The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c30.s4.74

v2.c30.s4.74

According to both literary and epigraphic tradition Vākpati II was a great warrior. The Udaipur *praśasti* tells us that 'his lotus feet were coloured by the jewels on the heads of the Karṇāṭas, Lāṭas, Keralas and Colas.'⁶ He also 'conquered Yuvarāja, and, slaying his generals, as victor, raised on high his sword in Tripurī.'⁷ Scholars are agreed that this Yuvarāja is to be identified with the second prince of that name in the family of the Kalacuris of Dāhala.¹ The attack on Lāṭa, which was now in the possession of the successors of Bārappa, was probably undertaken to recover his ancestral possessions on the western side. Bühler has expressed his doubts about the truth of the report of Vākpati's fight with the Keralas and Colas. "It is difficult to understand," says he, "how he could have come into contact with the latter two, whose countries lay at such a great distance from Mālva."² He may however have fought with these chiefs when he was engaged in his struggle with Tailapa, the Karṇāṭa king. Merutuṅga tells us that Muñja had conquered Tailapa six times.³ In the north and in the west Muñja's armies fought with the Caulukyas of Anahilwad, the Cāhamānas of Nadol, the Guhilas of Mewar and the Rāṣṭrakūṭas of Hathundi. The Sundha hill-inscription of the Marwar Cāhamāna Cāciga⁴ tells us that one of his predecessors, Balirāja, 'defeated an army of Muñjarāja.' In his Bijapur stone-inscription dated in V. S. 1053 (A. D. 997),⁵ the Rāṣṭrakūṭa Dhavala claims that he gave 'shelter to the armies of (a king whose name is lost) and of the lord of the Gūrjaras, when Muñjarāja had destroyed Āghāṭa,⁶ the pride of Medapāṭa (Mewāṛ) and caused them to flee.' The Gūrjara king was probably the Caulukya Mūlarāja (*c.* 961-96 A.D.)⁷ while the other defeated prince whose name is lost may well have been one of the earlier Guhila princes of Mewar, possibly Śaktikumāra (977 A.D.), the son of Śālivāhana.⁸