THE CHÁLUKYAS
(A.D. 634-740.)
The Chálukyas conquered their Gujarát provinces from the south after
subduing the Konkan Mauryas of Purí either Rájápurí that is Janjira
or Elephanta in Bombay harbour. The fifth century Váda inscription of
king Suketuvarmman proves that this Maurya dynasty [380] ruled in the
Konkan for at least a century before they came into collision with
the Chálukyas under Kírtivarmman. [381] They were finally defeated
and their capital Purí taken by Chandadanda an officer of Pulakesi
II. (A.D. 610-640). [382] The Chálukyas then pressed northwards,
and an inscription at Aihole in South Bijápur records that as early
as A.D. 634 the kings of Láta, Málava, and Gurjjara submitted to the
prowess of Pulakesi II. (A.D. 610-640).
[Jayasimhavarmman, A.D. 666-693.] The regular establishment of
Chálukya power in South Gujarát seems to have been the work of
Dhárásraya Jayasimhavarmman son of Pulakesi II. and younger brother of
Vikramáditya Satyásraya (A.D. 670-680). A grant of Jayasimhavarmman's
son Síláditya found in Navsárí describes Jayasimhavarmman as receiving
the kingdom from his brother Vikramáditya. As Jayasimhavarmman is
called Paramabhattáraka Great Lord, he probably was practically
independent. He had five sons and enjoyed a long life, ruling
apparently from Navsárí. Of the five Gujarát Chálukya copperplates
noted below, three are in an era marked Sam. which is clearly
different from the Saka era (A.D. 78) used in the grants of the main
Chálukyas. From the nature of the case the new era of the Gujarát
Chálukyas may be accepted as of Gujarát origin. Grants remain
of Jayasimhavarmman's sons dated S. 421, 443, and 490. [383] This
checked by Vikramáditya's known date (A.D. 670-680) gives an initial
between A.D. 249 and 259. Of the two Gujarát eras, the Gupta-Valabhi
(A.D. 319) and the Traikútaka (A.D. 248-9), the Gupta-Valabhi is
clearly unsuitable. On the other hand the result is so closely
in accord with A.D. 248-9, the Traikútaka epoch, as to place the
correctness of the identification almost beyond question.
Jayasimhavarmman must have established his power in South Gujarát
before A.D. 669-70 (T. 421), as in that year his son Sryásraya
made a grant as heir apparent. Another plate of Sryásraya found in
Surat shows that in A.D. 691-2 (T. 443) Jayasimhavarmman was still
ruling with Sryásraya as heir apparent. In view of these facts
the establishment of Jayasimhavarmman's power in Gujarát must be
taken at about A.D. 666. The copperplates of his sons and grandson
do not say whom Jayasimhavarmman overthrew. Probably the defeated
rulers were Gurjjaras, as about this time a Gurjjara dynasty held
the Broach district with its capital at Nándípurí the modern Nándod
in the Rájpipla State about thirty-five miles east of Broach. So
far as is known the earliest of the Nándod Gurjjaras was Dadda who
is estimated to have flourished about A.D. 580 (T. 331). [384] The
latest is Jayabhata whose Navsárí copperplate bears date A.D. 734-5
(T. 486) [385] so that the Gurjjara and Chálukya kingdoms flourished
almost at the same time. It is possible that the power of the earlier
Gurjjara kings spread as far south as Balsár and even up to Konkan
limits. It was apparently from them that, during the reign of his
brother Vikramáditya, Jayasimhavarmman took South Gujarát, driving
the Gurjjaras north of the Tápti and eventually confining them to
the Broach district, the Gurjjaras either acknowledging Chálukya
sovereignty or withstanding the Chálukyas and retaining their small
territory in the Broach district by the help of the Valabhis with
whom they were in alliance. [386] In either case the Chálukya power
seems to have hemmed in the Broach Gurjjaras, as Jayasimhavarmman had
a son Buddhavarmman ruling in Kaira. A copperplate of Buddhavarmman's
son Vijayarája found in Kaira is granted from Vijayapura identified
with Bijápur near Parántij, but probably some place further south, as
the grant is made to Bráhmans of Jambusar. Five copperplates remain
of this branch of the Chálukyas, the Navsárí grant of Sryásraya
Síláditya Yuvarája dated A.D. 669-70 (T. 421); the Surat grant of
the same Síláditya dated A.D. 691-2 (T. 443); the Balsár grant of
Vinayáditya Mangalarája dated A.D. 731 (Saka 653); the Navsárí grant
of Pulakesi Janásraya dated A.D. 738-9 (T. 490); the Kaira grant
of Vijayarája dated Samvatsara 394; and the undated Nirpan grant of
Nágavarddhana Tribhuvanásraya.
