The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c34.10.3

v2.c34.10.3

Very possibly, like the founders of the Kadambas in the South and the Senas in the North-East, the ancestor of the Guhila-putras may have changed his priestly occupation for that of arms, and in due course laid the foundations of a State, which is still ruled by his descendants in Mewar.¹ The statement in the bardic annals that Bappa founded his dynasty by supplanting the Moris (Mauryas) of Chitor seem to be based on fact. The Dabok inscription² of Dhanika, one of the ancestors of the Guhila Bālāditya, of the (Gupta) year 407 (*c.* 725 A.D.), is dated in the victorious reign of *Pb.M.-P.*-Dhavalappa-deva, who has been with some probability identified with the Maurya prince Dhavala referred to in the Kanaswa (Kotah State, Rajputana) inscription dated (V.)S. 795 (*c.* 738 A.D.).³ The Nausari grant of the Cālukya prince Pulakeśi Avanijanāśraya informs us that sometime before 739 A.D. an army of Arabs (*Tājikas*) advanced as far south as Navasārikā in Gujarat after destroying on its way Saindhava, Kacchella, Saurāṣṭra, Cāvoṭaka, Maurya and Gurjara princes. Possibly the bardic tradition about the barbarian invasion from "Gajni" is only a later distortion of this Arab expedition from Sind, which took place sometime before the end of the fourth decade of the 8th century A.D. Bappa, who may have distinguished himself by his bravery in this crisis of the fortunes of his Maurya masters, may have later appropriated the royal power.