History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c34.s3.19

v3.c34.s3.19

Kielborn in his genealogies mentions two inscriptions of Jayasinha dated 1138 and 1139 A. D.; the latter is not a Chaulukya inscription but one of their subordinate kings and in its first verse it simply states that king Jayasinha imprisoned the kings of Saurāṣṭra and Malwa. In the various inscriptions of his successors he is usually described as Avantīnātha, Tribhuvanaganda, Barbarakajiṣṇu and Siddha-Chakravartin (See I. A. VI. No. 6 &c.). Jayasinha ruled long from 1093 to 1143 as stated by chroniclers which is not improbable, as he came to the throne a minor and as the inscription noted above is dated 1139 A. D. proving a long reign. In spite of his supposed magical powers and Siddha-rasa or powerful medicines or of his highly meritorious works and actions, Jayasinha had no son and the succession went to Kumārapāla, son of Tribhuvanapāla who was a grandson of the third son of Bhīma I named Krishnarāja. The succession was naturally contested and foreign kings intervened in the quarrel. But Kumārapāla by his energies and the assistance of Jain ministers succeeded in defeating Arṇoraj of Ajmer and Ballāla of Malwa as stated in the inscriptions. And Kumārapāla like his predecessors ruled justly and wisely for a long time i. e. thirty years from 1143 to 1173 according to the chroniclers. It is indeed rare to find four capable vigorous and justice-loving kings reigning successively as Bhīma, Karṇa, Jayasinha Siddhārāja, and Kumārapāla undoubtedly did. Stories of Jayasinha and Kumārapāla of Naharwala are told even by Arab writers as early as 1225 A. D. and we have no hesitation in identifying Jayasinha of Jamiyat-ul-Hikayat of Ufi who even mentions his power over spirits, with Jayasinha Siddhārāja and Gurpāl with Kumārapāla whose just rule is attributed to the fact that this king, before he came to the throne, had travelled much and passed through adversity. Gujarat chroniclers also state that Kumārapāla, as a possible successor, came under the disfavour of Jayasinha and departing from Gujarat travelled in southern and eastern countries by the advice of Hemachandra who is said to have foretold his greatness. This explains his extreme reverence for that famous Jain pandit and also his regard for the Jain religion. His self-restraint and high moral character may be attrituted indeed to the influence of Jain philosophy. Further, Kumārapāla was also fifty years old when he came to the throne and therefore past the age when kings are often led to become addicted to vice and oppression.