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CONQUESTS OF ŚÌLÁDITYA IN THE SOUTH by S. Srikanta Sastri

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Mayùra, supposed to be the father-in-law of Bãņa, the biographer of Harşa Šìlãditya, is credited with the following stanza eulogising Šrì Harşa:-

Bhùpãlãh Šašibhaskarãnvayabhuvah ken am nãsãditãh |

Bhartãram punar ekameva hi bhuvastvãm deva manyã mahe |

Yenãńgam parimŗşya Kuntalamathãkŗşya vyudasyã yatam |

Colam prãpya ca madhyadešamadhunã Káncyām karah pātitah ||

Here reference is made to southern conquests of Harşa – Kuntala, Cola and Madhyadeśa and Kãñcì. On the supposition that Pulakesin II effectively repulsed the advance of Harsa, this was regarded as “praise in the conventional exaggerated style of a poet given to punning and without any reference to historical accuracy”. Curiously, however, in the Gaddemane Inscription Notes in the Mysore Archaeological Report for 1923 (p. 83) we come across the following, in characters of seventh century:-

1. Svasti śrì Śila-ādityan diśām-bharggan ākevāļan aggaļakaņţakan –

2. Pērāļke vare Pettaņi Satyānkan aţţuļvabhaţan bedare mahēndran –

3. Bēdara-rāyara Malappara kālegaduļe viŗudu svarggālaya –

4. Khāŗidan beļeya māla kādon kalyāņam akke aļivon pafìcha-ma....

It records the death of one Pettaņi Satyāńka fighting against Beda chiefs when Harşa came conquering and Mahendra fled in fear. This Mahendra is evidently Mahendravarman, predecessor of Narasimhavarman Pallava, constantly at war with Pulakesin, who had defeated him about the year A. D. 609 – 610.

S. SRIKANTA SASTRI

MYSORE UNIVERSITY,

MYSORE.