Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions c10.8

c10.8

The high officials generally bore the title *daṇḍanāyaka*, in more recent times shortened to *dannāyak*, denoting both military and civil rank. These were indeed frequently combined, as witness the designation of a general as *mahā-pradhāna sarvvādhikāri senādhipati hiriya-hadavala* (Bp 9, Hn 69). They were also often styled *sāmantādhipati*, implying control over feudatory chiefs. But the express military title was *senādhipati*, or, in modern times in Mysore, *dalavāyi*. The life guards, as we might term them, in the time of the Hoysalas called themselves *Garuḍas*. The general Chokimayya claims to be Biṭṭi-Dēva's or Vishnuvarddhana's Garuḍa (Hn 69, Bp 9¹). The prince Lakshma was Ballāḷa-Dēva's Garuḍa (Bl 112), and he and his force of a thousand men, who had vowed to live and die with the king, committed suicide when the latter died. In like manner, a family of Nāyakas, vowed in succession as Garuḍas to the kings Ballāḷa, Nārasimha, and Sōmēśvara (Kp 9, 10), gave up their lives along with their wives, and their servants, male and female. In battle, when victory hung in the balance, it was customary for the commander to call out some noted champion to lead a forlorn hope and devote his life to gain the day. To be chosen for such an enterprise was always represented as a great honour, and the charge was confirmed with the presentation of betel leaf to the champion from the hand of his chief (Sa 84, 86). A grant of land was made for the family of the fallen man, which in some early cases is styled *bāl-galchu*, but is mostly called a *kalnāḍ*, though the term *sivane* is used in the west. Similar grants of rent-free land, called *koḍagi*, were made to men who fell in battle. In the interesting case of Ballāḷa-Dēva's Chōḷa queen, who was distressed on account of a man killed in the force sent to punish a village for an insult to her name, the grant is called a *rakta-koḍagi* (Cn 205). Such a grant was also called *nettara-koḍagi*, meaning the same. The weapons of the foot-soldiers were mostly bows and arrows. But the infantry of the Sēuna army are said to have carried thunderbolts (*aśani-sannāha*, Dg 25), which looks as if they had fire-arms of some sort. The cavalry in the same force wore breast-plates. The courage of warriors was stimulated by the belief that their deeds of valour were eagerly watched by the celestial nymphs, who, if they fell, would bear them immediately away from the battle-field in a triumphant procession to enjoy the delights of paradise. The verse usually quoted in this connection is to the following effect:—