पृष्ठम्:विक्रमाङ्कदेवचरितम् - बिल्हण.pdf/४१

INTRODUCTION.
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intentions of his brother, he was deeply distressed, being
averse from a fratricidal war. He sent friendly messages to y
Somes'vara and made attempts at a reconciliation with him:
Somes vara apparently accepted his brother's advances; but, in
reality he meditated treachery, soiling the fair name of his race.
He only temporised in order to find a favourable moment for strik-
ing a deadly blow. Even when Vikrama became aware of this, he
was still unwilling to encounter his brother on the battlo-field.
It was only at the express command of Siva, who, appearing to
him in a dream, ordered him to fulfil his destiny and to become a
great rnler, that he consented to an appeal to arms. On the morning
after the vision had appeared, a hard contested battle was
fought in which the victory finally remained with Vikrauna.
Rajiga fled and Somes'vara was taken prisoner.
Immediately after the battle Vikrama returned to the Tunga
bhadrâ. He, at first, intended to restore his captive brother to liberty
and to the throne. But S'iva interposed a second time and angrily
commanded him to assume the sovereignty. Then Vikrama
obeyed the order of the God and allowed himself to be pro-
claimed ruler of the Dekhan.¹
1. VI. 26-99.-According to the inscriptions Jour. As. Soc. IV. 11 thin
battle was fought in 1076. The inscriptious contain also the sama state-
ments regarding Somes'vara-Bhuvanaikamalla's character, though no
mention is made of the circumstance that the latter was aided by the
Chola king in the battlo which cost him the throne. It is, howovor,
doubtful if Vikrama, in acquiring the throne of Kalyana was meroly
a víctim of destiny, as Bilhana wishes to make out. It looks very
suspicious that the poet finds himself obliged to bring in Sisa threo
times in order to vindicate the course of action taken by his har.
Vikrama's alliances with the Kadamba Jayakes'i and the Chola sen,
also, to indicate that he, ou his sido, was preparing himself for coming
events or had far reaching designs. Lastly what one sees and hears
now of Rajput life, makes one cautious in bolioving that one brother
should have dethroned the other merely through the latter's fault.
There are no doubt touching instances of strong family affection in