# Arikesari II

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**Arikesari II** (r. c. 930-955) was a ruler of the [Vemulavada Chalukya](/source/Chalukyas_of_Vemulavada) dynasty of present-day [Telangana](/source/Telangana), India. A [Rashtrakuta](/source/Rashtrakuta) vassal, he played an important role in dethroning the Rashtrakuta emperor [Govinda IV](/source/Govinda_IV) and enthroning [Amoghavarsha III](/source/Amoghavarsha_III) as the new emperor. He was the patron of [Pampa](/source/Adikavi_Pampa), one of the earliest notable [Kannada](/source/Kannada_language)-language poets.

## Early life

Arikesari was a son of his predecessor [Narasimha II](/source/Narasimha_II_of_Vemulavada).[1] A verse in the *Vikramarjuna Vijayam*, composed by the Chalukya court poet [Pampa](/source/Adikavi_Pampa), states that Arikesari had Indra's shoulder as his cradle. According to one theory, this may mean that Arikesari's mother Jakavve was a daughter of the Rashtrakuta king [Indra III](/source/Indra_III). While this is plausible, no direct evidence supports this hypothesis.[2]

According to the Parbhani copper plate inscription, Arikesari II married two Rashtrakuta princesses - Revakanirmadi (the daughter of Indra III) and Lokambika.[2]

## Rebellion against Govinda

Arikesari's father Narasimha had served the Rashtrakuta king [Indra III](/source/Indra_III) as a feudatory.[2] After Indra's death around c. 928–929, his eldest son Amoghavarsha II succeeded him, but the younger son [Govinda IV](/source/Govinda_IV) usurped the throne shortly after.[3] Govinda subjugated the [Chalukyas of Vengi](/source/Chalukyas_of_Vengi), whose former feudatories, such as the Chalukyas of Mudugonda, rose against him.[4] Govinda dispatched an army led by his general Rajamayya against Mudugonda, forcing its Chalukya ruler Vijayaditya (alias Bijja) to flee.[5] The records of Arikesari's family state that he gave shelter to Vijayaditya, and protected him from Govinda-raja (that is, Govinda IV).[6] The Vengi Chalukyas, led by Bhima II, ultimately expelled the Rashtrakuta invaders, killing Rajamayya in the process.[7]

Govinda, displeased with Arikesari for having given asylum to Vijayaditya, sent an army led by Pandyaraya against Vemulavada.[8] Arikesari's Vemulavada inscription and his court poet [Pampa](/source/Adikavi_Pampa)'s *Vikramarjuna Vijayam* state that he defeated a large army headed by the *maha-samanta* ("great feudatory") sent by the emperor Gojjiga (identified with Govinda IV).[9]

Arikesari formed an alliance with Govinda's paternal uncle Baddega-deva (later Amoghavarsha III), a rival claimant to the Rashtrakuta throne.[8] Baddega had been living in the [Tripuri Kalachuri](/source/Kalachuris_of_Tripuri) kingdom ruled by Yuvarajadeva, whose sister was the grandmother of Baddega.[3] Baddega was also supported by the [Ganga](/source/Western_Ganga_dynasty) prince Butuga, who wanted to dethrone his own brother Rajamalla III from the Ganga throne.[10]

According to the Vemulavada records, Arikesari gave asylum to Baddega against Govinda's wishes.[6] Baddega and his son [Krishna III](/source/Krishna_III) arrived at Vemulavada, where they were probably joined by other enemies of Govinda.[11] Subsequently, Baddega's forces defeated Govinda's army in a battle, and Baddega ascended the Rashtrakuta throne, assuming the title Amoghavarsha.[12] The Vemulavada dynasty's records state that Govinda invaded Vemulavada because Arikesari gave shelter to Baddega: Arikesari not only repulsed the imperial invasion, but also dethroned the emperor, and handed over the empire to Baddega.[6]

## Conflict with Bappuva

The records of Arikesari's family state Arikesari single-handedly repulsed an invasion by an *ankakara* of Bappuva, the younger brother of Kakkala.[6] The identity of Bappuva and Kakkala is not certain, but they were most probably enemies of Arikesari's overlord [Amoghavarsha III](/source/Amoghavarsha_III), and Arikesari appears to have defeated them on the orders of the emperor. Some earlier scholars identified Kakkala as the Rashtrakuta king Kakkala II ([Karka II](/source/Karka_II)), but this is not correct, as Kakkala II ascended the Rashtrakuta throne much later, in 972.[13]

A [Shilahara](/source/Shilahara) grant inscription mentions one Karkara, who was overthrown by Amoghavarsha III. However, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that this Karkara was same as Kakkala: he is not known to have had a brother named Bappuva.[14]

The 940 Deoli inscription states that [Krishna III](/source/Krishna_III), the son and successor of Amoghavarsha III, killed a chief named Bappuka. The name "Bappuka" may be a variant of "Bappuva", but this Bappuka is not known to have had a brother named Kakkala. Therefore, his identification as Arikesari's enemy is not certain either.[14]

