A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c11.86

c11.86

Koṅgaṇivarman's son and successor was Mahādhirāja Mādhava I (c. 425). He was a clever politician to whom later tradition attributes the authorship of a commentary on the Dattakasūtra, a treatise on erotics. The next ruler was his son Ayyavarman (c. 450), a great warrior who was also proficient in the śāstras, itihāsas and Purāṇas. He was anointed by the Pallava Simhavarman I of Kāñchi, possibly because he sought support from the Pallava ruler in a dispute for the throne with his younger brother, Krishnavarman. He is called Harivarman in later inscriptions which credit him with the removal of the capital to Talakād. The disputed succession was evidently settled by a virtual division of the kingdom between the two brothers, both of whom named their sons Simhavarman in recognition of their political relation to the Pallava ruler. This division seems to have continued under their sons and successors Mādhava II, alias Simhavarman, and another Simhavarman. The former was anointed by Pallava Skandavarman and married a sister of Kadamba Krishnavarman I. According to later grants, Avinīta, the child of this union, was anointed successor to the throne while still a baby (c. 500). The genealogy of the Gangas may then be represented as follows: