History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c7.s7.1

v1.c7.s7.1

According to the description of this king given by Hiuen Tsang he began to rule in 530 A. D. and died in 580 A. D., and thus lived about 60 years before his visit in 640 A. D. In the Rājataranginī we have the mention of a Śilāditya of Malwa, son of Vikramāditya, who was driven out of his capital by his enemies but who was restored to his throne by Pravarasena II of Kashmir. (Rāj. Book III, 330.) Was he the same king as mentioned by Hiuen Tsang? It is conceded by Stein that while the history of Kashmir given by Kalhana is reliable from the Karkota dynasty onwards, previous to it the dates and history given by Kalhana are not so. This view is borne out also by the contemporary evidence of Hiuen Tsang. For when he was in Kashmir a Karkota king was evidently ruling there. The Records state: "Being protected by a dragon the kings crowed over their neighbours." From the date of Durlabha Vardhana given by Kalhana this king appears to be on the throne of Kashmir when Hiuen Tsang visited it. His date as given by Kalhana is 3677 of the Laukika era or 602 A. D. Now before this king, Kalhana mentions five rulers upto Pravarasena II as follows proceeding backwards:—