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The throne of Kashmir was once again occupied by a colourful personality - that of Jayapida - whose 1. Hultzsch, Indian Antiquary, XVIII, p. 99; Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, Intro., p.50. See Stein's note, I, iv, 400.

- 160 good qualities had also come to the notice of his illustrious grandfather, Lalitaditya, even during his childhood. That worthy prince strove to emulate his grandfather in more ways than one and redeemed to a great measure the fallen fortunes and glory of 2 the family. The preceding kings had undermined the prestige of the State but Jayapida, a man of vision and valour, soon launched himself on a scheme of conquests in all directions. Jayapida soon collected a sizable army of 80,000 and also called upon his feudatory chiefs to accompany him along with their forces. Needless to add, Kalhana has described this expedition at great length, as 3 we shall notice below; for the present we would deal with the affairs in Kashmir during his absence. Usurption of the Throne by Jajja 4 Very soon after his departure from Kashmir, Jayapida's brother-in-law (Syola) usurped his throne by force. This naturally placed Jayapida into a perilous position as he had, very probably, advanced much farther from the Valley. He had also to face desertion from his ranks as his soldiers were 1. Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, IV, 359; cf. 353-63. 2. Ibid., I, IV, 403. 3. Ibid., I, IV, 404, 407. 4. Ibid., I, IV, 410.

161 Y unwilling to be away for long from their homes. Undaunted, Jayapida even dispatched a few of his feudatories as well and marched ahead with a band of trusted and loyal followers. Details of the Campaign Jayapida soon marched down to Prayaga where he bestowed his munificence on the Brahmanas and the 1 worthy. Kalhana makes-Jayapida give one less than a lakh of horses there and, incidentally, refers to the prevailing practice of the use of seals for sealing purposes (in this case the jars containing the sacred waters of the Ganges at the confluence). 2 It was at Prayaga that Jayapida dispatched most of his followers homewards and proceeded onwards. As Kalhana subsequently informs us, he had left his forces quietly which were later organized by Devasarman, son of Mitrasarman, the fidelity of which family (to the Karkotas) had remained unshaken during all those fateful years. Travelling incognito through the territories (mandaleshu) of several kings, he 3 ultimately arrived at Paundravardhana, the capital city of Jayanta, the king of Gauda. 1. Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, IV, 415. 2. Ibid., I, IV, 419. 3. Ibid., I, IV, 468-69. 4. Paundravardhana must be located somewhere in the present district of Rajashahi, Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, IV, 421, Stein's notes of. Sen, B.C., Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, p. 126.

162 Jayapida in Bengal Jayapida's wanderings in the distant Eastern India are detailed at great length in the Chronicle. If the account is shorn off of its embellishments, Jayapida entered Gauda under the name of Kallata, came to the notice of the people of Gauda first through attending a dance and then by staging a lion or a tiger which had terrorised the locality by its 2 depredations and killings. Unwittingly, the king and the people soon found out that the slayer of the lion was none else but Kallata alias Jayapida, who was moving about for some unknown reasons in all quarters. Since king Jayanta had recognized Jayapida in Kallata, he proposed to marry his only daughter, 3 Kalyanadevi by name, to him. It is quite interesting to note that Kalhana refers to the defeat of the five Gauda Chiefs at the hands of Jayapida, which shows that Gauda was even then, divided into five divisions. 1. Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, IV, 420-69. 2. Ibid., I, IV, 445-54; 462. 3. Ibid., I, IV, 462-67. 4. Pancha Gauda and Gauda-mandala have, however, been discussed at great length by Dr. Sircar in his Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India, pp. 110-22. Perhaps the reference to Pancha Gauda is the first among literary sources. (See also Sen's Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, p. 126, for its geographical boundaries.) Since Gauda was also conquered by Lalitaditya, it is obviously a repeat performance by Jayapida who, too, seems to have taken advantage of the acutely unsettled political conditions there. (Contd.).

