Unit V: The Era of Harsha

1. Harsha's Conquests & Administration

Harsha Vardhana (c. 606-647 CE) was the last great emperor of ancient India. He belonged to the Pushyabhuti dynasty of Thanesar.

Accession and Conquests:

• Harsha ascended the throne at age 16 under tragic circumstances. His brother-in-law, Grahavarman (King of Kanauj), was killed by the king of Malwa. His elder brother, Rajyavardhana, was then treacherously murdered by Sashanka, the king of Gauda (Bengal).
• Harsha's first acts were to rescue his sister Rajyashri and consolidate his power.
• Unification: He merged his own kingdom of Thanesar with the Maukhari kingdom of Kanauj and made Kanauj his new, magnificent capital.
• Conquests: He spent over 30 years in continuous warfare, bringing most of North India (from Punjab to Bengal) under his control. He earned the title 'Sakalottarapathanatha' (Lord of all of North India).
• His Southern Limit: Harsha's ambition to conquer the Deccan was famously checked. He was defeated on the banks of the Narmada River by the Chalukyan King, Pulakesin II. This battle is a key event, mentioned in Pulakesin's Aihole Inscription.

Administration:

• Feudal and Decentralized: Unlike the Mauryas, Harsha's administration was more feudal and decentralized. He ruled through a large number of feudatory chiefs (Samantas) who paid him tribute and provided military support.
• Personal Inspection: Harsha was a hands-on ruler. He constantly toured his empire to personally supervise the administration.
• Revenue: The state revenue was divided into four parts:
  1. For government expenses.
  2. For salaries of public officials (often paid in land grants).
  3. For rewarding scholars and intellectuals.
  4. For charity to various religious sects.

2. Cultural Contribution of Harsha

Harsha was a great patron of arts and learning, earning him the title of "Harsha Vikramaditya."

• Harsha the Author: Harsha was an accomplished playwright himself. He is credited with writing three famous Sanskrit plays:
  • Priyadarshika
  • Ratnavali
  • Nagananda (a Buddhist-themed play)
• Patron of Scholars: His court was home to the great Sanskrit poet Banabhatta, who wrote the Harshacharita (a biography of Harsha) and Kadambari.
• Patron of Buddhism: Though he was tolerant of all faiths (a Shaivite early in life), Harsha became a great patron of Mahayana Buddhism.
  • Kanauj Assembly: He organized a grand assembly at Kanauj to honor the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang and to promote the Mahayana faith.
  • Maha Moksha Parishad (Prayag): Every five years, he held a great assembly at Prayag (Allahabad) at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. Here, he would famously donate all the wealth from his treasury to scholars and ascetics of all religions, to the point of giving away his own robes and jewels.

3. Gauda Under Sashanka

• Sashanka (c. late 6th - 7th century) was the powerful and ambitious king of Gauda (a kingdom in modern-day Bengal).
• He was a contemporary and the arch-rival of Harsha Vardhana.
• Role in Harsha's Rise: Sashanka was directly responsible for the crisis that brought Harsha to power. He allied with the king of Malwa, murdered Harsha's brother-in-law (Grahavarman), and then treacherously killed Harsha's elder brother (Rajyavardhana).
• Religious Policy: Sashanka was a fierce devotee of Shiva (Shaivism).
• Persecutor of Buddhism: He is infamous in Buddhist records (especially in Hiuen Tsang's account) as a virulent persecutor of Buddhism. He is accused of:
  • Destroying Buddhist monasteries and stupas.
  • Cutting down the Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya, under which the Buddha attained enlightenment.
• Harsha's early campaigns were directed against Sashanka, but Sashanka remained a powerful check on Harsha's eastern ambitions for most of his life.

4. Account of Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang)

Hiuen Tsang (also known as Xuanzang) was the most famous and influential of all Chinese Buddhist pilgrims. His journey and his writings are a priceless source of information for this period.

• Purpose of Visit: He was a Buddhist monk who undertook the dangerous 15-year journey (c. 630-645 CE) to India to visit the Buddhist holy sites and, most importantly, to collect authentic Buddhist scriptures to take back to China.
• His Book: He wrote a detailed travelogue called 'Si-Yu-Ki' (or 'Record of the Western World').
• His Account of India:
  • On Harsha: He was a personal guest of Harsha and was the guest of honor at the Kanauj and Prayag assemblies. He provides a glowing, firsthand account of Harsha's generosity, his administrative tours, and his patronage of Buddhism.
  • On Nalanda: Hiuen Tsang studied at Nalanda University for several years. He gives a vivid description of life at the university—its curriculum, its thousands of students and teachers, its strict discipline, and its vast library.
  • On Society: He provides a mixed picture. He praises the gentle nature of the people and the light taxes, but also notes the rigidity of the caste system, the existence of "untouchables," and the dangers of travel (he was robbed by bandits).
  • On Religion: He gives a clear picture of the religious landscape, noting the co-existence of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, but also observing that Buddhism was in decline in many parts of India, while Hinduism was flourishing.