The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c34.s1.3

v2.c34.s1.3

No epigraphic records have yet been discovered of the first four members of the family. Certain small silver coins bearing the legend *Śrī-Guhila* or *Guhila-Śrī*, ‘in an ancient western form of the Sanscrit character,’ which were dug up at Agra,¹ have been referred by some scholars to the reign of the first prince.² But, as we shall see later, it is more than likely that they were issued by a prince of the same name who belonged to the Chatsu branch. There is at present no sufficient reason to suspect that the dominions of Guhadatta really extended from the upper valley of the Sabarmati to the neighbourhood of Agra.³ His principality appears to have included only portions of the present State of Idar and S. W. Mewar. As we have an inscription for Śīla dated in V. S. 703 (*c.* 646 A.D.),⁴ we may safely place him about the middle of the sixth century A.D. He may have been at first a feudatory of the Valabhīs of Gujarat. The only thing known about the next four princes is the tradition recorded in the *Khyātas* that Nāgahrada or Nagadraha (mod. Nagda) was founded by Nāga,⁵ the fourth prince. But Ojha has rightly pointed out that this admittedly ancient place may have been named after the Nāgas, who it is well known ruled in Rajputana and Mathura in the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D.⁶ The *Khyātas* also give the name of Bhoja as Bhojāditya (or Bhogāditya), and that of Nāga as Nāgaditya⁷ while the Abu inscription of Samarasimha (V. S. 1342) mentions Bhoja as a devotee of Viṣṇu. For the reign of the fifth prince Śīla, also called Śīlāditya, we have the *Samoli stone-inscription* dated in V. S. 703 (*c.* 646 A.D.). This was found in the village of Samoli in the Bhumat district of Mewar (not far from Vasantagaḍh, in the Sirohi State).¹ It records the construction and dedication of a temple by one Jeka, a *mahājana* from Vaṭangara.² Ojha states that he has seen a copper coin of this prince. On one side of this coin, according to him, appears the name of Śīla; the writing on the other side is illegible.³ Śīla was succeeded by Aparājita, for whose reign we have the *Nagda stone-inscription* dated in V. S. 718 (*c.* 661 A.D.). The stone bearing the inscription is reported to have been found near the temple of Kuṇḍeśvara at Nagda, near Udaipur. It contains 12 lines of writing. The first two verses invoke Viṣṇu under the names Hari and Śauri. We are next told that *Rājā* Aparājita of the *Guhilānvaya* chose for his leader (of troops) the *Mahārāju* Varāhasiṁha, the son of Śiva (siṁha?). The inscription records that Yaśomatī, the wife of Varāhasiṁha, built a temple of (Viṣṇu) the enemy of Kaiṭabha. The *praśasti* was composed by Dāmodara, and incised by Yaśobhaṭa. The prose part states that on the above date, the temple of Vāsudeva was inaugurated. The inscription ends with *Namaḥ Puruṣottamāya*.⁴