महाराणा कुम्भा (हरविलास सारदा - मेवाड़ साम्राज्य के अद्वितीय विजेता, निर्माता व विद्वान्)

Maharana Kumbha.

The poets Atri, the composer of the first portion of the inscription on the Tower of Victory, and Mahesh, the composer of the remaining portion of it, lived in his court. He took great interest in architecture, as is clear from the magnificent buildings and works of art constructed during his time in Mewar—at Chitor, Abu, Kumbhalgarh, Ránpur and other places. A number of books on this noble art were written under his auspices, some of which have come to light. The following eight books on architecture and sculpture were written by Maharana Kumbha's architect Mandan,¹ son of Çrikshetra (vide Abfrecht's Catalogus Catalogorum, Part I., pp. 730-1, Leipzig, 1891 A.D. ( १ ) देवतामूर्तिप्रकरण        ( ५ ) वास्तुमण्डन ( २ ) प्रासादमण्डन          ( ६ ) वास्तुशास्त्र ( ३ ) राजवल्लभ              ( ७ ) वास्तुसार ( ४ ) रूपमण्डन              ( ८ ) रूपावतार ¹ A copper plate inscription of S. 1462 (A.D. 1405) in the possession of Champalal, a descendant of Mandana at Udaipur shows that Sutradhara Mandan was a native of Gujrat and had been brought to Udaipur by Maharana Mokal, father of Maharana Kumbha and granted a village for maintenance. 167

Maharana Kumbha, Three other works on architecture by Mandan's son Govind, are उद्धारधोरणी, कलानिधि, द्वारदीपिका, Mandan's brother Natha, wrote वास्तुमंजरी. All these works are in existence at Udaipur and were seen with Champalal, a descendant of Mandan, by Prof. S. R. Bhandarkar, as mentioned by him in his "Report of a Second Tour in search of Sanskrit manuscripts in Rajputana and Central India in 1905-6 A.D." Maharana Kumbha himself wrote a treatise on the art of building Kirtisthambhas (Towers of Victory or Fame), based on principles of Jaya and Aprajit, and had it engraved on stone tablets and fixed in the lower part of the Tower of Victory. A part of the first tablet, found at Chitor and since deposited in the Udaipur Museum, gives Maharana Kumbha- karan's description of the characteristic features of Towers according to Jaya and Aprajit 168

CHAPTER XV.

INSCRIPTIONS AND COINS. INSCRIPTIONS. MORE than 60 inscriptions of the time of Maharana Kumbha have been discovered. The earliest inscription is dated the V. S. 1491 (A.D. 1434) and the latest, V. S. 1518 (A.D. 1461). Many of them are of the great- est importance to the history of India in general and of Rajputana in particular. They have thrown a flood of light on the history of Rajputana and elucidated several obscure points in the history of Mewar. It is due to the discovery and deciphering of some of these inscriptions that the splendid achieve- ments of this great monarch have become known, and it has become possible to appre- ciate his elevated character, his great attain- ments, and his high position among the great monarchs of India. A few of these inscrip- tions are described below :— 169

Maharana Kumbha.

1. The earliest stone inscription of the time of Maharana Kumbhā is that dated the Kārtik Sud 2, V. S. 1491 (A D. 1434) and is in the possession of yati Khemsāgar in the village Delwārā Udaipur State. It records that, during the victorious reign of Rana Kumbha- karna, 14 Tankas (silver coins) were allotted for the worship of Dharmachintāmani Temple as detailed below :— 5 Tankas from the Māndavi (custom house); 4 from the Mapa tax (octroi); 2 from Manaheda- vatā tax ; 2 from Kharivata (Salt tax); and 1 from Patasutriya (cloth tax) of Delwara. This Inscription is published in Jainacharya Vijayadharmsuri's booklet Deva Kulapātak, p. 22.
2. Copper plate inscription of Asādh Vad Amāvasyā, S. 1494 (A.D. 1437) found in the village Nāndiya, (Sirohi State), and at present deposited in the Rajputana Museum, Ajmer. It records a grant of a well and land to one Prabhā Brahmin. (Unpublished).
3. Inscription of Māgh Sud 11, Thurs- day, S. 1494 (A.D. 1437) engraved on the pedestal of the magnificent image of Adbhudhji (Śāntinath) in the Jain temple of Adabada-

