953-9 



C. Y 



7. 



7<j HISTORY OF CASHMIR, 



na, the elder of whom, Sancara Verdhana, was minister to the late king, 

 setup another of his sons, Sura Verm a, and expelled the reigning prince : 

 a most turbulent period now ensues, and the several princes rise and fall, 

 sometimes repeatedly, in rapid succession. 



a.d. Sura Verma, after a nominal reign of one year, was deposed by the 



discontented Tatri troops, andPARTHA again crowned king ; he soon made 

 way for Chacra Verma, once more, whose bribes had won these venal sol- 

 diers to his interest : unable however to satisfy their repeated demands, he 

 was obliged to abdicate, and seek safety in flight, whilst Sancara Verdha- 

 na endeavoured to effect a purchase of the crown from the mercenary 

 troops ; in this he was foiled ; his embassador to them, his own brother 

 Sambhu Verdhana, making the bargain for himself, and being elevated by 

 them to the throne : a measure however that appears to have contributed 

 to check, if it did not annihilate the power, of the pretorian Tatris. 



Chacra Verma in his flight had found an asylum near Dhaeca* at the 

 house of a Dhnara, and one it may be presumed who was possessed of 

 powerful influence with the mountain tribes : induced by the liberal pro- 

 mises of the king, and his reiterated assurances of eternal gratitude, he col- 

 lected a considerable number of his countrymen, and advanced with Cha- 

 cra Verma once more towards the capital, 



The entrance of the king into Srinagar was effected without opposition : 

 indignant at the fraud practised on him by his brother, Sancara Verdha- 

 na had assembled an army, and advanced from MuruwEi,^ where he was 



stationed at the period of his negotiation for the crown : to maintain the 



* See the note on Surapur, the city itself must have been in the quarter of Cashmir peopled by the 



maras. 



f Any dry or desart soil, of which we have several extensive tracts to the south-west of Cashmir,, 



