History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c34.s3.20

v3.c34.s3.20

His first war was with Arṇorāja of Ajmer to whom his sister was married. Perhaps he moved against him, he being in favour of his brother. Absurd tales are told of this war but from inscriptions it seems clear that in this battle Kumārapāla exhibited personal bravery and drew blood from Arṇorāja's chest with an arrow.* His usual title in inscriptions is "the conqueror of the king of Śākambhari in battle by the strength of his own arms". Probably the king of Malwa named Ballāla in Vadnagar Praśasti was an ally of Arṇorāja and was killed in battle. He sent his general twice against Mallikārjuna king of Konkan and in the second battle Ambada his general climbed his elephant and cut off his head. A king of Chedi was proceeding against him when by accident the king was strangled by his own necklace being caught in a branch as he was riding an elephant. His inscriptions are found in the temple of Udepur in eastern Malwa showing that Gujarat still ruled a large part of Malwa. His inscriptions are also found at Balmer in Western Rajputana and at Chitod itself in Mewad. This is a little inexplicable as it is not possible that he conquered Chitod and the Guhilot king there. The inscription seems to mention that he went there to see the famous fort when returning from an expedition against Karṇa. The king of Chitod probably treated him as an honoured guest. Perhaps the legend that one of Kumārapāla's queens was a Guhilot princess may also explain his friendly reception at Chitod as also the recording of an inscription on the capital fort of the Guhilots. Kumārapāla had extensive dominion no doubt but the Jain chronicles exaggerate his power, probably because he was the most ardent admirer of their religion and represent him as ruling a territory the northern boundary of which was conterminous with the dominions of the Turks.