महाराणा कुम्भा (हरविलास सारदा - मेवाड़ साम्राज्य के अद्वितीय विजेता, निर्माता व विद्वान्)

Maharana Kumbha.
Smrities (law), Mimansa (philosophy), Natya
Śastra (Drama) Rajaniti (Political Science),
Ganita (mathematics); Vyakarana (grammar),
Upanishads (metaphysics) Tarka (logic) and
Sahitya (general literature). He knew the
Karnataki, the Maháráshtri and other
languages.
The commentary on Gita Govinda, named
Rasika Priya and the last part of Eklinga
Mahatmya, which was written during
Kumbha's time, show that he was a great
Sanskrit scholar, and that he wrote good
poetry with as much ease as prose. The
former work contains quotations from nume-
rous Sanskrit works and shows that Kumbhá
was a man of extensive reading. The last
part of Eklinga Mahátmya is a lyric and its
poetry is sweet and musical, and full of grace
and beauty.
The Eklinga Mahatmya, sloka 74, men-
tions four dramas¹ written by him. This
would show that he was a scholar of Prākrita,
like the famous Chauhan Emperor Visaladeva;
¹ Also Chitorgarh Kirtisthambha Inscription, V. 158.
164

Maharana Kumbha.
but, as none of his plays has so far been
discovered, it is neither possible to speak of
his proficiency in the Prákrita, nor to assign
him a place due to him amongst the dramatists
of India.
The Kirtisthambha Inscription, verse 158,
says that in his four dramas he made use of
Karnataki, Medapati and Maháráshtri langu-
ages, and adds that in Nātaka (play par
excellence), Prakarana (play that takes a less
elevated range than Nātaka) Vithi (one act
play performed by one or two actors) Nātakā
(a play in four acts), Bhán (monologue in one
act), Prahasana (farcical or comical satire in
one act), Rupaka (drama generally) he was a
new Bhārata.
He was an accomplished musician and
possessed a knowledge of the science, un-
equalled in his time. He was a most
accomplished player on Vina, the noblest
musical instrument invented by the Hindus.
He was regarded as the highest authority
on music; and because of this, the title of
Abhinava Bharatáchárya (new Bharatá-
165

Maharana Kumbha.
chárya), as distinguished from the old
Bharatáchárya, the authority on Natya Sastra
in ancient India, was conferred on him.¹
His works² on the science of music,
Sangitarája, Sangita Mīmānsá, Sudpra-
bandha, and Rasika Priyá³ (commentary on
the celebrated master piece, the lyric poem
Gita Govind) and his commentary on Sangita
Ratnakar are evidence of his mastery of
the science. He composed numerous poetic
invocations to gods to be sung in various
Rāgs accompanied by different Tāls. They
are to be found in the Eklinga Mahatmya.
Among other works known to have been
written by him is a commentary on Chandi
Shataka.²
Himself a great scholar, Maharana Kumbha
always valued men of learning, and showed
them respect and appreciated their work.
¹ Kumbha's commentary on Gita Govind, p. 174.
(Nirnayasagar Press, Bombay.)
² Chitorgarh Kirtisthambha Inscription, V. 157. See also
Catalogue of Mss. existing in the Central Provinces, by
F. Keilhorn, Nagpur, 1874 A.D.
³ Ibid, V. 158.
166

Maharana Kumbha.

