The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c18.201

Language: English

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The above 42 inscriptions of Govindacandra range over a period of 40 years (A.D. 1114-1154). If we add to this the period of his father's reign during which he seems to have taken an active part in the government of the state, his association with the administration may well have spread over half a century. We have already seen how he waged successful wars against the Gauḍa prince and Hammīra during his father's reign. These conflicts with the Muslims probably continued even during his reign, for the Sarnath inscription of Kumāra-devī tells us that "Hari, who had been commissioned by Hara to protect Vārāṇasī from the wicked *Turuṣka* warrior, as the only one who was able to protect the earth, was again born from him, his name being renowned as Govindapāla.'¹ This statement may contain an otherwise un-recorded notice of a possible invasion of Benares by the later Yamīnīs.² In the east Govindacandra's marriage with Kumāra-devī, the grand-daughter of Mahana, a maternal uncle of Rāmapāla (*c.* 1084-1126 A.D.), may indicate a temporary truce between the Gāhaḍavālas and the Pālas. But the Maner (No. 18) and Lar. (No. 36) plates show that during the period 1124-1146 A.D., the arms of Govindacandra had crossed the Son and gradually advanced along the southern bank of the Ganges to Patna and Monghyr in the East. The date of the Maner grant (A.D. 1124) indicated that he captured part of Patna before Rāmapāla's death.

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It is likely that the Gāhaḍavālas' advance began during the weak administration of Rāmapāla's son who according to the *Rāma-carita* was entrusted with the administration of the state during the later years of that king.³ This advance must have continued during the inglorious period of Pāla rule (*c.* 1126-50 A.D.) which followed Rāmapāla's death. The hostility of the Pālas towards the Gāhaḍavālas appears to have been inherited by the Senas, and possibly the naval expedition of Vijayasena (*c.* 1097-1159 A.D.) to the western regions, 'which sailed up the whole course of the Ganges,' may not have been entirely unconnected with the Gāhaḍavālas.¹ In the south, the Bengal Asiatic Society's grant dated in A.D. 1120, which records the transference of land formerly granted by Yaśaḥ-Karṇa (*c.* 1073-1125 A.D.) seems to show that the success of the Gāhaḍavālas against the Kalacuris of Tripurī was maintained during Govindacandra's reign. This conclusion may derive some support from the fact that it was Govindacandra who first assumed in his family the title of *Aśvapati* and others which figured regularly amongst the epithets of the Kalacuris of Tripurī from the time of Lakṣmī-Karṇa. An indirect proof of the hostilities between the Gāhaḍavālas and Kalacuris is probably supplied by the evidence of the friendship of the former with the enemies of the latter, the Candellas.

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The Mau inscription seems to show that Govindacandra maintained friendly relations with the Candella Madanavarman (*c.* 1129-63 A.D.).² But the most important fact about the relations of the Gāhaḍavālas with the princes of the South is their regular diplomatic connection with the great Coḷa rulers. Venkayya has drawn our attention to an unfinished inscription at Gaṅgaikoṇḍa-Coḷapuram which gives the genealogy of the Gāhaḍavālas from Yaśovigraha to Candra.³ It is almost a verbatim copy of the introduction of Govindacandra's Kamauli grant, dated in V.S. 1182.⁴ But unfortunately the record abruptly stops after the name of Candra. As the inscription occurs immediately after a record of Kulottuṅga I dated in his 41st year (*c.* 1110-11 A.D.), it is generally supposed to belong to the time of Madanapāla or his son Govindacandra. It is likely that after the advance of the Coḷas to the Ganges under Rājendra Coḷa in the first quarter of the 11th century, the communication between the far south and the Ganges valley, became much more brisk and intimate. There is unquestionable epigraphic evidence to show that the Coḷas retained their hold on a large portion of the land which lies between the river Godavari and Mahendragiri.¹ The attacks by Kulottuṅga I,² and some of his predecessors on Vairagarh in C. P. may have brought the Coḷas into conflict with the Kalacuris.

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The friendship between the Gāhaḍavālas and the Coḷas may thus have been caused by their common enmity to the Kalacuris.³ The Gāhaḍavāla inscription in the Coḷa country is possibly to be taken as evidence of a friendly visit by a prince of the royal family to the Coḷa capital, who made some grants to local temples. Govindacandra's Set Mahet grant (No. 22) dated in A.D. 1130, which records a grant by the king at the request of two Buddhist monks, who were residents of the Utkala and Coḍa countries further shows the intimate bond that existed between the two kingdoms.