The reconstruction of History, notably that of the Ancient World the place sources are few and much, is usually likened to detective work.
Researchers on the Pune-based Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI), which homes South Asia’s largest assortment of manuscripts and uncommon texts, not too long ago embarked on a grand journey in detection after which they declare to have shed new light on Shilabhattarika— the celebrated Sanskrit poetess of Ancient India by establishing her as a daughter of the famed Chalukyan Emperor, Pulakeshin II of Badami (in fashionable Karnataka).
Following the decoding of inscriptions on copper plates earlier this month, famous Sanskrit scholar Dr. Shreenand Bapat, registrar and curator at BORI, stated it was now fairly sure that Shilabhattarika was a Chalukyan princess, probably the daughter of Pulakeshin II, who dominated from 610-642 CE and had famously defeated Harshavardhan of Kanauj in a battle close to the banks of the Narmada River in 618 CE.
Speaking to The Hindu, Dr. Bapat stated that the significance of this decipherment shed a revelatory new light on Shilabhattarika, who stood out as a poetess within the ancient Indian world within the closely male-dominated subject of classical Sanskrit literature.
The Sanskrit poet-critic Rajashekhara (who lived within the Ninth-10th century CE) and was the court docket poet of the Gurjara-Pratiharas, has praised Shilabhattarika for her elegant and exquisite compositions.
Noted Marathi poetess, Shanta Shelke, too, has drawn inspiration from Shilabhattarika’s verse to compose considered one of her most iconic songs— toch chandrama nabhat (translated as ‘it is the same moon in the sky’).
The decoding of the copper plates additionally marks a notable shift within the historiography of Badami Chalukyas by putting Shilabhattarika as having lived within the seventh century CE moderately than the present principle which has her as a spouse of the eighth century Rashtrakuta ruler, Dhruva.
The varaha (‘boar’) seal of the Badami Chalukyan rulers.
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Special Arrangement
Dr. Bapat stated that an antiquary fanatic Amit Lomte, had introduced a copperplate constitution with 5 copper plates stated to be relationship from the reign of the Badami Chalukyan ruler Vijayaditya (696-733 CE) for decipherment.
“The charter had five plates measuring 23.4 cm by 9.4 cm, held together by a copper ring bearing a beautiful v araha (boar) seal. The v araha seal is the trademark of the Badami Chalukyas. The charter contained a Sanskrit text of a total of 65 lines inscribed in late-Brahmi script. It was Dr. Amruta Natu, Assistant Curator, BORI, who drew my attention to Shilabhattarika’s name in the charter,” he stated.
Dr. Bapat, who labored by the genealogies of the Badami Chalukyas and the Western Gangas, had cracked the ‘identity’ of Shillabhattarika by early April.
A main studying of the plates revealed that Vijayaditya had donated the village of Sikkatteru within the Kogali Vishaya to a Vedic scholar named Vishnusharma within the month of Magha, Shaka yr 638, comparable to January-February 717 CE.
“The village [Sikkateru] was identified by Prof. Shrinivas V. Padigar, a renowned epigraphist, as Chigateri situated near Kogali in the Vijayanagar district of Karnataka. But this was not all. The plates revealed that Vijayaditya had donated the village on request by Mahendravarma, the son of Shilabhattarika, the daughter of ‘Satyashraya’,” says Dr. Bapat.
The (decoded) textual content goes on to say that “on recommendation of Mahendravarma, the son of Shilabhattarika, King Vijayaditya Chalukya had donated the village of Chigateri to a scholar scholar Vishnusharma.”
The BORI curator says that whereas different Badami Chalukyan rulers affixed the title of ‘Satyashraya’ (translated as “patron of truth”) to their names, the one ruler to be recognized purely by this title was Pulakeshin II.
Furthermore, the names of Shilabhattarika’s father-in-law Mokkara (or Mushkara), and his father Durvinita (crucial ruler of the Western Ganga dynasty who dominated from 529-579 CE) are additionally given within the plates.
“This ‘Satyashraya’ is nobody else but the famed Pulakeshin II who was the great-grandfather of Vijayaditya. As given in the plates, Shilabhattarika was married to Dadiga, a prince of the Ganga lineage of Talakkad. The most important ruler of the Western Ganga dynasty, Durvinita, was succeeded by Mokkara, who ruled till 604 CE,” says Dr. Bapat.
Mokkara was succeeded by Polavira, his eldest son whereas his youthful son Dadiga (Shilabhattarika’s husband) was probably deputed to Kogali as its governor.
“His son Mahendravarma continued in the same position. It is well-known that the Gangas acted as subordinates to the Chalukyas of Badami and fought against the Pallavas of Kanchi. So, by a rough calculation, Mahendravarma must be above 70 years old when these plates were issued,” Dr. Bapat stated.
The Pallavas have been the sworn nemesis of the Badami Chalukyas, with Pulakeshin II being defeated (and probably killed) in 642 CE within the invasion by the Pallava Narasimhavarman I.
More than genealogies, the decipherment brings into focus the significance of Shilabhattarika and her poetry.
“Over 40 of Shilabhattarika’s verses are said to be extant. Rajashekhara, the great 9th-century critic lauds her compositional style. According to him, Shilabhattarika’s works adhere to the Panchali style that calls for a balance of the word with its meaning. In this regard, Rajashekhara even places her at par with Banabhatta, the court poet of Harsha,” Dr. Bapat stated. The decoding of the plates additionally offers an perception as to how Shilabhattarika might need acquired such a excessive diploma of proficiency in composing poetry, that positioned her on an equal footing with probably the most exalted male poets of the age.
“It is well-known that the Badami Chalukyas and the Western Gangas were great patrons of literature. Shilabhattarika’s great-grandfather-in-law, Durvinita (noted ruler of the Western Gangas), was himself a proficient composer, and had patronised Bharavi, the author of a classical epic Kiratarjuniya. With an illustrious literary pedigree on both sides of her family, it is not surprising that Shilabhattarika turned out to be a poetess of a high order. I think with the Pune copper plates, we now have an altogether fresh look at this classical poetess of ancient India,” stated Dr. Bapat.