Mahakuta

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Mahakuta (महाकूट) is a village in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka state, India. There is a group of temples located in Mahakuta and the location of a well-known Shaiva monastery.

Variants

• Mahakuta महाकूट, जिला बगलकोट, कर्नाटक (AS, p.721)

History

The temples are dated to the 6th or 7th century CE and were constructed by the early kings of the Chalukya dynasty of Badami. The dating of the temples is based on the style of architecture which is similar to that of the temples in nearby Aihole and the information in two notable inscriptions in the complex: the Mahakuta Pillar inscription dated between 595–602 CE (written in the Sanskrit language and Kannada script); and an inscription of Vinapoti, a concubine of king Vijayaditya, dated between 696–733 CE and written in the Kannada language and script.

Mahakuta Inscriptions

The Mahakuta complex has provided historians two important 7th century inscriptions. The Mahakuta Pillar inscription, dated variously between 595–602 CE records a grant made by Durlabhadevi, a queen of Pulakeshin I (the father of king Mangalesha). The queen supplemented an earlier grant with an endowment of ten villages, including Pattadakal and Aihole to god Mahkuteshvara Natha. In addition, the inscription provides important information about the Chalukyan lineage, their military expeditions, their conquests and early monuments. The pillar goes by the name Dharma-jayastambha ("Pillar of victory of religion") and is on exhibition at a Bijapur archaeological museum. The other inscription, ascribed to Vinapoti, king Vijayaditya's concubine, is inscribed in the porch of the Mahakuteshvara temple. It describes a grant of rubies and a silver umbrella to the deity Mahakuteshvara in addition to a piece of land.

Jat History

Bhim Singh Dahiya writes: (vii) Mahakuta inscriptions of Mangalesha (597–609) says regarding Pulkeshin-I, "his body was purified by the religious merit of oblations performed after celebrating Agnistoma and other sacrifices; that he was descended from Hiranyagarbha (Brahma), accepted admonitions of the elders and was good to the Brahmanas "⁵⁷

Here the mention of 'Agnistoma Yajña' is interesting. These stomas were specifically prescribed for Brahmanisation of foreigners. ⁵⁸ Another word used for the foreigners, was Vrata/Vratya, and according to Weber, they were non-Brahmanical western tribes comprising yaudhas (warriors). ⁵⁹ Vedic Index (II, 344) agrees with this view.

"It is therefore, laid down that the Vratya-stoma sacrifice can be performed in ordinary fire. (laukika agni).⁶⁰

Mangalesha was the grand son of Pulikesin-I and this inscription was recorded by him. Therefore, when he says something about his own grandfather, it has to be taken as true. And in the words of Hoernle, "it is a fairly plain statement of adoption of Brahmanism by the foreign invader or immigrant, Pulikesin-I and he were given membership of Manavya gotra and descent from a lady of Harita gotra."⁶¹

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57. EI, VII, APP, No.5; IA, XIX, p. 17.

58. V. S. Agarwala, op. cit., p. 441-42.

59. Weber, History oj Indian Literature, p. 78.

60. V.S, Agarwala, op. cit., p. 442.

61. JRAS, 1905, p. 26.

महाकूट

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...महाकूट (AS, p.721) जिला बगलकोट, कर्नाटक में स्थित है. यह स्थान चालुक्य कालीन है (छठी-सातवीं शती ई.). यहां इस काल में निर्मित दो मंदिर उल्लेखनीय है जो मुख्य रूप से उत्तरी भारत के पूर्वगुप्तकालीन मंदिरों के अनुरूप हैं. इनके मध्य में गर्भगृह और उसके चतुर्दिक पटा हुआ प्रदक्षिणापथ है. यह मंदिर बीजापुर जिले के अन्य मंदिरों के समान गुप्त कालीन मंदिरों की परंपरा में हैं जो गुप्तकाल की समाप्ति के 11 शतियों के बाद भी दक्षिण भारत में जीवित रही. सुदूर दक्षिण में कनारा प्रदेश (मैसूर) के मंदिर भी (देखें भटकल; मुडाबिदरी; जरसोप्पा) इसी परंपरा के अंतर्गत हैं. [p.722]: महाकूट में 602 ई. का एक स्तंभ लेख मिला है जिसमें चालिक्य या चालुक्यवंशीय कीर्तिवर्मन् प्रथम की वंग, अंग, मगधादि देशों पर विजय का वर्णन है. कीर्तिवर्मन् के पिता द्वारा किए गए अश्वमेघ यज्ञ का वर्णन भी इस अभिलेख में है. अभिलेख से चालुक्य नरेश मंगलेश के विषय में सूचना मिलती है.