Chapter 1 - The life, date, and works of Someshvara III

A large number of bright stars have shone in the sky of the history of Karnataka. Somesvara III, who ruled at Kalyana in the twelfth century A.D., is one such luminary. He was the son of the great king Vikramaditya VI. Being a spiritual and intellectual giant, he proved to be a monumental figure in the history of Calukyas, who ruled at Kalyana in Karnataka from the 10 th to the end of the 12 th century A.D. It is a question whether he was more a philosopher than a politician or militarist and statesman, in as much as his statesmanship and political thoughts would appear to have been based on the principles of Ethics, which he has expounded in his book Manasollasa. > In fact the Manasollasa and its teachings would seem to have been the guiding factors of his life, and if one considers what he did for mankind, and compares it with what he has preached in the Manasollasa, one will come to believe that he has preached what he practised (which few people do), and that his political activities were a concrete example of that "Universal Welfare" which, according to him, was preached by the Manasollasa to be the basis of 'Moral Duties.' And one will not be far

2 wide off the mark if one looks upon him as a Rajarsi (seer among kings) in an age of national regeneration. That a work like the Manasollasa, which propounds knowledge, unaffected by time, that is equally true at all times, should according to changing times, give fresh inspiration to human beings, is not a matter of surprise; because that is the characteristic feature of such a universal work. But the labour spent on such works by ancient scholars is to be properly appreciated. The ancient Indians were widely and rightly known for their phenomenal pursuit of knowledge. Their inquiring intellect explored newer and yet newer fields of investigation. They acquired the knowledge of both the inner as well as the outer world by all known and possible means and passed on to the posterity the wealth of knowledge thus amassed. In the Manasollasa, the following statements 1 are worth noting. "I am working on Manasollasa, which is 41 useful for the welfare of the world.' "It is a real | 1.1.10 1. kurute manasollasam sastram visvopakarakam 1- 1.1.9 siksakah sarvavastunam jagadacaryapustakah | vistrtam satasakhabhirvaksye kalpadrumopamam | kamadhenuridam sastram manasollasa - samjnitam | nastyanena samam sastram - sarva vastuprakasane | | 1.1.34 5.20.1374 5.20.1375

3 The ancient teacher and is an important book in the world." "It is very wide like the hundred branches of Kalpataru." "This book is like Kamadhenu." "There is no other book equal to this for shedding light on all subjects." Indians firmly believed that the continuous process of acquiring knowledge with unwavering devotion and untiring efforts was absolutely necessary for the growth and development of human culture. Therefore they considered the 'learning' to be the holiest of the holy things in 2 the world. Naturally, according to them the acquisition of knowledge of the various branches of learning was the 'Eldorado' of human life. The almost innate propensity of the ancient Indians, described above, gave birth to scientific treatises on different subjects. The ancients, for instance, wrote works on Ayurveda, Dhanurveda, Gandharvaveda, Darsana, Vyakarana, Jyotisa, Ganita, Dharma, Rajaniti, Hastividya, Asvavidya, Yoga, Citrakala, Silpakala, Vastukala, Nrtyakala, Natya, Vadya, Kavya, Kosa, and several other Vidyas and Kalas. These works stood and continue to stand as the memorable and concrete embodiments of the manifold 2. na hi jnanena sadrsam pavitramihavidyate | gita, 4. 38.

4 expressions of their inquisitive intellectably assisted by their irresistible enthusiasm. Their analytical intellect was never averse to any subject under the sky. When one proposes to write on the life and works of any Sanskrit author, the first question he has to tackle is his date; for Sanskrit authors do not generally give any information about themselves or the age in which they 9 L lived. 176 such is also the state of the history of the ruling dynasties, one can well imagine what it must be in the case of poets, dramatists, philosophers, and artists, patronized by them. We have to collect information about their date, life, and social conditions bit by bit from all possible sources and scrutinise it in the light of available evidence. Somesvara III is an exception to this general rule. Unlike several other Sanskrit authors, he has indeed given us considerable information about his ancestors, original home, learning, and the date of the work Manasollasa. The date of composition of the Manasollasa is 1051 Saka i.e., 1129 A.D. One Sloka while giving the 3 3. eka pancasadadhike sahastre saradam gate | sakasya somabhupale sati calukyamandane || 2.2.62.