The poets Atri, the composer of the first
portion of the inscription on the Tower of
Victory, and Mahesh, the composer of the
remaining portion of it, lived in his court.
He took great interest in architecture, as is
clear from the magnificent buildings and works
of art constructed during his time in Mewar—at
Chitor, Abu, Kumbhalgarh, Ránpur and
other places. A number of books on this
noble art were written under his auspices,
some of which have come to light. The
following eight books on architecture and
sculpture were written by Maharana Kumbha's
architect Mandan,¹ son of Çrikshetra (vide
Abfrecht's Catalogus Catalogorum, Part I.,
pp. 730-1, Leipzig, 1891 A.D.
( १ ) देवतामूर्तिप्रकरण        ( ५ ) वास्तुमण्डन
( २ ) प्रासादमण्डन          ( ६ ) वास्तुशास्त्र
( ३ ) राजवल्लभ              ( ७ ) वास्तुसार
( ४ ) रूपमण्डन              ( ८ ) रूपावतार
¹ A copper plate inscription of S. 1462 (A.D. 1405) in the
possession of Champalal, a descendant of Mandana at Udaipur
shows that Sutradhara Mandan was a native of Gujrat and had
been brought to Udaipur by Maharana Mokal, father of
Maharana Kumbha and granted a village for maintenance.
167

Maharana Kumbha,
Three other works on architecture by
Mandan's son Govind, are
उद्धारधोरणी, कलानिधि, द्वारदीपिका,
Mandan's brother Natha, wrote वास्तुमंजरी.
All these works are in existence at Udaipur
and were seen with Champalal, a descendant
of Mandan, by Prof. S. R. Bhandarkar, as
mentioned by him in his "Report of a Second
Tour in search of Sanskrit manuscripts in
Rajputana and Central India in 1905-6 A.D."
Maharana Kumbha himself wrote a treatise
on the art of building Kirtisthambhas (Towers
of Victory or Fame), based on principles of
Jaya and Aprajit, and had it engraved on stone
tablets and fixed in the lower part of the
Tower of Victory. A part of the first tablet,
found at Chitor and since deposited in the
Udaipur Museum, gives Maharana Kumbha-
karan's description of the characteristic
features of Towers according to Jaya and
Aprajit
168

CHAPTER XV.

INSCRIPTIONS AND COINS.
INSCRIPTIONS.
MORE than 60 inscriptions of the time of
Maharana Kumbha have been discovered.
The earliest inscription is dated the V. S.
1491 (A.D. 1434) and the latest, V. S. 1518
(A.D. 1461). Many of them are of the great-
est importance to the history of India in
general and of Rajputana in particular. They
have thrown a flood of light on the history of
Rajputana and elucidated several obscure
points in the history of Mewar. It is due to
the discovery and deciphering of some of
these inscriptions that the splendid achieve-
ments of this great monarch have become
known, and it has become possible to appre-
ciate his elevated character, his great attain-
ments, and his high position among the great
monarchs of India. A few of these inscrip-
tions are described below :—
169

Maharana Kumbha.

1. The earliest stone inscription of the time
   of Maharana Kumbhā is that dated the Kārtik
   Sud 2, V. S. 1491 (A D. 1434) and is in the
   possession of yati Khemsāgar in the village
   Delwārā Udaipur State. It records that,
   during the victorious reign of Rana Kumbha-
   karna, 14 Tankas (silver coins) were allotted
   for the worship of Dharmachintāmani Temple
   as detailed below :—
   5 Tankas from the Māndavi (custom house);
   4 from the Mapa tax (octroi); 2 from Manaheda-
   vatā tax ; 2 from Kharivata (Salt tax); and 1
   from Patasutriya (cloth tax) of Delwara.
   This Inscription is published in Jainacharya
   Vijayadharmsuri's booklet Deva Kulapātak,
   p. 22.
2. Copper plate inscription of Asādh Vad
   Amāvasyā, S. 1494 (A.D. 1437) found in the
   village Nāndiya, (Sirohi State), and at present
   deposited in the Rajputana Museum, Ajmer.
   It records a grant of a well and land to one
   Prabhā Brahmin. (Unpublished).
3. Inscription of Māgh Sud 11, Thurs-
   day, S. 1494 (A.D. 1437) engraved on the
   pedestal of the magnificent image of Adbhudhji
   (Śāntinath) in the Jain temple of Adabada-

