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{{Short description|Chandela king from 925 to 950}}
{{for|the 12th century king|Yashovarman II (Chandela dynasty)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Yashovarman
| succession = [[Chandela]] king
| reign = c. 925-950 CE
| predecessor = [[Harsha (Chandela dynasty)|Harsha]]
| successor = [[Dhanga]]
| father = Harsha
| mother = Kanchuka
| dynasty = [[Chandela]]
| spouse = Puppa-devi
}}
[[File:India-5679 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg|thumb|right|The [[Lakshmana Temple, Khajuraho|Lakshmana Temple]] at [[Khajuraho]]]]
[[File:Khajuraho ni04-18.jpg|thumb|right|A sculpture at the Lakshmana Temple]]
'''Yashovarman''' ([[IAST]]: Yaśovarman; reigned c. 925–950 CE), also known as Lakshavarman, was a king of the [[Chandela]] dynasty of India. He ruled in the Jejakabhukti region ([[Bundelkhand]] in present-day [[Madhya Pradesh]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]]). He practically established the Chandelas as a sovereign power, although he formally acknowledged suzerainty of the [[Gurjara-Pratiharas]]. His major military achievement was the conquest of [[Kalanjara]] (modern Kalinjar). He is also notable for having commissioned the [[Lakshmana Temple, Khajuraho|Lakshmana Temple]] at [[Khajuraho]].

== Early life ==

Yashovarman was born to the Chandela ruler [[Harsha (Chandela dynasty)|Harsha]], who was a feudatory of the [[Gurjara-Pratiharas]] of [[Kanyakubja]] (Kannauj). His mother was Kanchuka, who came from a [[Chahamana]] family. By the time Yashovarman's ascension, the Pratiharas depended on their feudatories to a large extent. The [[Rashtrakuta]]s, who were the main rival of the Patiharas, were busy in dynastic feuds. This offered the Chandelas an opportunity to increase their own power. Yashovarman did not formally give up the allegiance to the Pratiharas, but he was practically independent.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|pp=36-37}}

== Military successes ==

Yashovarman conquered the important fortress of [[Kalanjara]], although the identity of his enemy in this campaign is not certain.{{sfn|Sushil Kumar Sullerey|2004|p=24}} One theory is that he conquered Kalanjara from his overlords, the Gurjara-Pratiharas. Another theory is that he defeated the Rashtrakutas, who had captured Kalanjara from the Pratiharas. The Karhad copper-plate inscription of the Rashtrakuta king [[Krishna III]] states that "the hope about Kalanjara and Gurjara vanished from the heart of the Gurjara"; that is, the Gurjara-Pratihara king gave up all hopes of retaining control of [[Kalanjara]] and [[Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh|Chitrakuta]]. Based on this, H. C. Ray theorized that Krishna managed to capture these two forts from the Pratiharas. Yashovarman may have captured the fort from the Rashtrakutas, which may explain why he continued to recognize the Pratihara sovereignty even after conquering Kalanjara. However, there is no definitive evidence of Yashovarman's victory over the Rashtrakutas.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|pp=38-39}} R. K. Dikshit points out that the Rashtrakuta claim is part of a possibly exaggerated poetic eulogy. It may not imply an actual conquest of these two fortresses, and may only mean that the Pratihara king became apprehensive about losing control over them.{{sfn|R. K. Dikshit|1976|p=44}} [[K. A. Nilakanta Sastri]] speculated that Yashovarman captured Kalanjara after allying with the Rashtrakutas and the Chedis ([[Kalachuris of Tripuri]]). However, there is no historical evidence attesting the formation of such an alliance.{{sfn|R. K. Dikshit|1976|p=45}} Despite these uncertainties, Yashovarman's conquest of Kalanjara is undisputed: his successors, including his son [[Dhanga]], titled themselves ''Kalanjaradhipati'' ("Lord of Kalanjara").{{sfn|R. K. Dikshit|1976|p=43}}

A Khajuraho inscription dated 1011 [[Vikram Samvat|VS]] (953-954 CE) credits Yashovarman with several other military successes. It declares:<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/stream/EpigraphiaIndicaVol1/Epigraphia%20Indica_vol%201#page/n160/mode/2up |title=Epigraphia Indica |volume=1 |editor=JAS Burgess |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |year=1983 |orig-year=1892 |page=132 }}</ref>{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=50}}

{{quotation|...the illustrious king Yashovarman, who was a sword to (cut down) the Gaudas as if they were pleasure-creepers; equalled (or treated with contempt) the forces of the Khasas; (and) carried off the treasure of the Kosalas; before whom perished the Kashmiri warriors; who weakened the Mithilas; (and) was as it were a god of death to the Malavas; who brought distress on the shameful Chedis; who was to the Kurus what a storm is to trees; (and) a scorching fire to the Gurjaras.}}

These claims appear to be exaggerated, as similar claims of extensive conquests in northern India are also found in the records of the other contemporary kings such as the [[Kalachuris of Tripuri|Kalachuri]] king Yuva-Raja and the Rashtrakuta king Krishna III.{{sfn|R. K. Dikshit|1976|p=42}}

