The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c30.s4.222

Language: English

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As many as twenty verses are devoted in his brother's Nagpur *praśasti* to describing the various military campaigns of Lakṣmadeva.² We are told that, "desirous of capturing matchless elephants, he proceeded to Hari's quarter (*i.e.*, the East)," and then, "just as dread entered the town of the lord of Gauḍa" (V. 38). 'In the course of (another?) unchecked expedition......he had attacked Tripurī, and annihilated his warlike spirited adversaries'; he (then) "encamped on the banks of the Revā, where his tents were shaded by the creeping-plants of pleasure-gardens, gently set in motion by the breeze from the torrents of the Vindhya mountains. The bathing of his elephants, which allayed the fatigue of battle, produced in the stream of the Revā a succession of waves, bent upon undermining the steep river banks. Often and often the elephants of his army, thickly covered with. streams of rutting-juice, demolished even the hills at the foot of the Vindhya mountains." (Vs. 39-41)..." He traversed the hills at the foot of the Vindhya mountains, which were frequently trodden by the squadrons of his fleet horses, the quick sharp hoofs of which acted like chisels in cutting up the extensive, bamboo-clad, massive table-land." (V. 42)......

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"Even the troops of elhphants of Aṅga and Kaliṅga, kindred to the elephants of the quarters and bulky like mountains set in motion by the storm at the destruction of the universe, and rivalling rain clouds, dark like herds of hogs, kept for pastime, —even they had to sue for mercy." (V. 43)......His praise was proclaimed by clever men near the eastern ocean, while he, pleased, looked on bashfully" (V. 44)......"When like the pitcherborn Agastya, he directed his steps towards the south, the Colas and other tribes, bowing low before him, acted the part of the Vindhya mountain. The water of the Tāmraparṇī, which is famed all the earth over for pearls which the wives of the feudatories in his army, while they mirthfully bathed in the stream, dropped into it from the breaking girdles of their hips, behold, even to this day the water affords a livelihood to the Pāṇḍya chief." (Vs. 46-47)......"Informed by the people that the dam before him...was the bridge of holy Rāma...he scornfully crossed over to the opposite island simply on the elephants of his army." (V. 48)......"Afterwards when, impatient that there should be another king of kings (*rājarājam-anyam*), he was marching towards the quarter of the lord of the Yakṣas (*i.e.*, North), the princes opposed to him got rid of fear when, terror-stricken, they abandoned not merely their wealth of riches, but also the quarter of the Kuvera (*i.e.*, North).'' (V.

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52)......' Encamped on the banks of the Vaṅkṣu,' '¹ he was presented with ' teams of frisky horses' by the Turuṣka, 'whom he had eradicated with ease'; he also ' taught the Kīra chief to utter most flattering, speeches, who on account of the proximity of the Sarasvatī was eloquent beyond measure, and who was like a parrot shut up in a big cage.' (V. 54.) Of this laudatory account Bühler accepted as 'tangible and probably true facts' the expedition undertaken against Tripurī, the well-known capital of the Ḍāhala kingdom, and perhaps some fights with the Turuṣkas or Muslim invaders, when the king was encamped on the bank of the river Vaṅkṣu.² I have suggested elsewhere that the Ḍāhala king defeated by Lakṣmadeva was the Kalacuri Yaśaḥ-Karṇa (*c.* 1073-1125 A.D.).³ It is possible that Lakṣmadeva's victory over the Colas may contain a reference to his conflict with Rajendra Cola II Kulottuṅga (*c.* 1010-1118 A.D.).⁴ The Turuṣkas who came into conflict with the Paramāra were probably the successors of the Yamīnī Maḥmūd who, as we know, made frequent raids into the Ganges-Jumna valley from their strongholds in the Punjab. But besides these two conflicts, I think there may be some historical basis for the other victories which are claimed for the Paramāra king. Though it is clear that much of these statements is mere *praśasti*, yet the references to the king's campaigns in all the directions of the compass may indicate a desperate attempt to revive the lost glory of the Paramāras.

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But unfortunately for the 'fire-born race' their attempts were, as we shall presently see, doomed to failure.