[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [General history and culture](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general) › [The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931) › v1.c13.185 # The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c13.185 The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c13.185 - **Language:** English ### [v1.c13.185](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c13.185) Another disagreeable feature of his character also gradually came into prominence. As a result of lavish extravagance and liberality by which "beggars became able to support others" he soon found himself in financial difficulties. Urged by some of his wicked ministers, he was persuaded to annex the treasury of the temple of Bhīmakeśava, which was long closed on account of a quarrel amongst the members of the Purohita corporation. Once started, the 'policy of temple-spoliation was rapidly developed by the king into a regular practice.' When the treasures of the temple were exhausted, he appointed an officer named Udayarāja as ‘prefect for the overthrow of divine images’ (\*dev-otpāṭana-nāyaka\*). Under the supervision of this officer a systematic policy of robbing temples of their metal images was followed, and Kalhaṇa observes that soon with a few exceptions “there was not one temple in a village, town or city, which was not despoiled of its images by that \*Turuṣka\*, king Harṣa.” The use of this epithet by Kalhaṇa has led Stein to suspect that Harṣa might have been affected by Muslim influences. While the association of the king with his ‘Turuṣka captains’ is in favour of this view, the fact that ‘this perverse-minded king ate domesticated pigs until his death’ seems to go against it. Kalhaṇa tells us how statues of gods were at first defiled by pouring “excrement and urine over their faces.” The agents appointed to do this work were heterodox ‘naked mendicants’ who after defiling them dragged the images along the roads “by ropes round their ankles, with spittings instead of flowers.”¹ - [Previous: v1.c13.184](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c13.184) - [Next: v1.c13.186](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c13.186) - [Up: v1.c13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c13) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c13.185](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.general.ray-1931.v1.c13.185) · Pramāṇa