170

Maharana Kumbha.
nāthji in the town of Nāgadā. It is trans-
cribed in The Bhāvanagar Inscriptions, page
112. It records the erection of the image of
Sāntināth by Sāh Sārang in the temple during
the time of Maharana Kumbhā.
4. The celebrated Rānpur Temple Inscrip-
tion of V. S. 1496 (1439 A.D.). This inscrip-
tion and an English translation of it were first
published by Mr. Peter Peterson in his
Bhāvanagar Inscriptions. Dr. D. R. Bhandar-
kar, in his excellent article on the Ranpur
Temple, contributed to the Annual Report
of the Archæological Survey of India for
1907-8, re-translates the inscription (p. 216).
The inscription is engraved on a stone built
up in a pillar to the left of the entrance
into the Chaumukha Temple at Rānpur,
about 6 miles from Sadadi in the Jodhpur
State. The stone, a slab of white marble, mea-
sures 3'.3" by 1'.1', and contains 47 lines of Sans-
krit prose. It is well preserved. The inscription
after stating that Sri Bappa was supreme ruler
of Mewar in V. S. 1496, gives the genealogy
of the Kings of Mewar upto Maharana Kumbha-
karan, incidentally mentioning Rana Bhuvana
171

Maharana Kumbha.

Simh as the conqueror of Sultān Allauddin
(Khilji) and the Chauhān king Kituka, and Rana
Lakhshman Simh as the vanquisher of the
king of Mālava (Malwa). Of Maharana
Kumbhakaran, the inscription says:—
“The lion of the forest, viz., (his) family,
the king Rana Sri-Kumbhakarna, who had
demonstrated the pride of the effulgence of a
conqueror by seizing, in mere play, the several
great fortresses (such as those) of the very
inaccessible and impregnable Saramgapura,
Nāgapura, Gagarana, Naranaka, Ajayameru,
Mandora, Mandalakara, Bundi, Khatoo, Chata-
soo, Jana, and others; who was like the lord
of elephants, being exalted by his own bhuja
(arms) and having acquired many bhadras
(auspicious qualities, or elephants of a
particular class); who was the lord of birds
i. e. Garuda, in having destroyed hoards of
snakelike Mlechchha kings, whose foot-lotus
was caressed by the rows of the foreheads
of the kings of various countries, whose
obstinate resistence was baffled by his terrible
staff-like arm; who was a Govinda for his
amorous dalliance with the faithful and love-
ly Lakshmi (goddess of sovereignty or the

172

Maharana Kumbha.
goddess Lakshmi); by the spreading of whose
valour, which acted like wild fire to burn the
thicket of bad polity, droves of beasts, viz.,
all the powerful hostile kings, were fleeing
away; whose title as the Hindu Sultān was
proclaimed by the umbrella of royalty given
(him) by the Sultans protecting Gurjaratra and
the territory of Dhilli which were occupied
by his great exploits; (who was) the asylum
of the sacrifice of gold; who was the suppor-
ter of the duties (enjoined) in the six systems
of philosophy; who was the ocean to
the river, viz., his quadripartite army;
who imitated Sri-Rama, Yudhishthira, and
other kings by his fame, virtue, protection
of his subjects, truthfulness and other
qualities."
5. A big stone inscription of Māgh Sud 5,
V. S. 1500 (25th January, A. D. 1444), fixed
in a wall in a temple of Krishna on a hill
near the village of Kadiyān about 15 miles
from Udaipur. It records that during the
reign of Maharana Kumbhā, a Brahmin named
Tilla Bhatta built the temple of Krishna.
Tilla Bhatta is stated to have belonged to the
173

