Graharipu
Chudasama king from 941 to 996
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Graharipu was a 10th-century Chudasama[1] Emperor of the Saurashtra region of western India, with its capital located at Vamanasthali (now Vanthali). He was a contemporary of Mularaja, the first Chaulukya ruler of Anahilapataka (now Patan).[2] Graharipu built or repaired Durgapalli (also known as Uparkot), an ancient fort in Junagadh.[3][4]
| Graharipu | |
|---|---|
| Param Shaiv Maharajadhiraja Girnaradhipati | |
| Reign | c. 941 – c. 996 CE |
| Predecessor | Vishvāvaraha (Chudasama dynasty) |
| Successor | Kavat |
| Dynasty | Chudasama |
Hemachandra, in the Dvyashraya-Kavya describe the prince Graharipu, ruling at Vanthali near Junagadh, as an Abhira and a Yadava.[5][6]
The Abhiras of Chudasama grew very powerful during the reign of Graharipu in the middle of the 10th century A.D. He had his capital at Vāmanasthali, now represented by Abhiras the village Vanthali, 9 miles west of Junagadh.[7].They began to rule in southern and western Saurashtra from the second half of the 10th century A.D. They became very powerful during the reign of Graharipu, defeating the Saindhavas and the Chaulukyas.[8][9]
The growing power of the Chudasama dynasty and the acts of harassing the pilgrims of Somnath Temple resulted in Graharipu's conflict with Mularaja. After a major and decisive battle, Mularaja is said to have defeated Graharipu. The ruler from Kutch, Laksha, had fought alongside Graharipu in the battle and was killed. After this battle, the domain was repeatedly attacked by subsequent Chaulukya rulers.
Battle with Mularaja
According to Hemachandra, who was patronized by the Chaulukyas, the Chaulukya king Mularaja defeated Graharipu. No other Chaulukya-era accounts mention this victory.[10][4]
According to Hemachandra, one night, Mahadeva appeared in Mularaja's dream, and ordered him to vanquish Graharipu. In the morning, Mularaja consulted his ministers Jambaka and Jehula, as he was apprehensive of causing troubles to the pilgrims who visited Prabhasa in Saurashtra. Jambaka was his Mahamantri (chief minister) while Jehula, the Ranaka of Kahiralu (now Kheralu), was his Mahapradhana (prime minister), according to Abhayatilakagani.[11][12] Jehula told Mularaja that Graharipu was a tyrant who tortured pilgrims and indulged in vices such as eating flesh, drinking wine and hunting deer in sacred places. Jambaka described Graharipu as a very strong king, and declared that only Mularaja was capable of defeating him. Both the ministers urged Mularaja to attack Graharipu.[10]
Mularaja launched a campaign against Graharipu on the day of Vijayadashami. Graharipu attempted a peaceful resolution through a messenger, who informed Mularaja that Graharipu had no enmity with him. However, Mularaja turned the messenger away, and continued his march. Graharipu then started his war preparations. His allies included Medas, his friend's son Laksha, and a king named Sindhuraja. After the war began, he was joined by a mleccha chief (who according to the Hemachandra's commentator Abhayatilaka Gani, was a Turushka).[13][14]
Mularaja was supported by the kings Gangamaha of Gangadvara and his younger brother, Mahirata, Revatimitra, and Shailaprastha. The Paramara king of Abu and Srimala also joined him. In addition, Mularaja was supported by the Bhillas and the Kauravas. After the battle began, several others including the king of Saptakashi and a number of Gujarati soldiers, joined him.[13]
The battle took place on the river Jambumali (identified as the Bhogavo River in Saurashtra). The battle continued for two days indecisively. On the third day, Mularaja entered battle on an elephant and Graharipu mounted his own elephant in rage. Mularaja overpowered Graharipu in single combat, threw him down from his elephant, and had him tied up with ropes.[11][13]
Laksha, wearing white clothes, rushed in and abused Mularaja calling him Mula.[11] He asked Mularaja to release Graharipu, but Mularaja refused to comply, on the grounds that the captive was a beef-eater. This led to another single combat, in which Mularaja killed Laksha with a spear. The men of Saurashtra then made a submission before Mularaja, dressed as women. The queen and children of Graharipu requested for Mularaja to release him, which he did, before he visited Prabhasa.[15] According to Abhayatilakagani, Mularaja prayed on the day of Shivaratri. Within five to six days, Mularaja returned to his capital with 108 elephants.[11]
The fight between Mularaja and Laksha has also been mentioned by the 14th century writer Merutunga in Prabandhachintamani. According to this version, Laksha (or Lakha) was the ruler of Kaccha. He was the son of Phulada and Kamalata, who was a daughter of the Parmara king Kirtiraja. Laksha had repulsed Mularaja's attacks 11 times. However, in their 12th fight, Mularaja besieged his fort Kapilkot (now Kera, Kutch), killed him, and trod him on his beard. Enraged by his insulting action, Laksha's mother cursed Mularaja's family to be afflicted with leprosy. The similar account is also given in Kumarapalacharita.[15] According to K. K. Shastri, this account seems more trustworthy.[4]
Laksha appears to be a historical character, as he has been mentioned in several other chronicles as well. The other kings listed by Hemachandra appear to be fictional names. Historian Asoke Majumdar theorizes that Mularaja attacked Graharipu on "some flimsy pretext", as Mahadeva's-order-in-a-dream was a popular device used by Sanskrit authors to justify the otherwise inexcusable actions of their heroes. Mularaja's descendants continued to fight against the kings of Kaccha and Saurashtra, so it appears that he managed to subjugate these territories only partially.[15]