There is mention of bhojas in Puranas, as a community, belonging to the Haihaya sub-division of the Yadavas, which was ruling from North
Konkan as contemporaries of the Shatavahanas, between 4th and the 6th centuries.
The Bhojas of Chandor had been ruling over Goa, Uttara Kannada and Khanapur and Belgaunm taluk region.
Devaraja, was the earliest known bhoja ruler. They had elephant as their emblem. Several of theirs copper plates charters in Sanskrit, have been found in Belgaum district and surrounding regions. The Hiregutti
Plates speak of Ashankitaraja of the same dynasty, making a grant to a Buddist vihara in Dipaka Vishaya. Another record of the same king is from Belgaum district.
The known rulers of this dynasity are,
Devaraja, Prithvimallavarman, Ashankitaraja, Ashankitavarman,
Prithvimallavarman and Kapalivarman.
Inscription number 80.
Hiregutti Plates of Asankita.
Provenance: Hiregutti, North Kanara district, Karnataka.
Hiregutti is a small Village, of historical importance, in North Kanara, District and is located 46 km towards south from Karat and 12 km from Kumta.
This village is inhabited by Nadavaru tribes and is also known as Nadavaru Kingdom.
Script: Brahmi of the Southern class of 5th-6th centuries A.D.
Language: Sanskrit.
Meters: V.1 आर्या, 2-4 अनुष्टुभ.
References: P.B. Desai, Ep.Ind,. XXVIII, pp.70-75.
The Bhojas are mentioned in the traditional Sanskrit literature
(puranas) as
There is mention of bhojas in Puranas, as a community, belonging to the Haihaya sub-division of the Yadavas, which was ruling from North
Konkan as contemporaries of the Shatavahanas, between 4th and the 6th centuries.
The Bhojas of Chandor had been ruling over Goa, Uttara Kannada and Khanapur and Belgaunm taluk region.
Devaraja, was the earliest known bhoja ruler. They had elephant as their emblem. Several of theirs copper plates charters in Sanskrit, have been found in Belgaum district and surrounding regions. The Hiregutti
Plates speak of Ashankitaraja of the same dynasty, making a grant to a Buddist vihara in Dipaka Vishaya. Another record of the same king is from Belgaum district.
The known rulers of this dynasity are,
Devaraja, Prithvimallavarman, Ashankitaraja, Ashankitavarman,
Prithvimallavarman and Kapalivarman.
Footnote
1. From the facsimile in Ep-Ind XXVIII, pp.74-75.
2. Bhojas are mentioned as a subdivision of the Yadavas in
the Mahabharata. ( आदि 217-18.) They are mentioned in the Rock Edict XIII, of Asoka along with the pitinikas.
In the Hathi gumpha cave inscription of Kharavela, ( J.B.C.R.S, III, pp-425ff; Supra, I,39)are associated with Rashtrikas. The Dasakumara-charita
of Dandin places them, in Vidarbha.
According to the Aitareya Brahmana, (VIII, 14), yhe satvat clan of the
Yadavas was ruled by a republican constitution, called Bhaujya, while their chiefs were called Bojas. But later
they became monarchical. A section of them called Mahabhojas, figure in number of Brahmi Inscriptions.
(Luder’s Lists Nos. 1021 and 1082, 1054, 1111 etc.) of first and second centuries A.D. found from the western
Parts of Maharashtra. They were adherent of the buddhist faith.
A Number of copper Plate grants of Bhoja Rulers, ranging from 4th to 7th centuries A.D., have come to light,.from Goa and North Kanara district. But these do not provide any clue to their mutual relationship. Devaraja
of siroda plates (Ep.Ind.XXVI, pp-337 ff,) and Asankita of the present ones probably represent different lines
Dharmamaharaja Kapalivarman of Arga Plates (Supra, III,23) may represent another line of Bhoja rulers. Two charters of another Bhoja ruler,
Pritjivimalavarman, perhaps successor of the latter, are also known. Tha seal attached to the present plate bears
the Budhist emblem of elephant and the grant made to buddhist vihara, indicates Asankita’s Buddhist faith.
Though the leanings of tne Mahabhojas, towards the Buddhi st
faith are known, no other epigraph of Bhoja rulers connects them.with buddhism. All their other grants, are to
Brahmanas.
Footnote 2.
1. Kaikeyas seem to have migrated rom their original home in the lower Jhelum valley in the Panjab. Nandipalli may
be identified with Nandi valley of Vokkaleri plates of western
chalukya king Kirtivarman 2, dated in A.D. 758 (Ep.Ind.,V, pp.200ff, Ind.Ant., VIII, pp.23 f.) That would indicate
that Asankita’s authority extended to Dharwar district, where his subordinate Kottipegglli was ruling. The Kannad name Kottipeggili is formed of three words, kottu = strike, peggu =back, and il= not. The name means, one who is not a back-stabber.
2. Dipaka seems to have been derived from dvipa or island. It may be identified either with the Anjidev island, 8 km, South West of Karwar or the island of Divar on the north of the island of Goa. The latter is mentioned under the name as Dipavati in the Skanda Purana ( see, Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval India, pp. 57)
3. विराव = roar, thunder. This is perhaps used here to connote a noisy mountain stream,
4. A curved horizontal stroke at the end indicates that the compound continues.
Footnote 3.
1. Superscript ष is formed like वो
2. Superscript न् in मान्यै is formed like श्
3. Note that the Budha is symbolically represented as an elephant.
English Translation of the inscription.
L1.1-3: Victorious is the Buddha, whose two feet are being licked by the rays of the shining jewels on the coronets of
the gods and the demons; who is the treasure of unlimited cluster of virtues, and is affectionate without a motive.
L1.3-6: By the king. Asaakita, who is the very moon in the firmament of the illustrious lineage of the Bhojas, having
been petitioned by Kottipeggili, who was born in the lineage of the Kaikeyas of Nandipalli, granted the village named sundarika in the district of Dipaka, for
the enjoyment of his (Kottipeggli’s or Asankita’s own monastery.)
L1.6-9: Its boundaries are in the eastern direction, the (village) Kurvva in the south, is the roaring current of Marttikattu. in the west is the water-fall on the mountain, (and) in the north upto the boulder with the mango tree.
L1.9-10: He, who confiscates this out of greed, shall be guilty of five great sins.
L1.10-16: He who confiscates land, whether granted by himself or by others, is born, as a worm in feaces for sixty thousand years. Though the land has been enjoyed by many respectable kings, beginning the Manu, the reward
for religious gift goes to the one, who is currently the owner. The person, who nurses the livelihood, granted to the congregation of the Buddhist monks, that divine soul enjoys, merriment for crores of sons after attaining
heaven.The greedy man of mean soul who confiscates the endowed land, being blinded by sin is tortured in
horrible hell for many eons.