Epigraphia Indica Vol 01

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 92

GRANT OF HARSHAVARDHANA.
69
facsimile of which (1. ) the end of the name of Prabhakaravardhana's mother is visible in the words . . . . nagupta devyám utpannah. As all three receive the simple title mahárája, it follows that their power was not great, and it is even doubtful if they were independent. For in the fourth, fifth, sixth and later centuries of our era the title maha. rája was commonly given to great vassals, as the Valabht and numerous other inscriptions prove. The position of the fourth ruler, Prabhakaravardhana, was of course different. As he is called paramabhattáraka and maháradhiraja, he must have been an independent sovereign and a man of some consequence. He no doubt owed his prosperity to his own valour. Bana mentions his sucoessful wars against his northern neighbours, the king of Gandhåra and the Hûnas in the Himalayas, against the king of Sindh in the west, and against the rulers on his southern frontier, the Gûrjaras, i.e., those of Bhinmal in Rajputånd, the Latas, i.e., the Gurjaras of Bharoch, who no doubt assisted their northern clangmen, and against the king of Malava.? The same author gives also a number of other data which prove that Prabhakaravardhana's wars did not lead to permanent conquests of the countries or tribes which he combated and may have vanquished. Thus he tells us that shortly before his death the king sent his eldest son into the north-country in order to exterminate the Hanas.". Again, we hear that immediately after Prabhakaravardhana's death the king of Malaya was powerful enough to destroy the kingdom of the Maukhari Graha varman, the son-in-law of the ruler of Sthånvisvara, and to slay him, as well as that he intended to attack Thâņesar. That does not look as if Malava had suffered much at the hands of its foe. Another remark which Båpa makes on the same occasion warns us against forming too high an opinion of the extent of Prabhakaravardhana's kingdom. He says that after Grahavarman's death, his wife Rajyasri was thrown into prison at Kanyakubja, and lay there in fetters. Hence Kanyakubja seems to have been the independent state which Grahavarman governed and the kingdom of Sthânvisvara which Prabhakaravardhana held, cannot have extended far eastwards. It seems probable that his possessions did not go beyond the limits of the kingdom of Thåņeśar which Hiuen Tsiang describes (Beal's Si-yu-ki, vol. I, p. 183ff), and which, as Sir A. Cunningham (Ancient Geography, p. 328ff) suggests, probably included portions of the Southern Panjab and of Eastern Rajputåná. A state, the circuit of which amounted to 7000 li or 1200 miles, might exercise a considerable influence, keep its neighbours in fear, and afford to a very talented king the means for greater conquests; but its ruler cannot have been a chakravartin.
The further description of Prabhakaravardhana in our grant is obviously
gee Corpus Insor. Indicarum, vol. III, plate xxxiiB. I owe a set of the plates and of a portion of the text of this unpublished work to the kindness of the author. Since writing the above, I have received Mr. Fleet's text. fre
he above, I have received Dir. Fleet's text, from which (p. 289) it appears that he has made out the names of the second and third kings and of the third queen.
1 Sriharshacharita, p. 974 (Kamir edition), wbere the fues of Prabhakaravardhaus are briefly enumerated and in somewhat different order. Sriharihacharita, p. 826, TEYTT
T T
......... T wift! The issue of this expedition does not seem to have been favourable, as Baņa apeake on Rajyavardhana's return of hard fights, but not of booty brought back ; se p. 876.
Sharshacharita, Rp. 891-892, four rofara tratat frana forafa muxit waferunt fecufafaपपरख त्यभूपाळ सचिव देवी पायर्मा दुरामना भावपरानन नोवलीकमात्मनः सुकतेन सह त्याजितः। भवदारिकापि राज्यपी: पासायनिवयुगबग्निवचरा चौरामेन भयवा मान्यकुरी पारायां निषिता । किंवदन्ती च यथा किसानायकं साधनं मत्वा जिप:
gafatarfe forafweenfo The speaker is Satvadake, a servant of Rajyairt. My interpretation of this pasage followDr. Hall, Vasasadatta, p. 62, who says that Kanyakabja was Grabavarman's capital. Grabararman and his father Avantivarman are always spoken of by Bapa as independent princet.