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{{use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox royalty
| succession = King of Sapadalaksha
| reign = c. 971–998 CE
| dynasty = [[Chahamanas of Shakambhari]]
| predecessor = [[Simharaja]]
| successor = [[Durlabharaja II]]
}}
'''Vigraharāja II''' (r. c. 971–998 CE) was a king belonging to the [[Chahamanas of Shakambhari|Shakambhari Chahamana dynasty]]. He ruled the Sapadalaksha country, which included parts of present-day [[Rajasthan]] in north-western India.

== Early life ==
[[File:Harsha inscription of the Chahamana Vigraharaja in Vikrama 1030.jpg|thumb|Harsha inscription of the Chahamana Vigraharaja in Vikrama 1030 (973 CE).]]
Vigrahraja was born to the Chahamana ruler [[Simharaja]]. He had three brothers [[Durlabharaja II]] (his successor), Chandraraja and Govindaraja.{{sfn|Dasharatha Sharma|1959|p=33}} The Chahamanas were originally feudatories to the [[Gurjara-Pratihara]]s, but Simharaja had assumed the title [[Maharajadhiraja]] taking advantage of their decline. Vigraharaja II was the probably first truly independent king of the Chahamana dynasty.{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|p=119}}

The 973 CE [[Harshnath|Harsha]] inscription issued by Vigraharaja states that he revived the fortunes of his distressed family. It indicates that he achieved several military successes and acquired vassals.{{sfn|Dasharatha Sharma|1959|p=29}}

== Military career ==

''[[Prithviraja Vijaya]]'' states that Vigraharaja had a large cavalry.{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|p=121}}

=== Chaulukyas of Gujarat ===

According to the eulogists of Vigraharaja's successors, he defeated [[Mularaja]], the [[Chaulukya]] king of [[Gujarat]]. As this achievement is not mentioned in the Harsha inscription, Vigraharaja must have defeated Mularaja after 973 CE.{{sfn|Dasharatha Sharma|1959|p=30}} The Chahamana chronicle ''Prithviraja Vijaya'', which describes the Chaulukyas of Gujarat as "[[Gurjaradesa|Gurjara]]s", states that Mularaja fled to Kantha-durga (modern [[Kanthkot Fort|Kanthkot]]) during Vigraharaja's invasion.{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|p=119}} The 15th century ''[[Hammira Mahakavya]]'' claims that Mularaja was killed in this battle, and Vigraharaja sacked his territory.{{sfn|Dasharatha Sharma|1959|p=30}} Another Chahamana chronicle ''Surjana-Charita'' also mentions the victory of the Chahamanas over the Gurjaras.{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|p=119}}

However, the Gujarat-based 14th century poet Merutunga gives a different account of events. According to his ''[[Prabandha-Chintamani]]'', Mularaja's kingdom was attacked simultaneously by the neighbouring kingdoms of Sapadalaksha and Tilinga. Sapadalaksha was the Chahamana territory, while Tilanga here refers to the kingdom of the [[Chalukyas of Kalyani|Kalyani Chalukya]] ruler [[Tailapa II]]. This invasion happened at the time of [[Navratra]] religious festival. Mularaja moved to the Kantha-durga, and hoped that the Sapadalaksha ruler would return to his capital [[Shakambhari]] to worship his family goddess [[Ashapura Mata|Ashapuri]] during the festival. When this did not happen, Mularaja visited the Sapadalaksha king's camp unannounced, and asked him not to attack Gujarat while Mularaja was engaged in a war with the Tilanga ruler. The Sapadalaksha ruler agreed to the demand. Mularaja then defeated the Tilanga army led by General [[Chalukyas of Lata|Barapa]]. When the Sapadalaksha ruler learned about this, he fled away from Gujarat.{{sfn|Dasharatha Sharma|1959|p=30}}

