Part 6 - Arjuna II alias Virarjuna (A.D. 1356-1399)

Son of Jayanta II, Arjuna succeeded him and Jayantikaraju, on the Matsya throne at Voddadi, Arjuna’s earliest record dated A.D. 1357 is from Simhachalam registering gifts by his queen Kamaladevi. His next inscription from Simhachalam mentions Palakonda Karrijiyana of Matsyakula making grants in A.D. 1359, Three records at Simhachalam dated A.D. 1364 record gifts by Arjuna and minister Oddadi Bhimanapreggada. In A.D. 1365 and 1366, Bhimana made further gifts at Simhachalam. In A.D. 1369, King Arjuna provided for Aijunabhoga to the god at Simihachalam Varadana preggada, minister of Arjuna made gifts at Simhachalam in A.D 1375, 1376 and 1377. King Arjuna donated Anakapalle in the adhikara of Kalinga pariksha Dharmadesa Jiyana to the temple at Simhachalam in 1377 A.D. His next record also from Simhachalam is dated A.D. 1381. In A.D 1383, minister Mallapreggada made grants at Simhachalam. Arjuna’s record of A.D. 1399 at Simhachalam mentions his son Prataparjuna and daughter Siriyamma. The last of Arjuna’s records is dated A.D. 1408, which too mentions Prataparjuna. Probably Arjuna’s rule ended in A.D. 1399, though he continued to issue records up to A.D. 1408. Inscriptions attest that Arjuna and Virarjuna are identical and as has been supposed that the latter was the grandson of the former and son of Jayanta III.

His Political Relations

Arjuna is mentioned as Oddavadi Arjunadevaraju of Matsyavamsa, and mandalesvara Virarjuna in records. The name Arjuna itself and the epithet Vira attached to it, perhaps indicate his capacties as a warrior. Arjuna does not seem to have come into conflict with the major powers in south India in this period.

Arjuna and Kalinga

The contemporary Ganga emperors were—Bhanudeva III (A.D. 1353-1378) and Narasimha IV (A.D. 1378-1425). The political condition of Orissa in this period is as follows:—Shamsuddin ilias of Bengal raided Orissa in A.D. 1353. In A.D. 1356, prince Sangama, a nephew of king Bukka I of Vijayanagar claims to have defeated the Gajapatis. This is the earliest record of a war between the Hindu kings of Vijayanagar and Orissa.” Emperor Firoz Tughlak invaded Orissa during his second expedition into Bengal in A D. 1360-1361. In the reign of Narasimha IV, Muslim raids into Kalinga continued. Besides, in this period, south Kalinga was subjected to Reddi invasions under Kumaragiri and Katayavema. Arjuna is likely to have helped tne Gaagas against the enemies in this period.

Arjuna and the Reddis

The Reddi contemporaries of Arjuna were Anopota, Aravama, Kumaragiri and Pedakomativema at Kondavidu and Katayavema at Rajahmundry. Evidence on the Reddi side shows that Katayavema, as general of Kumaragiri Reddi, led an expedition into kalinga about A.D. 1385 and vanquished the jlocal dynasties in South Kalinga. Consequently it is very probable that Arjuna submitted to the Reddis in this period—during the later part of his reign. For inscriptions of Simhachalam show that the ministers of the Keddis made grants in the Oddadi kingdom in the reign of Anavama.

Arjuna’s contemporaries in other kingdoms were—Kona Bhimavallabha in Kona mandala (A.D. 1318-1364) Choda II and Bhima at Panchadharala, Upendra III, Chennesa, Upendra IV, Upendra B, Chodaganga and Visvesvara at Elamanchili, Narasimha and Gangaraju in Jantarnadu, Narasimha at Virakuta and Visvanatha and Bhairava alias Bayya at Nandapura. Like his predecessors, Arjuna would have continued friendly relations with the local rulers in Kalinga. And as he did not lead any expeditions of conquest, he would not have come into conflict with the Haihayas of Konamandala, who also acknowledged Reddi suzerainty.