Kashmir
pilgrimage
centers
Amarnath
Amritsar
Ayodhya
Badrinath
Bodha
Gaya
jyothirlingas
kanyakumari
Khajuraho
konark temple
Madurai
Mathura
Pandharpur
Pashupatinath
Puri Jagannath
Rameswaram
Rishikesh
Sarnath
Satya sai baba
Shani Shingnapur
Srikalahasti
Shri
Lakshmi GoldenTemple
Tirupathi
Vaishno Devi
SadGurus
Akkalkot
Maharaj
Shripad
SriVallabh
Dwadasa
jyotirlingas
Somanath
Shrishailam
Omkareshwar
Vaidyanath
Maha
Kaleshwar
Kashi
vishwanath
Bhimashankar
kedarnath
Nageshwer
Trimbakeshwar
Grishneshwar
Shakti
peethas
Sightseeing
Agra
Ajanta caves
Delhi
Ellora caves
Goa
Jaipur
Kashmir
Manasarovar
Foreign Trips
Verse 11. Cite earlier authors: The oldest extensive works
containing the royal chronicles [of Kashmir] have become
fragmentary in consequence of [the appearance of] Suvrata's
composition, who condensed them in order that (their substance)
might be easily remembered.
Verse 12. Suvrata's poem, though it has obtained celebrity, does
not show dexterity in the exposition of the subject-matter, as it
is rendered troublesome [reading] by misplaced
learning.
Verse 13. Owing to a certain want of care, there is not a single
part in Ksemendra's "List of Kings" (Nrpavali) free from mistakes,
though it is the work of a poet.
Verse 14. Eleven works of former scholars containing the chronicles
of the kings, I have inspected, as well as the [Purana containing
the] opinions of the sage Nila.
Verse 15. By looking at the inscriptions recording the
consecretations of temples and grants by former kings, at laudatory
inscriptions and at written works, the trouble arising from many
errors has been overcome.
Despite these stated principles, and despite the value that
historians have placed on Kalhana's work, it must be accepted that
his history was far from accurate. Kalhana lived in a time of
political turmoil in Kashmir, at that time a brilliant center of
civilization in a sea of barbarism. Kalhana was an educated and
sophisticated Brahmin, well-connected in the highest political
circles. His writing is full of literary devices and allusions,
concealed by his unique and elegant style. Kalhana was a
poet.
Kalhana borrowed from authors such as Ksemendra, Padmamiriha and
Chavillakara, and tells us that he used many other sources to
confirm his information including engravings, literary manuscripts,
other histories and local verbal traditions. Certainly, some of his
descriptions show evidence of such research. However, he clearly
used his imagination to fill in the gaps. The Gonandiya dynasty,
taking its name from the legendary first king of Kashmir, is
revived twice in the Rajatarangi?i, but with little historical
evidence. Perhaps Kalhana used it as a literary device, where the
ancient and legitimate dynasty was periodically displaced by
invaders and usurpers, but always
re-emerged.
Kalhana's chronology, particularly in the first three books, is
highly inaccurate. For a man of his time, exact dates may have been
more a way to add realism and emphasis to the account. What
mattered was the story.
The Rajtarangini Kalhanas chronicle
The author of the Rajatarangini history chronicles the rulers of
the valley from earliest times, from the epic period of the
Mahabharata to the the reign of Sangrama Deva (c.1006 CE), before
the Muslim era. The list of kings goes back to the 19th century
BCE[4]. Some of the kings and dynasties can be identified with
inscriptions and the histories of the empires that periodically
included the Kashmir valley, but for long periods the Rajatarangini
is the only source.
This work consists of 7826 verses, which are divided into eight
books called Tarangas (waves).
Kalha?a’s account of Kashmir begins with the legendary reign of
Gonarda, who was contemporary to Yudhisthira of the Mahabharata,
but the recorded history of Kashmir, as retold by Kalha?a begins
from the period of the Mauryas. Kalha?a’s account also states that
the city of Srinagar was founded by the Mauryan emperor, Ashoka,
and that Buddhism reached the Kashmir valley during this period.
From there, Buddhism spread to several other adjoining regions
including Central Asia, Tibet and
China.
The Dynasties - Kalhana wrote during the time of Jayasimha (AD
1127-59).
The kings of Kashmir described in the Rajatarangi?i can be roughly
grouped into dynasties as in the table
below.
Notes in parentheses refer to a book and verse. Thus (IV.678) is
Book IV verse 678.
Gonanda I
The Rajatarangini (I.59) lists Gonanda I as the first king of
Kashmir, a relative of Jarasasamdha of
Magadh.
Lost and Unknown kings
Skipping over "lost kings" we come to Lava of an unknown family.
After his family, Godhara of another family ruled
(I.95).
Mauryas
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive and powerful
political and military empire in ancient India, founded by
Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE. His grandson Ashoka the Great
(273-232 BCE) built many stupas in Kashmir, and was succeeded by
his son Jalauka.
Kushanas
After a Damodara ("of Asoka's kula or another"), we have Hushka,
Jushka and Kanishka (127-147 CE) of the Bactrian Kushan
Empire.
(Note the confusion of dates in this and the following sections.
Kalhana appears to made little attempt to determine the actual
dates and sequence of rule of the kings and dynasties he
recorded)
Gonandiya
After an Abhimanyu, we come to the main Gonandiya dynasty, founded
by Gonanda III. He was (I.191) the first of his race. Nothing is
known about his origin. His family ruled for many
generations.
Some others
Eventually a Pratapaditya, a relative of Vikrmaditya (not the
Shakari) became king (II.6). After a couple of generations a Vijaya
from another family took the throne (II.62).
His son Jayendra was followed by Sandhimat-Aryaraja (34 BCE-17 CE)
who had the soul of Jayendra's minister Sandhimati. Kalhana says
that Samdhimat Aryaraja used to spend "the most delightful Kashmir
summer" in worshiping a lingam formed of snow/ice “in the regions
above the forests” (II.138). This too appears to be a reference to
the ice lingam at Amarnath.
Huna
Kalhana describes the rules of Toramana and Mihirakula (510-542
CE), but does not mention that these were Huna people: this is
known from other source.
Gonandiya again
After the Huna, Meghavahana of the Gonandiya family wasbrought back
from Gandhara. His family ruled for a few generations. Meghavahana
was a devout Buddhist and prohibited animal slaughter in his
domain.
Karkota dynasty (625-1003 CE)
Gonandiya Baladitya made his officer in charge of fodder,
Durlabhavardhana (III.489) his son-in-law because he was handsome.
Lalitaditya Muktapida (724-760 CE) of this dynasty created an
empire based on Kashmir and covering most of Northern India and
Central Asia.
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