[Sryásraya Síláditya (Heir Apparent), A.D. 669-691.] The first
four grants mention Jayasimhavarmman as the younger brother of
Vikramáditya Satyásraya the son of Pulakesi Satyásraya the conqueror
of Harshavarddhana the lord of the North. Jayasimhavarmman's eldest
son was Sryásraya Síláditya who made his Navsárí grant in A.D. 669-70
(T. 421); the village granted being said to be in the Navasáriká
Vishaya. Sryásraya's other plate dated A.D. 691-2 (T. 443) grants a
field in the village of Osumbhalá in the Kármaneya Áhára that is the
district of Kámlej on the Tápti fifteen miles north-east of Surat. In
both grants Síláditya is called Yuvarája, which shows that his father
ruled with him from A.D. 669 to A.D. 691. Both copperplates show
that these kings treated as their overlords the main dynasty of the
southern Chálukyas as respectful mention is made in the first plate
of Vikramáditya Satyásraya and in the second of his son Vinayáditya
Satyásraya. Apparently Sryásraya died before his father as the two late
grants of Balsár and Khedá give him no place in the list of rulers.
[Mangalarája, A.D. 698-731.] Jayasimhavarmman was succeeded by his
second son Mangalarája. A plate of his found at Balsár dated A.D. 731
(Saka 653) records a grant made from Mangalapurí, probably the same as
Purí the doubtful Konkan capital of the Siláháras. [387] As his elder
brother was heir-apparent in A.D. 691-2 (T. 443), Mangalarája must
have succeeded some years later, say about A.D. 698-9 (T. 450). From
this it may be inferred that the copperplate of A.D. 731 was issued
towards the end of his reign.
[Pulakesi Janásraya, A.D. 738.] Mangalarája was succeeded by his
younger brother Pulakesi Janásraya. This is the time of Khalif Hashám
(H. 105-125, A.D. 724-743) whose Sindh governor Junaid is recorded
to have sent expeditions against Marmád, Mandal, Dalmaj (Kámlej?),
Bárus, Uzain, Máliba, Baharimad (Mevad?), Al Bailáimán (Bhinmál?),
and Juzr. Though several of these names seem to have been misread and
perhaps misspelt on account of the confusion in the original Arabic,
still Marmád, Mandal, Barus, Uzain, Máliba, and Juzr can easily be
identified with Márvád, Mandal near Viramgám, Bharuch, Ujjain, Málwa,
and Gurjjara. The defeat of one of these raids is described at length
in Pulakesi's grant of A.D. 738-9 (T. 490) which states that the Arab
army had afflicted the kingdoms of Sindhu, Kacchella, Sauráshtra,
Chávotaka, Maurya, and Gurjjara that is Sindh, Kacch, the Chávadás,
the Mauryas of Chitor, [388] and the Gurjjaras of Bhínmál. [389]
Pulakesi was at this time ruling at Navsárí. It is uncertain how much
longer this Chálukya kingdom of Navsárí continued. It was probably
overthrown about A.D. 750 by the Gujarát branch of the Ráshtrakútas
who were in possession in A.D. 757-8. [390]
[Buddhavarmman, A.D. 713 (?).] The Kaira grant dated 394 gives
in hereditary succession the names Jayasimha, Buddhavarmman, and
Vijayarája. [391] The grant is made from Vijayapura, which, as the late
Colonel West suggested, may be Bijápur near Parántij though this is
far to the north of the otherwise known Chálukya limits. The village
granted is Pariyaya in the Kásákula division. If taken as Traikútaka
the date 394 corresponds to A.D. 642-3. This is out of the question,
since Vijayarája's grand-uncle Vikramáditya flourished between A.D. 670
and 680. Professor Bhandarkar considers the plate a forgery, but there
seems no sufficient reason for doubting its genuineness. No fault
can be found with the character. It is written in the usual style
of Western Chálukya grants, and contains the names of a number of
Bráhman grantees with minute details of the fields granted a feature
most unusual in a forged grant. In the Gupta era, which equally with
the Traikútaka era may be denoted by the word Sam. and which is
more likely to be in use in North Gujarát the 394 would represent
the fairly probable A.D. 713. Jayasimha may have conquered part of
North Gujarát and sent his son Buddhavarmman to rule over it.
