The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c30.s4.44

v2.c30.s4.44

These three grants, which are the earliest inscriptions so far discovered for the Paramāras, show that Harṣa-Sīyaka II ruled at least for 21 years. There is reason to believe, as we shall see, that Sīyaka ruled at least up to V.S. 1029. The title *Mahāmaṇḍalika* certainly shows that Sīyaka acknowledged the sovereignty of the Rāṣṭrakūṭa Kṛṣṇa III, though the simultaneous assumption of the title *Mahārājādhirāja*, may perhaps indicate his semi-independent position.¹ The fact that all his three grants come from Gujarat and that the lands granted are presumably to be located in the same tract, confirms our suggestion that sometime before 945-46 A.D. the Paramāras were hurled back by a temporary revival of the Gurjara-Pratīhāra power into Lāṭa. According to the *Navasāhasāṅka-carita* Sīyaka conquered the Raḍupāṭī-pati and a Hūṇa chief.² The Harsola grants inform us that Sīyaka was encamped on the Mahi after a successful expedition against one Yogarāja. It is uncertain whether this Yogarāja can be identified with either of the chiefs who were reported by Padmagupta to have been defeated by Sīyaka. Messrs. Dikshit and Diskalkar have suggested that possibly this Yogarāja may be one of the rulers of the Cāpotkaṭas or Cāvdās of 'Aṇahilavāḍa-Pātan.'³ Though there is not much to support this guess, yet the possibility of a conflict of Sīyaka with the Cāpas is shown by the Haddala grant (A.D. 914) of the Gurjara-Pratīhāra Mahīpāla, which reveal the existence of a Cāpa principality, immediately to the west of the Mahi, in Eastern Kathiawar. In addition to these conflicts the Udaipur-*praśasti* supplies us with information about another military achievement of Sīyaka. This record tells us that Harṣa, "equalling the snake-eater (*Garuḍa*)⁴ in fierceness, took in battle the wealth of king Khoṭṭiga."⁵ Bühler has rightly identified this Khoṭṭiga with the Malkhed Rāṣṭrakūṭa of the same name (*c.* 956-71 A.D.), the younger brother and successor of Kṛṣṇa III (*c.* 940-56 A.D.). The same scholar also pointed out that Dhanapāla, the author of the Prakrit dictionary *Pāiya-lacchī*, who composed his work for his sister Sundarā in V.S. 1029 (972-73 A.D.), when Mānyakheṭa was looted by the people of Mālava, must have been referring to this expedition of Sīyaka.¹ The Arthuna inscription of the Banswara Paramāra Cāmuṇḍarāja² reveals that one of his ancestors, Kaṁka-deva (Kakkadeva?), died a hero's death on the banks of the Narmadā after overthrowing the army of the king of Karṇāṭa. We are informed by the same record that he was fighting on the side of Harṣa of Mālava, no doubt the Harṣa-Sīyaka II of the main line. The place of the battle and the name of the Southern king are supplied by the Panhera inscription of Maṇḍalika³ which tells us that Cacca died fighting against Khoṭṭika-deva at a place called Khalighaṭṭa on the Revā on behalf of Sīyaka, the great-grandfather of Jayasiṁha (V.S. 1116). There is no doubt that both the inscriptions are referring to one and the same campaign, which was connected with the great offensive of Harṣa-Sīyaka II against the Rāṣṭrakūṭas of Malkhed. It is possible that Kaṁka (Kakka?) of the Arthuna inscription is the same as Cacca of the Panhera inscription?