Sukhavarman

Sukhavarman was an Utpal clan ruler of Kashmir in 10th century. He was son of Utpala.

Genealogy of Utpala dynasty

The Genealogy of Utpala dynasty is: Utpalaka or Utpala → Sukhavarman → Avantivarman (855) → Shankaravarman (A.D. 883 to 901) → Raja Parth → Unmattavanti (937 AD)

In Rajatarangini

Rajatarangini tells us that in the Karkota family, Lalitapida had a concubine named Jayadevi, the daughter of Kalpapala an inhabitant of Akhuva (IV.678). Her son was Chippatajayapida. The young Chippatajayapida was advised by his maternal uncle Utpalaka or Utpala (IV.679). Eventually the Karkota dynasty ended and a grandson of Utpala became king.

The maternal uncles of the present king named Padma, Utpalaka, Kalyana, Mamma and Dharmma now ruled the kingdom during the king's infancy.

They wished to set up a puppet king, but they could not agree in their choice, and so they quarreled. Tribhuvanapira, son of king Vappiya by queen Meghavali, though the eldest, was not crowned, because all did not agree. This Tribhubanapira'a son named Ajitapira by Jayadevi, was raised to the throne by Utpala in opposition to his colleagues. But the king could not please all the five brothers equally, for when he spoke to one of them the rest were displeased. The five brothers who appropriated the revenues of the realm, set up many houses of gods in the city.

They with their sons ruled the kingdom which may be said to have been without a king,

• Utpala set up a god named Utpalasvami, and built a town named Utpalapura.
• Padma set up a god named Padmasvami, and a town named Padmapura.
• The wife of Padma named Gunadevi, built two temples, one within the city, and the other at Vijayeshvara.
• Dharmma set up a god named Dharmmasvami, and
• Kalyanavarmma set up Kalyanasvami, an image of Vishuu.
• Mamma set up a god Mammasvami, and gave away as gift eighty-five thousand cows with calves, and five thousand dinaras with each cow and calf. Who can estimate his wealth, much less the accumulated wealth of all the brothers? Their charity made every one desire and pray for their riches, by whatever means acquired, whether by plunder or by honest means. The houses of the gods built by them were far larger than other temples which stood beside them. From the

---

[p.104]: Kashmiran era 89, ^* when their nephew died, till now they reigned without opposition for a period of thirty six years.

After this a battle was fought between Mamma and Utpalaka, and it was so obstinately fought that the Vitasta was choked with dead bodies. The poet Shankuka described this battle in his work named Bhuvanabhyudaya. Yashovarmma, the son of Mamma, defeated his opponents. The victorious party then dethroned Ajitapira and crowned Anangapira son of Sangramapira. Unable to bear the ascendancy of Mamma Sukhavarmma, son of Utpala, began to aspire to the kingdom. After three years Utpala died, and Sukhavarmma raised Utpalapira son of Ajitapira, to the throne.

Ratna the minister for peace and war, who had amassed much wealth, set up a temple for the god Ratnasvami. Nara and other proprietors of the village Vimalashva, who were the judges of Darvabhisara, &c, lived at the latter place as princes. The line of Karkota became almost extinct, and the family of Utpala began to thrive.

When Sukhavarmmā was on the point of becoming king, he was murdered by his envious friend Shushka. Shura the minister, then thought Avantivarmma son of Sukhavarmma, to be fit for the throne ; and in order to prevent disturbances among the people, he in the Kashmira era '31+ deposed the reigning king Utpalapua, and raised Avantivarmma, to the throne.

---

Rajatarangini writes .... on death of Avantivarman all the members of the family of Utpala aspired to the throne. But Ratnavardhana the Royal guard raised Shankaravarmma, son of the late king, to the throne. The minister Karnapavinnāpa became envious, and raises Sukhavarmma the son of Suravarmma to the dignity of heir-apparent and so the king and the heir-apparent became enemies to each other, and consequently the kingdom was frequently disturbed by their quarrels. Shivashakti and other warriors refused offers of wealth, honor, &c, from the opposite party, and remained faithful to their master, and died for him. Honorable men never desert their party. After much trouble the king prevailed at last. He defeated Samaravarmma and others, on several occasions, and acquired great fame.

