History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s75.24

v1.c6.s75.24

We learn a great deal about the family and personal history of Caṇḍeśvara from his works. The Vivādaratnākara in the introduction and in the colophon tells us that Caṇḍeśvera was a *mantrin* (a minister), was entrusted with the office of minister for peace and war, that he conquered Nepal and weighed himself against gold on the banks of the Vāgvatī in *śake* 1236 (1314 A. D.).⁸⁸⁵ There are more or less similar colophons at the end of the Rājanītiratnākara and the other ratnākaras. The grand-father of Caṇḍeśvara was Devāditya,⁸⁸⁶ who was minister of Harasiṁhadeva of Tirhut and who belonged to the Kārṇāṭa family. One of the sons of Devāditya was Vīreśvara who was also a minister for peace and war of the same king and is said to have made grants to learned Brāhmaṇas in Rāmapura (i. e. Simraon in Champaran District) and other cities (verse 10 of Kṛtyaratnākara). Mr. Jayasval points out in his introduction to the Rājanīti-ratnākara (j) that the correct name of the king was Harisiṁhadeva. Another son of Devāditya was Gaṇeśvara who was younger than Vīreśvara and who was also a great minister and author of Sugatisopāna. A copy of this work bears the date *La-sam* (Lakṣmaṇasena era) 224 (i. e. 1343-44 A. D.).⁸⁸⁷ In the colophon of this work Devāditya is called ‘mahāmatta’ (mahāmātra) and Gaṇeśvara is styled mahārājādhirāja. In the Śrāddhaviveka of Rudradhara the Sugatisopāna is said to be the work of one who was *pratihastaka* (deputy) of Bhavaśarma.⁸⁸⁸ Caṇḍeśvara was the son of Vīreśvara and like his father and grandfather became minister of Harisiṁhadeva. This must have happened about 1310 A. D., as he weighed himself in 1314 A. D. The Kṛtyaratnākara (verse 15) says that he touched the very idol of Paśupati in Nepal and worshipped it after conquering the country.