The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v2.c34.s2.4

v2.c34.s2.4

The founder of this line was Bhartṛpaṭṭa, who is stated in the Chatsu inscription to have flourished in the Guhila family. He is also said to have been like Rāma (*i. e.*, Paraśu-Rāma) endowed with priestly and martial qualities. I have already commented upon the true meaning of this statement. The *praśastikāra* apparently wanted to say that though Bhartṛpaṭṭa¹ was a Brāhman, he adopted the life and profession of a Kṣatriya. I have approximately calculated his date as *c.* 625 A. D., and have ventured to guess that he was an earlier immigrant from the principality established by the Brāhman Guhila of Ānandapura. Nothing is definitely known about his next three successors,¹ his son Īśānabhaṭa, his grandson Upendrabhaṭa, and his great-grandson Guhila I. Guhila's son was Dhaṇika, who, as I have elsewhere said, is probably identical with Dhaṇika of the Dabok stone-inscription dated in Gupta Saṁvat 407² (*c.* 725 A.D.). The inscription is dated in the victorious reign of the *Pb.-M.-P.*-Dhavalappadeva, who has with some probability been identified with the Maurya prince Dhavala of the Kansuvam inscription dated in V. S. 795 (A.D. 738). Ojha however demurs to this identification, and regards the question of the family of Dhavalappa as still open.³ Nothing is known about the next two successors of Dhaṇika, *viz.*, his son Āuka and grandson Kṛṣṇarāja. Kṛṣṇa's son Śaṅkaragaṇa is stated to have conquered Bhaṭa, the *Gauḍa-kṣitipati*, and made a present of the latter's kingdom to his overlord (*prabhu*). Saṅkaragaṇa’s son by his queen Yajjā, Harṣarāja, succeeded him. This prince is called a *dvija*, which, as Bhandarkar points out, usually denotes a Brāhman in the inscriptions of the period. He is also stated to have conquered kings in the north and presented horses to Bhoja. This Bhoja has been identified with the Pratīhāra emperor of Kanauj of that name who ruled about 836-90 A.D. ; if so, the *prabhu* of Harṣarāja’s father was possibly Nāgabhaṭa II (*c.* 815-33 A.D.), the grandfather of Bhoja, or his son Rāmabhadra. But who could be the Gauḍa king who was defeated by Saṅkaragaṇa? Bhandarkar’s suggestion that *Bhaṭa* may be the Pāla ruler Sūrapāla seems to be wrong. I am inclined to regard *Bhaṭa* rather as a *biruda* or an epithet of Dharmapāla (*c.* 769-815 A.D.), who was a contemporary and rival of Nāgabhaṭa II,¹ the predecessor of Bhoja I.