King Mahideva

Introduction to King Mahideva

King Mahideva was the eldest son of King Manadeva and his Wife Bhogini who died after ruling Nepal for a few months in 506 A.D. He was the Father of King Basantadeva and lived until the age of 41 Years according to the Gopal Raja Bansawali.

His reign is estimated to have lasted for only seven months, from Ashad to Magh to the then Sambat of Nepal. His position as king is confirmed by many sources.

Life of King Mahideva

Very less to nothing is known about his life, his childhood, or his short reign as a monarch. The eldest son of King Mahideva was King Basantadeva who ruled Nepal from 506 A.D to 532 and brought Landmark changes in Nepal.

He also had a daughter named Jayasundari who constructed a temple dedicated to him. He is rarely mentioned in the numerous inscriptions of King Manadeva. Basantadeva has attributed him in 2 or 3 of his inscriptions.

The most interesting yet unknown aspect of King Mahideva‘s existence is the cause of his death. None of the sources have mentioned anything interesting about his death. His son and daughter have referred to him with honor and respect which leads to the conclusion that it was sudden and unnatural.

Gopal Raja Bansawali mentions that he lived till the age of 41 Years and is supported by Jagadish Chandra Regmi although it is unlikely to be true.

Records of King Mahideva

The Inscription of Jaisideval

In the Jaisedeval records, Basantadeva refers to himself as “Paramadaivatbappabhatta-rakmaharajashripadanudhyath,” which translates to “the one who has obtained the blessing of great King and fathers feet.”

It was a common practice at that time to write “Bappapadanudhyat” ( One who has received the blessings of his Father) to denote the entitlement of the ancestor to the throne.

In this case, “Bhattarak Maharaj Sri” ( a Title used by Lichhavi Kings) is used instead of “Bappapadanudhyat,” indicating that Mahidev was also seated on the throne.

The Inscription of Sitapaila

Further proof of his reign can be found in the Sitapaila records, which mention “Viditmastu” and “Paramadaivatshribappabhattarakpadai: Yushmadiyagram:..”

This indicates that he made arrangements in the village of Sitapaila (a place near Syoyambhu) during his rule. Additionally, he is included among the previous rulers in the archives of Kewalpur ( a place in Dhading District near Kathmandu).

The Inscription of Jayadeva II

Another Inscription by King Jayadeva that mentions the Lichhavi Geneology and list of Kings mentioned King Mahideva as famous. So, clearly, he was an important King to a certain extent.

Contributions to Vaishnavism

King Mahideva was a truly Vaishnav King. Vaishnavism is a sect of Hinduism that worships and accepts Vishnu as their ultimate God. He inherited the traits of Vaishnavism from his Father Manadev and his grandmother Rajyavati who were also dedicated to Vaishnavism and contributed a lot to the Changunarayan Temple ( A Vishnu Temple). His daughter, Jayasundari, also constructed a Hiti Dharanai at Sitapaila Bhek in his honor.

Legacy of King Mahideva

King Mahideva had one of the greatest kings of all time as his father and another great Lichhavi King as his Son which illustrates that although he wasn’t popular, he certainly contributed a lot to Nepal in an indirect way.

He can be predicted to have amassed an extensive knowledge of Administration and other political skills by assisting his Father, King Manadeva.

Conclusion

King Mahideva was the Son of King Manadeva and the Father of King Basantadeva. Both of the Kings are among the long-reigning Lichhavi Kings of Nepal. However, the reign of Mahideva, as factually argued by most Historians lasted shortly and lacked any form of significance.

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