The ruler of the [[Gauḍa (region)|Gauda]] region (in present-day [[West Bengal]]) is believed to be a [[Pala Empire|Pala]] king, possibly [[Rajyapala]] or his successor [[Gopala III]].{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=44}} The Palas attempted to resurrect their power through westward expansion, which might have resulted in their conflict with the Chandelas.{{sfn|R. K. Dikshit|1976|p=48}} The Chandelas did not occupy Gauda, but their invasion further weakened the Pala power, possibly paving way for the subsequent usurpation of the power by the [[Kamboja Pala dynasty|Kambojas]].{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=44-45}}

The Chedis in the Khajuraho inscription denote the Kalachuris of Tripuri. Although the Chandela-Kalachuri relations were friendly in the preceding years, it appears that the Kalachuri alliance with the Rashtrakutas led to a rivalry between the two kingdoms. The Chandelas acknowledged the suzerainty of the Pratiharas, who were the rivals of the Rashtrakutas. The Kalachuris, on the other hand, had forged matrimonial alliances with the Rashtrakutas, and probably aided them in their anti-Pratihara campaigns.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|pp=40-41}} The identity of the Kalachuri king defeated by Yashovarman is not certain, because three Kalachuri kings ruled in quick succession as his contemporaries: Bala-Harsha, Yuva-Raja and Lakshmana-Raja. S. K. Mitra theorizes that the defeated king might have been Bala-Harsha, who ruled for a very short period, and whose name has been omitted from some of the records of his successors.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=42}}

Yashovarman's achievements in [[Mithila (ancient)|Mithila]] are not certain; he possibly defeated a tributary ruler who occupied a small territory on the Pratihara-Pala border. The Malavas referred to in the inscription might have been the [[Paramara dynasty|Paramaras]], who were the Rashtrakuta feudatories in [[Malwa|Malava]] region at that time.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|pp=47-48}} The Koshalas might have been the rulers of the [[Dakshina Kosala|Dakshin Koshala]] region, possibly the [[Somavaṃśī dynasty|Somavamshi]] allies of the Kalachuris. Yashovarman probably raided their territory. The claim of Yashovarman's successes against the Kashmiris seems to be a poetic exaggeration.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=49}} [[Lorenz Franz Kielhorn|L. F. Kielhorn]] translated the verse about the Khasas (''tulita Khasabalah'') as "equalled the forces of the Khasas". However, according to [[R. C. Majumdar]], in this context, the word ''tulita'' means "treated with contempt", not "equalled". The Khasas were the neighbours of the Kashmiris, and this too, seems to be poetic embellishment.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=50}} The [[Kuru Kingdom|Kuru]] region was a part of the Pratihara territory, so the claim about the Kurus also seems to be an exaggeration. However, it is possible that the Chandelas clashed with the Gurjara-Pratiharas after their occupation of Kalanjara.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=51}}

The Khajuraho inscription also states that Yashovarman turned the rivers [[Ganges|Ganga]] and [[Yamuna]] into his "pleasure-lakes", and that the waters of these rivers became muddy when his might elephants bathed in them. This suggests that Yashovarman controlled the area around present-day [[Allahabad]].{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=52}}

== Personal life ==

Yashovarman married Puppa, who was the mother of his successor [[Dhanga]]. Krishnapa, his other son, was probably deputed to oversee the territory on the Chandela-Parmara frontier.{{sfn|Sisirkumar Mitra|1977|p=53}}

Yashovarman's reign marked the beginning of the famous Chandela-era art and architecture. He acquired a prestigious statue of [[Vaikuntha Vishnu]] from his overlord Devapala, and commissioned the [[Lakshmana Temple, Khajuraho|Lakshmana Temple]] at [[Khajuraho]]. This is the earliest example of [[Nagara architecture]] at Khajuraho.{{sfn|Sushil Kumar Sullerey|2004|p=24}} He is also said to have commissioned a water tank, which can be identified with one of the tanks in Khajuraho.{{sfn|Sushil Kumar Sullerey|2004|p=25}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

=== Bibliography ===

* {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a9j9ZJGJOV0C&pg=PA32 |title=The Candellas of Jejākabhukti |author=R. K. Dikshit |publisher=Abhinav |year=1976 |isbn=9788170170464 }}
* {{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=irHN2UA_Z7gC&pg=PA27 |title=The Early Rulers of Khajurāho |author=Sisirkumar Mitra |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |year=1977 |isbn=9788120819979 }}
* {{cite book |author=Sushil Kumar Sullerey |title=Chandella Art |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rj8RusFpYHIC&pg=PA25 |year=2004 |publisher=Aakar Books |isbn=978-81-87879-32-9 }}

{{Chandelas of Jejakabhukti}}

[[Category:Chandelas of Jejakabhukti]]
[[Category:10th-century Indian monarchs]]

Yashovarman (Chandela dynasty) - Revision history

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