HARSHAVARDHANA
(606 – 647 A.D.)
In the beginning of the seventh century A.D. that Harshvardhana succeeded in establishing a larger kingdom in north India.
The chief sources for tracing the history of Harsha and his times are the Harshacharita written by Banabhatta and the Travel accounts of Hiuen Tsang.
The dramas written by Harsha, namely Ratnavali, Nagananda and Priyardarsika also provide useful information.
The Madhuben plate inscription and the Sonpatc inscription are also helpful to know the chronology of Harsha.
The founder of the family of Harsha was Pushyabhuti.
Pushyabhutis were the feudatories of the Guptas. They called themselves Vardhanas.
The first important king of Pushyabhuti dynasty was Prabhakaravardhana. His capital was Thaneswar, north of Delhi.
He assumed the title Maharajadhiraja and Paramabhattaraka.
Prabhakaravardhana was succedded by his elder son Rajyavardhana.
After the death of Rajyavardhana, Harsha succeeded his brother at Thaneswar.
He made Kanauj his new capital.
The most important military campaign of Harsha was against the Western Chalukya ruler Pulakesin II.
The Aihole inscription of Pulakesin II mentions the defeat of Harsha by Pulakesin, who after this achievement assumed the title Paramesvara. Hiuen Tsang’s accounts also confirm the victory of Pulakesin.
Nepal had accepted Harsha’s overlordship.
Harsha’s last military campaign was against the kingdom of Kalinga in Orissa and it was a success.
In his early life, Harsha was a devout Saiva but later he became an ardent Hinayana Buddhist. Hiuen Tsang converted him to Mahayana Buddhism.
Harsha organized a religious assembly at Kanauj to honour the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang towards the close of his reign.
Hiuen Tsang mentions in his account about the Allahabad Conference held at Allahabad, known as Prayag. It was the one among the conferences routinely convened by Harsha once in five years.
The brick temple of Lakshmana at Sirpur with its rich architecture is assigned to the period of Harsha.
Banabhatta was the Asthana Kavi in the court of King Harsha Vardhana. Besides Harshacharita, he wrote Kadambari.
Nalanda University - the term Nalanda means “giver of knowledge”. It was founded by Kumaragupta I during the Gupta period.
Dharmapala was a native of Kanchipuram and he became the head of the Nalanda University.
Nalanda University was a residential university and education was free including the boarding and lodging.
Admission was made by means of an entrance examination. The entrance test was so difficult that not more than thirty percent of the candidates were successful.
