Vastupāla (died 1240 CE) was a prime minister of the Vāghelā king Vīradhavala and his successor Vīsaladeva, who ruled in what is now the Gujarat region of India, in the early 13th century. Although he served in an administrative and military capacity, he was also a patron of art, literature and public works. He, together with his brother Tejapāla, assisted in the restoration of peace in the kingdom, and served in a number of campaigns against Lāṭa, Godraha, Kutch and the Delhi Sultanate. The brothers were instrumental in the construction of the Luniga-vasahi temple on Mount Abu and the Vastupala-vihara on Girnar.
Ancestry and family
Vastupala and his brother Tejapala were born to a Pragavata, or Porwad as they are known today, Jain family in Anahilavada Patan (modern day Patan, Gujarat). Vijayasenasuri, a Jain monk of Nagendra Gachchha, was their clan guru. Extensive information on their ancestry has been drawn from literary works and inscriptions: in Naranarayanananda, Vastupala referred to Chandapa as his ancestor and this descent has been expanded upon in Prabandha-kosha and Puratana-prabandha-sangraha.
Chandapa was a minister, probably in the Chaulukya court, where his son Chandaprasada also served as a minister. Jaishree, Chandaprasada's wife, bore him two sons, Sura and Soma, who became a jewel keeper to the Chaulukya ruler, Jayasimha Siddharaja. Soma's wife, Sita, bore him one son, Ashwaraja (or Asharaja). Later in life, Ashwaraja became a minister and married Kumaradevi, a daughter of Abhu, a Pragvata vanika and a dandapati (commander-in-chief) by profession. Kumaradevi was apparently a widow when she married Ashwaraja; however, this has been disputed.
The couple had eleven children — seven daughters: Jalhu (or Bhau or Jalu), Mau, Sau, Dhanadevi, Sohaga, Vaijuka (or Tejuka) and Padmaladevi; and four sons: Luniga, Malladeva, Vastupala and Tejapala. Luniga died in childhood while Malladeva died after fathering a son, Purnasimha.
Early life
Very little is known about the early life of Vastupala or his brother. Even less is known about Vastupala's date of birth, although the Vasantavilāsa mentions 1163 CE as the year of birth. An undated inscription (now housed in the Watson Museum, Rajkot) mentions that the brothers made a pilgrimage to Mount Shatrunjaya with their father Aśvarājā in VS 1249 (1193 CE), presumably during their childhood. They lived in Sumhalaka, a town granted to their father as a reward for his service to the king of Chaulukya. Their father visited many pilgrim sites with their mother Kumāradevī and built several public utilities, such as lakes, tanks, wells, and temples. After the death of their father, they lived in Mandali or Mandalika (modern day Mandal) with their mother, probably until her death.
Vastupala was married to Lalita and Vayajalladevi (or Sokhuka or Saukhyalata). Tejapala was married to Anupama and Suhavadevi (also spelled Suhadadevi). Anupama was a daughter of Dharaniga, a counselor to the brothers, and his wife Tribhuvanadevi.
Career
According to Kirti-kaumudi, the Vasanta-vilasa, the Prabandha-kosha, and the Prabandha-chintamani, the brothers travelled to the Vaghela capital at Dhavalakka (modern day Dholka). There, they were introduced by Someshvara to king Viradhavala who subsequently appointed them. Other sources, such as the Sukrita-sankirtana, Vastupala-Tejapala-Prashasti and Sukrita-kirti-kallolini, state that the brothers served the Chaulukya king Bhima II who dispatched them to Viradhavala. This is confirmed by writings by Vastupala himself, who wrote in the Naranarayanananda that he was in the service of Bhima II prior to his departure for Dhavalakka. The date when he began his service in the Chaulukya court is not known but they were certainly appointed at Dhavalakka in VS 1276 (1220 CE). Vastupala and Tejapala traveled to Dhavalakka at a time when they were in such poverty that their other brother, Luniga, was unable to donate an image of Jina to the Vimala-vasahi temple on Mount Abu before his death. Vastupala and Tejapala are said to have miraculously acquired wealth through the blessings of Shrimata, the patron deity of Abu and using this wealth, they commissioned a temple, Luniga-vasahi, dedicated to Luniga.