History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c34.s3.17

v3.c34.s3.17

Jayasinha Sidhharāja has, therefore, been properly described by the Gazetteer as most powerful, most religious and most generous. At the intercession of his mother who was grieved to see the despair of devoit pilgrims unable to proceed to Somnath on account of the heavy tax on them, he remitted the tax altogether, though its income was about 1 Lakh of rupees. Even in the Vadnagar Praśasti it is declared that he paid off the debts of all debtors in his kingdom and thus deserved the title of Chakravartin and a Śakakartā or founder of an era. It is indeed a common belief in India that the founder of an era must pay off the debts of all debtors in his kingdom and it seems from the Vadnagar Praśasti that Jayasinha actually accomplished this great feat of generosity. That he founded an era cannot be doubted for inscriptions in Kathiawar and Gujarat have been found dated in that era. The last mention is probably in the Verawal inscription (Bhav. Ins. p. 214) which gives its date in four eras viz. Vikrama 1320, Valabhi 945, Sinha 151 and Hijri 642.* In short Jayasinha amply deserves the titles Siddhārāja and Chakravartin bestowed upon him even in inscriptions.