Shankaragana III (
IAST: Śankaragaṇa, r. c. 970-980 CE) was a ruler of the
Kalachuri dynasty
The Kalachuris (IAST: Kalacuri), also known as Kalachuris of Mahishmati, were an Indian dynasty that ruled in west-central India between 6th and 7th centuries. They are also known as the Haihayas or as the Early Kalachuris to distinguish them ...
of Tripuri in central India. His kingdom was centered around the Chedi or Dahala region in present-day
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...
. He defeated a weak
Gurjara-Pratihara
The Gurjara-Pratihara was a dynasty that ruled much of Northern India from the mid-8th to the 11th century. They ruled first at Ujjain and later at Kannauj.
The Gurjara-Pratiharas were instrumental in containing Arab armies moving east of th ...
ruler, and seems to have died in a battle against the
Chandela
The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti was an Indian dynasty in Central India. The Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region (then called ''Jejakabhukti'') between the 9th and the 13th centuries. They belonged to the Chandel clan of the Rajputs.
...
s.
Reign
Shankargana succeeded the Kalachuri king Lakshmanaraja around 970 CE. Shankaragana adopted an aggressive policy against his neighbours. According to a
Jabalpur
Jabalpur is a city situated on the banks of Narmada River in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. According to the 2011 census, it is the third-largest urban agglomeration in Madhya Pradesh and the country's 38th-largest urban agglomeration. J ...
inscription, he defeated the contemporary
Gurjara-Pratihara
The Gurjara-Pratihara was a dynasty that ruled much of Northern India from the mid-8th to the 11th century. They ruled first at Ujjain and later at Kannauj.
The Gurjara-Pratiharas were instrumental in containing Arab armies moving east of th ...
king. This rival king was probably Vijayapala.
Shankaragana seems to have died in a battle against the
Chandela
The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti was an Indian dynasty in Central India. The Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region (then called ''Jejakabhukti'') between the 9th and the 13th centuries. They belonged to the Chandel clan of the Rajputs.
...
s. A
Bhilsa
Vidisha (विदिशा, formerly known as Bhelsa and known as Besnagar in ancient times) is a city in central Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located 62.5 km northeast of the state capital, Bhopal. The name "Vidisha" is derived from th ...
inscription boasts that the Chandela minister Vachaspati vanquished the king of Chedi (identified with Shankaragana) and his ally, a
Shabara chief. Vachaspati was a subordinate of Krishnapa, the brother of the Chandela king
Dhanga
Dhanga (r. c. 950-999 CE), also known as Dhaṇgadeva in inscriptions, was a king of the Chandela dynasty of India. He ruled in the Jejakabhukti region (Bundelkhand in present-day Madhya Pradesh). Dhanga established the sovereignty of the Chande ...
. A Maser inscription states that Narasimha of the Sulki family turned the wives of the Kalachuri king into widows. This seems to be a reference to Shankaragana's defeat in a battle against the Chandelas.
Shankaragana was succeeded by his younger brother
Yuvarajadeva II
Yuvarajadeva II ( IAST: Yuva-rāja-deva, r. c. 980-990 CE) was a ruler of the Kalachuri dynasty of Tripuri in central India. His kingdom was centered around the Chedi or Dahala region in present-day Madhya Pradesh. He established matrimonial rela ...
.
References
Bibliography
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{{Kalachuris of Tripuri
Kalachuris of Tripuri
10th-century Indian monarchs