History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c14.s1.36

v1.c14.s1.36

The king was highly religious and of course built several temples to Śiva and Viṣṇu and so also his ministers and queens. But he was also so liberal to the Brahmins and held riches of so little count that he finally gave away all his wealth to Brahmins except as the poet says his sceptre and umbrella. He also appears to have been a perfect Vaiṣṇava and an upholder of the tenet of Ahimsā (the mantle of Buddhism had in this respect now fallen upon Vaiṣṇavism). He, therefore, prohibited totally the slaughter of animals and the historian records that for ten years as in the days of Meghavāhana no animal was killed throughout the kingdom (V. 64). The poet remarks that "tortoises leaving the cold waters of rivers in winter securely basked in sun-shine on the banks". Bhatta Kallata it is further on said, and other sages were born in the days of Avantivarman 'for the salvation of the country'. Who this Śrikallata was we have not been able to find; but he must have been some Vaiṣṇava writer. The king died as religiously as he had lived, hearing during his last moments the Bhagavadgīta recited. (This is the first mention in history of the Bhagavadgīta as a book of religious recitation). He died in 59 in the month of Āshādha Shukla 3. (This according to Kashmir reckoning which omits hundreds means 3959 Laukika era i. e. deducting 3075, 884 A. D.) V. 123. He thus ruled for 29 years from 855 to 884 A. D.