Then, Earth became "Pruthvi"

One of the recent posts was titled "Shree Pruthvivallabha" (Click here to read it). The word Pruthvivallabha is actually a title, which means "Lord Paramount". This title was used by many Kings of yesteryears who had vast geographical areas under their command and control. Other kings who controlled smaller territories accepted such Kings as their superior and sought their protection in running the affairs of their respective kingdoms. These smaller kings known as "Saamanta" (subordinate) kings were required to make annual payments to the Lord Paramount in the form of gold, grains, soldiers to the army and other similar and mutually agreed items in lieu of the protection so received. The smaller kings enjoyed freedom of administration within their territories, but were required to aid the Lord Paramount when called upon in case of war with a powerful adversary. The Lord Paramount also was benefited by the indirect power and thus able to concentrate on wider issues in his command area. Such arrangement between the Lord Paramount and the Saamanta kings ensured that there was lasting peace and social order for a reasonable length of time. There were inevitable wars, but peace had a chance at least as long as the personal equation between the two forces was politically sustainable. This arrangement is somewhat similar to the present Central and State Government structure, though modifications can be seen in some areas in line with the requirements of the present times. 

While the word "Pruthvivallabha" means "Lord Paramount", the word "Pruthvi" itself means Earth or part thereof. The word "Vallabha" denotes one who owns the land. But how does the word "Pruthvi" come to mean "Earth"? There is an interesting story behind it, which can be found in Bhagavata and Puranas. 

Long time ago, there was a King by name Vena. He was a descendent in the lineage of Dhruva. Dhruva was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu and ruled the lands with distinction. The pole star which is used as a direction giver (North Star) by those at sea is named after him. Vena was also a good King to start with, but in due course of time developed all bad traits and ended up as an evil King. Everyone under his rule suffered and the level of sin reached astronomical proportions. Bhoodevi, Earth Goddess became frustrated and decided that she will not support vegetation, hid all vegetation and life supporting items inside her and went into hiding. Everything came to a standstill and life became very difficult for all. This enraged the usually kind and pious Rishis. They went in a group and killed Vena in a fit of rage. Vena was lying dead but then it dawned on them that there was no successor to the throne as Vena was childless. 

The Rishis churned the body of the dead king. First a dwarf hunter emerged from the body who was personification of all evil present in the body of Vena. After all the evil was gone and the dwarf emerged, churning of Vena's body continued. From the arm of the dead Vena emerged a fully grown handsome man (see the picture alongside). The new born was named Pruthu (or Prithu), which means great or big. He is believed as an incarnation of Lord Mahavishnu and that Lord Vishnu's bow, Sharanga, slipped from heaven and fell to his hands. Pruthu was anointed as the King. Pruthu took charge and was firmly in saddle now.

Pruthu found that all vegetation and life supporting items had disappeared. He realized that Bhoodevi had taken the form of a cow and gone into hiding. Pruthu went to Bhoodevi in cow's form, but the cow started running away. Pruthu chased the cow with an arrow on the Sharanga, deciding to kill the cow if she did not heed his orders (see picture at the top) and take the items hid in the cow's belly. The cow requested Pruthu not to kill her and in turn she would release all the vegetation and life supporting items inside her belly, in the form of milk. Pruthu accepted the request and lowered the arrow. As he reneged from killing her, it was as good as he gave a second life to Bhoodevi. Bhoodevi was now like his daughter as Pruthu became equal to a father, the life giver. Then, Earth became Pruthvi (Pruthu's daughter).

Meru, the golden mountain, took the form of a calf and all the representatives of various sections of people were able to draw whatever they required from the cow, in the form of milk. Order was restored and life went on thereafter as usual. Pruthu was considered as the first King who ruled the entire Earth. Earth (Bhoodevi) was henceforth referred as "Pruthvi". Pruthu flattened many mountains with his arrows and made the ground even and hence fit for agriculture. His reign was marked by wellbeing and happiness of all subjects. There was no hunger or calamity in his rule. It is believed that proper application of agriculture, animal husbandry, trade and commerce came into existence only from the time of Pruthu.

Subsequent Kings were indebted to King Pruthu for restoring order on earth. Both Pruthu and Pruthvi became an integral part of life on the earth and history thereafter!

Shree Pruthvivallabha

An interesting news report in "The Hindu" last week (25th April, 2016) has thrown additional light on an important part of History. Studies at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune has accurately fixed the year of the historic war between Pulikeshin II of Badami and Harshavardhana of Kannauj. 