## Cultural activities

Arikesari's court poet [Pampa](/source/Adikavi_Pampa) composed the [Kannada-language](/source/Kannada_language) text *[Vikramarjuna Vijaya](/source/Vikramarjuna_Vijaya)*. The text contains Pampa's version of a *[Mahabharata](/source/Mahabharata)* story with the legendary warrior [Arjuna](/source/Arjuna) as its hero: the poet identifies Arjuna with his patron Arikesari.[15]

## Legacy

### Vemulavada inscription

Arikesari is attested by an undated [Sanskrit](/source/Sanskrit)-language inscription issued during his reign, discovered at Vemulavada.[16] The inscription states that his minister Peddanarya built a [sun](/source/Surya) (Aditya) temple at Vemulavada, and that Arikesari granted a pice of land to this temple, at the request of Baddiga-deva (his overlord [Amoghavarsha III](/source/Amoghavarsha_III)).[17] The land was donated The donated land was used to build a feeding house for the pilgrims visiting the temple.[16] The temple mentioned in the inscription does not exist anymore.[18]

According to the inscription, Peddanarya was Arikesari's *tantra-pala* (minister of the army); his father Nagamarya was the *tantra-pala* of Arikesari's overlord Amoghavarsha.[19] The inscription also mentions another office named Gunamkusha, who held the office of *sandhi-vigrahi* (minister of war and peace) in Arikesari's administration.[20]

The inscription provides Arikesari's genealogy, starting from his ancestor [Vinayaditya Yuddhamalla](/source/Vinayaditya_of_Podana). It describes the achievements of the dynasty's rulers, and the political events from Arikesari's reign.[16]

The inscription states that Arikesari bore the titles *Pambarankusham*, *Ammana-gandhavaranam*, *Gandhebha-Vidyadharam*, *Arudha-Sarvajnan*, *Udatta-narayanan*, *Nodutti-gevlon*, *Guna-nidhi*, *Gunarnava*, *Sharanagata-vajrapanjara*, *Priyagalla*, *Tribhuvana-malla*, and *Samanta-Chudamani*. The title *Tribhuvana-malla* was later assumed by the [Kalyani Chalukya](/source/Chalukyas_of_Kalyani) kings.[20]

### Kurikyala inscription

Another undated inscription from Arikesari's reign was found at the Kurikyala (or Kurkyala) village in Karimnagar district. This inscription features [Sanskrit](/source/Sanskrit), [Kannada](/source/Kannada_language) and [Telugu](/source/Telugu_language) languages. It records the construction of a Jain shrine ([basadi](/source/Basadi)) by Jinavallabha, the younger brother of Arikesari's court poet [Pampa](/source/Adikavi_Pampa). The inscription states that Jinavallabha commissioned a shrine named Tribhuvana-tilaka, a tank named Kavita-gunarnava, and a garden named Madana-vilasa; he also installed the images of the first and the last Jain [tirthankaras](/source/Tirthankara) at the shrine. In addition, it provides information about the origin and genealogy of Pampa's family.[21]

### Successors

Arikesari had two sons: Vagaraja and Bhadradeva (alias Baddega-Narasinga; son of Lokambika), who were half-brothers.[22] Vagaraja (r. c. 941–950) and Bhadradeva (r. c. 941–946) appear to have ruled simultaneously for a few years, and after them, the throne was occupied by Bhadradeva's son [Arikesari III](/source/Arikesari_III) (r. c. 946–968).[23]

## References

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 30.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 25.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, pp. 32–33.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, pp. 33–34.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 34.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 31.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 35.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 37.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, pp. 31,37.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 33.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, pp. 37–38.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 38.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, pp. 38–39.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 39.

1. Siba Pada Sen 1979, p. 343.

1. Kolluru Suryanarayana 1993, p. 10.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 41.

1. Jaisetty Ramanaiah 1989, p. 4.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, pp. 40–41.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 40.

1. Kolluru Suryanarayana 1993, p. 14.

1. N Venkataramanayya 1953, p. 42.

1. Kolluru Suryanarayana 1993, p. 6.

### Bibliography

- Jaisetty Ramanaiah (1989). [*The Chalukya and the Kakatiya Temples: A Study*](https://books.google.com/books?id=yqwyAAAAIAAJ). Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-217-0058-0.
- Kolluru Suryanarayana (1993). [*Inscriptions of the Minor Chalukya Dynasties of Andhra Pradesh*](https://books.google.com/books?id=d4PCyXslrNsC&pg=PA10). Mittal. ISBN 978-81-7099-216-5.
- N Venkataramanayya (1953). [*The Chālukyas of L(V)ēmulavāḍa*](https://books.google.com/books?id=f8k7_1PaFCsCx). Archaeological Department, Government of Hyderabad. [OCLC 958874923](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/958874923)
- Siba Pada Sen (ed.) (1979). [*Historical biography in Indian literature*](https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.12220). Institute of Historical Studies. [OCLC 7682686](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/7682686)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arikesari II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arikesari_II) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arikesari_II?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.