Svetlqer at 11:23, 7 April 2026

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{{short description|Chudasama king from 941 to 996}}
{{Copy edit|for=tone|date=March 2025}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2016}}

{{Infobox royalty
| succession = Param Shaiv Maharajadhiraja Girnaradhipati
| reign = {{circa|941|996 CE}}
| predecessor = [[Vishvavaraha (Chudasama)|Vishvāvaraha]] ([[Chudasama dynasty]])
| successor = [[Kavat (Chaulukya dynasty)|Kavat]]
| dynasty = [[Chudasama dynasty|Chudasama]]
| father =
}}

'''Graharipu''' was a 10th-century [[Chudasama dynasty|Chudasama]]<ref>{{cite book |author=K. V. Soundara Rajan |author-link=K. V. Soundararajan |title=Junagadh |year=1985 |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |quote="The Chudasama dynasty, originally of Abhira clan [...] An illustrious ruler of this clan in the 10th cent. was Graharipu or Grahario I" |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2eIcAAAAMAAJ }}</ref> Emperor of the [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]] region of western India, with its capital located at Vamanasthali (now [[Vanthali]]). He was a contemporary of [[Mularaja]], the first [[Chaulukya dynasty|Chaulukya]] ruler of [[Anahilapataka]] (now Patan).<ref name="Majumdar1994">{{cite book|author=Ramesh Chandra Majumdar|title=Ancient India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNxiN5tzKOgC&pg=PA303|access-date=30 June 2011|date=1 January 1994|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0436-4|pages=303–}}</ref> Graharipu built or repaired Durgapalli (also known as [[Uparkot Fort|Uparkot]]), an ancient fort in [[Junagadh]].<ref name="RajanIndia1985">{{cite book|author1=K. V. Soundara Rajan|author2=Archaeological Survey of India|title=Junagadh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bPNEAAAAIAAJ|access-date=30 June 2011|year=1985|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India}}</ref><ref name="Parikh" />

[[Hemachandra]], in the Dvyashraya-Kavya describe the prince Graharipu, ruling at [[Vanthali]] near [[Junagadh]], as an [[Abhira tribe|Abhira]] and a [[Yadava]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FoT6gPrbTp8C&pg=PA25|title=The Tribes and Castes of Bombay|last=Enthoven|first=Reginald Edward|date=1990|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0630-2|language=en|quote=Thus a Chudásama prince styled Graharipu and ruling at Vanthali near Junagadh is described in the Dyáshraya-Kávya of Hemachandra as an Abhira and a Yádava. In their bardic traditions as well as in popular stories, the Chudásamas are still called Aheraránás.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5ntuAAAAMAAJ&q=Hemachandra+kavya+Yadava|title=Power, Profit, and Poetry: Traditional Society in Kathiawar, Western India|last=Tambs-Lyche|first=Harald|date=1996-12-31|publisher=Manohar Publishers & Distributors|isbn=978-81-7304-176-1|language=en|quote=Hemachandra, in the Dyashraya-Kavya, describe the prince Grahasipu, ruling at Vanthali near Junagadh, as an Abhira and a Yadava (Krishna's legendary tribe) (Enthoven 1920, 25).}}</ref>

The [[Abhiras]] of [[Chudasama dynasty|Chudasama]] grew very powerful during the reign of Graharipu in the middle of the [[10th century]] A.D. He had his capital at Vāmanasthali, now represented by [[Abhiras]] the village Vanthali, 9 miles west of [[Junagadh]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Majumdar |first=Ramesh Chandra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bnZDAAAAYAAJ |title=Ancient India |date=1964 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |language=en}}</ref>.They began to rule in southern and western [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]] from the second half of the 10th century A.D. They became very powerful during the reign of Graharipu, defeating the [[Saindhava|Saindhavas]] and the [[Chaulukya dynasty|Chaulukyas]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Majumdar |first=Ramesh Chandra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bnZDAAAAYAAJ |title=Ancient India |date=1964 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |pages=303 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra Nath |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA344 |title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization |date=1999 |publisher=New Age International |isbn=978-81-224-1198-0 |pages=344 |language=en}}</ref>