It is hard to determine the historical truth in these contradictory accounts. According to historian R. B. Singh, Mularaja ceded a part of his territory to the Chahamanas.{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|p=120}} [[Dasharatha Sharma]] also theorized that Vigraharaja had the upper hand in the conflict, as even Merutunga agrees that Mularaja had to take shelter in the Kantha-durga. That said, the ''Hammira-Mahakavya'''s claim of Vigraharaja killing Mularaja appears to be inaccurate.{{sfn|Dasharatha Sharma|1959|p=30}}{{sfn|Asoke Kumar Majumdar|1956|p=427}}

=== Chaulukyas of Lata ===

According to ''Prithviraja Vijaya'', Vigraharaja marched to the region around the [[Narmada]] river, and subjugated a king of the [[lunar dynasty]]. After his victory, he built a temple dedicated to the goddess Ashapuri at [[Bhrigukachchha]] (modern [[Bharuch]]), on the banks of Narmada.{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|p=120}}

At that time, Bhrigukachchha was ruled by the [[Chalukyas of Lata|Lata Chalukyas]], who were originally feudatories of the [[Chalukyas of Kalyani|Kalyani Chalukyas]]. So, it appears that Vigraharaja defeated the Lata Chalukya ruler Barapa (or Varappa), who once served as the Kalyani Chalukya general.{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|pp=120-121}}

According to [[Dasharatha Sharma]], one possibility is that Vigraharaja allied with Barapa to defeat the [[Chaulukya|Gujarat Chaulukya]] king [[Mularaja]], but this is only a conjecture.{{sfn|Dasharatha Sharma|1959|pp=30-32}} Historian R. B. Singh, on the other hand, theorized that after Vigraharaja subjugated Mularaja, the allied army of Vigraharaja and Mularaja attacked Barapa. This theory is based on a narrative in [[Hemachandra]]'s ''Dvyashraya Kavya'', which was composed under the Gujarat Chaulukya patronage. According to this narrative, Mularaja and his son Chamundaraja marched to Bhrigukachchha, and killed Varappa.{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|p=121}}

=== Other conflicts ===

According to the 16th century Muslim historian [[Firishta]], in 997 CE, the ruler of Ajmer joined an alliance formed by the ruler of Lahore against the [[Ghaznavid]] ruler [[Sabuktigin]]. Since Vigraharaja ruled over the present-day Ajmer area at that time, it would appear that he fought against the Ghaznavids. However, the accuracy of Firishta's account is doubtful. Earlier accounts by Muslim historians do not mention any such alliance.{{sfn|Dasharatha Sharma|1959|p=32}}

== Legacy ==
[[File:Harshnathtemple.jpg|thumb|The temple of Harsha-deva]]
A stone inscription dated to Vigraharaja's reign has been found at [[Harshnath|Harsha]] temple. This inscription records the grant of two villages by the king for maintaining the temple dedicated to the deity Harsha-deva. The villages were named Chhatrachara and Shankaranka.{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|p=121}}

Vigraharaja was succeeded by his brother [[Durlabharaja II]].{{sfn|R. B. Singh|1964|p=122}} The Harsha inscription compares them to [[Rama]]-[[Lakshmana]] and [[Krishna]]-[[Balarama]].{{sfn|Dasharatha Sharma|1959|p=33}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

=== Bibliography ===

* {{cite book |author=Asoke Kumar Majumdar |title=Chaulukyas of Gujarat |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ffAdAAAAMAAJ |publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan |year=1956 |oclc=4413150 }}
* {{cite book |author=Dasharatha Sharma |title=Early Chauhān Dynasties |publisher=S. Chand / Motilal Banarsidass |year=1959 |isbn=9780842606189 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n4gcAAAAMAAJ }}
* {{cite book |author=R. B. Singh |title=History of the Chāhamānas |publisher=N. Kishore |year=1964 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TKs9AAAAIAAJ |oclc=11038728 }}

{{Chahamanas of Shakambhari}}

[[Category:Chahamana kings of Shakambhari]]
[[Category:10th-century Indian monarchs]]

Vigraharaja II - Revision history

Vilianahdm: adding a info - done