SSC
In the battle on the banks of the Narmada, the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II defeated:
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Answer: Option D — Harshavardhana
Detailed Solution
Pulakeshin II (ruled about 610-642 CE) was the greatest ruler of the Chalukyas of Badami (Vatapi), in present-day Karnataka. Harshavardhana was the most powerful ruler of North India at that time and wanted to extend his power to the south.
Around 618-619 CE (some historians date it to around 630-634 CE), the armies of Harsha and Pulakeshin II met on the banks of the river Narmada. Pulakeshin II defeated Harsha, stopping his expansion beyond the Narmada. After this victory, Pulakeshin took the title of "Dakshinapatha Prithvi Swami" (Lord of the southern region) and "Parameshvara". The Narmada thus became the boundary between the northern and southern powers.
The main source of this information is the Aihole inscription (634 CE), composed in Sanskrit by Ravikirti, the court poet of Pulakeshin II. The inscription is in a Jain temple (the Meguti temple) at Aihole and describes the achievements of Pulakeshin, including his victory over Harsha. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang also mentions Harsha's failure against Pulakeshin.
Pulakeshin II also defeated the Pallava king Mahendravarman I. However, he was later defeated and killed around 642 CE by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who captured Badami and took the title "Vatapikonda" (conqueror of Vatapi).
The Chalukyas of Badami are known for their temples at Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal. Aihole is called the "cradle of Indian temple architecture", and the group of monuments at Pattadakal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A Persian embassy is also said to have visited Pulakeshin's court; a painting in the Ajanta caves was once thought to show this.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Narasimhavarman I defeated and killed Pulakeshin II.
- ✗Mahendravarman I was defeated by Pulakeshin II, but not on the Narmada.
- ✗Shashanka was the king of Gauda (Bengal) and an enemy of Harsha.
Quick tip
Remember: Pulakeshin II defeated Harsha on the Narmada (Aihole inscription by Ravikirti, 634 CE); Pulakeshin was later killed by Narasimhavarman I ("Vatapikonda").
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Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India from about the 7th to the 12th century: the Rajput dynasties, the tripartite struggle between the Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas, and the South Indian kingdoms of the Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas and Pandyas, along with the Sangam age and the temple architecture of the period. Questions often ask which dynasty built a temple (the Pallavas built the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, and Rajaraja Chola I built the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur), the capitals of dynasties, and the local self-government of the Cholas. Learning each dynasty with its capital, greatest ruler and one monument is the quickest way to answer these questions. Practise the early medieval India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.