History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v2.c29.s2.943

v2.c29.s2.943

of Valabhī. For Valabhī is not yet shown to have had this name also. Ānandapura is the name of many towns and notably of Vadnagar and had Guhadatta been taken to be a Brahmin come from Vadnagar, it would have applied to him properly. But as it is certain that Guhadatta was not a Brahmin and had not come from Vadnagar, the expression " come from Ānandapura or Nagada " would well apply to Bappā, who going from that capital conquered Chitod. Dr. D. R. Bhandarkar has in his usual way ignored the word ' tad ' used in the Chitorgadh inscription (p. 170 Bengal R. A. S. New series Vol. V) when he translates the line jiyād &c. as " May Ānandapura be victorious which shines " &c., whereas the translation ought to have been " May that Ānandapura be victorious," meaning thereby the Ānandapura described in the previous verse (8) viz. Nāgahrada. There is not the slightest doubt (see Bhav. Insc. p. 74, 75) that this verse in the Chitorgadh inscription clearly states that the vipra Bappā came from Ānandapura alias Nāgahrada. It is well known that Ānandapura is the name of more than one town and Nāgahrada is one of these. Bappā's coming from Vadanagar is neither contemplated by the Chitod Ins. of V. E. 1332 nor by the Ātpura inscription. Therefore, we maintain that the epithets 'come from Ānandapura or Nagaday' is an epithet which can well apply to Bappā alone who from thence conquered the fortress of Chitod. It would not apply to Guhasena of Valabhī at all nor to any other Guhila who may have ruled in Nagada itself. The word ' vinirgata ' shows that the man originally came from one place and went to another and hence applies to Bappā properly who went from Nagada to Chitod. Similarly the epithet ' viprakulānandana ' applies to Bappā appropriately. The word is no doubt used for the sake of alliteration (Ānandapura and Ānandana) but the epithet ' delighter of Brahmin families ' refers to the highly religious tendencies of Bappā, to his devotion to Brahmins and ascetics. Hence we think that the line is an appropriate description of Bappā and it would be absurd to think that the Ātpura inscription giving the whole Mewad dynasty spoke not a word about Bappā or his great exploit. It seems, therefore, proper to hold that in this introductory verse we have a description of Bappā and putting together the Nāravāhana, the Ātpura and the Chitod inscriptions, we may believe that Guhadatta or Bappā was the greatest monarch of the family and hence was looked upon as the founder and that Guhila was his son.