5 Dhruvanka mentions Friday as the first day of the month of Caitra in the Saumya Samvatsara. 4 According to Dr. B.R.Gopal 5 "Manasollasa or Abhila- sitarthacintamani, by the emperor Bhulokamalla Somesvara III, completed in 1130 A.D. is an encyclopaedic work." Somesvara III came to the throne on 20 th February, 1127 7 A.D. Dr.Krishna Murari says about Manasollasa: "This work was written probably in the fifth year after his accession. This book drank the essences of all the sastras or sciences, as the sage Agastya drank the whole 6 #1 ocean. There is an inscription known as the Patancheru inscription 26, dated 1127 A.D. This is a very interesting record. It gives the date of coronation of Somesvara III, 8 as 20 th February 1127 A.D. According to Dr.P.B.Desai 4. saumyasamvatsare caitramasadau sukravasare | parisodhitasidhdantalabdhah syurdhavakaime || 2.2.64. 5. Dr.B.R.Gopal. The Calukyas of Kalyana and the Kalachuris. Prasaranga, K.U.D. August 1981, p.14. 6. Dr.B.R.Gopal. Op.cit. p.306. 7. Dr. Krishna Murari, The Calukyas of Kalyani. Concept Publishing Company. Delhi, 1977. p.158. 9 8. Andhra Pradesh Government Archaeological Series No.3 by Dr. Sreenivasachar and Prof. P.B.Desai (Hyderabad 1961), pp.17-19. 9. Editor Dr.P.B.Desai, authors Dr. P.B.Desai, Dr.S.H. Ritti, and Dr.B.R.Gopal. "A History of Karnataka" (K.R.I. Dharwad. 1981). p.186.

6 also "Somesvara's coronation took place on the 5 th day of the bright half of Phalguna in the year Parabhava, corresponding to 20 th February 1127 A.D." According to Dr.Shivashekar Mishra also Manasollasa was composed by Somesvara III in the Saka Samvat 1051 i.e. 1129 A.D. 10 History shows that the Calukya dynasty reached its golden age at the time of Vikramaditya VI. Bhulokamalla Somesvara is the title that this ruler adopted even while he was a prince. He is also described in some of the records as Sarvajna-Cakravarti, 'the Omniscient emperor.' Dr. P.B. 11 Desai on the evidence of an inscription, says III had a title 'Sarvajna-nripa.■12 - "Somesvara In history he is renowned as the author of the encyclopaedic Sanskrit work Manasollasa or Abhilasitartha-cintamani. There is no ambiguity about the authorship for he calls himself Calukya Somesvara. At the end of each Adhyaya, the Colophon says 10. Dr.Shivashekar Mishra. Somesvara's Manasollasa: A Cultural Study. The Chowkhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, 1966. P. Intro.11 and p.8. 11. Dr.B.R.Gopal. Op.cit. p.302. 12. Dr.P.B.Desai. Karnataka Inscription Series. Volume V. K.R.I.Dharwad. 1969. 0.88. No.24. (K.R.I.No.17 of 1945-46) Nargund, Naragund Taluk. Dharwad Dist. Slab built into the wall of the Sankaralinga temple. Somesvara III.

