Note 196 — ARAB REFERENCES.1

Kings.Of the rulers of Gujarát between a.d. 850 and a.d. 1250 the only dynasty which impressed the Arabs was the Balháras of Málkhet or Mányakheta (a.d. 630–972) sixty miles south-east of Sholápúr. From about a.d. 736 to about a.d. 978, at first through a more or less independent local branch and afterwards (a.d. 914) direct the Ráshṭrakúṭas continued overlords of most of Gujarát. The Arabs knew the Ráshṭrakúṭas by their title Vallabha or Beloved in the case of Govind III. (a.d. 803–814), Pṛithivívallabha, Beloved by the Earth, and of his successor the long beloved Amoghavarsha Vallabhaskanda, the Beloved of Śiva. Al Masúdi (a.d. 915–944) said: Bálárái is a name which he who follows takes. So entirely did the Arabs believe in the overlordship of the Ráshṭrakúṭas in Gujarát that Al Idrísi (a.d. 1100, but probably quoting Al Jauhari a.d. 950) describes Nehrwalla as the capital of the Balarás. Until Dr. Bhandárkar discovered its origin in Vallabha, the ease with which meanings could be tortured out of the word and in Gujarát its apparent connection with the Valabhi kings (a.d. 509–770) made the word Balarái a cause of matchless confusion.196