The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c30.s5.79

v2.c30.s5.79

The inscriptions noticed above range from 1220 to 1276 V.S., a period of 56 years (*c.* 1163-1219 A.D.). The inscription No. 2 above gives us the name of *Kumhara* Pālhaṇadeva, who must be identified with prince Prahlādana, who according to the Abu inscription, dated in V.S. 1287, was a younger brother of Dhārāvarṣa.⁴ Another Abu inscription (6), dated in V.S. 1265 describes *Māṇḍalika* Dhārāvarṣa as a feudatory of Bhīma II.⁵ This inscription, we are told, was composed during Dhārāvarṣa’s administration when the illustrious Prahlādana-deva, ‘an expert in all fine arts and useful sciences, a most worshipful prince, was the heir-apparent’ (*Ṣaḍ-darśana-avalambana-stambha-sakala-kalā-kovida-Kumāra-guru-Śrī-Prahlādana-deva*). These inscriptions therefore show that Dhārāvarṣa was contemporary with no less than four Caulukya princes, from Kumārapāla (*c.* 1144-73 A.D.) to Bhīma II (*c.* 1178-1214 A.D.). The claim of Prahlādana to literary merit is confirmed by his *Vyāyoga*, a one-act drama, named *Pārthaparākrama*.¹ I have suggested elsewhere that Dhārāvarṣa is probably to be identified with ‘Dārābars’ who with Rāi Karan led the Caulukya forces against Quṭb ud-Dīn in A.D. 1197.² I have also discussed the question of the identity of the Gurjara prince who according to the Abu inscription of V.S. 1287 mentioned above, was defended by Prahlādana when the former's power was broken in battle by the (Guhila) Sāmantasiṁha. He was probably Caulukya King Ajayapāla (*c.* 1173-76 A.D.).³ The same inscription, when read with another Abu record of the same date, shows that in 1287 V.S. (*c.* 1230 A.D.) Somasimha, the son of Dhārāvarṣa, was still ruling at Candrāvatī as feudatory of Bhīma II.⁴ Another inscription of Somasimha, stated to have been found in a temple at Devakṣetra in Sirohi State, carries his reign down to V.S. 1293 (*c.* 1236 A.D.).⁵ The recently discovered *Pāṭanārāyaṇa stone-inscription* shows that the line of the Abu Paramāras continued for three more generations. This record was found at Pāṭanārāyaṇa temple near Girvar, 4 miles west of Madhusudan in Sirohi. It contains 39 lines and opens with Oṁ namaḥ Puruṣottamāya. It traces the genealogy from Dhārāvarṣa as follows:—