261. BHOJA 261

BHOJA 261

came to the conclusion that ala fourished in the first half of the 11th century. Dr. Buhler (Intro. to विक्रमाङ्गदेवचरित pp. 19- 25) holds that भोज flourished somewhat later then that date. His reasons were principally two. The <TaaT. (VII. 259) says 'स च भोजनरेन्द्रश् दानोत्कर्षेष विश्रुतौ। सूरी तस्मिन्से तुल्यौ दावास्ता ferwrant I'. This passage according to Dr. Buhler refers to the period after 1062 A. D. when T had been crowned king of Kashmir. The second reason is that the सरस्वतीकयठामरय quotes a verse from the चौर पष्चाशिका which, according to Buhler, is the work of Bilhna. Buhler laid too much emphasis on the words तस्मिन् सरो in the राज०. Moreover, a gloss refers the word सः to अनन्त. Further, the authorship of the चौरपम्चाशिका is not beyond the pale of discussion. According to the भोज- , there was a prophecy that Bhoja would reign for 55 years. Bhoja's uncle Munji was slain by Tailapa between 994 and 997 A. D. and Munji was succeeded by his brother सिन्धुराज or सिन्धुल also styled नवसाइसाङ्. An inscription of जयसिंह the succe- ssor of भोज dated संवव् 1112 (1055-56) A.D.) settles this dispute about the date of भोज (vide E. I. vol. III. pp. 46-50 Mindhata plate of जयसिंह of धारा.). It shows that भोज could not have been living beyond 1054 A. D. Bhoja had a very long reign. Other certain dates are those of his grants such as I. A. vol. VI.p. 53 (संवत् 1078). The नत्रसाहसाङ्कचरित was written by order of king सिन्धुराज and speaks of his invasions. So सिन्धुराज must have reigned for some years. Therefore it must be held that भोज came to the throne about 1005 and not earlier. The सर- स्वतीकएठाभरण and शुह्गारप्रकाश must have been composed between 1005-1054, probably towards the close of Bhoja's career i. c. between 1030-1050 A. D. The सरस्वती० contains a verse in praise of मुश्ज 'सौजन्याम्बुनिधे ... शोमन्मञ्ज किमित्यमं जनमुपस्प्रष्टं दृशा नाशसि ।।' (1st परि० कारिका 71 p. 60). The Dhar प्रशस्ति speaks of भजनवर्म (whose dates are 1211, 1213 and 1215 A. D.) as a descendant and avatara of भोज (E. I. vol. VIII. p. 96). The story about Munji's cruel treatment of Sindhuraja and Bhoja set forth in the Bhojiprabindha and in Merutunga's Prabandha-cintamani (pp. 32-36 of Tawney's translation) and the statement that Vakp tiraja was immediately succeed- ed by Bhoja must be treated as mere legendary trash in view of the fact that several inscriptions (such as the Banswara plate, E. I. XI. p. 181 dated aiaq 1076, the Betma plate dated