Dantidurga (735 - 756) C.E. also known as Dantivarman or Dantidurga II was the originator of the Rashtrakuta realm. He founded his capital in the Gulbarga region of Karnataka. Krishna I, the uncle of Dantidurga, ascended him to the throne. The evidences allocated in the Ellora signify that the emperor combated the Chalukyas in 753, thereby attaining the designations of Parameshvara and Rajadhiraja. The writings entitle him as the son of Indra II. The writings uncovered in the Samangad (contemporary Kholapur district, Maharashtra) put forth that the emperor`s mother was a Chalukyan princess from Gujarat known as Bhavanaga.

It also asserts that he vanquished the indomitable KarnataBala of the Badami Chalukyas as also the emperors of central India, Malwa, Kalinga, Lata (Gujarat), and Sheshas (Nagas) and executed several sacrifices. Although he subjugated the Chalukya kingdom, the Vakkaleri inscription of 757 cites that the Chalukya King Kirtivarman II preserved power over his southern provinces up to 757. His daughter was wedded to a Pallava King Nandivarman of Kanchi. The emperor is also said to have assisted Nandivarman to recuperate Kanchi by combating in opposition to the Chalukyas.