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It appears from the Chronicle that Yasaskara, in his own lifetime, abdicated the throne and installed Varnata as his successor. Varnata proved to be lacking in qualities of head and heart so necessary for that office. It is not surprising that he was on the throne just for one day only and deposed the very 1. Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, vi, 72. 2. Ibid., I, vi, 91-92. 3. Ibid. 4. Ibid., I, vi, 120.

238 next morning. The choice had so swelled up his pride that he did not even have the ordinary courtesy of paying a visit to Yasaskara, who was ailing and happened to be in the capital. This act of gross misconduct angered the latter and the ministers who advised Yasaskara to depose Varnata and crown Sangramadeva in his stead. Accordingly, Varnata was imprisoned on that very night and the following morning his deposition was proclaimed. It was so humiliating that one of his followers, a Rajput of royal blood, even gave up his sword. Death of Yasaskara 2 Yasaskara, whose health had been failing, had, in the meanwhile, chosen Sangramdeva as his successor at the instance of his ministers. Realizing that his end was near, the king repaired to his matha 4 with 2500 gold pieces on his person. While still conscious, he watched helplessly the infidelity of his ministers who even relieved him of his wealth and distributed it amongst themselves. Tired of waiting, these faithless courtiers and relatives 1. Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, v 1, 94-95. 2. Ibid., I, vi, 96. 3. Ibid., I, vi, 95, 99. 4. Ibid., I, vi, 99-102

238 next morning. The choice had so swelled up his pride. that he did not even have the ordinary courtesy of paying a visit to Yasaskara, who was ailing and happened to be in the capital. This act of gross misconduct angered the latter and the ministers who advised Yasaskara to depose Varnata and crown Sangramadeva in his stead. Accordingly, Varnata was imprisoned on that very night and the following morning his deposition was proclaimed. It was so humiliating that one of his followers, a Rajput of royal blood, even gave up his sword. Death of Yasa skara 2 Yasaskara, whose health had been failing, had, 4 in the meanwhile, chosen Sangramdeva as his successor at the instance of his ministers. Realizing that his end was near, the king repaired to his matha with 2500 gold pieces on his person. While still conscious, he watched helplessly the infidelity of his ministers who even relieved him of his wealth and distributed it amongst themselves. Tired of waiting, these faithless courtiers and relatives 1. Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, vi, 94-95. 2. Ibid., I, vi, 96. 3. Ibid., I, vi, 95, 99. 4. Ibid., I, vi, 99-102.

239 hastened the end of the ailing king by administering poison to him. Kalhana also relates another story according to which the king was said to have died of witchcraft, though he himself doubts its veracity? The reign of Yasaskara, which had started with such a promise, thus ended ingloriously within a short period of 9 years (C. 939 948 A.D,)