The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c34.s1.15

v2.c34.s1.15

The above inscription unfortunately records no incident of political interest, besides the date, for the reign of Aparājita. The reign of the next prince, Mahendra II, is also a blank, having left no epigraphic or numismatic records. But if there is any historical basis in the Rajput tradition recorded by Tod, he may have been, as I have previously suggested, the prince who lost his life in a rising of the aboriginal Bhils, who formed the bulk of the population in the Guhila State. His successor was Kālabhoja, who probably bore the *biruda* Bappa or Bāpā.¹ We have already discussed the circumstances which may have helped him to rebuild his ancestral state on a stronger foundation by the assimilation of the Maurya State of Chitor.² I have tentatively assigned for his reign the period *c.* 739-753 A.D., and noticed his close association with the influential Saiva ascetic Hārītarāśi, the chief priest of the shrine of Ekaliṅga at Nāgahrada (Nagda). The ending *-rāśi* seems to indicate that he belonged to the Lakulīśa sect of the Pāśupata ascetics.³ A Chitor stone-inscription dated in V.S. 1331 tells us that it was through the favour of the sage Hārītarāśi that Bappa became lord of Medapāṭa and its town Nāgahrada.⁴ The Mt. Abu inscription of Samarasiṁha dated in V.S. 1342 also states that Bappa obtained ‘regal splendour’ through the favour of the same sage practising penance in the town of Nāgahrada.⁵ These statements may indicate that his association with this ascetic must have materially assisted him in reviving his power. This conclusion is supported by the recent discovery of a gold coin which in the opinion of Ojha belongs to Bappa.⁶ On the top of the obverse of the coin is the legend *Śrī-Voppa*; below this to the right is a trident; by its side is a *liṅga* (representing the God Ekaliṅga at Nagda). To the right of this is the bull couchant (Nandin) and below the bull the figure of a monkey lies prostrate on the ground. This represents according to Ojha Voppa (*i.e.*, Bappa), the founder of the Mewar line, who is considered to be Nandi-gaṇa of Śiva.¹ He points out that according to the *Sundarakāṇḍa* of the *Rāmāyaṇa* Nandin has the face of a monkey.² On the reverse of the coin there is a folded *Cāmara*, a cross enclosed in a circle; to the right of this symbol is the handle of a *chatra*; below this is the representation of a cow suckling its calf; below the cow are parallel lines ending on the right with a fish. There is also a pot or vase to the right of the cow and four dots below the parallel lines. According to Ojha the cow and the calf represent the cow of the sage Hāritarāśi, which according to the Muhanoṭa Naiṇsī he tended for 12 years before he attained royalty through his favour.³ If the coin is genuine,⁴ and this interpretation of the symbol is correct, it supports the epigraphic and bardic tradition which ascribes his royal power to the favour of the sage. With the exception of this coin there are no records of the reign of Kālabhoja-Bappa. The only incident ascribed to his reign is that mentioned in the late Abu inscription of Samarasiṁha (*V.S.*