History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c20.s1.8

c20.s1.8

The suzerain was the centre of a number of vassal chiefs, who helped him in military undertakings, and rendered him personal attendance when required. Such, for instance, were the chieftains named Uṇḍabhaṭa of Siyadoni,⁵ Balavarman and Avanivarman II Yoga of Saurāṣṭra,⁶ Mathanadeva of Rajorgarh⁷ during the Pratihāra times; and Singara (Śringaroṭa) Kamalapāla and Vatsarāja under the Gāhaḍavālas.¹ These feudatories are described as having obtained from their overlord the *Pañcamahāśabda*² or the *Rājapaṭṭi* i.e., the royal fillet or tiara.³ The inscriptions bestow on them such subordinate titles as *Mahāsāmantādhipati*, *Samadhigataśeṣamahāśabda*, and *Mahāpratīhāra*;⁴ but sometimes they even assumed the bombastic epithet of *Mahārājādhirāja*, as did Mathanadeva (Rajor inscription), Durbhaṭa and Niṣkalaṅka (Siyadoni inscription), which was probably due to varying degrees of dependence. The powers of these subordinate chiefs must have been considerably restricted, since we learn from certain inscriptions that even their grants were countersigned by provincial representatives of the suzerain. Thus, according to the Unā charter Dhīika, who was perhaps such an official under Mahendrapāla, gave his approval to a grant made by the Mahāsāmanta Avanivarman II Yoga.⁵ Again, the Partabgarh inscription represents that it was the provincial governor of Ujjain named Mādhavā that Indrarāja, the Cāhamāna feudatory (Mahāsāmanta), after having built a temple to the sun-god (Indrādityadeva), applied to make an endowment for its upkeep. The record calls Mādhava a "*Tantrapāla*," and also gives him the titles of *Mahāsāmanta* and *Mahādaṇḍanāyaka*. These governors were assisted in the enforcement of their authority by the military, which were posted at strategic points in the outlying provinces. Thus, Maṇḍapikā (Māṇḍū), near Ujjain, was the military headquarters for the southern regions, as we are told that Mahendrapāla II stationed there one Śrīśarman as his commander-in-chief.¹ Besides, provincial defence was organised by building forts, which were placed in charge of officers called "Koṭṭapāla" (guardian of fort). Under Bhoja I one such official was Alla. But his father Vaillabhaṭṭa, who was in the service of Rāmadeva, is given the designation of Maryādādhurya or Dhurodhikārī, meaning chief of the boundaries. This shows that one of his functions was also to watch that the existing boundaries were not disturbed by foreign encroachments.² Another provincial officer whom we know from the Barah copper-plate was the "Vyavahārin" or controlling officer.³ He supervised the grants that were made by kings with a view to avoiding their lapse into abeyance. These charters (śāsana) were conveyed by an officer called "Dūtaka," which literally means "messenger."⁴ Regarding his duties, Fleet remarks that "the Dūtaka's office was to carry, not the actual charter itself, for delivery into the hands of the grantees, but the king's sanction and order to the local officials, whose duty it was then to have the charter drawn up and delivered."⁵