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Maharana Kumbha. nāthji in the town of Nāgadā. It is trans- cribed in The Bhāvanagar Inscriptions, page 112. It records the erection of the image of Sāntināth by Sāh Sārang in the temple during the time of Maharana Kumbhā. 4. The celebrated Rānpur Temple Inscrip- tion of V. S. 1496 (1439 A.D.). This inscrip- tion and an English translation of it were first published by Mr. Peter Peterson in his Bhāvanagar Inscriptions. Dr. D. R. Bhandar- kar, in his excellent article on the Ranpur Temple, contributed to the Annual Report of the Archæological Survey of India for 1907-8, re-translates the inscription (p. 216). The inscription is engraved on a stone built up in a pillar to the left of the entrance into the Chaumukha Temple at Rānpur, about 6 miles from Sadadi in the Jodhpur State. The stone, a slab of white marble, mea- sures 3'.3" by 1'.1', and contains 47 lines of Sans- krit prose. It is well preserved. The inscription after stating that Sri Bappa was supreme ruler of Mewar in V. S. 1496, gives the genealogy of the Kings of Mewar upto Maharana Kumbha- karan, incidentally mentioning Rana Bhuvana 171

Maharana Kumbha.

Simh as the conqueror of Sultān Allauddin (Khilji) and the Chauhān king Kituka, and Rana Lakhshman Simh as the vanquisher of the king of Mālava (Malwa). Of Maharana Kumbhakaran, the inscription says:— “The lion of the forest, viz., (his) family, the king Rana Sri-Kumbhakarna, who had demonstrated the pride of the effulgence of a conqueror by seizing, in mere play, the several great fortresses (such as those) of the very inaccessible and impregnable Saramgapura, Nāgapura, Gagarana, Naranaka, Ajayameru, Mandora, Mandalakara, Bundi, Khatoo, Chata- soo, Jana, and others; who was like the lord of elephants, being exalted by his own bhuja (arms) and having acquired many bhadras (auspicious qualities, or elephants of a particular class); who was the lord of birds i. e. Garuda, in having destroyed hoards of snakelike Mlechchha kings, whose foot-lotus was caressed by the rows of the foreheads of the kings of various countries, whose obstinate resistence was baffled by his terrible staff-like arm; who was a Govinda for his amorous dalliance with the faithful and love- ly Lakshmi (goddess of sovereignty or the

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Maharana Kumbha. goddess Lakshmi); by the spreading of whose valour, which acted like wild fire to burn the thicket of bad polity, droves of beasts, viz., all the powerful hostile kings, were fleeing away; whose title as the Hindu Sultān was proclaimed by the umbrella of royalty given (him) by the Sultans protecting Gurjaratra and the territory of Dhilli which were occupied by his great exploits; (who was) the asylum of the sacrifice of gold; who was the suppor- ter of the duties (enjoined) in the six systems of philosophy; who was the ocean to the river, viz., his quadripartite army; who imitated Sri-Rama, Yudhishthira, and other kings by his fame, virtue, protection of his subjects, truthfulness and other qualities." 5. A big stone inscription of Māgh Sud 5, V. S. 1500 (25th January, A. D. 1444), fixed in a wall in a temple of Krishna on a hill near the village of Kadiyān about 15 miles from Udaipur. It records that during the reign of Maharana Kumbhā, a Brahmin named Tilla Bhatta built the temple of Krishna. Tilla Bhatta is stated to have belonged to the 173

Maharana Kumbha. Bharadwaja Gotra and his two predecessors were Sihad and Villa Bhatta. Tilla Bhatta had received honours from Maharana Kumbha. (Unpublished). 6. Rupāhéli Inscription.—An inscrip- tion engraved on the back of a Jain image in the Jain temple at Rupāheli (Mewar). It is dated the 1st day of the dark half of Ashādha, Samvat 1505 (A.D. 1448) and records that the image was set up by Sā (Saha) Sāliga, his wife Hānsū, their son Narasinha, his wife Jivani, their son Israna and his wife Lisi; all belong- ing to the Ukesa (Oswāl) family and Malya Gotra. See Report of the Rajputana Museum, Ajmer, for A.D. 1926, p. 2. 7. Four inscriptions dated the full moon day of the bright half of Mārga (Margasirsha), Sam. 1505 (A.D. 1448) recording the installa- tion of the images of Sridhara, Krishna-Rukmini, Rama-Lakhmana and Madhava-Tulasi by Maharana Kumbhakarna of Mewar. The inscriptions are engraved on the pedestals of the images which are placed in the niches of the Mandapa of the temple of Kumbha- 174

