The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c32.s4.8

v2.c32.s4.8

According to the *Pṛthvīrāja-vijaya* and all the other literary traditions noticed above, the first historical person on the Cāhamāna genealogy is Vāsudeva. The 3rd and 4th Sargas of the *Pṛthvīrāja-vijaya* describe the mythical origin of the lake Śākambharī, which through the favour of the two goddesses Śākambharī and Āśāpuri was ever after to remain in the possession of Vāsudeva and his descendants, who thus became known as *Śākambharīśvara*.⁵ In his lineage was born Sāmantarāja, the first name on the Bijolia list. He was a feudatory prince (*Sāmanta*) and was possibly also known as Ananta. As I have already noticed, this inscription records that he was a *vipra* and born in the Vatsa-*gotra* at Ahicchatrapura. If there is any historical basis for the statement of the *Pṛthvīrāja-vijaya* that Vāsudeva was already connected with the Sambhar region, then Ahicchatra must be located near the borders of the Jaipur and Jodhpur States. As Sāmanta is the 12th king, counting backwards from Vigraharāja II (A. D. 973), we may perhaps assign him roughly to about the middle of the 7th century A. D.¹ Since the succession between Sāmanta and Vāsudeva does not appear to have been immediate, it is difficult to decide the exact time when Vāsudeva carved out his principality round Sambhar. The succession from Sāmanta to Durlabharāja I is given as follows :