Part 2 - Asnadevaraja (A.D. 1385)

Asnadeva was the greatest of the Nagas of Darsi. His only record is from Darsi dated A.D. 1385. The date is not free from doubt for the compilers of the Nellore inscriptions say “The Saka and cyclic years differ widely and if we should read s 1357 (instead s. 1317) the date will be 1435-36”. It records Asnadeva’s grant of villages and tanks in Nellore district for the merit of his grandfather, his son Numkaraju, Mahadu Vemula Malidevaraju, grandson of Manva Malidevaraju, his parents and himself. Some of the epithets in the long prasasti of Asnandeva attest his valour and speak of his victories. A record at Ravvavaram dated A.D. 1392 gives a long genealogy as in the Darsi record and records gifts to the local goddess by a certain Annadevaraja of Darsi. It is not impossible that this Annadeva is identical with Asnadeva. If so, Asnadeva’s rule must have lasted till A.D. 1392 or even afterwards.

Political Conditions

By about the middle of the second part of the 14th century A.D., the political condition of South India and Vengi was in brief, as follows—Kalinga was under the Gangas, the Bahmany kingdom at Gulburga was established, the Hoysalas and the Yadavas were replaced by the kingdom of Vijayanagar; and the Kakatiyas were succeeded by the Velamas and the Reddis.

Asnadeva and Kalinga

Asnadeva claims to have planted pillars of victory in the mountains to the east of and west of Mahanadi. Obviously Asnadeva was not the ruler of a vast kingdom with such resources to have led expeditions of conquest from Nellore to Kalinga passing through the kingdoms of the Reddis etc. So its is likely that Asnadeva joined Vema in his Kalingan expedition by A.D. 1335, advanced as far the Mahanadi along with the Reddi armies and acquired some victories over the feudatory dynasties in south Kalinga. For one of his titles says that he was surrounded by enemies having many hosts of elephants. This must refer to some campaign between the armies of the Nagas and the Gajapatis during the expedition.

Asnadeva may have come into conflict with the Bah many, Vjjayanagar and the Velama kingdoms, indirectly participating on the Reddi side in their wars against them.

Asnadeva and the Reddis

The Reddi contemporaries of Asnadeva were Verna, Anapota, Anavema and Katayavema. As Asnadeva’s territories formed an integral part of the Reddi kingdom. Asnadeva must have owed allegiance to the Reddis though he has not recorded it in his inscriptions.

Asnadeva’s successors

Nukkaraja was the son and Obalayya tha grandson of Asnadeva. Their records are not available. They would have ruled the Darsi kingdom about the beginning of the 15th century A.D. with Obalayya, probably this line of the Nagas ended.