[122] The text is चाहू राण that is चाहुमाण राणक. The term Ráṇaka would show him to be a Chohán chief. [↑]
CHAPTER III.
THE VÁGHELÁS
(a.d. 1219–1304).
Chapter III.
The Vághelás, a.d. 1219–1304
Arṇorája, a.d. 1170–1200. Arṇorája, a.d. 1170–1200.While Bhímadeva II. (a.d. 1179–1242) struggled to maintain his authority in the north, the country between the Sábarmatí and the Narbadá in the south as well as the districts of Dholká and Dhandhuká in the south-west passed to the Vághelás a branch of the Solaṅkis sprung from Ánáka or Arṇorája, the son of the sister of Kumárapála’s (a.d. 1143–1173) mother. In return for services to Kumárapála,[1] Ánáka, with the rank of a noble or Sámanta, had received the village of Vyághrapalli or Vághelá, the Tiger’s Lair, about ten miles south-west of Aṇahilaváḍa. It is from this village that the dynasty takes its name of Vághela.
Lavaṇaprasáda, a.d. 1200–1233.Ánáka’s son Lavaṇaprasáda, who is mentioned as a minister of Bhímadeva II. (a.d. 1179–1242)[2] held Vághelá and probably Dhavalagadha or Dholká about thirty miles to the south-west. The Kírtikaumudí or Moonlight of Glory, the chief cotemporary chronicle,[3] describes Lavaṇaprasáda as a brave warrior, the slayer of the chief of Nadulá the modern Nándol in Márwár. “In his well-ordered realm, except himself the robber of the glory of hostile kings, robbers were unknown. The ruler of Málava invading the kingdom turned back before the strength of Lavaṇaprasáda. The southern king also when opposed by him gave up the idea of war.” The ruler of Málava or Málwa referred to was Sohaḍa or Subhaṭavarman.[4] The southern king was the Devagiri Yádava Singhaṇa II. (a.d. 1209–1247).[5]
Lavaṇaprasáda married Madanarájñí and by her had a son named Víradhavala. As heir apparent Víradhavala, who was also called Víra Vághelá or the Vághelá hero,[6] rose to such distinction as a warrior that in the end Lavaṇaprasáda abdicated in his favour. Probably to reconcile the people to his venturing to oppose his sovereign Bhímadeva, Lavaṇaprasáda gave out that in a dream the Luck of Aṇahilaváḍa
Chapter III.
The Vághelás, a.d. 1219–1304
Lavaṇaprasáda, a.d. 1200–1233. appeared bewailing her home with unlighted shrines, broken walls, and jackal-haunted streets, and called on him to come to her rescue.[7] Though he may have gone to the length of opposing Bhímadeva by force of arms, Lavaṇaprasáda was careful to rule in his sovereign’s name. Even after Lavaṇaprasáda’s abdication, though his famous minister Vastupála considered it advisable, Víradhavala refused to take the supreme title. It was not until the accession of Víradhavala’s son Vísaladeva that the head of the Vághelás took any higher title than Ráṇaka or chieftain. Lavaṇaprasáda’s religious adviser or Guru was the poet Someśvara the author of the Kírtikaumudí and of the Vastupálacharita or Life of Vastupála, both being biographical accounts of Vastupála. The leading supporters both of Lavaṇaprasáda and of Víradhavala were their ministers the two Jain brothers Vastupála and Tejaḥpála the famous temple-builders on Ábu, Śatruñjaya, and Girnár. According to one account Tejaḥpála remained at court, while Vastupála went as governor to Stambhatírtha or Cambay where he redressed wrongs and amassed wealth.[8]
One of the chief times of peril in Lavaṇaprasáda’s reign was the joint attack of the Devagiri Yádava Singhaṇa or Sinhaṇa from the south and of four Márwár chiefs from the north. Lavaṇaprasáda and his son Víradhavala in joint command marched south to meet Singhaṇa at Broach. While at Broach the Vághelás’ position was made still more critical by the desertion of the Godhraha or Godhrá chief to Málwa and of the Láṭa or south Gujarát chief to Singhaṇa. Still Lavaṇaprasáda pressed on, attacked Singhaṇa, and gave him so crushing a defeat, that, though Lavaṇaprasáda had almost at once to turn north to meet the Málwa army, Singhaṇa retired without causing further trouble.[9] Someśvara gives no reason for Singhaṇa’s withdrawal beyond the remark ‘Deer do not follow the lion’s path even when the lion has left it.’ The true reason is supplied by a Manuscript called Forms of Treaties.[10] The details of a treaty between Sinhaṇa and Lavaṇaprasáda under date Saṃvat 1288 (a.d. 1232) included among the Forms seem to show that the reason why Sinhaṇa did not advance was that Lavaṇaprasáda and his son submitted and concluded an alliance.[11] In this copy of the treaty Siṇhaṇadeva is called the great king of kings or paramount sovereign Mahárájádhirája, while Lavaṇaprasáda, Sanskritised into Lavaṇyáprasáda is called a Rána and a tributary chief Mahámandaleśvara. The place where the treaty was concluded
Chapter III.
The Vághelás, a.d. 1219–1304
Lavaṇaprasáda, a.d. 1200–1233. is styled “the victorious camp,” and the date is Monday the fullmoon of Vaiśákha in the year Saṃvat 1288 (a.d. 1232). The provisions are that, as before, each of the belligerents should confine himself to his own territory; neither of them should invade the possessions of the other; if a powerful enemy attacked either of them, they should jointly oppose him; if only a hostile general led the attack, troops should be sent against him; and if from the country of either any noble fled into the territory of the other taking with him anything of value he should not be allowed harbourage and all valuables in the refugee’s possession should be restored.[12] His good fortune went with Lavaṇaprasáda in his attack on the Márwár chiefs whom he forced to retire. Meanwhile Śankha[13] who is described as the son of the ruler of Sindh but who seems to have held territory in Broach, raised a claim to Cambay and promised Vastupála Lavaṇaprasáda’s governor, that, if Vastupála declared in his favour[14], he would be continued in his government. Vastupála rejected Śankha’s overtures, met him in battle outside of Cambay, and forced him to retire. In honour of Vastupála’s victory the people of Cambay held a great festival when Vastupála passed in state through the city to the shrine of the goddess Ekalla Víra outside of the town.[15]
Another of the deeds preserved in the Forms is a royal copperplate grant by Lavaṇaprasáda or Lávaṇyaprasáda of a village, not named, for the worship of Somanátha. Lavaṇaprasáda is described as the illustrious Ráṇaka,[16] the great chief, the local lord or Mandaleśvara, the son of the illustrious Ráṇaka Ánalde born in the illustrious pedigree of the Chaulukya dynasty. The grant is noted as executed in the reign of Bhímadeva II.[17] while one Bhábhuya was his great minister. Though Bhímadeva was ruling in a.d. 1232 (Saṃvat 1288) Lavaṇaprasáda apparently had sufficient influence to make grants of villages and otherwise to act as the real ruler of Gujarát. It was apparently immediately after this grant (a.d. 1232?) that Lavaṇaprasáda abdicated in favour of Víradhavala.[18]