Narasimhavarman II, popularly known asRajasimha and asRajamalla, was aPallava monarch who reigned from 695 CE to 728 CE.^[1][2] He is credited with the construction of theShore Temple Complex, the Isvara and Mukunda Temples inMamallapuram, theTalagirisvara Temple inPanamalai and theKailasanathar Temple inKanchi. He is further credited with the construction of a Buddhist Vihara atNagipattinam, which is commonly known as ‘China-pagoda'.^[3]

Narasimhavarman's reign was period of great literary and architectural advancements and he is often grouped by historians withMahendravarman I andNarasimhavarman I as one of the greatest Pallava rulers.

By the time Narasimhavarman II ascended the throne, thePallavas were by large the most powerful military force in the subcontinent. His fatherParameswaravarman I was among the greatest of warrior monarchs of ancient India, the Amaravati Pallava inscription praises him of being: "As vigorous and strong as lord Sambhu (Shiva)".

Parameswaravarman I had subdued all his formidable rivals to extend the Pallava empire far and away. Narasimhavarman II followed up very well. The Vayalur inscription of Pallavas issued on the eve of the coronation of Narasimhavarman II, gives a lineage of 54 rulers through the epochs ofKrita,Dvapara andKali up to Emperor Narasimhavarman II, this includes 47 kings afterAswattaman, the legendary warrior ancestor of thePallavas.^{[citation needed]}

Narasimhavarman II, like of most ofPallava monarchs before him, was a great militarist. That the Pallavas were recognized as a major power during his period is testified by the fact that he had a close relationship withTang China. Mentions ofDvipalaksam indicate Pallava influence in theLakshadweep during his reign.^[4] In general, his period was relatively free from major wars and Pallava domination ofSoutheast Asia continued.^{[citation needed]}

In the 8th century, theTang dynasty underEmperor Xuanzong, forged amilitary alliance with thePallavas under Narasimhavarman II and made the latter theGeneral ofSouth China to safeguard Chinese territories and interests from the expandingTibetan Empire.^[5]

Narasimhavarman II sent an embassy toTang China to inform the ChineseEmperor Xuanzong of his intention to employ his war elephants and his cavalry to chastise the Ta-che (Arabs) and T’ou-po (Tibetans) and request the emperor to give a name to his army, as sign of friendly gesture . The emperor praised it greatly and named his army, ‘the army which cherished virtue’. This embassy was sent in about 720 CE. The historianNilakanta Sastri states that this embassy was definitely led by the veneratedSouthern Indian Buddhist MonkVajrabodhi. The Chinese emperor also sent an ambassador to confer by brevet the title ofGeneral ofSouth China on the 'King of the kingdom of South India',Che-li-Na-lo-seng-k’ia pao-to-pa-mo (Sri Narasimha Potavarman). It is also noteworthy that Narasimhavarman II built a temple in the honor of the Tang Chinese emperor and asked a name for this temple from the emperor. He was sent an inscribed tablet readingKoei-hoa se, meaning 'which cause to return virtue’. This temple could be the Buddhist Vihara, commonly known as 'China-pagoda' constructed by him atNagapattinam.

The historianNilakanta Sastri states that "Separately or allied together, theArabs and theTibetans were more the enemies of China in this period than of any Indian state,least of all a Southern Indian state, and one Tibetan powermay reasonably surmise that it was the Chinese court which, being impressed by the political powerof Narasimhavarman in India, was anxious to enlist his support inits plans against theTibetans".^[6]

Narasimhavarman was a skilled dramatist and poet. He wrote many works inSanskrit. Most of these are missing. His Sanskrit plays had themes fromRamayana, theMahabharatha and thePuranas.Kutiyattam, which is considered as the most ancient available form of dance drama and is still in vogue inKerala, uses some of his plays (likeKailasodharanam) for subject matter and so doesChakyar koothu, another ancient Tamil dramatized worship service. Another play titledKamsavadham dealing with theLord Krishna's slaying ofKamsa also was written by him.

TheSanskrit litterateurDandin spent several years in his court and was patronized by the monarch, but we do not know about his standing as the inscriptions denote considerable level of erudition . Narasimhavarman himself was a great devotee who was credited for having mastered the greatagamic worship rituals like his preceptorDrona.^[7]

For all his accomplishments, Narasimhavarman II is mainly remembered as a foremost devotee of theGod Shiva and a relentless, truthful, diehard warrior king who made sure that thePallava power remained dominant in the subcontinent. TheGod Shiva is famously known to have appeared in the monarch's dream and ordered him to adjourn his coronation as he wanted to first bless an impoverished saint inPusalar. This event is well described in manyPallava grants of Narasimhavarman as well as those of monarchs who succeeded him.^{[citation needed]}

In the Kasakudi plates ofNandivarman Pallavamalla, Narasimhavarman II is said to have bestowed his wealth on temples and Brahmanas.He was devout worshiper ofShiva,Vishnu andSubramanya as per his Reyuru grant. All of the temples he commissioned are dedicated to Shiva which suggests that he was more inclined to Shiva worship. He commissioned theKailasanathar Temple Complex in the Pallava capital ofKanchipuram.^[8] The main shrine is titled "Rajasimhesvara". The complex also houses a smaller shrine commissioned by his piousMaharani Rangapataka and a frontal shrine named "Mahendresvara" which was commissioned by his son Mahendravarman III.^[9] Narasimhavarman II is generally identified with asKalarsinga Nayanar ( meaning "one who is lion to crowd of evil kings"), one of the 63Nayanars and also a contemporary to many Nayanar saints likeSundarar,Dandi Adigal Nayanar,Pusalar. His epithetsSivachudamani,Agamanusari among others reveal his deep devotion to theGod Shiva. Narasimhavarman also famously declared before the Lord Shiva inTiruvarur alongsideSeruthunai, a Nayanar saint that he considered himself not a monarch but a sincere servant of the Lord Shiva.^{[citation needed]}

Narasimhavarman's reign was marked by peace and prosperity, and he constructed several beautiful temples.^[7] Apart from theKailasanathar Temple atKanchipuram, Narasimhavarman II also built several other temples, including theShore Temple atMahabalipuram.^[10][11] He is also credited with building theIravatanesvara Temple atKanchipuram and theTalagirisvara Temple atPanamalai.^[12]

Narasimhavarman's had two sons – Mahendravarman III and Paramesvaravarman II. However, Mahendravarman III predeceased his father, andParamesvaravarman II succeeded to the throne.^{[citation needed]}

• Ching, Francis D.K.; et al. (2007).A Global History of Architecture. New York: John Wiley and Sons.ISBN 978-0-471-26892-5.
• Keay, John (2001).India: A History. New York: Grove Press.ISBN 0-8021-3797-0.
• Sen, Tansen (2003).Buddhism, Diplomacy, and Trade. University of Hawaii Press.ISBN 0-8248-2593-4.
• Tripathi, Rama Sankar (1967).History of Ancient India. India: Motilal Banarsidass Publications.ISBN 81-208-0018-4.
• South Indian Inscriptions, Volume 12
• A study on koodiyattam, UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE ART.

• 6th-century births
• 6th-century deaths
• Pallava kings

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