Maharana Kumbha.
Bharadwaja Gotra and his two predecessors
were Sihad and Villa Bhatta. Tilla Bhatta had
received honours from Maharana Kumbha.
(Unpublished).
6. Rupāhéli Inscription.—An inscrip-
tion engraved on the back of a Jain image in
the Jain temple at Rupāheli (Mewar). It is
dated the 1st day of the dark half of Ashādha,
Samvat 1505 (A.D. 1448) and records that the
image was set up by Sā (Saha) Sāliga, his wife
Hānsū, their son Narasinha, his wife Jivani,
their son Israna and his wife Lisi; all belong-
ing to the Ukesa (Oswāl) family and Malya
Gotra. See Report of the Rajputana Museum,
Ajmer, for A.D. 1926, p. 2.
7. Four inscriptions dated the full moon
day of the bright half of Mārga (Margasirsha),
Sam. 1505 (A.D. 1448) recording the installa-
tion of the images of Sridhara, Krishna-Rukmini,
Rama-Lakhmana and Madhava-Tulasi by
Maharana Kumbhakarna of Mewar. The
inscriptions are engraved on the pedestals of
the images which are placed in the niches
of the Mandapa of the temple of Kumbha-
174

Maharana Kumbha.
svami at Chitor. Vide, The Rajputana Mu-
seum Report for 1917-18, p. 2.
8. An Inscription engraved on a pillar
in the temple, known as Singār Chanvri
at Chitor. It is dated Samvat 1505 (A.D.
1448). It refers to "the time of Rana Kumbha-
karna (Kumbha), son of Rana Mokal, son of
Rana Lakha." It records the erection of a
temple of the Jain Tirthankara Santinatha by
Bhandāri Velaka, son of Saha Kelha, the
treasurer of Rana Kumbhakarna (Kumbha).
It mentions Velaka's wives Vilhanadē and
Ratnadē, and his sons Mundharaja, Dhanaraja
and Kumarapala. The consecration was per-
formed by Jinasenasuri of the Kharatara-
gachchha. It also mentions the names of the
Jain pontiffs Jinaraja, Jinavardhana, Jina-
chandra, Jinasagara and Jinasundarasuri in
order of succession. Pandit Udayasilagani is
also mentioned as paying his obeisance. See
Rajputana Museum Report for 1920-21, p. 5.
9. Inscription of Asādh Sud 2, S. 1506
(A.D. 1449) engraved on a pillar in the court-
yard between the famous temples of Vimal Shah
and Tejpāl at Abu. It records the abolition,
175

Maharana Kumbha.
at the request of the Maharana's minister Dunger
Bhoja, of the Pilgrim tax, Customs, Valhavi
(armed escort) and Chaukidari and Cattle taxes
levied in Abu in those days. This inscription
is published in the Nāgari Prachāriṇī
Patrikā, New Series, Vol. I, p. 450-51.
10. An inscription on a perforated stone
window in the second storey of the Kirti-
sthambhā (Tower of Victory) of Maharana
Kumbha at Chitor. It is dated the 5th day of
the bright half of Phālguna, Samvat 1499
(A.D. 1443). It belongs to the reign of
Maharajadhiraja Maharana Kumbhakarna
(Kumbha) and records the offering of obeisance
to god Samiddhesva (Samiddhesvara) by
Sūtradhara (architect) Ja-i-ta (Jaita) and his
two sons Nāpā and Punjā. (Unpublished).
11. An inscription engraved on the
pedestal of a Jain image lying in the Jain
temple at Vasantgarh in the Sirohi State.
The inscription is greatly defaced. It is of
the reign of Maharana Kumbhakarna of Mewar
and is dated Wednesday, the 11th day of the
bright half of Māgh, Samvat 1507 (A.D. 1450).
176