[Nágavarddhana.] Jayasimha appears to have had a third son
Nágavarddhana ruling in West Násik which was connected with South
Gujarát through Balsár, Párdi, and Penth. The Nirpan grant of
Nágavarddhana is undated, [392] and, though it gives a wrong genealogy,
its seal, the form of composition, the biruda or title of the king,
and the alphabet all so closely agree with the style of the Gujarát
Chálukya plates that it cannot be considered a forgery.
Not long after A.D. 740 the Chálukyas seem to have been supplanted
in South Gujarát by the Ráshtrakútas.
[Chálukya Tree.] CHÁLUKYA FAMILY TREE.
Pulakesivallabha Satyásraya,
Conqueror of Harshavarddhana, Lord of the North.
A.D. 610-640.
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(Main Chálukyas). (Gujarát Branch).
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Vikramáditya Satyásraya, Jayasimhavarmman Dhárásraya,
A.D. 669-680. A.D. 669-691.
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Vinayáditya. |
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(Navsárí.) (Navsárí.) (Kaira.) (Násik.) (Navsárí.)
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Síláditya Sryásraya Mangalarája Buddhavarmman. Nágavarddhana. Pulakesi
Yuvarája, or Vijayarája Janásraya,
T. 421 (A.D. 669-70) and Mangalarasaráya, T. 490
T. 443 (A.D. 691-2). Saka 653 G. 394
(A.D. 731-2). (A.D. 713). (A.D. 738-9).
Vijayarája's grant of the year 394 (A.D. 642-3) is the earliest
trace of Chálukya rule in Gujarát. Dr. Bhagvánlál, who believed in
its genuineness, supposes it to be dated in the Gupta era (G. 394
= A.D. 714) and infers from it the existence of Chálukya rule far
to the north of Broach. But the most cursory comparison of it with
the Khedá grants of Dadda II. (see Ind. Ant. XIII. 81ff) which are
dated (admittedly in the [so-called] Traikútaka era) 380 and 385
respectively, shows that a large number of Dadda's grantees reappear
in the Chálukya grant. The date of the Chálukya plate must therefore
be interpreted as a Traikútaka or Chedi date.
[A.D. 610-640.] This being so, it is clearly impossible to suppose that
Vijayarája's grandfather Jayasimha is that younger son of Pulakesi
II. (A.D. 610-640) who founded the Gujarát branch family. It has
been usually supposed that the Jayasimha of our grant was a younger
brother of Pulakesi II.: but this also is chronologically impossible:
for Jayasimha can hardly have been more than ten years of age in
A.D. 597-98, when his elder brother was set aside as too young
to rule. His son Buddhavarmman could hardly have been born before
A.D. 610, so that Buddhavarmman's son Vijayarája must have made his
grant at the age of twelve at latest. The true solution of the question
seems to be that given by Dr. Bhandárkar in his Early History of the
Deccan (page 42 note 7), namely that the grant is a forgery. To the
reasons advanced by him may be added the fact pointed out by Mr. Fleet
(Ind. Ant. VII. 251) that the grant is a palimpsest, the engraver
having originally commenced it "Svasti Vijayavikshepán Na." It can
hardly be doubted that Na is the first syllable of Nándípurí the
palace of the Gurjjara kings. Many of the grantees were Bráhmans of
Jambusar and subjects of Dadda II. of Broach, whose grants to them
are extant. It seems obvious that Vijayarája's grant was forged in
the interest of these persons by some one who had Gurjjara grants
before him as models, but knew very little of the forms used in the
chancery of the Chálukyas.