Maharana Kumbha. svami at Chitor. Vide, The Rajputana Mu- seum Report for 1917-18, p. 2. 8. An Inscription engraved on a pillar in the temple, known as Singār Chanvri at Chitor. It is dated Samvat 1505 (A.D. 1448). It refers to "the time of Rana Kumbha- karna (Kumbha), son of Rana Mokal, son of Rana Lakha." It records the erection of a temple of the Jain Tirthankara Santinatha by Bhandāri Velaka, son of Saha Kelha, the treasurer of Rana Kumbhakarna (Kumbha). It mentions Velaka's wives Vilhanadē and Ratnadē, and his sons Mundharaja, Dhanaraja and Kumarapala. The consecration was per- formed by Jinasenasuri of the Kharatara- gachchha. It also mentions the names of the Jain pontiffs Jinaraja, Jinavardhana, Jina- chandra, Jinasagara and Jinasundarasuri in order of succession. Pandit Udayasilagani is also mentioned as paying his obeisance. See Rajputana Museum Report for 1920-21, p. 5. 9. Inscription of Asādh Sud 2, S. 1506 (A.D. 1449) engraved on a pillar in the court- yard between the famous temples of Vimal Shah and Tejpāl at Abu. It records the abolition, 175

Maharana Kumbha. at the request of the Maharana's minister Dunger Bhoja, of the Pilgrim tax, Customs, Valhavi (armed escort) and Chaukidari and Cattle taxes levied in Abu in those days. This inscription is published in the Nāgari Prachāriṇī Patrikā, New Series, Vol. I, p. 450-51. 10. An inscription on a perforated stone window in the second storey of the Kirti- sthambhā (Tower of Victory) of Maharana Kumbha at Chitor. It is dated the 5th day of the bright half of Phālguna, Samvat 1499 (A.D. 1443). It belongs to the reign of Maharajadhiraja Maharana Kumbhakarna (Kumbha) and records the offering of obeisance to god Samiddhesva (Samiddhesvara) by Sūtradhara (architect) Ja-i-ta (Jaita) and his two sons Nāpā and Punjā. (Unpublished). 11. An inscription engraved on the pedestal of a Jain image lying in the Jain temple at Vasantgarh in the Sirohi State. The inscription is greatly defaced. It is of the reign of Maharana Kumbhakarna of Mewar and is dated Wednesday, the 11th day of the bright half of Māgh, Samvat 1507 (A.D. 1450). 176

Maharana Kumbha. It states that the image was set up in the Vasantpura Chaitya (temple) by Bhadaka, son of Dhansi and others, and was consecrated by Muni Sundersuri. Vide, Rajputana Museum Report for 1924, pp. 3-4. 12-15. Four inscriptions engraved on the pedestals of the images of Vasudeva, Damodar etc. in Kumbhalgarh, all dated Asoj Sud 3rd, S. 1516 (A.D. 1459) recording the erection of the images of Vasudeva etc. by Maharana Kumbha. All these inscriptions are deposited in the Udaipur Museum. 16. The famous Kumbhalgarh inscription of Magsar Bad 5, V. S. 1517 (A.D. 1460) in the Mamādeva (Kumbhasvami) temple. This inscription was engraved on five big slabs, of which the first, third and fourth slabs and a small part of the second, are deposited in the Victoria Hall Museum at Udaipur. The fifth and the greater part of the second slab have disappeared. The first slab contains 64 slokas, and gives an account of the temples, lakes and sacred places of Mewar. The third gives the traditional accounts of Bappa Rawal and others. Sloka 138 says: "An account 177

Maharana Kumbha. of Rājvamsa (Rulers of Mewar) based on several inscriptions is here given." It gives an account of the geneology of the kings of Mewar from Guhil to Rāwal Ratna Singh and an account of Lakhshman Singh of Sisodā. The fourth slab records that Maharana Lakhamsi went to Heaven with his seven sons, while fighting with the Mussalmāns (Allāuddin Khilji) In his family was born Arisimha who was like Narasimha and pierced the temples of the elephants of his enemies with his sword. He (Arisimha) was succeeded by his son Ham- mira, who was very liberal and brave. He conquered the fortress called Chelvāta (Jilwara.) He was succeeded by his son Kshetrasimha, who defeated the army of the Yavanas near Chitor. He defeated Dafar Khān (Zafar Khān), the lord of Pattan (Pātan i. e. Gujrat), Ami Shah (Dilawar Khān Ghori of Malwa, vide, Memoirs of Jehangir by Alexan- der Rogers, Vol. I, page 407, and Elliot's History of India, Vol. IV, page 552) and imprisoned Ranamalla (Raja of Idar). He conquered the rulers of Hādāvati (Hāravati), brought their country under his control and 178

