early scholars like fleet had misread copperplate grant and considered maitrakas as some foreign tribe defeated by bhatarka. bhagwanlal indraji believed that maitrakas were foreign tribe while bhatarka, who defeated them, belonged to the indigenous dynasty. later readings corrected that bhatarka was himself maitraka who had succeeded in many battles. the earlier scholars had suggested the name maitraka is derived from mithra, the sun or solar deity, and their supposed connection to mihira and their sun-worshiping inclination.