7 that it is the work of Bhulokamalla Someshvara. 13 "While propounding a calendar he cites Saka 1051 Chaitra Su.I, Friday, Uttarabhadrapada, as astronomical constants." It is clearly stated that this interesting work is composed 14 by king Somesvara the son of Vikramaditya VI. Dr. P.B. Desai, gives the evidence of an inscription. 15 He says "It is dated the third year of rule of Bhulokamalla, Saumya, Asvayuja-Amavasya, Sunday solar eclipse corresponding to 1129 A.D. October 15." EXTERNAL EVIDENCE Somesvara's family boasts of eminent scholars who had made significant contributions to the cause of Sanskrit learning and had been befittingly honoured for their scholarship, right from his forefather Taila (Tailapa) II, 13. iti srimaharajadhiraja - satyasraya- kulatilaka- 4 calukyabharana - srimadbhalokamalla - sri somesvaradeva viracite'bhilasitarthacintamani rajamanasollase ... | S 14. camatkaravinodiryam sarvalokamanoharah | vikramadityaputrena somabhupena bhasitah || 4. 20. 1493. 15. Dr. P.B.Desai. Karnataka Inscription Series. Vol.5. Kannada Research Institute, Karnatak University, Dharwad. 1969. p. 85. No.23. (KRI No.160 of 1945-46). Tilavalli, Hangal taluk, Dharwad Dist. Slab in the Kalyanamantapa. Someshvara III, 1129 A.D.

" 8 1 who ruled around 973 A.D. After the extinction of the Badami Calukyas in Karnataka in 757 A.D., there was a 16 gap of two centuries, after which a branch of the Eastern Calukya dynasty came to power in the tenth century, only to fall again in 1198 A.D. With the death of the last chief of the line of Someshvara IV, Tailapa II was the originator of the dynasty in Karnataka which was just an offshoot of the Badami calukyas. He established his Kingdom with Halasige (in Belgaum District) as his capital. Tailapa II was a subordinate of Krsna III. In 957 A.D. we find him as a subordinate of Kanharadeva, governing the Melapati region. But later, in a record of 965 A.D. he figures as a Mahasamanta governing Tarddavadi 1,000 divisions. In this record he is given the titles Calukyarama and Ahavamalla and described as Satyasraya-kula-tilaka. This indicates the rise of his power and influence. He ruled for 24 years from 973 to 997 A.D. He was an able warrior and overcame with determined effort the many obstacles strewn on his way to secure and stabilise his new kingdom. He declared himself as the 'Lion of Calukya'18 17 16. Cf. I.M.Muthanna. Karnataka History, Administration and Culture. (Bangalore, 1977). p.61. 17. Ed. Dr.P.B.Desai. Op.cit. p. 159. 18. Dr. Krishna Murari. Op.cit. p.41.

9 Then some kings of this dynasty ruled. This dynasty had the good fortune of putting forth five great warriors and statesmen, rulers of eminence in unbroken succession viz., Taila II, Satyasraya, Jayasimha, Somesvara I, and Vikramaditya VI. This advantage raised its status, prestige and influence in the southern part of India. Among all these kings Vikramaditya VI was very famous. We find that the period of fifty years of rule of Vikramaditya VI was one of uninterrupted peace. Dr.Krishna 19 Murari says: 'Vikramaditya then entered Kalyani and had a long and on the whole a peaceful reign of fifty years. It does not, however, mean that there were no disturbances at all. In fact, his younger brother and Yuvaraja Jayasimha was the first to raise a revolt against Vikramaditya's rule. Jayasimha no doubt supported him earlier in ousting the elder brother. For this he was suitably rewarded by the new king who appointed him Yuvaraja. During his father's lifetime Jayasimha was the governor of Tardavadi division from 1064 A.D., when Somesvara II came to the throne. All this shows that Jayasimha was highly regarded by his elder brother and 19. Dr. Krishna Murari. Op.cit. p. 122.

10 king who had (in him great confidence: Vikramaditya VI was a great soldier, his early training was directed towards making a tough warrior and good citizen. It is no wonder that he possessed a sturdy physique and outstanding administrative skill. He was not only a great soldier but also a wise statesman, and a skilled diplomat. Muthanna says: "Calukya Vikrama VI was an equally great I.M. ruler who went as far as Bengal and Assam and later towards Kerala and Simhala in the south: 20 After a long rule of fifty years Vikramaditya VI passed away early in 1127 A.D. He has left behind a number of inscriptions which give us useful information about the various aspects of life of the people in that period. An inscription from Aland affirms that under the beneficial rule of this monarch, the Kali (iron) age was transformed into Krta (golden) age. 21 About a dozen wives and four sons of Vikramaditya are known to us from his inscriptions. Queen Candaladevi was the mother of Somesvara III, Jayakarna and Tailapa. Mallikarjuna who figures as Yuvaraja governing the Tardavadi of region and the Karahada 4,000 divisions was also probably a son of Candaladevi. She was a princess of the Silahara 20. I.M.Muthanna. Op.Cit. p.53. 21.' Ed. Dr.P.B.Desai. Op.cit. p. 185.