Maharana Kumbha. destroyed their fortress of Mandalakara (Māndalagarh). He also defeated the ruler of Malwa several times and imprisoned the rulers of Gujarāt. His son was Lakshasena (Lakhamansimha, Lākhā), who weighed himself against gold and liberated Tristhali (Kāsi, Prayāga and Gayā) from the Sakas (Musalmans). He defeated the Medas (Mers) and took from them the mountain Vardhana (fortress of Badnor). His son was Mokalendra, who made those Brahmans, who had become cultivators, study Vedas, and weighed himself against gold. He conquered the whole country of Sapādalaksha and took Sākamabhari (Sāmbhar). He defeated Peroz (Firoz Khan of Nagor), Muhammad (Ahmad Shāh of Gujarat) and destroyed their elephants. He repaired the temple of Samiddhesvara at Chitor and also built the holy places known as Ranamochana, Pāpamochana and a beautiful reservoir. He set up in the temple of devi, a lion made of all the metals and presented a gold Garuda (eagle) to the temple of Vishnu. His son was Kumbhakarna, whose mother was Sobhagyadevi. He rebuilt the ruined temple of Eklinga and adorned it with golden 179

Maharana Kumbha. kalasas. He was clever in composing poems and fearless in battles. He was a jewel of the family of Guhadatta, Khomana, Śalivā- hana, Ajaya, Kshetra, Laksha and Mokal. He subjugated the ruler of the town called Nāradiya, conquered Yoginipura, (Jāwar), humbled the pride of the ruler of Sodhyā and took possession of Mandovara (Mandor). He captured Hammirapur from Ranavira, des- troyed Dhānyanagara and conquered Yagapura (Jahazpur). He placed his left foot on the head of the brave lord of Mālava (Malwa) and took Janakāchal. He defeated the ruler of Vrindavati (Bundi), burnt his town and captured the fortress of Gargarata (Gagroon). He burnt Mallaranyapur (Malarna), wrested Simhapuri (Sihor), destroyed Ratnapura and imprisoned several rulers. He overran the country of Sapadalaksha, conquered Rana- sthambha (Ranthambhor), Amradadri (Amber), Kotra and Bombaovada, and captured the fortress of Mandalgarh. He conquered several countries and fortresses, subjugated the rulers of Haravati and exacted tribute from them. He devastated Visalanagara, conquered 180

Maharana Kumbha. Giripura (Dungarpur) and put its ruler Gayapāla to flight. He humbled the pride of the Muhammadans at Sārangapur and imprisoned several young women of the Lord of Pārasikas (Muhammadans). The unfortunate loss of the fifth slab renders the account of Maharana Kumbha incomplete. The fact that some of the slokas are common to this and the Chitor Kirtistham- bha Inscription (no. 14 below), as also the fact that both bear the same date, show that both of them were composed by the same poet. This inscription gives a more detailed account of Kumbha, while the Chitor Kīrtisthambha Inscription is brief. These two are the most important of all inscriptions of Kumbha's time. 17. The Chitor Kīrtisthambha (Tower of Victory) Inscription of Magsar Bad 5th, S. 1517 (A. D. 1460). It was engraved on several stone slabs, of which only two are now in existence, first and the last but one, containing slokas 1 to 28 and 168 to 187 respectively. A photo transcript of these 181

Maharana Kumbha. two slabs is published in Cunningham's Archæological Survey Report, Vol. 23, Plates 20 and 21. Several more slabs were in exis- tence in A.D. 1678, when a Pundit copied the inscription engraved on them, in a book of 22 leaves on Fagan Bad 7th, S. 1735 (A.D. 1678). This copy is in Mahamahopadhyaya P. Gauri Shankar's possession. The first two verses are devoted to the praise of Siva and Ganesa. The description of the family of Bappa commences from verse 3. Verses 4—8 are devoted to Bappa who is said to have been a great warrior, a leader of the princes and a devotee of Siva. In his family was born, Hammir who destroyed his enemies. He was very liberal and was called Vishamdhāti Pan- chānana (a lion in vigorous attacks). He captured his enemy's fortress Chelvāta (Jilwārā) (verses 9—20). His son was Kshetrasinha who destroyed the army of the Yavanas (Ami Shāh, alias Dilāwar Khān Ghori of Mālwā) near Chitor and imprisoned Ranamalla of Idar (verses 21—29). His son was Lakshasinh who liberated Gayā from the Muhammadans. He weighed himself against gold and captured Vardhamanagiri (Badnor) from the Mevas 182

