugu language and alphabet 'on the second pillar in the right row of the *Āsthānamandapa*' in the *MM*. It records the gift of a lamp in the 23rd year of Anantavarman in **S.** 1020.¹

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⁶ Noticed in *MER*, p. 24, Nos. 392 and 393.

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¹ *Ibid., p. 45, No. 167.*

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(8) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (iv).*—Written in the Telugu language and alphabet 'on a pillar to the left of the entrance to the central shrine' of the *MM*. It mentions Vīra-Coda-deva, and is dated in the 28th year of Anantavarman, in **S.** 1024.²

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² *Ibid., p. 44, No. 149.*

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(9) *Korni grant (ii).*—Found with No. 2. It closely resembles No. 10. It records a grant similar to No. 2 of a piece of 'land in the vicinity of Khonna, Tuluvu, and Gara,³ by the same king in **S.** 1034.'⁴

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³ These three places are mentioned in No. 2.

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⁴ Noticed by the editor of No 2 in the same Journal, pp. 40 ff Not yet edited

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(10) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (v).*—It is incised on the 3rd pillar on the left row of the *Āsthānamandapa* in the *MM*. It records the gift of a lamp by a dancing girl in **S.** 1039 in the reign of *Codaganga*.⁵

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⁵ *Ibid., p. 45, No. 211.*

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(11) *Vizagapatam grant (ii).*—Found as No. 1. It contains 117 lines engraved on 5 plates. The seal⁶ and language as in No. 1; but the characters 'are ordinary old Kanarese of the regular type of the period.' In the introductory portion, the genealogy of the donor is drawn from Ananta (Viṣṇu).⁷ It records the grant of the village of Tāmarakhaṇḍi in the Samvā-viṣaya⁸ to a person named Mādhava by Anantavarmā-*mahārāja Rājādhirāja-Rāja-Parameśvaraḥ* Pb.-*Parama-vaiṣṇavaḥ Parama-brahmaṇyaḥ Mātā-pitṛ-pādānudhyātaḥ* Codagaṅga-deva, 'decorated with the rank of entire sovereignty over the whole of Utkala and residing at the town of Sindurapora,' in the *Śaka* year numbered by the sky (0), oceans (4), sky (0), and moon (1), *i.e.*, 1040 (A.D. 1118-19).¹

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⁶ For slight differences see *I A*, Vol. XVIII, p 165.

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⁷ For this genealogy up to Vajrahasta, see above List No I, on pp. 451-52. From Vajrahasta as in No. 1, only it does not mention the name of the maternal grandfather of the donor.

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⁸ The same as in No. 1.

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¹ Edited by Fleet, *IA*, Vol. XVIII, pp. 165-72.

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(12) *Rayipāḍu stone-inscription.*—Incised 'on a stone in the bed of a tank at Rayipāḍu. It records the gift of a lamp in the 44th year of Anantavarma-deva in S. year 1040 (A.D. 1118). The language and alphabet are Sanskrit and Telugu.²

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² Noticed in *MER*, p. 24, No. 390. Hultzsch read the date as *Śaka* 10(7)0, 4th year; for corrections see *JASB*, 1903, pp. 99 ff.

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(13) *Mukhaliṅgam stone-inscription (vi).*—Incised on the 'left of the entrance into the *Āsthānamaṇḍapa*' in the *MM*. It records the gift of a lamp in the 45th year of Coḍagaṅga in S. 1043. Language and alphabet; Telugu.³

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³ *MER*, p. 19, No. 234.

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(14) *Mukhaliṅgam stone-inscription (vii).*—Incised on the second pillar in the left row of the *Āsthānamaṇḍapa* of the *MM*. It records the gift of a lamp by a military officer in the 48th year of Coḍagaṅga in S. year 1045. Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁴

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⁴ *Ibid*, p. 17, No. 221.

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(15) *Mukhaliṅgam stone-inscription (viii).*—Found as No. 7. It records the gift of a lamp in the 49th year of Anantavarman in S. 1015. Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁵

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⁵ *Ibid*, p. 15, No. 177.

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(16) *Mukhaliṅgam stone-inscription (ix).*—Incised on the second pillar in the left row of the *Āsthānamaṇḍapa* in the *MM*. It records the gift of a lamp in the 49th year of Coḍagaṅga in S. 1045. Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁶

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⁶ *Ibid*, p. 17, No. 224.

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(17) *Mukhaliṅgam stone-inscription (x).*—Found as No. 16. It records the gift of a lamp in the 49th year of Anantavarman in S. 1046. Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁷ (18) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xi).*—Incised on the first pillar in the right row of the *Āsthānamaṇḍapa* of *MM.* It records the gift of a lamp in the 50th year of Coḍagaṅga in Ś. 1047. Language and alphabet, Telugu.¹

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⁷ *Ibid*, p. 17, No. 222.