11 family of Karahada, who wooed the Calukya king in a 22 Svayamvara as described by Bilhana. She is known from a number of records as a lady of exceptional accomplishments. The epithets, "Nrtya Vidyadhari" i.e. an adept in 23 the art of dancing' and Abhinava-Sarasvati, or Abhinava- sarada, 24 ascribed to her appear to be more factual than formal, indicative of her proficiency in music, dancing and other fine arts. Among the other queens mention may be made of Ketaladevi, Malayamatidevi, Padmaladevi, and queen Jakaladevi who was a pious lady and a follower of Jaina faith. Some of them were good administrators. Taila III, viewing with concern the growing menace to his kingdom, had appointed some time in about 1158 A.D. (1162-1198 A.D.) his son Tribhuvanamalla Someshvara IV as his successor and invested him with sovereign powers. But this prince, with probably two other princes of the family fled to a safe place to escape from the hands of Bijjala who was succeeding in his aggressive plans. 22. Ibid. 23. Cf. V.S.Kulkarni. Historical and Cultural Studies' of the Region Around Basavakalyan. Thesis in K.U.D.1979, p.53. 24. Dr. P.B.Desai. Op.cit. p.185.

12 The genealogy of the western Calukyas, who came after the year 973 A.D. is as follows: Taila (Tallapa) 1125 (973-997 A.D.) Iriva Bedanga Satyasraya Dasavarma (997-1008 A.D.) Vikramaditya v (1008-1015 A.D.) Ayyana (1015 A.D.) Somesvara Q I (1044-1068 A.D.) Jayasimha II (Jagadekamalla-I) (1015-1044 A.D.) Jayasimha III Someshvara II Vikramaditya VI Jayasimha IV (1068-1076 A.D.) (1076-1127 A.D.) Somesvara III Jagadekamalla-II (1139-1149 A.D.) (1127-1139 A.D.) Paila III (1149-1162 A.D.) Somesvara IV .(1162-1198 A.D.) Bhulokamalla II Jagadekamalla III 25. Dr. P.B.Desai. A History of Karnataka. (K.R.I. Dharwad, 1970). p.215.

{ 13 Somesvara gives in his Vikramankabhyudaya some information about their heredity. According to Somesvara Taila II had 26 three sons, Satyasraya, Dasavarman, and Pulakesi by name, Then Jayasimha II had a son Ahavamalla. Further he describes that Vikramaditya was the greatest in the Calukya dynasty. As noted above historians opine that Vikramaditya VI had four sons by name Mallikarjuna, Someshvara, Jayakarna, and Tailapa. This information is obtained from the inscriptions found near Basavakalyana. In Kalyana dynasty, Tallapa, Iriva Bedanga, Somesvara I and Vikramaditya VI occupied the Telugu areas. They fought with the Colas also. Vijayapura or Bijapur was the capital 27 of the Calukyas of Klayana. Lakkundi or Lakkigundi was a great centre at that time. ways. Kalyanapuri is famous in many .28 According to Dr.Krishna Murari "Towards the close 26. The name of Satyasrayakula is derived from that of one of the early Calukya kings Satyasri, or Satyasraya. (Cf. The Indian Antiquary, Jas Burgess, Vol.I. 1872, p.141). 27. Dr. Krishna Murari. Op.cit. p.151. Cf. A.S.Nanjundaswami. History of Calukya. (Samaja Book Depot, Dharwad. 1976), p.47. Cf. I.M.Muthanna. Op.cit. p.62. 28. Dr. Krishna Murari. Op.cit. p.1.

