Yashovarman (Chandela dynasty)

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For the 12th century king, see Yashovarman II (Chandela dynasty).

Yashovarman
Chandela
FatherHarsha
MotherKanchuka
The Lakshmana Temple at Khajuraho
A sculpture at the Lakshmana Temple

Yashovarman (

Kalanjara (modern Kalinjar). He is also notable for having commissioned the Lakshmana Temple at Khajuraho
.

Early life

Yashovarman was born to the Chandela ruler

Rashtrakutas, who were the main rival of the Patiharas, were busy in dynastic feuds. This offered the Chandelas an opportunity to increase their own power. Yashovarman did not formally give up the allegiance to the Pratiharas, but he was practically independent.[1]

Military successes

Yashovarman conquered the important fortress of

Kalanjara and Chitrakuta. Based on this, H. C. Ray theorized that Krishna managed to capture these two forts from the Pratiharas. Yashovarman may have captured the fort from the Rashtrakutas, which may explain why he continued to recognize the Pratihara sovereignty even after conquering Kalanjara. However, there is no definitive evidence of Yashovarman's victory over the Rashtrakutas.[3] R. K. Dikshit points out that the Rashtrakuta claim is part of a possibly exaggerated poetic eulogy. It may not imply an actual conquest of these two fortresses, and may only mean that the Pratihara king became apprehensive about losing control over them.[4] K. A. Nilakanta Sastri speculated that Yashovarman captured Kalanjara after allying with the Rashtrakutas and the Chedis (Kalachuris of Tripuri). However, there is no historical evidence attesting the formation of such an alliance.[5] Despite these uncertainties, Yashovarman's conquest of Kalanjara is undisputed: his successors, including his son Dhanga, titled themselves Kalanjaradhipati ("Lord of Kalanjara").[6]

A Khajuraho inscription dated 1011 VS (953-954 CE) credits Yashovarman with several other military successes. It declares:[7][8]

...the illustrious king Yashovarman, who was a sword to (cut down) the Gaudas as if they were pleasure-creepers; equalled (or treated with contempt) the forces of the Khasas; (and) carried off the treasure of the Kosalas; before whom perished the Kashmiri warriors; who weakened the Mithilas; (and) was as it were a god of death to the Malavas; who brought distress on the shameful Chedis; who was to the Kurus what a storm is to trees; (and) a scorching fire to the Gurjaras.

These claims appear to be exaggerated, as similar claims of extensive conquests in northern India are also found in the records of the other contemporary kings such as the Kalachuri king Yuva-Raja and the Rashtrakuta king Krishna III.[9]

The ruler of the Gauda region (in present-day West Bengal) is believed to be a Pala king, possibly Rajyapala or his successor Gopala II.[10] The Palas attempted to resurrect their power through westward expansion, which might have resulted in their conflict with the Chandelas.[11] The Chandelas did not occupy Gauda, but their invasion further weakened the Pala power, possibly paving way for the subsequent usurpation of the power by the Kambojas.[12]

The Chedis in the Khajuraho inscription denote the Kalachuris of Tripuri. Although the Chandela-Kalachuri relations were friendly in the preceding years, it appears that the Kalachuri alliance with the Rashtrakutas led to a rivalry between the two kingdoms. The Chandelas acknowledged the suzerainty of the Pratiharas, who were the rivals of the Rashtrakutas. The Kalachuris, on the other hand, had forged matrimonial alliances with the Rashtrakutas, and probably aided them in their anti-Pratihara campaigns.[13] The identity of the Kalachuri king defeated by Yashovarman is not certain, because three Kalachuri kings ruled in quick succession as his contemporaries: Bala-Harsha, Yuva-Raja and Lakshmana-Raja. S. K. Mitra theorizes that the defeated king might have been Bala-Harsha, who ruled for a very short period, and whose name has been omitted from some of the records of his successors.[14]

Yashovarman's achievements in

Somavamshi allies of the Kalachuris. Yashovarman probably raided their territory. The claim of Yashovarman's successes against the Kashmiris seems to be a poetic exaggeration.[16] L. F. Kielhorn translated the verse about the Khasas (tulita Khasabalah) as "equalled the forces of the Khasas". However, according to R. C. Majumdar, in this context, the word tulita means "treated with contempt", not "equalled". The Khasas were the neighbours of the Kashmiris, and this too, seems to be poetic embellishment.[8] The Kuru region was a part of the Pratihara territory, so the claim about the Kurus also seems to be an exaggeration. However, it is possible that the Chandelas clashed with the Gurjara-Pratiharas after their occupation of Kalanjara.[17]

The Khajuraho inscription also states that Yashovarman turned the rivers

Allahabad.[18]

Personal life

Yashovarman married Puppa, who was the mother of his successor Dhanga. Krishnapa, his other son, was probably deputed to oversee the territory on the Chandela-Parmara frontier.[19]

Yashovarman's reign marked the beginning of the famous Chandela-era art and architecture. He acquired a prestigious statue of

Nagara architecture at Khajuraho.[2] He is also said to have commissioned a water tank, which can be identified with one of the tanks in Khajuraho.[20]

References

  1. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, pp. 36–37.
  2. ^ a b Sushil Kumar Sullerey 2004, p. 24.
  3. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, pp. 38–39.
  4. ^ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 44.
  5. ^ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 45.
  6. ^ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 43.
  7. ^ JAS Burgess, ed. (1983) [1892]. Epigraphia Indica. Vol. 1. Archaeological Survey of India. p. 132.
  8. ^ a b Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, p. 50.
  9. ^ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 42.
  10. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, p. 44.
  11. ^ R. K. Dikshit 1976, p. 48.
  12. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, p. 44-45.
  13. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, pp. 40–41.
  14. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, p. 42.
  15. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, pp. 47–48.
  16. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, p. 49.
  17. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, p. 51.
  18. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, p. 52.
  19. ^ Sisirkumar Mitra 1977, p. 53.
  20. ^ Sushil Kumar Sullerey 2004, p. 25.

Bibliography

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