Parantaka Chola II
Encyclopedia
Parantaka Chola II ruled for approximately twelve years. Parantaka II was also known by the name Madhurantakan Sundara Chola. He was the son of Arinjaya
Chola. His mother’s name was Kalyani, a princes from the clan of Vaidumbas. Parantaka II ascended the Chola throne despite the fact that Uttama Chola, the son of Gandaraditya
, (the elder brother of Arinjaya) was alive and he had equal if not more claim to the Chola throne.
When Parantaka II became king, the Chola kingdom had shrunk to the size of a small principality. The Pandyas in the south had revived their fortune and had defeated the Chola armies and occupied their ancestral lands.
During Parantaka II's reign, foundations were laid to the Chola Empire that in its height stretched from the island of Sri Lanka
in the south to the Pala Empire
of Bengal
in the north, to the Sri Vijaya empire in the east.
The Leyden copperplate inscriptions
tell us in that war, "Parantaka II caused rivers of blood to flow". Other inscriptions mention that Parantaka and his young son, Aditya Karikalan
(also referred to as Aditya II) defeated Vira Pandya and made him flee to the hills surrounding the battlefield. The young son aditya who took to battle field at the age of "fifteen" and who was a " very abhimanyu " in valour, is profusely praised for having conducted himself in battlefield with as much ease as he was at "military training sessions".
It is also possible that Aditya Karikalan killed Vira Pandya in that battle. Aditya’s inscriptions use the epithet "Vira Pandyan Thalai Konda Adithha Karikalan" - "...took the head of Vira Pandya". After the battle of Chevur, Parantaka II’s armies continued their thrust into the Pandya country. The Pandya king had the Sinhalese king Mahinda IV as his ally and the Sri Lankan troops supported the Pandya army in the battle field c 959 C.E. Parantaka II’s armies also invaded Lanka to neutralise this support. The especially wicked nature of this coalition is noted by chola panegyrists to be "wicked force of age of kali, that were duly uprooted by the king.". As a procedure for de-recognizing the rogue kingdoms sundara chola also seized the royal insignia of pandyans like fish emblem, thrown, gem studded crown and ancient pearl necklace.
Although the Chola armies won the battle, the war was still not won. Parantaka II did not succeed in re-establishing the Chola power over the Pandya lands.
There are other theories, claiming that the Pandyan spies were involved in the death of Aditya II and he was assassinated to avenge the death of Veerapandiyan in the battle of Chevur. There are however no direct evidence to support this theory. One of the inscriptions found at Udayarpatti temple in Tamil Nadu of Rajaraja notes that the property of some persons were confiscated as punishment for their involvement in the plot.
One of his queens, Vanavanmahadevi, a princess from the clan of Malaiyaman, committed sati
at the king’s death and her image was perhaps installed at the Thanjavur Temple by her daughter Kundavai. Another queen, a Chera princess survived him until 1001 C.E.
During Parantaka II’s reign, literature both Sanskrit
and Tamil
received encouragement. The Buddhist work on Tamil grammar, Virasoliyam eulogises hims as a parton of letters and of Buddhism
. The eulogy furnishes evidence for the friendly relationship between the Chola monarchs and the Buddhists.
Arinjaya
Arinjaya Chola succeeded Gandaraditya Chola c. 956 C.E. Arinjaya was the third son of Parantaka I and the younger brother of Gandarditya. Arunjaya seems to have ruled for a very short time.- Other names :...
Chola. His mother’s name was Kalyani, a princes from the clan of Vaidumbas. Parantaka II ascended the Chola throne despite the fact that Uttama Chola, the son of Gandaraditya
Gandaraditya
Gandaraditya Chola succeeded his father Parantaka I and became the Chola king c. 955 C.E.-Turbulent period:From the death of Parantaka I, to the accession of Rajaraja I in 985 C.E., Chola history is obscure. During this period of 30 years there were five princes who must have occupied the throne...
, (the elder brother of Arinjaya) was alive and he had equal if not more claim to the Chola throne.
When Parantaka II became king, the Chola kingdom had shrunk to the size of a small principality. The Pandyas in the south had revived their fortune and had defeated the Chola armies and occupied their ancestral lands.
During Parantaka II's reign, foundations were laid to the Chola Empire that in its height stretched from the island of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
in the south to the Pala Empire
Pala Empire
The Pāla Empire was one of the major middle kingdoms of India existed from 750–1174 CE. It was ruled by a Buddhist dynasty from Bengal in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent, all the rulers bearing names ending with the suffix Pala , which means protector. The Palas were often described...
of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
in the north, to the Sri Vijaya empire in the east.
Pandyan War
Immediately after becoming the Chola king, Parantaka II’s attention was directed towards the growing strength of the Pandyas in the south. Vira Pandya, having repulsed Gandaraditya’s attempts to restore Chola supremacy in the Pandya country, was ruling as an independent potentate. The invading Chola army met the Pandyas at Chevur.The Leyden copperplate inscriptions
Tamil Copper-plate inscriptions
Tamil copper-plate inscriptions are copper-plate records of grants of villages, plots of cultivable lands or other privileges to private individuals or public institutions by the members of the various South Indian royal dynasties. The study of these inscriptions, has been especially important in...
tell us in that war, "Parantaka II caused rivers of blood to flow". Other inscriptions mention that Parantaka and his young son, Aditya Karikalan
Aditya Karikalan
Aditya Karikalan or Aditya II was a Chola prince who lived in the tenth century in South India. He was the eldest son of Sundara Chola and the brother of Rajaraja Chola I....
