CONTENTS (Vol. 1) Introduction xi Acknowledgement xxi Part I Archaeology and Epigraphy 1 1. An Indus Seal with Soma-Sacrificial Theme 3 2. A Unique Early Memorial Pillar Inscription of Somayasas from North Karnataka 16 3. Alluru Brahmi Inscription of Aila Manasada 28 4. An Earliest Sanskrit Inscription In South India 46 5. The Controversial Legend of the Kondapur Coins 75 6. A Pallava Sanskrit Inscriptional Poem from Kanchi-An Evaluation 86 Part II Political History 7. Early Kusana Occupation of the Gangetic Plain-New Evidence 103 8. Fresh Light from the History of the Iksvakus 114 9. The Calukyan Conquest of Andhradesa-Some New Facts 140 10. Amoghavarsa I and Laksmanaraja I-Their Relationship Reassessed 152 11.Rajaraja Cola I and Jatacoda Bhima-Their Unique Prasasti 163 12. New Light on the Genealogy and Chronology of the Visnukundis 174 13. Trivaranagara and the Date of the Pandava King Tivara of South Kosala 182 14. A Case of Seduction and Reward in the Calukya-Paramara War 194 Part III Literature and Textual Study 15. The Puranic Text and the Date of the Mahabharata War : A Historical and Archaeological Approach 217 16. Yugapurana on the Yavana Conquest of Madhyadesa- Fresh Light 245 17. Janikartuh Prakrtih (Panini's Astadhyayl 1.4.30) An Indepth Study. 263 18. The Sriparvatiya Andhras of the Puranas 293 19. The Circumstances of the Birth of the Ramayana-A Revealing Analysis 304 20. A Controversial Passage in the Dhvanyaloka-A Review of the Reading 333 21. Sriharsa and Kancipuram-Their Forgotten Relation Traced 347 22. On A Strange Prohibitory Injunction Against Poetry 357 23. The Maratha King Sahaji and his Gauri-Sankara Pallaki Seva Prabandha-An Appraisal 371 Index 387 Illustrations 387