The Early History of India, from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest, including the Invasion of Alexander the Great c30.33

c30.33

His long career of victory was broken by one failure. Pulakēsin II, the greatest of the Chalukya dynasty, whose achievements will be noticed more fully in a later chapter, vied with Harsha in the extent of his conquests, and had raised himself to the rank of lord paramount of the South, as Harsha was of the North. The northern king, who could not willingly endure the existence of so powerful a rival, essayed to overthrow him, advancing in person to the attack, with 'troops from the five Indies² and the best generals from all countries'. But the effort failed. The king of the Deccan guarded the passes on the Narmadā so effectually that Harsha was constrained to retire discomfited, and to accept that river as his frontier. This campaign may be dated about the year A. D. 620.³