The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c32.s4.167

v2.c32.s4.167

1180), Someśvara's reign must have ended sometime before that date. Besides these inscriptions, coins of billion or copper of the 'Bull and horseman type' of Someśvara are known.¹ The obverse bears the figure of a horseman with the legend *Śrī-Someśvara-deva*, and the reverse the figure of a humped bull and the legend *Āśāvarī śrī Sāma(ntadeva)*. It seems from the *Pṛthvīrāja-vijaya* that when Someśvara died his eldest son Pṛthvīrāja III was still a minor. 'So before leaving this world he had appointed the *Devī* or the queen (Karpūradevī) to protect his son in his childhood.'² The author of the *Pṛthvīrāja-vijaya* gives eloquent description of the prosperity of the Cāhamāna kingdom during the Queen's regency. It appears that she was ably assisted in her administration by the minister Kādamba Vāsa.³ On his reaching the age of discretion Pṛthvīrāja seems to have been assisted by another officer named Bhuvanaikamalla, who is reported to have come to the Cāhamāna court to find out how 'the son of his elder brother's daughter' was protecting this earth. While Kādamba Vāsa is compared with Hanumān, Bhuvanaikamalla is described as a veritable Garuḍa, who served Pṛthvīrāja and his brother Harirāja, the two incarnations of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. 'Just as Rāma, with the help of Garuḍa and Hunumān crossed the sea and did other things, so Pṛthvīrāja, with the help of Hanumān-like Kādamba Vāsa and Garuḍa-like Bhuvanaikamalla, did many things for the welfare of the people.'⁴ The following records are so far known for the reign of this prince: