Prior to the establishment of the Chalukyan power in Badami area, there existed a Rashtrakuta power and with the establishment of Chalukyan power, the Rashtrakuta power had disappeared. We do not have enough evidence to establish the relationship between the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta and the earlier Rashtrakuta families of southern Maharashtra or Vidarbha or Badami. Rashtrakutas proclaimed themselves as ‘rulers of Lattaluru and it is identified with Latur presently situated in Osmanabad district of Marathwada. Rashtrakutas were a kshatriya community of Andhra Pradesh, while some other historians identify them with Reddy community. Several Chalukyan epigraphs of Eastern Deccan refer to the term Rashtrakutapramukhanam, who are identified as agriculturists of Andhra Pradesh. We come to know from Undikavatika copper plate of Rashtrakuta Abhimanyu that there existed a Rashtrakuta kingdom in southern Maharashtra with Manapura or Manyapura as its capital. Inscription number 67. Undikavatika copper-plates of Abhimanyu. (Probably 6th Century A.D.) Provenance: Not known. Script: Brahmi. Late southern class of 6th-7th century A.D. Language: Sanskrit. Metres: vv.1-2 वसन्ततिलका. v.3: इन्द्रवज्रा (half verse) vv.4-5: श्लोक अनुष्टुब. References: Bhagwan Lal Indraji, J Bombay Branch R,A.S. XVI, pp.88ff,.J.F. Fleet, Ind.Ant, XXX, pp.509 ff, E. Hultzsch, Ep.Ind., VIII, pp.163-66. Footnote 1. For the probable date of this inscription and the history of the early Rashtrakutas of Manapura, see D.C. Sircar, History and culture of the indian people, Vol III. The Classical Age )pp-199-201) Fleet (Dyn.Kan.Distr, pp. 386) assigned this inscription on palaeographical grounds to approximately the 7th century A.D. Footnote 2. 1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind,, VIII (between pp.164-65) . 2. Expressed by the spiral symbol. Footnote 3.
1. Hultzsch: sauryy-o (r) ja 2. The half verse (इन्द्रवज्रा) is not completed. 3. The correct expression would be पुण्याभिवृद्धि – निमित्तं English Translation of the inscription. L1.1-7 Om Hail! There was a king called Manenka, who was the crest- ornament of the Rashtrakutas, who were famous and adorned with many qualities. He had a son, named Devaraja, who was, as it were, the king of gods (Indra) in human body. Since other kings, swallowing their pride, had tied their own banners of fame to his lofty lineage (or bamboo pole), the banner of his (i.e Devaraja) fame was visible yonder (or from his city) for a long time, and is so every day like the holy water of the Ganga in spate L1.7-1O: To him, who had conquered his enemies, were born three sons, who had won the group of three (objects of human existence) and who having conquered their arrogant foes, annexed their ample royal splendour along with their territories. L1.10-16: 0f them, Bhavishya had a son (named) Abhimanyu, who is like (the epic hero) Abhimanyu in heroism, vigour and beauty. By him, while adorning (the city of) Manapura by residing there, has been granted with libation of water the hamlet named Undikavatika to the ascetic Jatabhara for the temple of Dakshina Siva of (i.e. located in the city of) Pethapangaraka or the increase of sources of religious merit of (his) mother and father L1.16-21: Towards this (grant) nobody should practise deceipt. The grant has been made in the presence of Jayasimha, the commander of the fort of Harivatsakotta. (Here follow two of the customary verses). Footnote 3. 1. There is a pun on the word वंश meaning, lineage’, as also, bamboo. 2: पुरत too has two meanings, ‘yonder and from the city’ or enjoyment. 3. Namely धर्म or virtuousness, अर्थ or wealth, and काम or enjoyment. Footnote 4. 1. Petha Hindi Peth, Kannad pete and Tamil pettal. It stands for a market town. The temple of Dakshina- Siva of Petha Pangaraka has been identified, in the Bombay Gazetteer, with the Mahadeva temple near Pagara which is nearly six kilometers from Pachmarhi (see fleet, Ind. Ant, XXX, pp.511 and n.16 and Ep.Ind, VIII, pp. 164-65) Fleet (op.cit. pp.514) suggested that undikavatika may be one of the two villages, both named Ootiya in the same neighbourhood. Manapuram aay be identified with Manpur near Bandhogarh in Rewa. The city seems to have been named after Mananka, the founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. 2. Kotta-nigraha = Kotta-pala = Commander of a fort (Fleet, op.cit. pp.514)
