Kings Taken From the Nilamatapurana- Earliest Known Kings Of Kashmir

Gonanda I(653 Kali)

Kalhana takes as the starting-point of his chronological calculations the traditional date indicated by Varahamihira’s Brhatsamhita for the coronation of Yudhisthira, the Pandava hero of the epics, viz. the year 653 of the Kali era. The date of this legandary event is accepted by him also for the accession of Gonada I., the first ruler from whose reign some semblance of a chronological history of kashmir begins.

Kalhana assumes a period of 2268 years as the aggregate length of the reigns of Gonada I. For this statement Kalhana does not adduce his authority, though it is one of the main bases of his chronology. But the importance which he attached to it, is evident from the trouble he takes to prove its correctness. He does this by showing that if to the figure of 2268 years are added the 653 years from the commencement of the Kali era to Gonada I’s accession, as well as the years(1328) representing the rough total of the reigns described in Books ii-vii., the total aggregate of 4294 years which corresponds exactly to the 4249 years of the Kali Yuga elapsed in Saka 1070, the date when Kalhana wrote his introduction. His reign is dated 20 years before the Mahabharata war. Gonanda I went to the war with Krishna on behalf of his relative Jarasandha, king of Magadha, and laid siege to the town of Mathura, but was killed in the battle.

Damodara I

He was succeeded by his son, Damodara I, who, impelled by the desire to avenge his fathers death, attacked Krishna at a svayamvara which has held by the king of Gandhara, the corridor of India, a territory lying on the banks of the Indus. Damodara was killed, whereupon Krishna installed the late king’s widow, Yacovati, on the throne.

The queen bore a son who was placed on the throne as Gonanda II while yet an infant. The Mahabharata war occurred soon after; but as the king of Kashmir was yet an infant, his alliance was sought for neither by the Kurus not by the Pandus

Reference:

Sufi,G.M.D (1996). Kashmir Under The Mughals. Kashir: Being A History Of Kashmir(pp.35-36) Delhi:Capital Publishing House.