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¹ *Ibid*, p. 14, No. 152.

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(19) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xii).*—Found as No. 7. It records the gift of a lamp in the 53rd year of Anantavarman in S. 1048. Language and alphabet, Telugu.²

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² *Ibid*, p. 15, No. 166.

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(20-21) *Mukhalingam stone-inscriptions (xiii-xiv).*—Incised on the pillar to the right of the entrance to the central shrine of the *MM.* They record grants of lamps in the 53rd year of Anantavarman and Coḍagaṅga in Ś. 1049. Language and alphabet, Telugu.³

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³ *Ibid*, p. 14, Nos. 143-44.

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(22) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xv).*—Found as No. 7. It records the gift of a lamp in the 54th year of Coḍagaṅga in Ś. 1050. Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁴

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⁴ *Ibid*, p. 14, No. 151. The date corresponds to A.D. 1129; see *JASB*, 1903, pp. 99 ff.

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(23) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xvi).*—Found as No. 18. It records the grant of a lamp in the 55th year of Anantavarman in Ś. 1051. Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁵

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⁵ *Ibid*, No. 156.

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(24) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xvii).*—Found as No. 16. It records the gift of a lamp in the 57th year of Coḍagaṅga in Ś. 1053. It mentions Varāha-vartanī. Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁶

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⁶ *Ibid*, p. 17, No. 220.

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(25) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xviii).*—Found as No. 18. It records the gift of a lamp by Anantavarman Coḍagaṅga in his 58th year, in Ś. 1054 (A.D. 1133). Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁷

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⁷ *Ibid*, p. 14, No. 149.

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(26). *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xix).*—Found as No. 18. It records the gift of a lamp by the wife of Coḍagaṅga's younger brother. It is dated in the 59th year on Anantavarman in Ś. 1055. Language and alphabet, Telugu.¹

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¹ *Ibid*, No. 153.

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(27) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xx).*—Incised on the 3rd pillar in the right row of the *Āsthānamandapa* in *MM*. It is dated as in No. 26. Language and alphabet, Telugu.²

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² *Ibid*, p. 15, No. 185.

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(28) *Mahendragiri stone-inscription.*—Incised on a slab to the left of the entrance to the Kunti shrine in the Gokarṇeśvara temple on Mahendragiri. It records the gift of a lamp to the temple by an inhabitant of Araṣavilli in the 60th year of Anantavarma-Coḍagaṅga in S. 1055.³

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³ *Ibid*, p. 24, No. 395.

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(29) *Śrīkūrman stone-inscription.*—This is dated in the reign of Anantavarman in Ś. 1055. It is incised on a stone in the Vaiṣṇava temple at Srīkūrman near Chicacole, Ganjam district.⁴

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⁴ Noticed by M. Chakravarti, *JASB*, 1903, pp. 99 ff.

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(30) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xxi).*—Found as No. 18. It is dated in the 5(?)th year of Anantavarman, in Ś. 1056. The end of the inscription is built into the temple. Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁵

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⁵ *MER*, p. 14, No. 154.

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(31) *Mukhalingam stone-inscription (xxii).*--Found as No. 27. It records the gift of a lamp in the 59th year of Anantavarman in Ś. 1056. Language and alphabet, Telugu.⁶

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⁶ *Ibid*, p. 15, No. 167.

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(32) *Vizagapatam grant (iii).*—Found as No. 1. The introductory portion is exactly like No. 1. The seal, language, script, are also similar. It records the grant of the village of Samudā with the Tittilingi (Trilliṅgi ?)-*vātaka* in the Sammaga-*Viṣaya* to a person named Coḍagaṅga by Anantavarman⁷ in the *Śaka* year numbered by the sages (7), arrows (5), sky (0), and moon (1), *i.e.*, 1057 (A.D. 1135-36). In lines 20-23 it gives the same date as in No. 1, for the donor's coronation.¹

Linked texts (14)

Vallālacarita — Ānandabhaṭṭa 1510, Sanskrit
Sūryasiddhānta — Maya, Sanskrit
Pavanadūta — Dhoyī, Sanskrit
Epigraphia Indica
Indian Antiquary
Viṣṇupurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit
Kṣetramāhātmya
Ekāvalī — Vidyādhara, Sanskrit
Ṭabaqāt-i Nāṣirī — Minhāj al-Dīn Jūzjānī
Bhāsvatī — Śatānanda, Sanskrit
Puri plates (set B) of Ganga Narasimha IV — Sanskrit
Siddhantam plates of Devendravarman — Sanskrit
Dhanantara plates of Samantavarman — Sanskrit
Achyutapuram Plates of Indravarman — Sanskrit