14 of the tenth century the power of the Rastrakutas waned, and the main line of the Calukyas emerged from obscurity They of about two centuries and once more dominated the political scene of the Deccan with Kalyanapuri, 'the best of all the cities in the world' as their capital dividing, and contesting the sovereignty of India South of the Vindhyas with the Colas of the Tamil country. War and politics were by no means the only concern of the Calukyas. figured prominently as patrons of art and learning. They were great builders, and one dominant style of Indian architecture derives its name from them. Kannada and Telugu literatures drew sustenance from their patronage." Bilhana and the jurist Vijnanesvara of the Mitaksara code lived at Kalyana, poet Pampa, an Andhra Brahmana, was a native of Vengipura in Kammanedu, Guntur district. He was a Jain and he appears to have migrated to the court of Arikesari Lemulavada in Telangana where he was warmly received and entertained as a commander of the army. During the times of the Calukyas, Karnataka became a great power which contributed to the cultural greatness of India. The restorations of Calukya supremacy inaugurated a new era of architectural renaissance, wherein came forth a sumptious harvest of glorious monuments. According to Dr.P.B.Desat 29 "This period may therefore be described as 29. Dr. P.B.Desai. Op.cit. p.212.

15 the 'Golden Age' of Karnataka architecture." From Bidar to Harihar and Balligave and in the intermediate areas hundreds of artistic shrines were erected in this age. The master architects of the epoch introduced several innovations of construction, which contributed to the grandeur of the temple edifice. The Calukya Empire At the zenith of its power the later Calukya empire spread up to Vidarbha in the North. A major portion of Vengi in the east, comprising the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh from Visakhapatnam district in the northeast to Guntur district formed a part of the Calukya kingdom under the rule of its able monarchs Someshvara I and Vikramaditya VI. Though the Colas tried to extend their sway beyond the Tungabhadra, they not only failed in this endeavour, but also had to give up the territories which they had occupied in Shimoga, Chitradurga, and parts of Tumkur and Chikmagalur districts in Karnataka State. Almost all the western districts of Andhra Pradesh from Anantapur to Adilabad came under the control of the Calukyas. To the west the Arabian sea was the natural boundary. Thus the Calukya kingdom spread into the modern states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. This is

16 festified vouched by a large number of inscriptions found in these areas. 30 Vikramaditya VI had left nothing to be achieved afresh by his successor. Added to this Somesvara III was a man of different bent of mind. He was more a scholar than a fighter. Generally speaking the reign of Vikramaditya VI was a happy period for the Deccan. He founded a new town named Vikramapura. Vikramaditya VI was succeeded by his son Somesvara III in A.D. 1126, who was 31 as great a monarch as his father, but who was greater than he him in one respect, Being a learned man himself, who bore the titles Bhulokamalla, 'the wrestler of the earth' and Sarvajna Cakravarti, 'the omniscient emperor'. Fortunately for him there were no notable disturbances inside the country or on the borders. Therefore the valuable books by name Manasollasa or Abhilasitartha Cintamani and Vikramankabhyudayam could be written. The bulky work Manasollasa running into about 8,000 verses, is divided into five Vimsatis or Prakaranas, each containing twenty Adhyayas or chapters of unequal length, some chapters again including several sub-sections. The whole work is 30. Dr.P.B.Desai. Op.cit. p.193. 31. Dr. Krishna Murari. Op.cit. p.147.

