Click here if you would like to Contribute or send a feedback.
Click
here to go to the main page of History
of Karnataka.
PULAKESI
II (C.610-642 A.D.):
Pulakesi II ascended the throne in C.610 A. D., and he has
been rightly regarded as the ablest monarch in the Chalukyan
line. It was unfortunate that he had to wait so long to
adorn the throne, which, by right, belonged to him. When
his uncle, Mangalesa, planned to perpetuate his own line,
Pulakesi (his precoronation name was Ereya) took shelter
in the territory of the Bana feudatory, declared war against
his uncle, whom he defeated and killed at Elapattu-Simbige.
It
was no doubt an unpleasant task; but it had to be performed.
The incident reveals certain aspects of Pulakesi's character:
his toughness, ambition and valour. An empire-builder needs
them in ample measure.
The
throne inherited by Pulakesi II was no bed of roses. The
civil war that preceded his coronation had given fresh hopes
to the feudatories and adventurers, some of them must have
been emboldened to throw off their allegiance to the Chalukyas.
As the Aihole inscription says, "the whole world was envelope
in the darkness that was enemies". Pulakesi had to face
the challenge of the Chiefs, Appayika and Govinda.
According
to Dr. K. V. Ramesh, the "the identity of these twin-challengers
is by no means certain. They were, perhaps, loyal adherents
of the vanquished Mangalesa. It is even possible that atleast
one of them, if not both, was Mangalesa's son. "Pulakesi
confronted their army on the banks of the river Bhima. Appayika
ran away from the battlefield, while Govinda surrendered.
After
consolidating his position, Pulakesi II must have organized
and enlarged his fighting forces. Then he embarked upon
a comprehensive scheme of conquests which would overthrow
his enemies and expand his dominions. He subjugated the
Kadambas of Banavasi, the Gangas of Talakad and the Alupas
of South Kanara. He conquered the Maurya chiefs of Konkan,
and the port of Puri (modern Elephanta Island) was captured
after a marine fight. It was followed by victory over the
Latas, the Gurjaras and the Malavas, resulting in the annexation
of the Gujarat area.
When
Pulakesi II pushed forth upto the Narmada, he came face
to face with Harshavardhana of Kanauj, the great ruler of
the whole of North India. What followed was the clash of
the titans. In a decisive battle fought on the banks of
the river Narmada, Harsha lost a major part of his elephant
force and beat a retreat. The Aihole inscription describes
how the mighty Harsha lost his harsha (joy) when he suffered
the ignominy of defeat.
The
Chinese traveller Hieun-tsang describes the event thus:
"Siladityaraja (i.e., Harsha), filled with confidence, himself
marched at the head of his troops to contend with this prince
(i.e., Pulakesi); but he was unable to prevail upon or subjugate
him".
It
was indeed a great victory for the Chalukya monarch, who
assumed the proud title of Parameswara (Paramount overlord)
and became the supreme lord of the three Maharashtrakas,
that is three big territorial divisions comprising of 99,000
villages. The three divisions appear to be the regions of
the present Maharashtra, Karnataka and the western coastal
tract of Konkan.
The
victorious Chalukya monarch then overran Kosala, ruled by
the Panduvamsis. It was followed by a resounding victory
over the Eastern Gangas of Kalinga and the capture of the
fort of Pishtapura (Pithapuram). He subjugated the Vishnukundins
and captured the Kunala area in the Vengi region. Moving
further south, Pulakesi II routed the Pallava ruler Mahendravarman
I in the battle of Pullalur. The Pallava King was forced
to shut himself up in his capital, Kanchi. Before this,
however, as Dr. D. C. Sircar points out, the Chalukya ruler
befriended the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Keralas as they
were all inimical to the Pallavas.
The
Chalukya victory over Mahendravarman I was, according to
Prof. Nilakanta Sastri, "the first move initiating what
developed into one of the persistent lines of conflict in
South Indian history". Dr. K. V. Ramesh, however, thinks
that the Chalukya invasion of the Pallava country occurred
in the early years of the rule of Narasimhavarman I.
The
accounts of Pulakesi's campaigns are provided in his Aihole
inscription dated 634 A. D. It was composed by his court
poet Ravikirti. It is possible that Pulakesi did not conquer
all the Kingdoms in one long expedition, he did so in several
expeditions undertaken at different periods.
The
last days of Pulakesi II witnessed the proverbial reversal
of good fortune. He had to face the Pallava invasion under
Narasimhavarman I who was in a retaliatory mood. Many battles
were fought between the two armies near Manimangalam, Pariyala
and Suramara, in which the Chalukyas were worsted. The Pallava
ruler captured and sacked Vatapi "just as the pitcher -born
Agastya destroyed the demon Vatapi".
He
also assumed the title of Vatapikonda (the conqueror of
Vatapi). It is possible that Pulakesi II lost his life in
one of these encounters against the Pallavas. It left his
Kingdom in a state of gloom, and the thirteen years that
followed this calamity saw a sad eclipse of the Chalukya
power, when Badami remained in the hands of the Pallavas.
Perhaps Fate had so decreed that a touch of deep pathos
and frustration should complete the picture of a ruler who
had savoured success in so ample a measure.
to
be continued...
Arthikaje
Mangalore.
Click
here if you would like to Contribute or send a feedback.
Click here
to go to the main page of History of Karnataka.
|
