Yasodharman

Yasodharman or Yashôdharman (Devanagari: यशोधर्मा) was the Maharaja of Malwa, in central India, during the early part of the 6th century.

History

Victory pillar of Yashodharman at Sondani, Mandsaur.

Inscription about the Victory pillar of Yashodharman at Sondani, Mandsaur.

The Gupta empire had been weakened by the attacks of the Indo-Hephthalites, known in India as the Hunas, towards the end of the 5th century, which caused it to break up into smaller states. Yasodharman and the Gupta Emperor Narasimhagupta defeated a Huna army and their ruler Mihirakula in 528 AD and drove the Huns out of India. Legend has it that Yashodharman, originally a prince, had lost his kingdom and was saved by a girl while wandering in a forest.It is said that it was a message from this girl, whom he later considered a sister, that acted as a motivation behind his military endeavours. Twin monolithic pillars at Sondani in Mandsaur District were erected by Yasodharman as a record of his victory.^[1][2]

The victory of Yasodharman is mentioned in the sentence “Ajay Jarto Hunan” in the grammar of Chandra of the sixth century. This mention in the phrase sentence अजय जर्टो हुणान or “ Ajay Jarto Huṇān ”, refers to the defeat of Huns by the Jats under the leadership of Yasodharman.

Three inscriptions of Yasodharman have been found in Mandsaur. One of these is of samvat 589 (532 AD). Yasodharman had acquired the title of Vikramaditya.^[3] The Kashmiri poet Kalhana has mentioned about three Kalidasas. The second Kalidasa, who wrote the books 'Raguvansha' and 'Jyotirvidabharan', was court poet of Yasodharman. According to some analysts, Kalidasa has mentioned the victories of Yasodharman as 'Raghu-digvijaya'. His pillars claim that his rule extended from Himalayas in the north to Travancore in south, although that seems rather unlikely. The ruler of Magadha had become his friend.

Bijayagadh inscription

The Bijayagadh Stone Pillar Inscription of Vishnuvardhana, locally known as Bhīm kī Lāţ, was erected at Bayana in Bharatpur district for having perfection been attained in samvat 428 on the fifteenth lunar day of the dark fortnight of (the month) Phâlguna. The line 3 of Bijayagadh Stone Pillar Inscription of Vishnuvardhana reads as:^[4]

"(Line 3.)-On the ceremony of the pundarîka-sacrifice (having been performed), this sacrificial post has been caused to be set up by the Varika, the illustrious Vishnuvarhana whose royalty and name are well established,-who is the excellent son of Yashôvardhana; (and) the excellent son’s son of Yashôrâta; (and) the excellent son of the son’s son of Vyâghrarâta, - for the purpose of increasing (his) splendour, sacrifices, religion, welfare (in the other world), prosperity, fame, family, lineage, good fortune, and enjoyment.

External links

• Bijayagadh Stone Pillar Inscription of Vishnuvardhana
• Mandasor Pillar Inscription of Yashodharman

References