Amoghavarsha

Amoghavarsha I ( _kn. ಅಮೋಘವರ್ಷ ನೃಪತುಂಗ), (800–878) C.E. was a Rashtrakuta king, the greatest ruler of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, and one of the great kings of India. Historians have compared him to the legendary Emperor Ashoka in his religious temperament and love of peace. Many Kannada and Sanskrit scholars prospered during his rule including Mahaviracharya, who wrote "Ganita-sara-samgraha", Jinasena, Virasena, Shakatayan and Sri Vijaya. Amoghavarsha I was also a famous poet and scholar and wrote "Kavirajamarga", the earliest extant literary work in KannadaSastri (1955), p. 355.] and "Prashnottara Ratnamalika", a religious work in Sanskrit. During his rule he held such titles as "Nripatunga", "Atishadhavala", "Veeranarayana", "Rattamarthanda" and "Srivallabha". He moved the Rashtrakuta regal capital from Mayurkhandi in the Bidar district to Manyakheta in the Gulbarga district in the modern Karnataka state. He is said to have built the regal city to match that of Lord Indra. The capital city was planned to include elaborately designed buildings for the royalty using the finest of workmanship.Sastri (1955), p. 146.]

Early years

Amoghavarsha I (whose birth name was Sharva)Kamath (2001), p77] It has been claimed that Sharva may be a title (Reu 1933, p66)] was born in 800 in Sribhavan on the banks of the river Narmada during the return journey of his father, King Govinda III, from his successful campaigns in northern India. This information is available from the Manne records of 803 and the Sanjan plates of 871, both important sources of information about Amoghavarsha I. The Sirur plates further clarify that Amoghavarsha I ascended to the throne in 814 at the age of 14 after the death of his father. All his inscriptions thereafter refer to him as Amoghavarsha I.Reu (1933), p68] His guardian during his early years as king was his cousin, Karka Suvarnavarsha of the Gujarat branch of the empire.

A revolt led by some of his relatives together with feudatories of the kingdom temporarily unseated Amoghavarsha I who, with the help of his guardian and cousin (Karka) also called Patamalla, re-established himself as the king of the empire by 821. This information comes from the Surat records and the Baroda plates of 835.Kamath (2001), p78] Reu 1933, p66] The first to revolt was the Western Ganga feudatory led by King Shivamara II. In the series of battles that followed, Shivamara II was killed in 816 and Amoghavarsha I's commander and confidant, Bankesha, was defeated in Rajaramadu by the next Ganga king, Rachamalla.From the Hiregundagal records (Kamath 2001, p78)] Due to the resilience of the Gangas, Amoghavarsha I was forced to follow a conciliatory policy. He married his daughter, Chandrabbalabbe, to the Ganga king Buthuga and another daughter, Revakanimmadi, to the Ganga prince Ereganga. More revolts occurred between 818 and 820, but by 821 Amoghavarsha I had overcome all resistance and established a stable kingdom to rule.

Wars in the south

Vijayaditya II of the Eastern Chalukya family overthrew Bhima Salki, the ruling Rashtrakuta feudatory at Vengi, took possession of the throne and continued his hostilities against the Rashtrakutas. He captured Sthambha (modern Kammamettu), a Rashtrakuta stronghold. From the Cambay and Sangli plates it is known that Amoghavarsha I overwhelmingly defeated the Vengi Chalukyas and drove them out of their strongholds in the battle of Vingavalli. The Bagumra records mention a "Sea of Chalukyas" invading the Ratta kingdom which Amoghavarsha I successfully defended. After these victories he assumed the title "Veeranarayana".

Tranquility was restored temporarily by a marriage between Vijayaditya II's son, Vishnuvardhana V, and the Ratta princess Shilamahadevi, a sister of Karka of the Gujarat branch. However, Vishnuvardhana V attacked the northern Kalachuri feudatory of the Rashtrakutas in Tripuri, central India, and captured Elichpur near Nasik. Amoghavarsha I killed Vishnuvardhana V in 846 but continued a friendly relationship with the next Chalukya ruler, Gunaga Vijayaditya III, and suppressed the recalcitrant Alupas of South Canara under prince Vimaladitya in 870. Likewise, Amoghavarsha I maintained friendly interactions with the Pallava who were busy keeping the Pandyas at bay. The Pallavas had marital ties with the Rashtrakutas as well. Nandivarman was married to a Ratta princess, Sankha, and their son was also called Nripatunga. This has prompted historians to suggest that the Pallava king must have married Amoghavarsha I's daughter.Dr. Hultzsch in Kamath (2001), p79]