- 163 This incognito visit of Jayapiida to Gauda and his conquests, as alluded to in the Chronicle, have become a matter of controversy amongst scholars. Stein thought that it was "impossible in the absence of other records to ascertain the exact elements of historic truth underlying Kalhana's romantic story. " Subsequently, Smith, Chanda, Banerji and others doubted the veracity of this statement on similar 2 grounds. Vaidya thought that the account sounded 3 more like a fable than sober history. On the other hand, Ray, Sinha, Sen and Vasu, though not committing themselves, have accepted it within the pale of The reference to the march of Lalitaditya in 'Gauda mandala' (Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, IV, 148) could also have been for purposes of replenishing his forces with elephants from that land. As suggested by us elsewhere (J.U.P.H.S., XIV, pt. i & ii, pp. 63-70), it is quite likely that Gauda was earlier ruled by the king who had been treacherously slain in Kashmir (Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, IV, 323) during the reign of Lalitaditya. The confusion and anarchy following his assassination had been taken advantage of by several petty chiefs, Jayanta, too, obviously, being one of them. 1. Ibid., I, Intro., p. 94. 2. Smith, V.A., Early History of India, p. 387; Chanda, R.P., Gauda-Lekhamala, p. 18; Banerji, R.D., Banglar-Itihasa, p. 133; Vide, Sen, B.C., Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, p. 289, fn. 1. 3. Vaidya, C.V., History of Medieval Hindu India, I, p. 215.

164 probability - - Ray, however, was inclined to identify Jayanta with Gopala and this view was strongly supported by Sen, according to whom Jayapida's campaign in those regions could be accommodated in his scheme of chronology. Vasu considers Jayapida's adventures in Bengal quite probable; and according to Dr. Sinha, Jayapida defeated a prince ruling over the five Gaudas, who might have "belonged to the saila dynasty known from the Ragholi Plate"; evidently he takes Jayapida's invasion as a fact. 3 % We are, however, inclined to support the statement of Kalhana on several grounds. In the first place, political conditions prevailing in Eastern India were quite favourable to such an adventure. Bengal, in the first half of the 8 th century A.D. and also in the next two decades, had been invaded by the kings of Kanauj, Kashmir, Tibet, Assam and even of Orissa in quick succession. Secondly, the absence of a son 1. Ray, H.C., Dynastic History of Northern India, I, p. 278; Sinha, B.P., Decline of the Kingdom of Magadha, pp. 320-21; Sen, B.C., Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, p. 309; Vasu, N.N., Vanger Jatiya Itihasa, Rajanya Kanda, p.101, vide Sen, Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, p. 289. 2. Sen, B.C., Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, pp. 309-10. 3. Sinha, B.P., Decline of the Kingdom of Magadha, p. 321. 4. J.U.P.H.S., XIV, pt. I & II, pp. 63-70.

165 to succeed Jayanta after him could have been a positive factor in paving the rise of the Palas. Thirdly, the details of Jayapida's escapades in Pancha-Gauda regions are so detailed that they can hardly be brushed aside. Fourthly, since Kalhana makes Devasarman follow Jayapida shortly with a large force into Bengal which suggests that Jayapida went to Bengal with a very small and select band of followers, married the beautiful daughter of a petty chief Jayanta by name, and defeated the kings of the five Gaudas, who no doubt laid down their arms in view of the approach of the army of Jayapida. As such, we are of opinion that Kalhana's description is substantially true and may be doubted only in details. Meanwhile, Devasarman, the faithful minister and a worthy son of the illustrious Mitrasarman, had been able to collect and reorganize the leaderless forces of Jayapida and join the latter in Bengal. Devasarman soon prevailed upon his master to return back to Kashmir along with his wife and a consort (the latter being a dancing girl who had gained Jayapida's confidence and favour. 1. Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, IV, 469. 2. Ibid., I, IV, 422-44.