Etymology
The word "Pratihara" means protector or "who takes over the enemy/opponent" and was used by the Gurjara-Pratihara rulers as self-designation. It is derived mainly from Buddhist term "Pratiharya" which is quoted in many Buddhist sutras, as title awarded to them for defending the Vedic realm of Āryāvarta. The Pratihara rulers claim descent from the Hindu mythological character Lakshmana, who had performed the duty of a guardian ("pratihara") for his elder brother Rama. They were thus Suryavansh dynasty according to traditional Indology.
A 1966 book published by the Directorate of Public Relations of Rajasthan mentions that the rulers of this dynasty came to be known as the Pratiharas, because they guarded the north-western borders of the Indian subcontinent against foreign invasions.
Read more about this topic: Gurjara-Pratihara
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