Pulakesin I was the Vatapi Chalukya dynasty's first sovereign ruler (modern Badami). In the western and central Deccan region of India, he ruled parts of the present-day states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. To prove his sovereign status, Pulakesin founded the city of Vatapi and performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice. In the years that followed, the dynasty he formed ruled over a large portion of peninsular India. In this article, we will discuss about Pulakesin I (543 AD – 566 AD) which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Pulakesin I - Background

• Jayasimha was Pulakesin’s grandfather and Ranaraga was his father.
• His forefathers were vassal monarchs, most likely from the Kadambas or Rashtrakutas.
• Pulakesin's father is named Vijayaditya in the chronicles of the later Kalyani Chalukyas, who claimed descent from the Vatapi Chalukyas.
• However, these records can be dismissed as untrustworthy, as the Vatapi Chalukya records explicitly name Ranaraga as Pulakesin's father.
• Jayasimha was the first ruler of the Chalukyan dynasty.
• But the real founder of the Chalukyan dynasty was Pulakesin I (543–566 CE).
• He established a strong fortification at Vapati (modern Badami) in Karnataka's Bijapur district and declared independence by sacrificing a horse.
• The name ‘Pulakesin’ may be a Sanskrit-Kannada hybrid word meaning "tiger-haired".
• Also, maybe he got his name from the Sanskrit terms pula or pola ("great") and keśin ("lion") i.e. "Great Lion."

Reign of Pulakesin I

• Pulakesin was his dynasty's first sovereign king and has been dubbed the "true founder" of his dynasty.
• According to some researchers, Pulakesin was originally a Kadamba vassal who later declared independence by seizing control of the Vatapi region.
• Others speculate that he was a vassal of the Manapura’s Rashtrakutas and captured the erstwhile Kadamba area as a feudatory.
• According to the Chalukya inscriptions, Pulakesin made Vatapi his capital by building a fort there.
• He married Durlabha-devi, who came from the Bappura lineage.
• His first inscription, written under the name Vallabheshvara and dated to 543 CE, was discovered in Badami.
• Pulakesin most likely ascended the throne about the year 540 AD.
• He conducted Ashvamedha sacrifice, according to his Badami inscription from 543 AD.
• However, there are no particular details concerning his military successes in the dynasty's early records.
• His son and commander-in-chief Kirtivarman I, according to history, was responsible for the Chalukya military victories during his reign.
• The fact that the Chiplun inscription credits Kirtivarman I with building the city of Vatapi backs up this theory.
• However, this statement can alternatively be explained by assuming that the construction of the Vatapi fort was started during Pulakesin's reign, and was completed during Kirtivarman's reign.

Religion of Pulakesin I

• Pulakesin practised the Vedic religion, according to epigraphic evidence.
• Dharma-maharaja (great king of dharma) was Pulakesin's title, implying that he aggressively supported the Vedic faith (dharma) against Buddhism and Jainism.
• According to Pulakesin's Badami inscription from 543 CE, he performed Ashvamedha and other sacrifices according to Shrauta (Vedic) custom.
• According to the Mahakuta Pillar inscription, he upholds the brahmanas' teachings, listens to elders, speaks the truth, and never breaches vows.
• According to another inscription, Pulakesin was well-versed in the Manusmriti and had studied the Puranas, Ramayana, Bharata, and other itihasa scriptures.
• He was also like the deity Brihaspati in Niti (politics), according to the text.

Titles given to Pulakesin I

• Pulakesin I was described as Satyashraya, which is a Sanskrit word that means "abode of truth”.
• In the Satara copper-plate inscription of Vishnuvardhana and the Godachi copper plate inscription of Kirtivarman I, he appeared as a Rana-vikrama (valorous in war);
• Shri-Prithvi-Vallabha (the husband of the goddess of fortune and the Earth), and its variants (Vallabha, Vallabha-raja, Shri-vallabha); all these titles indicates paramountcy of Pulakesin.
• He is also described as Maharaja (great king).
• In the Altem copper-plate inscription he appeared as Raja-simha (lion among kings);
• Dharma-maharaja (great king of dharma); appears in the Godachi inscription

Conclusion

Pulakesin I, the real founder of the Chalukyas dynasty, reigned for more than 20 years and brought political stability to the region. He founded the empire with the capital at Vatapi and performed Ashwamedha. It is difficult to say, he was a vassal of which ruler. He bequeathed a kingdom to his son Kirtivarman I who extended the kingdom further. Pulakesin I was an ardent supporter of Vedic culture and many titles were given to him.