The Sanjan inscriptions of 871 claim Amoghavarsha I made a great effort to overthrow the kingdom of the Dravidas and that the mobilization of his armies struck terror in the hearts of the kings of Kerala, Pandya, Chola, Kalinga, Magadha, Gujarat and Pallava. The record also states that Amoghavarsha I imprisoned for life the "Gangavamshi" ruler and also those in his own court who had carried out plots against him.Reu (1933), p70]

Religion and culture

Amoghavarsha I preferred to remain friendly with all his neighbours and feudatories and avoided taking an aggressive posture against them. It is still debated whether he abdicated his throne at times to fulfill religious pursuits.He retired to his Jain monastery more than once during his long reign (Sastri 1955, p395)] He deeply cared for his subjects and once when a calamity threatened to harm them, he offered his finger as a sacrifice to the goddess Mahalakshmi of Kholapur. For this act he has been compared to "puranic" heroes such as Bali, Shibi and Jimutavahana.From the Sanjan plates (Kamath 2001, p79)] It is written that the rulers of Vanga, Anga, Magadha, Malwa and Vengi worshipped him.From the Nilagunda records (Kamath 2001, p79)]

Amoghavarsha I was a disciple of Jinasenacharya. Proof for this comes from the writing, "Mahapurana" (also known as "Uttara Purana"), by Gunabhadra in which the author states "blissful for the world is the existence of Jinasenacharya, by bowing to whom Amoghavarsha considered himself to be purified". The same writing proves that Amoghavarsha I was a follower of the "Digambara" branch of Jainism.Reu (1933), p72] His own writing Kavirajamarga is a landmark literary work in Kannada language and became a guide book for future poets and scholars for centuries to come.Narasimhachraya (1988), p2,p12,p17] The Sanskrit writing "Prashnottara Ratnamalika" is said to have been written by Amoghavarsha I in his old age when he had distanced himself from the affairs of the state. However others argue that it was written by Adi Shankara or by Vimalacharya.While the Tibetan version of the book and copies of the book written by Digambara Jains claim the author was indeed Amgohavarsha I, the manuscript copy of the writing preserved in the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras states that Shankaracharya was the author. Some Svetambara Jains claim the author was Vimalacharya (Reu 1933, p36, p73)]

Amoghavarsha I patronised both Jainism and Hinduism. His empire was one among the four great contemporary empires of the world and because of his peaceful and loving nature, he has been compared to Emperor Ashoka as noted above.R.S.Panchamukhi in Kamath (2001), p80] From the notes of 9th century Arab traveller Suleiman (Kamath 2001, p80)] The Jain Narayana temple of Pattadakal, ( a UNESCO World Heritage Site)cite web|title=Reclaiming past glory |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/feb272007/spectrum1437452007226.asp|author=Vijapur, Raju S.|publisher=Spectrum|work=Deccan Herald|accessdate=2007-02-27] the basadi at Konnur and the Neminatha basadi at Manyakheta were build during his rule. His queen was Asagavve. Writings such as "Mahapurana" by Gunabhadra, "Prashnottara Ratnamalika" and Mahaviracharya's "Ganita sara sangraha" are evidence that Amoghavarsha I had taken up Jainsim in his old age.Reu (1933), p35-36] Famous scholars of his time were Shakatayan, Mahaveera, Virasena, Jinasena, Gunabhadra and Sri Vijaya.Kamath (2001), p79]

Notes

References

*cite book |last= Sastri|first= Nilakanta K.A.|title= A history of South India from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar|origyear=1955|year=2002|publisher= Indian Branch, Oxford University Press|location= New Delhi|isbn= 0-19-560686-8
*cite book |last= Kamath|first= Suryanath U.|title= A concise history of Karnataka : from pre-historic times to the present|origyear=1980|year= 2001|publisher= Jupiter books|location= Bangalore|oclc= 7796041|id= LCCN|809|0|5179
*cite book |last= Narasimhacharya|first= R|title= History of Kannada Literature|origyear=1988|year=1988|publisher= Asian Educational Services|location= New Delhi, Madras|isbn= 81-206-0303-6
*cite book |last=Reu|first= Pandit Bisheshwar Nath |title=History of The Rashtrakutas (Rathodas)|origyear=1933|year=1997|publisher= Publication scheme|location= Jaipur|isbn= 81-86782-12-5

External links

* [http://www.ourkarnataka.com/history.htm History of Karnataka, Mr. Arthikaje]