Thread - History - Prithvi Vallabh

Prithvi Vallabh was a king Rajput of Paramara dynasty. He was the ruler of Malwa region during 972–990 CE. but his original name was Vakpati Munja. He is the elder uncle of greatest kings of India Raja Bhoja.

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He is known for consolidating Paramara kingdom & for patronizing poets & scholars. The Rashtrakuta kings were ruling there before the Paramara kingdom was established.

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Siyaka, a great ruler & Vakpati Munja’s father defeated Rashtrakuta king Khottiga & established Paramara dynasty in Malwa, present day Madhya Pradesh.

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Thus along with the title of Prithvi Vallabh, Vakpati Munja had also assumed titles like Amoghavarsha and Sri-Vallabha, which were earlier used by the Rashtrakuta kings, to celebrate or show respect of his father’s victory over the Rashtrakuta king.

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Malwa was a powerful and flourishing kingdom. It flourished beautifully under Munja and later under Sindhuraja and Bhoja. The soil on which the vast kingdom stood was the envy and eye of every rival kingdom surrounding it.

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Some texts say that Munja was not Siyaka’s real son and that he found him in a munja(that’s how he got the name) grassland. He did not have a son of his own so he adopted the child. The king had his own son later who was named Sindhuraja.

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Though Munja was not inclined towards ruling and war, he performed his duties as a king exceptionally well for his subjects and for his father’s aspirations. He was a great ruler. He was a great warrior who achieved success against the Guhihas and the Hunas.

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He even defeated the Chalukya King. His military success and ability of leading his armies was great. Yet with his undefeatable strength he was forgiving towards the enemies and was not a king hungry for power, war and usurping kingdoms unlike the Chalukyas.

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He was with and not against peace. He was an idealist and believed in establishing a kingdom where equality was followed and people of all classes and cultures lived together in harmony. He lead not by himself but together with all of his beloved people.

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He freely mixed with his subjects without any egoism of aristocratic hierarchy. He was an able statesman. He did many welfare activities for his kingdom. He was a great patron of art and literature.

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He was into poetry and music very much and many scholars and poets from many parts of India came to his kingdom. Padmagupta and Shobhana Dhanika were two of his patronised poets. Munja was a philosophical King and was always eager to impart wisdom to his people.

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He had also appointed a Philosopher named Ahichchhatra which is recorded in his inscriptions. He also was a scholar and poet . It is believed that he himself composed philosophical works, sang along with his subjects and poets involving them too.

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His legacy has been found due to his relation to Raja Bhoja, who was his nephew and later become the successor to Malwa. This descendent of Prithvi Vallabh or Munja has been accorded greater credit in the history of Paramara dynasty. Munja loved his nephew dearly.

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He gave him training in warfare and always praised him for having a good intelect in poetry and verses. Bhoja was patronized by famous poets too in their memoirs. His inscriptions have been recorded vastly.

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Talipa & Vallabh:

The Chalukyan king whom Munja defeated was Talipa, whose kingdom lay South to Paramara kingdom. Since many kingdoms were bent on defeating him & Malwa kingdom, the Chalukya king was no exception. He fought multiple times with Munja &was defeated each time

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Munja’s trusted minister Rudraditya, had advised him not to cross Godavari river to wage war against the Talipa.

Not heeding his advice, he crossed the river when he could no more tolerate Talipa’s constant attacks on his kingdom, in a campaign against him.

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Unfortunately, for the first time in history and the last the great ruler was defeated terribly in the epic battle of that time and captured by the Chalukyan king. Talipa was not alone in his pursuit.

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He had a sister named Mrinalvati, who was an extraordinary princess of beauty, courage and battle skills. She was as much a war and military strategist as her brother.

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Having faced the harshness of defeat by the Malwa kingdom during childhood both the siblings were very close and guided each other in their pursuit of royal successes and victories.

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Mrinal, left no stone unturned in making her brother a good King and a ruler. Vakpati Munja, was imprisoned and humiliated all the time. Yet he could never be broken down and continued imparting philosophy to people when he was disgraced on streets of Chalukyan kingdom.

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His charismatic, positive and optimistic demeanor mesmerised even the subjects of that kingdom. Never had they seen a king like him before, true to his Title. No force and torture could oppress his voice and the liveliness in him.

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When Munja had seen Mrinal for the first time he had fallen in love with her. And why would he not seeing a princess, a woman so incredible as her.

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During the time of his captivity, Mrinal was astonished at the calmness, love, compassion of her captured and defeated enemy towards her and the soldiers, even at the time she had his hands burned for his remarks which seemed outrageous to the ministers in the court.

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And also the fact that he had no malice in his heart for anyone unlike her brother, herself and the Chalukyan kingdom bent on vengeance. She fell in love with him ultimately.

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Munja’s ministers managed to get inside the kingdom in disguise and make a plan with him to get him out of there. Munja confided his secret plan to Mrinal as he wanted to escape along with her to take her to his kingdom.

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Unfortunately Talipa’s friend Bhillama, who aided him in war got news of this rumour and reported to Talipa. Out of compulsion, Mrinal revealed everything to her brother and Munja was forced to beg from door to door on the streets and later had him brutally executed.

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Mrinalvati was devastated. Thus ended the legacy of this one-of-a-kind King.

Prithvi Vallah lived for a short time yet during his reign he lived with a larger-than-life attitude and approach towards life.

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This is the most underrated historical giant that didn't make it to the textbooks. Prithvi Vallabh was also considered as an incarnation of Gajakesari.

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