Setting aside this grant, the first genuine trace of Chálukya
rule in Gujarát is to be found in the grant of the Sendraka chief
Nikumbhallasakti, which bears date Sam. 406 (A.D. 654-5) and relates to
the gift to a Bráhman of the village of Balisa (Wanesa) in the Treyanna
(Ten) district. Dr. Bühler has shown (Ind. Ant. XVIII. page 265ff)
that the Sendrakas were a Kánarese family, and that Nikumbhallasakti
must have come to Gujarát as a Chálukya feudatory, though he names
no overlord. He was doubtless subordinate to the Chálukya governor
of Násik.
The next grant that requires notice is that of Nágavarddhana,
who describes himself distinctly as the son of Pulakesi's brother
Jayasimha, though Dr. Bhagvánlál believed this Jayasimha to be
Pulakesi's son. Mr. Fleet points out other difficulties connected
with this grant, but on the whole decides in favour of its
genuineness (see Ind. Ant. IX. 123). The description of Pulakesi
II. in this grant refers to his victory over Harshavarddhana, but
also describes him as having conquered the three kingdoms of Chera,
Chola, and Pándya by means of his horse of the Chitrakantha breed,
and as meditating on the feet of Sri Nágavarddhana. Now all of these
epithets, except the reference to Harshavarddhana, belong properly,
not to Pulakesi II. but to his son Vikramáditya I. The conquest of the
confederacy of Cholas, Cheras (or Keralas), and Pándyas is ascribed
to Vikramáditya in the inscriptions of his son Vinayáditya (Fleet in
Ind. Ant. X. 134): the Chitrakantha horse is named in Vikramáditya's
own grants (Ind. Ant. VI. 75 &c.) while his meditation upon the feet
of Nágavarddhana recurs in the T. 421 grant of Sryásraya Síláditya
(B. B. R. A. S. XVI. 1ff). This confusion of epithets between Pulakesi
II. and Vikramáditya makes it difficult to doubt that Nágavarddhana's
grant was composed either during or after Vikramáditya's reign, and
under the influence of that king's grants. It may be argued that
even in that case the grant may be genuine, its inconsistencies
being due merely to carelessness. This supposition the following
considerations seem too negative. Pulakesi II. was alive at the time
of Hiuen Tsiang's visit (A.D. 640), but is not likely to have reigned
very much longer. And, as Vikramáditya's reign is supposed to have
begun about A.D. 669-70, a gap remains of nearly thirty years. That
part of this period was occupied by the war with the three kings of
the south we know from Vikramáditya's own grants: but the grant of
Sryásraya Síláditya referred to above seems to show that Vikramáditya
was the successor, not of his father, but of Nágavarddhana upon whose
feet he is described as meditating. It follows that Nágavarddhana
succeeded Pulakesi and preceded Vikramáditya on the imperial throne
of the Chálukyas whereas his grant could not have been composed until
the reign of Vikramáditya.
Although the grant is not genuine, we have no reason to doubt that
it gives a correct genealogy, and that Nágavarddhana was the son
of Pulakesi's brother Jayasimha and therefore the first cousin of
Vikramáditya. The grant is in the regular Chálukya style, and the
writer, living near the Northern Chálukya capital, Násik, had better
models than the composer of Vijayarája's grant. Both grants may have
been composed about the time when the Chálukya power succumbed to
the attacks of the Ráshtrakútas (A.D. 743).--(A. M. T. J.)