Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c18.s3.t2.7.2

v2.c18.s3.t2.7.2

"This king of Narsyngua is offtimes at war with the King of Daquem and the King of Otisa (who is another Heathen king), which is also situated in the interior; and all these do one another all the injury they can".¹ The rulers referred to here are, of course, the Muhammadan Sultans of the Deccan and the king of Orissa. Fragmentary as the evidence for the reign of Sāḷuva Nṛisiṁha is, we may admit that that powerful king may have been at war with the "King of Daquen and the King of Otisa", especially when we know that shortly after A. D. 1489 in order to aid Qāsim Barīd of Ahmadabad against Yūsūf Ādil Khān of Bijapur, he seized the two important strongholds of Mudkul and Raichur.² Further, Rājanātha Diṇḍima in his *Sāḷuvābhyudayam* informs us that Sāḷuva Nṛisiṁha marched against Kaliṅga, besieged the capital, and compelled its ruler to surrender. Then, again, the same writer tells us that the Vijayanagara ruler at the instance of a chief who is called Kuṭavāchalēndraṭaṭavāsin, invaded Nāgamaṇḍala, stationed a garrison there, and while desiring to conquer Pṛithugiri, he was attacked by a Muhammadan army. He won a complete victory over the Muhammadans and justified his titles *Dharaṇīvarāha* and *Sāḷuvēndra*.³ According to Rājanātha Diṇḍima, who was the court poet of Sāḷuva Nṛisiṁha, the latter undertook his expedition against Kaliṅga soon after his coronation.⁴ We know that Sāḷuva Nṛisiṁha came to the throne in A.D. 1496.