Maharana Kumbha.
It states that the image was set up in the
Vasantpura Chaitya (temple) by Bhadaka, son
of Dhansi and others, and was consecrated by
Muni Sundersuri. Vide, Rajputana Museum
Report for 1924, pp. 3-4.
12-15. Four inscriptions engraved on the
pedestals of the images of Vasudeva, Damodar
etc. in Kumbhalgarh, all dated Asoj Sud 3rd,
S. 1516 (A.D. 1459) recording the erection of
the images of Vasudeva etc. by Maharana
Kumbha. All these inscriptions are deposited
in the Udaipur Museum.
16. The famous Kumbhalgarh inscription
of Magsar Bad 5, V. S. 1517 (A.D. 1460) in
the Mamādeva (Kumbhasvami) temple. This
inscription was engraved on five big slabs, of
which the first, third and fourth slabs and a
small part of the second, are deposited in the
Victoria Hall Museum at Udaipur. The
fifth and the greater part of the second slab
have disappeared. The first slab contains 64
slokas, and gives an account of the temples,
lakes and sacred places of Mewar. The third
gives the traditional accounts of Bappa Rawal
and others. Sloka 138 says: "An account
177

Maharana Kumbha.
of Rājvamsa (Rulers of Mewar) based on
several inscriptions is here given." It gives
an account of the geneology of the kings of
Mewar from Guhil to Rāwal Ratna Singh and
an account of Lakhshman Singh of Sisodā.
The fourth slab records that Maharana
Lakhamsi went to Heaven with his seven sons,
while fighting with the Mussalmāns (Allāuddin
Khilji) In his family was born Arisimha who
was like Narasimha and pierced the temples of
the elephants of his enemies with his sword.
He (Arisimha) was succeeded by his son Ham-
mira, who was very liberal and brave. He
conquered the fortress called Chelvāta
(Jilwara.) He was succeeded by his son
Kshetrasimha, who defeated the army of the
Yavanas near Chitor. He defeated Dafar Khān
(Zafar Khān), the lord of Pattan (Pātan i. e.
Gujrat), Ami Shah (Dilawar Khān Ghori of
Malwa, vide, Memoirs of Jehangir by Alexan-
der Rogers, Vol. I, page 407, and Elliot's
History of India, Vol. IV, page 552) and
imprisoned Ranamalla (Raja of Idar). He
conquered the rulers of Hādāvati (Hāravati),
brought their country under his control and
178

Maharana Kumbha.
destroyed their fortress of Mandalakara
(Māndalagarh). He also defeated the ruler
of Malwa several times and imprisoned the
rulers of Gujarāt. His son was Lakshasena
(Lakhamansimha, Lākhā), who weighed himself
against gold and liberated Tristhali (Kāsi,
Prayāga and Gayā) from the Sakas
(Musalmans). He defeated the Medas (Mers)
and took from them the mountain Vardhana
(fortress of Badnor). His son was Mokalendra,
who made those Brahmans, who had become
cultivators, study Vedas, and weighed himself
against gold. He conquered the whole
country of Sapādalaksha and took Sākamabhari
(Sāmbhar). He defeated Peroz (Firoz Khan
of Nagor), Muhammad (Ahmad Shāh of
Gujarat) and destroyed their elephants. He
repaired the temple of Samiddhesvara at Chitor
and also built the holy places known as
Ranamochana, Pāpamochana and a beautiful
reservoir. He set up in the temple of devi,
a lion made of all the metals and presented
a gold Garuda (eagle) to the temple of Vishnu.
His son was Kumbhakarna, whose mother was
Sobhagyadevi. He rebuilt the ruined temple
of Eklinga and adorned it with golden
179

Maharana Kumbha.
kalasas. He was clever in composing poems
and fearless in battles. He was a jewel of
the family of Guhadatta, Khomana, Śalivā-
hana, Ajaya, Kshetra, Laksha and Mokal.
He subjugated the ruler of the town called
Nāradiya, conquered Yoginipura, (Jāwar),
humbled the pride of the ruler of Sodhyā and
took possession of Mandovara (Mandor). He
captured Hammirapur from Ranavira, des-
troyed Dhānyanagara and conquered Yagapura
(Jahazpur). He placed his left foot on the
head of the brave lord of Mālava (Malwa) and
took Janakāchal. He defeated the ruler of
Vrindavati (Bundi), burnt his town and
captured the fortress of Gargarata (Gagroon).
He burnt Mallaranyapur (Malarna), wrested
Simhapuri (Sihor), destroyed Ratnapura and
imprisoned several rulers. He overran the
country of Sapadalaksha, conquered Rana-
sthambha (Ranthambhor), Amradadri (Amber),
Kotra and Bombaovada, and captured the
fortress of Mandalgarh. He conquered
several countries and fortresses, subjugated the
rulers of Haravati and exacted tribute from
them. He devastated Visalanagara, conquered
180

