[112] We know much less about this event than its importance deserves, for with the exception of a raid made in a.d. 1197 by one of the Ghori generals this victory secured Gujarát from any serious Muhammadan attack for more than a century. We learn from various grants made by Bhímadeva II. (Ind. Ant VI. 195, 198, 200, 201) that Múlarája’s regular epithet in the Vaṃśávalí was “He who overcame in battle the ruler of the Garjjanakas, who are hard to defeat”: and Dr. Bühler has pointed out (Ditto, 201) that Garjjanaka is a Sanskritising of the name Ghaznavi. As a matter of fact, however, the leader of the Musalmán army was Muhammad of Ghor, and the battle took place in a.d. 1178 (H. 574). One of the two Muhammadan writers who mentions the invasion (Muhammad ’Ufi, who wrote at Delhi about a.d. 1211) says that Muhammad was at first defeated, but invaded the country a second time two years later “and punished the people for their previous misconduct.” But this is only mentioned incidentally as part of an anecdote of Muhammad’s equity, and there is some confusion with Muhammad’s victory in the second battle of Náráyan (in Jaipur territory) in a.d. 1192, as a better, though slightly later authority, Minháj-us-Siráj, speaks of no second expedition to Gujarát led by Muhammad himself. Minháj-us-Siráj’s account of the defeat is as follows (Elliott, II. 294): He (Muhammad) conducted his army by way of Uch and Multán towards Nahrwálá. The Ráí of Nahrwálá, Bhímdeo, was a minor, but he had a large army and many elephants. In the day of battle the Muhammadans were defeated and the Sultán was compelled to retreat. This happened in the year 574 H. (1178 a.d.)”. Further on we read (Elliott, II. 300): “In 593 H. (1197 a.d.) he (Muhammad’s general Kutb-ud-dín) went towards Nahrwálá, defeated Ráí Bhímdeo, and took revenge on the part of the Sultán.” As no conquest of the country is spoken of, this expedition was evidently a mere raid. The only inaccuracy in the account is the mention of Bhíma instead of Múlarája as the king who defeated the first invasion.—(A. M. T. J.) [↑]
[115] The Vicháraśreṇi also gives S. 1235 as the beginning of his reign. [↑]
[116] Elliot’s History of India, II. 294. This event properly belongs to the reign of Múlarája. See above page [195 note 5]. [↑]
[118] Chapter II. Verse 61. [↑]
[119] Kielhorn’s and Peterson’s Reports on Sanskrit Manuscripts. [↑]
[121] The text is दत्त्वास्मै दोष्यते युवराज्यं राज्यं चिरं कुरु. [↑]