____________a Rashtrakuta chief overthrew his Chalukya overlord and performed a ritual called hiranya-garbha (literally, the golden womb).

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (a) Dantidurga

Explanation:

• Dantidurga, a Rashtrakuta chief, overthrew his Chalukya overlord in the 8th century CE.
• After establishing his sovereignty, he performed the Hiranya-Garbha ritual, which means "golden womb".
• This Brahmanical ritual symbolized a rebirth into the Kshatriya class, legitimizing his rule in traditional varna terms.

Information Booster:

Hiranya-Garbha Ritual:

• A sacrificial ritual mentioned in ancient texts.
• Performed by kings to assert their divine right to rule.
• Often used when a non-Kshatriya ruler wanted to gain legitimacy as a Kshatriya.

Rashtrakuta Dynasty (753–982 CE)

• Capital: Manyakheta (present-day Malkhed, Karnataka)
• Known For: Military conquests, temple architecture, and literary patronage

Important Rulers & Their Contributions

Dantidurga (735–756 CE)

• Founder of the Rashtrakuta dynasty.
• Defeated the Chalukyas and established the kingdom.

Krishna I (756–774 CE)

• Expanded the empire into parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• Defeated the Pallavas.

Dhruva (780–793 CE)

• Defeated Pratihara ruler Vatsaraja and Pala king Dharmapala.
• Adopted the Ganga and Yamuna emblems after northern conquests.

Govinda III (793–814 CE)

• Subdued Pala king Dharmapala and Chakrayudha of Kanauj.
• Crushed southern confederacies of Ganga, Chera, Pandya, and Pallava rulers.

Amoghavarsha I (814–878 CE)

• A peace-loving ruler and devout Jain.
• Literary contributions:
• Authored Kavirajamarga (first known Kannada work on poetics).
• Composed Prasnottaramalika in Sanskrit.

Krishna III (939–967 CE)

• Fought against the Paramaras of Malwa and the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi.
• Defeated the Chola ruler and reached Rameshwaram, where he erected a pillar and temple.