The Colas c19.62

c19.62

The conflicting nature of our sources and the fecundity of modern research, carried out sometimes under the subtle influence of the nascent patriotism of the Andhra country, have greatly obscured the course of events in the Vēṅgī kingdom during this period; one can hardly be too cautious in dealing with this phase of our subject. A more detailed consideration, however, tentative, of the course of events in Vēṅgī will become necessary when we reach the problems connected with the accession of Kulōttunga I to the Cōḷa throne. Here we may note simply the facts as they are gathered from the inscriptions and the *Vikramāṅkadēva Carita* which seem to speak for themselves. The Maṇimaṅgalam inscription records that from Kūḍal-Śaṅgamam Vīrarājēndra proceeded to Vēṅgī, after issuing a challenge to the Cāḷukya, saying: 'We do not intend to return (home) till after we reconquer the good Vēṅgī country, once ours; listen! if you are a Vallava,¹⁵⁴ come and defend.’ This challenge to the Cāḷukya is a clear indication that the Vēṅgī country had passed into the hands of the W. Cāḷukyas. The rhapsody of Bilhaṇa on Vikramāditya’s *digvijaya* during the life-time of his father seems to furnish the clue to the real situation by including Vēṅgī and Cakrakūṭa¹⁵⁵ in an otherwise impossible list of conquests attributed to him. Apparently Vikramāditya did succeed in transferring Vēṅgī and Cakrakūṭa from their rulers to himself and adding them to his father’s dominions. Attention has been drawn already to the evidence from some Western Cāḷukya records of this period showing their eagerness to gain control of Vēṅgī. But if the Maṇimaṅgalam record speaks truly, the success of Vikramāditya in the east was shortlived; for it states that in a decisive battle on the banks of the Kṛṣṇā, in the neighbourhood of Bezwāda, Vīrarājēndra inflicted a crushing defeat on the Western Cāḷukya forces commanded by Jananātha,¹⁵⁶ Rājamayan and others compelling them to flee into the jungle for refuge. After this, the Cōḷa crossed the Gōdāvari, marched across Kaliṅgam up to the Mahendra mountain and beyond Cakkarakkōṭṭam.¹⁵⁷ Having thus regained Vēṅgī, he bestowed it on Vijayāditya who had sought his protection, before he returned to his capital Gaṅgāpurī, adorned by the splendour of victory gained in many a fight.¹⁵⁸