17 thus divided into a hundred different topics and is written for the instruction of the members of royal families, and deals with almost every thing under the sun, from polity to cookery, Elements of state, Monarchy, Music, Song, Dance, Architecture, Entertainment, Sports, Enjoyments, Painting, Medicine, Astrology, Astronomy, Mathematics, Omens, Augury and Good characteristics of human beings, Moral duties and so on, 'in short, all sciences which lead to the happiness of man. Rightly therefore he got the titles Tribhuvanamalla, Sarvajna Bhupa, and above mentioned Bhulokamalla and Sarvajna Cakravarti. 32 Title of the work 33 The colophon at the end of almost all the chapters gives the name of the book as 'Raja-manasollasa.' This title is quite significant because this book brings happiness to the minds of kings (Rajas). This has been indicated by the author on various occasions. Being a king himself, 34 32. Ibid. p.154. 33. The title Rajamanasollasa occurs at the end of chapters 1, 2, 3 and 5. Cf. Ed. by R.Shama Sastri. Abhilasitartha Cintamani of Somesvara Deva. (Mysore, 1926). p.35, 179, 395, and G.K. Shrigondekar. Manasollasa of Somesvara. (Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1961). p.310. 34. sthirarajyasya bhubhartarupabhonasca vimsatih | pramodajanaka stadvad vinoda api vimsatih || 1.1.12.

18 Somesvara has proposed, how a king can be happy by practisIn ing Dharma, Artha and Kama, without disturbing others. addition, he has explained how a king can keep his subjects happy. The work became popular with the title Manasollasa, because it caused happiness to the people in general on account of the variety of its subject matter and teaching method. The Manasollasa is written mainly in Anustubh metre with occasional prose passages introduced in the middle. The work treats of many subjects and gives the maximum information in the minimum space. Sometimes the author kalitena pramanena purusarthacatusthayam | karayed devatagaram mathan bhaktya mahipatih || 1.1.77. rajyaprapternrpakulabhuvamityupayopadesah samyak somesvaranrpatina garbhasarasvatena | cakre candrapratimayasasa ranjanaya prajanam punyodhanamapi ca mahatam vrdvaye buddhaye ca || 1.20. 308. evam rasayanam proktamavyadhikaranam nrnam | nrpanam hitakamena somesvaramahibhuja || 2. 1. 51. rajyasthairyanimittani praptarajyasya bhupateh | vimsatih somabhupalah krtavan nitikovidah || 2.2.1300. suramya ca vanakrida kathyate vistarena tu | vyatite sisire raja kridam kuryadvanasrayam || 5.2.127.

19 t EX 1 gives even minute details like Sikhadastagunam, (1.11.87) and Tulalaksana (2.3.457-64). Sometimes he omits the things that are really required e.g. Ekatara (2.13.860) similarly where the word Tara is not explained and the word Tana, ipedovate (2.2.61) Pada (2.2.65), Kokanada (3.1.167) and so on. The work is designated by the author as "Jagadacaryapustaka or a book for the teachers in the world, and the scope of the book is so extensive that it can rightly claim that epithet. An idea of the many subjects dealt with can be obtained from the table of contents. It may be remembered that Someshvara was an orthodox Hindu King and the picture presented in his Manasollasa is of the glories, pomps and paraphernalia of a purely Indian court and royal household. , 35 The Vikramankabhyudayam also gives this idea. It is a historical Mahakavya (in prose and poetry) by king Bhulokamalla Someshvara III of the Calukya dynasty of the Deccan, son of Vikramaditya VI and author of AbhilasitarthaCintamani. The work describes the life of Vikramaditya VI, the son of Ahavamalla. Vikramankabhyudayam literally 36 35. jagadacaryapustakah 1 1 1 10. • } 11 36. C.D.Dalal. "A Discriptive Catalogue of Manuscripts. In the Jain Bhandars at Pattan (Gaekwad's Oriental Series. No.LXXVI, 1937) pp. 45-46. This work is printed in the Bombay Sanskrit Series from the single palm-leaf M.S. at Jesalmere.