The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, Maharashtra is an institution founded in honor of Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar who is regarded as the foremost pioneer of scientific Orientology in India. The institute is said to have the largest collection of manuscripts and rare scripts of yesteryears. The institute, founded in 1917, will be celebrating its centenary year shortly. The institute received a collection of copper plates from Shri Raghuvir Pai, a noted coin collector of Mumbai. Research at the institute based on the bunch of copper plates (photo given above) have confirmed the dates of historical events of the seventh century AD. The institute has informed that the coronation of Pulikeshin II as the King was in 610 AD, when he ascended the throne by defeating his uncle Mangalesha, who had planned to deny the throne to him. The research has also fixed the year of the deciding fight on the banks of the river Narmada, between Pulikeshin II and Harshavardhana as the winter of 618-619 AD as against the earlier vague dates of 612 to 634 AD. It further informs that there is a reference to grant of 50 Nivarthanas (units of land) in village Vataviya, in the present Paithan taluka of Aurangabad in Maharashtra to a Vedic scholar Nagasharma. This grant of land was presumably made when Pulikeshi returned from the war on the banks of Narmada river.

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Pulikeshin II belonged to the Chalukya dynasty that ruled large part of South  and Central India intermittently for six centuries, from 6th 12th century AD.  This dynasty ruled in three different and related branches. The first branch of Badami Chalukya took over from the Kadambas of Banavasi and had their reign from mid 6th century to 8th century (543 AD to 756 AD). The rise of Rashtrakutas eclipsed Badami Chalukyas and thereafter they ruled from Vengimandala, the area between Krishna and Godavari rivers in present Andhra Pradesh, until 11th century. King Tailapa was responsible for coming out of the subordination of Chalukyas to Rashtrakutas and started the third branch of Chalukyas ruling from Kalyana, the present day Basava Kalyana in Karnataka. The reign of Kalyana Chalukyas extended till 12th century AD.

Pulikeshin II was the foremost and most famous King from the Badami Chalukya dynasty and ruled for three decades (610-642 AD). His empire covered the large area of parts of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, entire Maharashtra and Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh. More than a hundred temples and monuments are available even today bearing the stamp of Chalukya architecture in and around North Karnataka. Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal temples are visited by tourists regularly.

Harshavardhana was a popular ruler of North India in the 6th century (590-647 AD) and his reign coincided with that of Pulikeshin II (610-642AD). Harsha's empire extended from Punjab and Rajasthan to Gujarat and parts of Bengal and Odisha. Pulikeshin had become a powerful adversary and taken the title of "Pruthvivallabha" (Lord Paramount). Rise of another powerful King in South India was naturally not to Harshavardhana's liking. He marched from Kannauj with a large army to subdue Pulikeshin II. Harsha's army had a large contingent of elephants. The two armies met in the Narmada valley. Pulikeshin's battle plans and superior warcraft in guarding the river valley resulted in the loss of large part of Harshavardhana's army. Harshavardhana was forced to accept Narmada river banks as the boundary between his and Pulikeshin's kingdoms. The present research has now fixed the date of this decisive war having taken place in the winter of 618-619 AD.

A film by name Immadi Pulikeshi (1967) with popular actor Rajkumar playing the lead role is available for viewing on Youtube. The film was a huge success and is considered as a milestone in the actor's career.

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"Shree Pruthvivallabha" is a title meaning "Lord Paramount" and used by many Kings of that era. It can be compared to the popular cricket cup called "Ranji Trophy". The victor in a major war took the title and held it till the next decisive war. The title would pass on to the winner again. There could a defending champion or a new victor, depending on who won the next war.

The title was lost by Chalukyas of Badami after the Rashtrakutas became powerful and defeated them. King Tailapa II reestablished the supremacy of Chalukyas and made Kalyan (present Basava Kalyana) as his capital. He defeated Munj, a Parmar king and won back the title "Shree Pruthvivallabha". The reign of Tailapa II and later his son Satyashraya is considered as a "Golden Age" in the annals of South India.

C K Nagaraja Rao, well-known Kannada writer who has recorded the reign of Hoysala Kings in his historical novels titled "Pattamahadevi Shantaladevi", "Veeraganga Vishnuvardhana" and "Dayada Davanala?" has also a written another historical novel titled "Shree Pruthvivallabha". The struggle of Tailapa II in establishing the rule of Kalyana Chalukyas and disengaging from Rashtrakutas is well chronicled in his novel "Shri Pruthvivallabha". The book is based on the available historical material relating to that period and subsequent research on the subject. Interested readers can read the novel to get a picture of those times by going through the book.