The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c31.42

v2.c31.42

There are some differences in the accounts of the chronicles of the Caulukyas and the Cāhamānas about the results of this war. The *Hammīra-Mahākāvya* of Nayacandra tells us that the Cāhamāna Vigraharāja killed Mūlarāja of Gujarat and conquered his country.¹ The *Prabandha-cintāmaṇi* on the other hand, while giving Mūlarāja no credit for victory over the Cāhamāna prince, tries to give the impression that the latter was persuaded or compelled to retire by the former’s bravery and diplomacy.² As Bhagvanlal Indraji concluded long ago, truth may lie midway between the two statements. As the Gujarat chronicle represents Mūlarāja as visiting the Cāhamāna’s camp and saying to him ‘you should keep quiet and not give me a side-blow’ while he was punishing Bārappa, it seems likely that the Caulukya king was really defeated, but on his submission the Cāhamāna prince did not press his advantage.³ In these circumstances the statement of the Gujarat chronicles that Bārappa was defeated and killed by Mūlarāja, seemed improbable to Bhagvanlal and Jackson. But the statement of the *Dvyāśraya* that Mūlarāja and his son Cāmuṇḍa crossed the river Ścabhravatī,⁴ the southern boundary of his dominions, and, entering Lāṭa, defeated and killed Bārappa,⁵ seems to gain some support from the Surat grant of Trilocanapāla mentioned above.⁶ This inscription describes Goggirāja, Bārappa's son and successor, as the 'first home of the family...who relieved his own land like a greater Viṣṇu, the land that was seized upon by powerful enemies like demons.'¹ It may well be that the demon-like enemies of this passage were the Caulukyas, who defeated his father and seized Lāṭa, 'his own land.' The Bijapur stone-inscription of the Rāṣṭrakūṭas of Hathundi seems to contain another reference to Mūlarāja's wars.² We are there told that the Rāṣṭrakūṭa Dhavala (*c.* 960-80 A.D.) gave shelter to the 'lord of the Gurjaras' when Muñjarāja (*c.* 974-92 A.D.) had destroyed Āghāṭa, the pride of Medapāṭa.³ It has been already suggested that this prince of the Gurjaras was probably Mūlarāja. If this identification is accepted, this would afford a proof of the struggle of the Caulukyas with the Paramāras, and give us some idea of the extension of Mūlarāja's dominions towards the east.