20 means Vikramaditya's ascent or digvijaya. This work, one of the very few of its kind in Indian languages, deals specifically with Karnataka. Vikramankabhyudayam is a useful source of history especially of Karnataka. It indicates that the author here worshipped Vikramaditya VI, and regarded his achievements as being worthy of religious The work was very near to the events described veneration. in it. It is based upon current tradition. The work is not a bulky volume. It is incomplete, and stops with the digvijaya of Vikramaditya VI only. Apart from its value as a source of political history the work is useful in other respects also. The Kavya itself reflects the literary standard of the time. The two prominent aharacteristics of this short piece are Nature and Love. The poet is observant of Karnataka's mountains, plants, and the animal world. of flowers, the lotus is the most conspicuous, and of birds we may mention the peacock. The rivers, Payosni, Godavari, Malapahari, Tungabhadra, Vanjara, BhImarathi, and Krsnaveni are mentioned. The author Somesvara describes first the beauty of Karnataka Then he describes the mountains named Vindhya, Sahya, Malaya, Veda, srisaila, Gandhamadana, Kiskindha, Rsyamuka, and Hemakuta. He gives a description of the people. Here he mentions their castes, works, hobbies, beauty,

21 dresses, character and so on. He speaks about temples, Dhavalagrha, houses of businessmen and ware-houses. Then he describes the family of Calukyas. A work of this nature, a great poetical work in the Mahakarya prabandha style, cannot be expected to furnish many historical details. events stated in it. We do not get details of important To a serious student of history this comes as an anticlimax. These great monarchs expanded their empire as well as made brilliant contributions to the fields of religion, literature and architecture. Temple architecture received great impetus during Vikramaditya's time indicating the vigour of religious life. The Kalyana Calukyan power existed in the North Kanara district from '973 to 1198 A.D. Bidar district is said to have been included in the calukyan Kingdom in the tenth century. These Kalyana Calukyas ruled over some parts of South Kanara, Shimoga, Chitradurga, and other areas. Bellary was included in their territory and an inscription at Bagali temple in Harapanahalli says that in 944 A.D. the Calukyan feudatory was governing Kogali, 500 which corresponded to Hadagali 37 or Harapanahalli. Perhaps more significant than this 37. I.M.Muthanna. Op.Cit.pp.62-63.

22 was the intense philosophical activity, and resurgence of the Bhakti movement. As a philosopher, poet, and as a great political thinker Somesvara III occupies a preeminent place. In this way he may be said to have excelled his forefathers in the breadth of the spectrum of activities. According to 38 Dr. B. R. Gopal' "Bhulokamalla's rule of about 13 years was one of peace in the kingdom" Somesvara's pious nature and interest in academic pursuits resulted in disrupting forces becoming operative. Political sagacity, selfless devotion and respect for his elders and preceptors, 40 41 39 unshakable faith in Lord Siva² and Visnu, and remarkable foresight are a few among his numerous virtues. 38. Dr.B.R.Gopal. Op.cit. p.314. 39. asuyavarjanam caiva patitaih samgavarjanam | - krodhasya varjanam caiva svatmastutivivarjanam || 1.1.15. pitrnam tarpanam karyamatiscaiva bhojanam | susrusanam gurunam ca tapastirthaisu majjanam || 1.1.17. 40. vande bhavalatabijam limgarupam mahesvaram | ་ avyaktamapi suvyakam yasyantah sacaracaram || 1.1.3. 41. naumi vedadhvanivaram devam dhatte sadaiva hi | nabhipadmodare visnoh kvanadbhamaravibhramam || 1.1.5. sudarsanadalitabanabahom siromatravasesikrtaraho niravadhisastrarthopadesadaksa samgararamgadalitahiranyaksa | samutsaritapurandara bhayavihita pranatajanapa Tyaksaya samsaraparavara santaranaseto jaya jaya natha vainateyaketo || 4.16.357.

23 To sum up we can say that Someshvara was a great poet, philosopher, and statesman. He was also a great but relentless critic. In his words, thoughts and deeds he has exhibited his devotion to his predecessors. Throughout his life he had a loving and sympathetic heart, selfquestioning tendency and a great sense of duty. dadhi durvaksatacatapallavakanaka kalasama tulumgakamalasvastika- nandyavartasita - kusuma-candana- kumkuma - lajadi mamgala-dravyani viprah punsamtama yositah maharsayah devamatarah navagraha lokapalasca braddamavisnumahesvarah | ete prayacchantu mama mamgalam || 4.16.18.