78 HISTORY OF CASHMIIi. 



The next opponent of the regent's authority, and she appears to have 

 encountered opposition in rapid succession, were Mahiman and Patala, 

 the sons of Suja and Bhubhatta, two of Parvagupta's friends and co- 

 adjutors: these youths had been brought up in the palace, but jointly re- 

 senting some personal affronts offered by the queen regent to Mahiman, 

 they plotted a conspiracy for his elevation to the throne. In this they were 

 joined by several of the leading men of Parih&sapur, and Lalitapur and 

 succeeded in levying a respectable force, and leading it against the Ram 

 Didda, with the assistance of Naravahana, prepared to engage them, but 

 unwilling to trust the decision to the chance of war, she engaged by large 

 presents, the Brahmans of Lalitapur to come forward as mediators : their 

 mediation was irresistible, and Mahiman and his confederates were com- 

 pelled, although reluctantly, to abandon their design, and submit to the 

 forgiveness of the queen : a curious proof of the influence of the sacerdo- 

 tal order in Qashmir in comparatively modern times. 



One of the chief leaders of the late conspiracy was Yasodhara, to whom 

 the queen gave the government of Campana, to bind him more firmly to her 

 interests : a war now arose between him and Sdhi, governor or king of Dhac- 

 ca, and the latter was defeated, and compelled to pay tribute : proud of 

 his success, and instigated by evil counsellors, Yasodhara soon found 

 cause of complaint against the regent, and Jed his army against her, sup- 

 ported by Naravahana. The regent resolved to encounter him in the field, 

 and a battle accordingly ensued, in which Yasodhara was defeated: he 

 was taken prisoner, and thrown into confinement with all his family, whilst 

 many of his adherents, also captives, were thrown into the Vitasta, with 

 large stones fastened to their necks, 



It would be useless to prosecute the story of civil discord further : the 

 nobles and governors had in fact all become more or less independant of 

 a monarchy, long feebly administered, and were ready on every slight pre- 

 text to lead their military followers to the field. By the counsels and con- 

 duct of Naravahana, the regent uniformly triumphed, and appears to have 



