The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c31.397

v2.c31.397

Apart from these three wars, Kumārapāla seems to have engaged in at least two others. One of these was waged against Mallikārjuna, the ruler of Kauṅkaṇa (Konkan). The Arbuda Paramāra Yaśodhavala, who claims to have materially assisted Kumārapāla against Ballāla, seems to have also shared in his campaign against this prince. We are told by the Mount Abu *praśasti* of Tejaḥpāla (V. S. 1287) that when Yaśodhavala, “inflamed with anger, held his ground in the battle-field, the wives of the lord of Kauṅkaṇa shed drops of tears from their lotus-like eyes.”¹ The chronicles however do not mention Yaśodhavala's name in this connection. Merutuṅga gives the following story about this war. Once when the Caulukya king was giving a general audience to the people, he heard a bard bestowing on the king of the country of Kauṅkaṇa, the *biruda* of *Rāja-pitāmaha*. Deeply indignant, he looked around the assembly, and, finding Āmrabhaṭa (also known as Āmbaḍa), a son of the prime-minister Udayana, willing to lead an army ‘to destroy that semblance of a king,’ Kumārapāla despatched him with all his chieftains. But when Āmbaḍa had reached the Kauṅkaṇa country and was encamped on the further bank of the river Kalaviṇi, he was suddenly attacked and put to flight by Mallikārjuna. Kumārapāla seeing him deeply humiliated but yet determined to try his luck again, invested him with the command for the second time. Āmbaḍa now crossed the river by throwing a bridge across it, and carefully transporting his army to the other bank, attacked, defeated and killed Mallikārjuna.² Then “he had Mallikārjuna's head set in gold, and after establishing the authority of the Caulukya sovereign’ presented it to his lord at Aṇahillapura. Kumārapāla thereupon conferred the title *Rāja-pitāmaha* on Āmbaḍa.¹ This Mallikārjuna has been rightly identified with the Śilāhāra prince of that name, for whom we have inscriptions dated in Śaka 1078 (A.D. 1156) and 1082 (A. D. 1160). As the earliest inscription, so far known, of his successor Aparāditya is dated in Śaka 1084 (A. D. 1162), Bhagvanlal suggested that he must have lost his life between A. D. 1160 and 1162.²