CHAPTER 1
Hāravati.
The Hara is the most important of the twenty-four Chauhan sakha, being descended from Anuraj, the son of Manik Rae, king of Ajmer, who in S. 741 (A.D. 685) sustained the first shock of the Islamite arms.[[1]]
The Origin of the Chauhāns.
“When the impieties of the kings of the warrior race drew upon them the vengeance of Parasurama, who twenty-one times extirpated that race, some, in order to save their lives, called themselves bards; others assumed the guise of women; and thus the singh (horn) of the Rajputs was preserved, when dominion was assigned to the Brahmans. The impious avarice of Sahasra Arjuna, of the Haihaya race, king of Maheswar[[4]] on the Nerbudda, provoked the last war, having slain the father of Parasurama [440].
“But as the chief weapon of the Brahman is his curse or blessing, great disorders soon ensued from the want of the strong arm. Ignorance and infidelity spread over the land; the sacred books were trampled under foot, and mankind had no refuge from the monstrous brood.[[5]] In this exigence, Viswamitra, the instructor in arms[[6]] of Bhagwan, revolved within his own mind, and determined upon, the re-creation of the Chhattris. He chose for this rite the summit of Mount Abu,[[7]] where dwell the hermits and sages (Munis and Rishis) constantly occupied in the duties of religion, and who had carried their complaints even to the khir samudra (sea of curds), where they saw the Father of Creation floating upon the hydra (emblem of eternity). He desired them to regenerate the warrior race, and they returned to Mount Abu with Indra, Brahma, Rudra, Vishnu, and all the inferior divinities, in their train. The fire-fountain (analkund) was lustrated with the waters of the Ganges; expiatory rites were performed, and, after a protracted debate, it was resolved that Indra should initiate the work of re-creation. Having formed an image (putli) of the durva grass, he sprinkled it with the water of life, and threw it into the fire-fountain. Thence, on pronouncing the sanjivan mantra (incantation to give life), a figure slowly emerged from the flame, bearing in the right hand a mace, and exclaiming, 'Mar! mar!' (slay, slay). He was called Pramar; and Abu, Dhar, and Ujjain were assigned to him as a territory.
“Brahma was then entreated to frame one from his own essence (ansa). He made an image, threw it into the pit, whence issued a figure armed with a sword (khadga) in one hand, with the Veda in the other, and a janeo round his neck. He was named Chalukya or Solanki, and Anhilpur Patan was appropriated to him.
“Rudra formed the third. The image was sprinkled with the water of the Ganges, and on the incantation being read, a black ill-favoured figure arose, armed with the dhanush or bow. As his foot slipped when sent against the demons, he was called Parihar, and placed as the pauliya, or guardian of the gates. He had the Naunangal Marusthali, or ‘nine habitations of the desert,’ assigned him.[him.]
“The fourth was formed by Vishnu; when an image like himself four-armed, each having a separate weapon, issued from the flames, and was thence styled Chaturbhuja Chauhan, or the ‘four-armed.’ The gods bestowed their blessing upon him, and Mahishmati-nagari as a territory. Such was the name of Garha-Mandla in the Dwapur, or silver age [441].[[8]]
“The Daityas were watching the rites, and two of their leaders were close to the fire-fountain; but the work of regeneration being over, the new-born warriors were sent against the infidels, when a desperate encounter ensued. But as fast as the blood of the demons was shed, young demons arose; when the four tutelary divinities, attendant on each newly-created race, drank up the blood, and thus stopped the multiplication of evil. These were—