Bhavadatta

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Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

Bhavadatta (भवदत्त) was king of the Nala dynasty, whose copper-plate inscription was found at Rithpur (also Rithapur or Ridhapur) in Amravati district, Maharashtra.

Variants

Jat Gotras Namesake

Bhoi (भोई) (Jat clan) → Bhoyila (भोयिल) → Bhavadatta (भवदत्त). Tej Ram Sharma[2] mentions in ...Baigram Copper-plate Inscription of the Gupta Year 128 (=A.D. 439)...4. Bhoyila (भोयिल) (No. 44, L. 3; L. 8; L. 14; L. 15) : It is a name with the suffix ila.[3]The name of Bhavadatta seems to have been changed to Bhoyila as in the case of Agila (Agnidatta), Satila (Svatidatia), Nagila (Nagadatta) and Yakhila (Yaksadatta).[4]

History

The inscription was engraved by one Boppadeva. It mentions the king's name as "Bhavattavarman", which is probably a mistake or a Prakrit form of the Sanskrit name "Bhavadattavarman". It names Arthapati as the king's aryaka, which is variously interpreted to mean "father" or "grandfather"; according to another interpretation, aryaka is an epithet of Bhavadatta. The inscription names the place of issue as Nandivardhana, and states that the king and the queen were staying at Prayaga as pilgrims. Like Arthapati's inscription, it mentions Maheshvara, Mahasena and the Nala family.[5]

The find spot of Bhavadatta's inscription suggests that he extended the Nala territory to the present-day Vidarbha region, possibly at the expense of the Vakatakas (whose capital was at Nandivardhana).[6]

During his last years, Bhavadatta seems to have suffered reverses against the Vakatakas and the Chalukyas.[7] An inscription of Bhavadatta's successor Skandavarman indicates that Bhavadatta lost the control of Pushkari, possibly to the Vakatakas or the Chalukyas. The Vakataka king Prithivisena II is said to have restored the glory of his family, apparently by defeating the Nalas. An Aihole inscription credits the Chalukya king Kirtivarman I with the destruction of the Nalas.[8]

External links

See also

References

  1. Tej Ram Sharma: Personal and geographical names in the Gupta inscriptions/Names of Householders and Traders,p.79
  2. Tej Ram Sharma: Personal and geographical names in the Gupta inscriptions/Names of Householders and Traders,p.79
  3. Panini, V. 3.79
  4. India as Known to Panini by V. S . Agrawala. p. 191, No. 18.
  5. Snigdha Tripathy (1997). Inscriptions of Orissa. Vol. I – Circa 5th-8th centuries A.D. Indian Council of Historical Research and Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1077-8. p.39
  6. Snigdha Tripathy 1997, p. 41.
  7. Snigdha Tripathy 1997, p. 43.
  8. Snigdha Tripathy 1997, p. 41.