Maharana Kumbha.
Giripura (Dungarpur) and put its ruler
Gayapāla to flight. He humbled the pride
of the Muhammadans at Sārangapur and
imprisoned several young women of the Lord
of Pārasikas (Muhammadans).
The unfortunate loss of the fifth slab
renders the account of Maharana Kumbha
incomplete. The fact that some of the slokas
are common to this and the Chitor Kirtistham-
bha Inscription (no. 14 below), as also the
fact that both bear the same date, show that
both of them were composed by the same poet.
This inscription gives a more detailed account
of Kumbha, while the Chitor Kīrtisthambha
Inscription is brief. These two are the most
important of all inscriptions of Kumbha's
time.
17. The Chitor Kīrtisthambha (Tower of
Victory) Inscription of Magsar Bad 5th, S.
1517 (A. D. 1460). It was engraved on
several stone slabs, of which only two are
now in existence, first and the last but one,
containing slokas 1 to 28 and 168 to 187
respectively. A photo transcript of these
181

Maharana Kumbha.
two slabs is published in Cunningham's
Archæological Survey Report, Vol. 23, Plates
20 and 21. Several more slabs were in exis-
tence in A.D. 1678, when a Pundit copied the
inscription engraved on them, in a book of 22
leaves on Fagan Bad 7th, S. 1735 (A.D. 1678).
This copy is in Mahamahopadhyaya P. Gauri
Shankar's possession. The first two verses
are devoted to the praise of Siva and Ganesa.
The description of the family of Bappa
commences from verse 3. Verses 4—8 are
devoted to Bappa who is said to have been
a great warrior, a leader of the princes and a
devotee of Siva. In his family was born,
Hammir who destroyed his enemies. He was
very liberal and was called Vishamdhāti Pan-
chānana (a lion in vigorous attacks). He
captured his enemy's fortress Chelvāta (Jilwārā)
(verses 9—20). His son was Kshetrasinha who
destroyed the army of the Yavanas (Ami
Shāh, alias Dilāwar Khān Ghori of Mālwā)
near Chitor and imprisoned Ranamalla of Idar
(verses 21—29). His son was Lakshasinh
who liberated Gayā from the Muhammadans.
He weighed himself against gold and captured
Vardhamanagiri (Badnor) from the Mevas
182

Maharana Kumbha.
(Mers; verses 30—39). His son was Mokal
(V. 40).
After this, 193 verses are devoted to the
description of Rana Kumbhakarna's reign
and the number of the verses again begins
with one.
Rana Kumbha brought the image of Hanu-
mana from Māndavyapura (Mandor) and
established it in the fortress of Kumbhalgarh.
He exacted tribute from the country of
Sapādalaksha (Sāmbhar) and brought from
there the image of Umā. He levied taxes
from the salt mines at Dindvana (Didwana in
Jodhpur State), took the town of Naraina
(in Jaipur State) and conquered the whole
kingdom of Mudafar (Muzaffar Shah). He re-
populated the town of Vasantapur near the
holy fountain of Vasishtha (i.e., Mt. Abu) and
built there seven tanks. He built to the east
of the temple of Eklinga, a Mandapa known
as Kumbhamandapa. He with his cavalry
attacked Gokarnagiri and the kingdom of
Arbuda (Mt. Abu), on the peak of which
he built the fortress of Achaldurga (Achalgarh);
183