Naravarman

Naravarman
Nirvana-Narayana
Pillar in the Bijamaṇḍal, Vidisha with an inscription of Naravarman
King of Malwa
Reign	c. 1094 – c. 1130 CE
Predecessor	Lakshmadeva
Successor	Yashovarman
Dynasty	Paramara

Naravarman (reigned c. 1094-1133 CE), also known as Naravarma-deva, was an Indian king from the Paramara dynasty, who ruled in the Malwa region of central India. The Paramara power greatly declined during his reign, as a result of multiple military defeats.

Naravarman succeeded his elder brother Lakshmadeva as the Paramara king. His inscriptions have been found at Amera near Udaipur (1093-1095 CE), Dewas (1094 CE), Bhojpur (1100-1101 CE), Nagpur (1104-05 CE), and Vidisha (undated). One more inscription was issued at Kadambapadraka (1110 CE), and was found in the possession of a resident of Bombay. H. V. Trivedi identifies Kadambapadraka with present-day Kamlikhedi (or Kamalyakhedi) village near Ujjain.

Naravarman lost some of his eastern territories to the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti. He also suffered a defeat against the Chahamanas of Shakambhari. The Chahamana king Ajaya II captured his general Sollana. Ajaya also killed three noted warriors named Chachiga, Sindhula and Yashoraja, who appear to have been Naravarman's subordinates. The Ingnoda inscription of 1133-34 CE indicates that there was an independent kingdom north-east of Ujjain. Its ruler Vijayapala bore the title Maharajadhiraja-Paramesvara. This indicates that the Paramaras had lost control of this area by the end of Naravarman's reign.

Jayasimha Siddharaja, the Chaulukya king of Gujarat, also defeated Naravarman. In this campaign, Siddharaja was supported by his feudatories, the Chahamanas of Naddula. According to the Chaulukya chronicles written by Someshvara, Jinamandanagani and Jayasimha Suri, Naravarman was imprisoned by the Chaulukya king. However, other chroniclers such as Hemachandra, Arisimha, and Merutunga state that the prisoner was Naravarman's successor Yashovarman. The Chaulukya-Paramara war probably began during the reign of Naravarman, and ended during Yashovarman's reign.