The second Aulikara dynasty initially controlled the Malwa plateau, but at its peak under Yashodharman Vishnuvardhana controlled a vast area (the Aulikara Empire), consisting of almost all of Northern India and northern parts of the Deccan plateau.[3]
Establishment
Aulikara rulers such as Adityavardhana and Dravyavardhana expanded their kingdom[6] and one of their successors Yashodharman conquered vast territories from the Hunas and Guptas after the Battle of Sondani, defeating the Huna Chief Mihirakula around 528 A.D.,[7][8][9][10] thus establishing the short-lived Aulikara empire.[11][5][12] Yashodharman's capitol was almost certainly Dashapura,[13][14][15][16] probably established by Yashodharman[17] though initially thought to have been Ujjayinī, which has since been disproven.[15] Kingdoms such as the Later Guptas and Maukhari dynasty were their vassals.[18]
^The predecessors of Prakasha-dharman are known from his 515-516 CE Rīsthal inscription.[21] The connection between Prakasha-dharman and Yashodharman is evident from the fact that Vasula, son of Kakka, composed the text of Prakasha-dharman's Risthal inscription as well as that of Yashodharman's undated Mandsor inscription. The stanzas of the inscriptions mentioning this fact are identical. Yashodharman ruled a few years after Prakasha-dharman, as attested by his 532 CE Mandsor inscription, and was probably his successor.[22]
^K.V. Ramesh and S.P. Tiwari read the name as Ajita-vardhana. V.V. Mirashi reads it as Jita-vardhana. A.M. Shastri considers Ajita-vardhana as more likely to be correct.[23]
^The Risthal inscription also calls Prakasha-dharman Bhagvat-prakasha, which V.V. Mirashi incorrectly believed to be the first ruler of the dynasty.[23]
^The alternative name "Vishnu-vardhana" is absent in Yashodharman's own inscriptions. It is known only from an inscription of the family of his Rajasthaniya.[23]
