History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.Campbell, James M.
History
History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.
Campbell, James M.
Gujarat (India) -- History
[Skandagupta, A.D. 454-470.] Kumáragupta was succeeded by his
son Skandagupta. An inscription of his on a pillar at Bhitarí near
Saidpur in Gházipur bearing no date shows that on his father's death
Skandagupta had a hard struggle to establish his power. [204] The text
runs: "By whom when he rose to fix fast again the shaken fortune of
his house, three months [205] were spent on the earth as on a bed,"
an apparent reference to flight and wanderings. A doubtful passage in
the same inscription seems to show that he was opposed by a powerful
king named Pushyamitra on whose back he is said to have set his left
foot. [206] The inscription makes a further reference to the troubles
of the family stating that on re-establishing the shaken fortune of his
house Skandagupta felt satisfied and went to see his weeping afflicted
mother. Among the enemies with whom Skandagupta had to contend the
inscription mentions a close conflict with the Húnas that is the
Ephthalites, Thetals, or White Huns. [207] Verse 3 of Skandagupta's
Girnár inscription confirms the reference to struggles stating that on
the death of his father by his own might he humbled his enemies to the
earth and established himself. As the Girnár inscription is dated 136
(A.D. 456) and as Kumáragupta's reign ended about 134, these troubles
and difficulties did not last for more than two years. The Girnár
inscription further states that on establishing his power he conquered
the earth, destroyed the arrogance of his enemies, and appointed
governors in all provinces. For Suráshtra he selected a governor
named Parnadatta and to Parnadatta's son Chakrapálita he gave a share
of the management placing him in charge of Junágadh city. During
the governorship of Parnadatta the Sudarsana lake close to Junágadh,
which had been strongly rebuilt in the time of the Kshatrapa Rudradáman
(A.D. 150), again gave way during the dark sixth of Bhádrapada of the
year 136 (A.D. 456). The streams Palásiní Sikatá, and Vilásiní [208]
burst through the dam and flowed unchecked. Repairs were begun on the
first of bright Gríshma 137 (A.D. 457) and finished in two months. The
new dam is said to have been 100 cubits long by 68 cubits broad and 7
men or about 38 feet high. The probable site of the lake is in the west
valley of the Girnár hill near what is called Bhavanátha's pass. [209]
The inscription also records the making of a temple of Vishnu in
the neighbourhood by Chakrapálita, which was probably on the site
of the modern Dámodar's Mandir in the Bhavanátha pass, whose image
is of granite and is probably as old as the Guptas. A new temple was
built in the fifteenth century during the rule of Mandalika the last
Chúdásamá ruler of Junágadh. At the time of the Musalmán conquest
(A.D. 1484) as violence was feared the images were removed and
buried. Mandalika's temple was repaired by Amarji Diván of Junágadh
(1759-1784). It was proposed to make and consecrate new images. But
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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