The growing power of the Chudasama dynasty and the acts of harassing the pilgrims of [[Somnath Temple]] resulted in Graharipu's conflict with [[Mularaja]]. After a major and decisive battle, Mularaja is said to have defeated Graharipu. The ruler from [[Kutch]], Laksha, had fought alongside Graharipu in the battle and was killed. After this battle, the domain was repeatedly attacked by subsequent Chaulukya rulers.

==Battle with Mularaja==
According to [[Hemachandra]], who was patronized by the [[Chaulukya dynasty|Chaulukyas]], the Chaulukya king [[Mularaja]] defeated Graharipu. No other Chaulukya-era accounts mention this victory.{{sfn|Majumdar|1956|p=25}}<ref name="Parikh" />

According to Hemachandra, one night, [[Shiva|Mahadeva]] appeared in Mularaja's dream, and ordered him to vanquish Graharipu. In the morning, Mularaja consulted his ministers Jambaka and Jehula, as he was apprehensive of causing troubles to the pilgrims who visited [[Prabhas Patan|Prabhasa]] in Saurashtra. Jambaka was his Mahamantri (chief minister) while Jehula, the Ranaka of Kahiralu (now [[Kheralu]]), was his Mahapradhana (prime minister), according to Abhayatilakagani.<ref name=IAMJV>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.3740|title=Kavyanushasana by Acharya Hemachandra|last=Parikh|first=Rasiklal C.|author-link=Rasiklal Parikh|publisher=Shri Mahavira Jaina Vidyalaya|year=1938|volume=II Part I|location=Bombay|pages=CXXIII-CXXVI|chapter=Introduction}}</ref>{{sfn|Majumdar|1956|pp=25-26}} Jehula told Mularaja that Graharipu was a tyrant who tortured pilgrims and indulged in vices such as eating flesh, drinking wine and hunting deer in sacred places. Jambaka described Graharipu as a very strong king, and declared that only Mularaja was capable of defeating him. Both the ministers urged Mularaja to attack Graharipu.{{sfn|Majumdar|1956|p=25}}

Mularaja launched a campaign against Graharipu on the day of [[Vijayadashami]]. Graharipu attempted a peaceful resolution through a messenger, who informed Mularaja that Graharipu had no enmity with him. However, Mularaja turned the messenger away, and continued his march. Graharipu then started his war preparations. His allies included Medas, his friend's son Laksha, and a king named Sindhuraja. After the war began, he was joined by a [[mleccha]] chief (who according to the Hemachandra's commentator Abhayatilaka Gani, was a [[Turkic peoples|Turushka]]).{{sfn|Majumdar|1956|p=26}}<ref name="IndologyArchaeology2001">{{cite book|author1=Banaras Hindu University. College of Indology|author2=Banaras Hindu University. Dept. of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology|title=Bhāratī: bulletin of the College of Indology|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3e9tAAAAMAAJ|access-date=30 June 2011|year=2001|publisher=The College}}</ref>

Mularaja was supported by the kings Gangamaha of Gangadvara and his younger brother, Mahirata, Revatimitra, and Shailaprastha. The [[Paramara dynasty|Paramara]] king of [[Mount Abu|Abu]] and [[Bhinmal|Srimala]] also joined him. In addition, Mularaja was supported by the Bhillas and the Kauravas. After the battle began, several others including the king of Saptakashi and a number of Gujarati soldiers, joined him.{{sfn|Majumdar|1956|p=26}}

The battle took place on the river Jambumali (identified as the [[Bhogavo River]] in [[Saurashtra (state)|Saurashtra]]). The battle continued for two days indecisively. On the third day, Mularaja entered battle on an elephant and Graharipu mounted his own elephant in rage. Mularaja overpowered Graharipu in [[single combat]], threw him down from his elephant, and had him tied up with ropes.<ref name=IAMJV/>{{sfn|Majumdar|1956|p=26}}

