History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c14.56

v1.c14.56

Lastly we have a graphic description of the fall of Kabul in the 7th Taranga or chapter of the Rājataranginī. It was in the reign of Sangrāma who succeeded Anantadeva and who was a member of the Lohara royal family, that Trilochanapāla, Shah of Kabul, implored the aid of Kashmir against the Turks (under Mahmud). Sangrāma sent Tunga a famous minister with a large army. He was advised by Trilochana to follow the usual Kabul tactics of retiring into and taking support of the mountainous country But Tunga declined the advice and fought a battle in the plains. A terrible conflict took place between Hamir (Amir) of the Turks and the combined army of Kashmir and Kabul. Several Kashmir chiefs named in the Rājataranginī distinguished themselves and fell in the battle and Trilochanapāla only retired when the struggle became hopeless. There was frightful massacre then of the remainder of the army and the kingdom of Kabul was finally lost to the Hindus. The patriotic poet-historian could not but shed a tear over the final fall of Kabul. "The very name of the splendour of Shahi kings has vanished. What is not seen in dream, what even our imagination cannot conceive that destiny accomplishes with ease" (VII 67). The complete separation of Kabul from India has however to be attributed to the forcible conversion of the whole populace a measure which Mahomedans did not adopt beyond the Indus. The reason of this we shall have to discuss later on.