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History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c21.s3: (4) Jejākabhukti and Mahesvarapura

History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c21.s3

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(4) Jejākabhukti and Mahesvarapura

v1.c21.s3.1

Hiuen Tsang does not mention Eastern Malwa the capital of which was Bhelsa or Vidiśā and which country was in ancient times called Daśārna (see Kālidāsa’s Megha-dūta and Mahābhārata also) a name which survives in detailed maps of Central India and still in the popular language as Dhasāna. Probably this tract was then included in Avanti or Ujjain (central Malwa). Hiuen Tsang mentions two more kingdoms in what is now Central India viz. Jejākabhukti and Maheśvarapura, in both of which ruled Brahmin kings in his days. Jejākabhukti as the name itself indicates is the province of Jejāka, “bhukti” being as we have already shown the usual title of a division or collectorate under a kingdom e. g. Tirabhukti which is now Tirhut. The province of Jejāka was therefore originally part of the Gupta Empire and we surmise that Budhagupta ruled here so late as about 500 A. D. After the fall of his line some Brahmin governor of it must have become independent partially only for he must have been subject to Harsha. He may have been a descendant of Dhyāna Vishnu whose inscription has been found at Eran ( see Gupta Ins. III ). This line must have become independent after Harsha but must have been subjugated again under the rule of Yaśovarman and his successors. However we know nothing about this kingdom or province till the appearance of the Chandels in the 9th century and their history does not belong to the first portion of the Hindu period. The word Bhukti, however, has stuck to this district finally although it became independent and powerful under the Chandels. For its modern name is Jajoti and the Brahmins of this country or modern Bundelkhand are known by the title of Jajotia Brahmins.

v1.c21.s3.2

Of Maheśvarapura we know practically nothing. It is identified with Gwalior or with Narwar. Bhojas must have ruled there ( See Dharmapāla's inscription noticed above ). But it was a province so near the centre of the empire at Kanauj under Harsha and under his successors that it could only have had viceroys and not independent or semi-independent kings until Kanauj declined.

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