Maharana Kumbha. (Mers; verses 30—39). His son was Mokal (V. 40). After this, 193 verses are devoted to the description of Rana Kumbhakarna's reign and the number of the verses again begins with one. Rana Kumbha brought the image of Hanu- mana from Māndavyapura (Mandor) and established it in the fortress of Kumbhalgarh. He exacted tribute from the country of Sapādalaksha (Sāmbhar) and brought from there the image of Umā. He levied taxes from the salt mines at Dindvana (Didwana in Jodhpur State), took the town of Naraina (in Jaipur State) and conquered the whole kingdom of Mudafar (Muzaffar Shah). He re- populated the town of Vasantapur near the holy fountain of Vasishtha (i.e., Mt. Abu) and built there seven tanks. He built to the east of the temple of Eklinga, a Mandapa known as Kumbhamandapa. He with his cavalry attacked Gokarnagiri and the kingdom of Arbuda (Mt. Abu), on the peak of which he built the fortress of Achaldurga (Achalgarh); 183

Maharana Kumbha. he erected there the grand Vishnu temple of Kumbhasvāmī, and near it, built a tank. This crest-jewel of kings built four other tanks on Mount Abu. He subjugated Muhammad, destroyed the town of Nagapur (Nagor) with the lofty mashiti (masjid), built by Peroz (Firoz), imprisoned several young Muham- madan women and took possession of the treasure of Shams Khān while fighting in the country of Jāngal. He laid waste Khandela and erected the lofty temple of Kumbhaswami at Chitor. Near it, he also erected another temple of Adivarāha, dug a tank called Ramakund, erected the lofty Kirtisthambha and constructed a road for chariots from the the bottom of the fort to its top. At Chitor, he constructed Rāmarathyā (Rampol gate), Hanumanagopura (Hanumanpol), Bhairav- ankavisikha (Bhairavapol), Mahalakshmirathyā (Mahalakshmipol), Chāmundapratoli (Chamun- dapol), and Tararathya (Tarapol; VV. 1—42). (Verses 43—124 were missing even at that time, A.D. 1678.) He (Kumbhakarna) built Rājapratoli (Rājpol=the palace gate) with an ornamental Torana (V. 125). He built the fortress of 184

Maharana Kumbha. Kumbhalmeru (Kumbhalgarh) with four gates on the top of Vindya mountain, constructed there the temple of Kumbhasvāmī in honour of Vishnu, and near it, built a beautiful lake. On the top of the fortress, he set up the image of Ganēsa brought from one of his enemies' fortresses. (VV. 126—146). He was called Rājguru, Dānaguru, Śailaguru and Paramaguru of Kings. He killed several of his enemies to take revenge of his father's death. He was versed in the four Vedas, composed Sangītarāja, Sūdaprabandha and four dramas. He wrote commentaries on Chandīshataka and Gīta Govinda. He was the head of poets, princes, and skilled in playing on the lute (vīnā). In dramatic composition, he was a Bharat and followed the rules of Nandīkesvara, while composing poems in praise of Siva. He destroyed the combined armies of the lords of Mālwā and Gurjrat in war and captured several elephants. He assumed the titles, Asvapati, Gajapati and Narapati. He was the son of Sobhāgyadevi, and husband of Kumbhaladevi. He built a new Visikhā (gate) on the 13th day of the 185

Maharana Kumbha. dark half of Kārtika, Samvat 1507; Kumbhal- meru on the 13th day of the dark half of Chaitra, Samvat 1515; Kirtisthambha on the 10th day of the bright half of Māgha, Samvat 1505, and Achaldurga on the 15th day of the bright half of Māgha, Samvat 1509. (VV. 147—187). In the family of Bhrigu was born Somnāth. His son was Narahari whose son was Kesáva also called Jhoting. Jhoting’s son was Atri, who composed a part of the Prasasti. His son Mahesh, who was highly honoured by Kumbhakarna, completed the Prasasti on Monday the 5th day of the dark half of Mārgasirsha, Samvat 1517 (A.D. 1460). 18. The second Kumbhalgarh Inscription of Magsar Bad 5, (Monday) V. S. 1517 (A.D. 1460). Of this inscription, the first slab containing 64 slokas, alone remains; the remaining slabs are lost. The first slab con- tains a part of an account of Maharana Kumbha. It says that the account is con- tinued in subsequent slabs. The slab is in the Museum at Udaipur. (Unpublished). 19. Inscription dated the Vaisakh Sud 186