Having thus beaten and subjugated his own relatives,he made preparations for foreign conquests. Though the country was weak in population, he was able to set out with nine hundred thousand foot, three hundred elephants, and one hundred thousand horse. He, whose command had been ill obeyed in his own kingdom a short while before, now began to pass orders on kings.

---

[p.116]: His army was joined by the forces of tributary kings, and increased as he went on. On his approach the king of Darvabhisara fled in terror and there was no fighting. The Kashmirian army caught several lions and confined them in a fort, a sort of abode in which they had never lived before. The king then marched for the conquest of Gurjjara. Prithivi-chandra the king of Trigarta hid himself, but his son Bhuvanachandra, on whom the king of Kashmira had bestowed wealth before, came to pay homage. But when he saw the large army of Kashmira, he became afraid of being captured, and accordingly turned and fled. The king of Kashmira, whom the historians describe as a very handsome man, was regarded by other kings as Death. Shankaravarmma easily defeated Alakhāna king of Gurjjara who ceded Takka a part of his kingdom to his conqueror. The king of the Thakkiyaka family took service as guard under the king of Kashmira. The latter caused the kingdom of the Thakkiya king which had been usurped by the king of Bhoja to be restored to him. The king of the country which lay between Darat and Turushka, (as the Aryavarta lies between Himalaya and Vindhya,) Lalliya Shahi by name, who was among kings even as the sun is among stars, and was also lord over Alakhāna, did not submit to the king of Kashmira, on which the latter drove him out of his country.

उत्पल - उप्पल गोत्र का इतिहास

कैप्टन दलीप सिंह अहलावत ने उत्पल-उप्पल गोत्र का इतिहास वर्णन इस प्रकार किया है।

अवन्तिवर्मन: इस उत्पल जाट राजवंश का महाराजा अवन्तिवर्मन कश्मीर नरेश सम्वत् 912 (855 ई०) में सम्पूर्ण डोगरा प्रदेश पर शासन करता था।

शंकरवर्मन: उसके पश्चात् इसके पुत्र राजा शंकरवर्मन शासक हुए, जिसके पास एक लाख घुड़सवार, 9 लाख पैदल सैनिक और 300 हाथियों की सेना थी। इसने विक्रमी संवत् 959 (902 ई०) तक अनेक विजययात्राओं में मन्दिरों को भी लूटा।

राजा पार्थ: इसके पुत्र राजा पार्थ के शासनकाल में अकाल के कारण मरने वालों की लाशों से जेहलम नदी का जल देर तक श्रीनगर को दुर्गन्धित किए रहा था। इस राजा पार्थ ने प्रजा से साधारण ऊंचे दर पर सम्पूर्ण अनाज मोल लेकर सैंकड़ों गुने ऊंचे दर से बेचा। उसने बड़ी प्रसन्नतायुक्त उत्सुकता से अपने महलों के पास दम तोड़ते अपनी प्रजा को देखा।

उन्मत्तवन्ति: वि० सम्वत् 994 (937 ई०) में इसके पुत्र उन्मत्तवन्ति ने तो क्रूरताओं की एक ऐसी सीमा स्थिर की जिसे अभी तक कोई न लांघ सका। इन अत्याचारों व क्रूरता के कारण इस राजवंश का अन्त हो गया।

जाटों और खत्रियों में इस वंश की समान रूप से संख्या है। वीर योद्धा हरीसिंह नलवा इसी वंश के महापुरुष थे (इसकी जीवनी देखो, पंजाब केसरी महाराजा रणजीतसिंह प्रकरण)।

उत्पल जाटों ने बीकानेर के पास बड़ी खाटू के समीप पलाना गांव बसाया। उस गांव के बाद अन्य स्थानों पर बसने वाले उन जाटों ने अपना परिचय पिलानिया नाम से देना आरम्भ कर दिया।

इस वंश का बांहपुर बहुत ऊंचा घराना है, जो कुचेसर भरतपुर के वैवाहिक सम्बन्धों से जातीय जगत् में विशेष प्रसिद्ध हुआ। यहां के राजा कर्णसिंह ने वैधानिक रीति से ऊंचा गांव इस्टेट की स्थापना की। वहां पर कुं० सुरेन्द्रपालसिंह जी (बहनोई महाराजा भरतपुर) ने एक नया किला और दर्शनीय राजमहल बनवाया। उप्पल-उत्पल जाटों की सिक्खों में बहुसंख्या है।

References

---

Back to The Rulers/List of Rulers from Kashmir