Laksha, wearing white clothes, rushed in and abused Mularaja calling him Mula.<ref name=IAMJV/> He asked Mularaja to release Graharipu, but Mularaja refused to comply, on the grounds that the captive was a [[cow in Hinduism|beef-eater]]. This led to another single combat, in which Mularaja killed Laksha with a spear. The men of Saurashtra then made a submission before Mularaja, dressed as women. The queen and children of Graharipu requested for Mularaja to release him, which he did, before he visited Prabhasa.{{sfn|Majumdar|1956|p=27}} According to Abhayatilakagani, Mularaja prayed on the day of [[Shivaratri]]. Within five to six days, Mularaja returned to his capital with 108 elephants.<ref name=IAMJV/>

The fight between Mularaja and Laksha has also been mentioned by the 14th century writer [[Merutunga]] in ''[[Prabandha-Chintamani|Prabandhachintamani]]''. According to this version, Laksha (or Lakha) was the ruler of [[Kutch district|Kaccha]]. He was the son of Phulada and Kamalata, who was a daughter of the [[Paramara dynasty|Parmara]] king Kirtiraja. Laksha had repulsed Mularaja's attacks 11 times. However, in their 12th fight, Mularaja besieged his fort Kapilkot (now [[Kera, Kutch]]), killed him, and trod him on his beard. Enraged by his insulting action, Laksha's mother cursed Mularaja's family to be afflicted with [[leprosy]]. The similar account is also given in ''Kumarapalacharita''.{{sfn|Majumdar|1956|p=27}} According to K. K. Shastri, this account seems more trustworthy.<ref name="Parikh" />

Laksha appears to be a historical character, as he has been mentioned in several other chronicles as well. The other kings listed by Hemachandra appear to be fictional names. Historian Asoke Majumdar theorizes that Mularaja attacked Graharipu on "some flimsy pretext", as Mahadeva's-order-in-a-dream was a popular device used by Sanskrit authors to justify the otherwise inexcusable actions of their heroes. Mularaja's descendants continued to fight against the kings of Kaccha and Saurashtra, so it appears that he managed to subjugate these territories only partially.{{sfn|Majumdar|1956|p=27}}

==In bardic literature==
According to bardic tales, he was married to a sister of [[Uga Vala]], the chief of [[Talaja, Bhavnagar|Talaja]].<ref name="Parikh" />

According to bardic literature, Graharipu was the successor of Vishwavarah, and was succeeded by [[Kavat (king)|Kavat]]. He possibly ruled from 945 CE to 982 CE.<ref name="Parikh">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.325016/page/n163|title=ગુજરાતનો રાજકીય અને સાંસ્કૃતિક ઇતિહાસ: સોલંકી કાલ|last=Shastri|first=Keshavram Kashiram|publisher=Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Institute of Learning and Research|year=1977|editor-last=Parikh|editor-first=Rasiklal Chhotalal|editor-link=Rasiklal Parikh|series=Research Series - Book No. 69|volume=IV|location=[[Ahmedabad]]|pages=133–134|language=gu|trans-title=Political and Cultural History of Gujarat: Solanki Era|author-link=Keshavram Kashiram Shastri|editor-last2=Shastri|editor-first2=Hariprasad Gangashankar|editor-link2=Hariprasad Shastri}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

===Bibliography===
{{ref begin}}
* {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ffAdAAAAMAAJ |title=Chaulukyas of Gujarat |first=Asoke Kumar |last=Majumdar |publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan |year=1956 }}
{{ref end}}
{{Chudasama dynasty}}

[[Category:10th-century Indian monarchs]]
[[Category:Chudasama kings]]

Graharipu - Revision history

Svetlqer at 11:23, 7 April 2026