(also referred to as Aditya II) defeated Vira Pandya and made him flee to the hills surrounding the battlefield. The young son aditya who took to battle field at the age of "fifteen" and who was a " very abhimanyu " in valour, is profusely praised for having conducted himself in battlefield with as much ease as he was at "military training sessions".
It is also possible that Aditya Karikalan killed Vira Pandya in that battle. Aditya’s inscriptions use the epithet "Vira Pandyan Thalai Konda Adithha Karikalan" - "...took the head of Vira Pandya". After the battle of Chevur, Parantaka II’s armies continued their thrust into the Pandya country. The Pandya king had the Sinhalese king Mahinda IV as his ally and the Sri Lankan troops supported the Pandya army in the battle field c 959 C.E. Parantaka II’s armies also invaded Lanka to neutralise this support. The especially wicked nature of this coalition is noted by chola panegyrists to be "wicked force of age of kali, that were duly uprooted by the king.". As a procedure for de-recognizing the rogue kingdoms sundara chola also seized the royal insignia of pandyans like fish emblem, thrown, gem studded crown and ancient pearl necklace.
Although the Chola armies won the battle, the war was still not won. Parantaka II did not succeed in re-establishing the Chola power over the Pandya lands.
Success against Rashtrakutas
Parantaka II next concentrated in his war against Rashtrakutas. With his son and heir-apparent Aditya II at the command, the Chola armies succeeded in brutally avenging a previous treason by the Unruly deccan dynasty and thereby completing the rout of foes started by Parantaka I.Some documents provide an interesting account of military genius and gallantry exhibited during the war by a certain chola commander belonging to one of the 98 divisions of troop velaikkaras. The commander who is praised to be a devotee at feet of lord at thillai and who was "a very murugan at war", is credited to have on two occasions almost singlehandedly pulverized big battalions of the enemy thereby causing their defeat. This commander who is glorified in these deccan wars is at the instance of lord finally given up his uniform to become a saint at tirruvottriyur and take the name ottriyur atikalar there upon producing some very good works on saiva siddantam prior to attaining lord's beatitude.Aditya II’s (Aditya Karikalan) Assassination
Parantaka II’s last days appear to have been clouded by a personal tragedy. The heir-apparent Aditya II was assassinated by a group of conspirators.There are other theories, claiming that the Pandyan spies were involved in the death of Aditya II and he was assassinated to avenge the death of Veerapandiyan in the battle of Chevur. There are however no direct evidence to support this theory. One of the inscriptions found at Udayarpatti temple in Tamil Nadu of Rajaraja notes that the property of some persons were confiscated as punishment for their involvement in the plot.
Uttama’s ascension
After the assassination of Aditya II, it seems that Uttama forced Parantaka II to make him the heir-apparent. Arulmozhivarman (or Rajaraja I), Parantaka II’s second son did not protest, anxious to avoid a civil war. It was apparently part of the compromise that Uttama was to succeed the throne only if he accepted to be succeeded, not by his own children but by Arulmolivarman. The Thiruvalangadu copperplate inscription states that Madhurantaka Uttama Chola made Arulmoli the heir-apparent.Parantaka II's death and Legacy
Parantaka II, heart broken by the personal tragedy died in Kanchipuram at his golden palace (c. 973 C.E.) . He was thereafter known as "Pon maligai thunjina thevar" – "the king who died in the golden palace". Parantaka continued the chola legacy of absolutely professional and democratic management. This is seen from many inscriptions of his and mhis illustrious son aditya karikalan II, which describe reforms carried out professionally at universities, councils, military and navy. Parantaka was well supported by his management councillors. Thus we know from an inscription of his how a certain aniruddha brahmarayan who was a follower of jaiminiya sutra of samaveda(jaiminiya sutrattu aniruddha bhramarayar) and who was a "servitor at the feet of lord of river girt arankam(srirangam),i.e lord vishnu", who belonged to royal council being felicitated for selfless service.One of his queens, Vanavanmahadevi, a princess from the clan of Malaiyaman, committed sati
Sati (practice)
For other uses, see Sati .Satī was a religious funeral practice among some Indian communities in which a recently widowed woman either voluntarily or by use of force and coercion would have immolated herself on her husband’s funeral pyre...
at the king’s death and her image was perhaps installed at the Thanjavur Temple by her daughter Kundavai. Another queen, a Chera princess survived him until 1001 C.E.
During Parantaka II’s reign, literature both Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
received encouragement. The Buddhist work on Tamil grammar, Virasoliyam eulogises hims as a parton of letters and of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
. The eulogy furnishes evidence for the friendly relationship between the Chola monarchs and the Buddhists.