History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c10.s1: Ample sources
History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c10.s1
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Ample sources
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Without under-rating or exaggerating Harṣa's importance we may at the outset say that this has partly been due to the abundance of information, which we get for his life and reign.¹ “When all the sources are utilised,” as observed by Dr. Vincent Smith, “our knowledge of the events of the reign of Harṣa far surpasses in precision that which we possess respecting any other early king, except Candragupta Maurya and Aśoka.”²
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¹ We use the expression considering how vague and deficient our sources for Ancient Indian History are.
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² *Early Hist. of India.*, 4th ed., p. 348.
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Besides the usual epigraphic documents,³ we have the “Si-yu-ki,” the well-known narrative of the celebrated Chinese pilgrim, Yuan Chwang, who travelled in India from A. D. 629 to 644. He has left a copious wealth of details in his Records, and the fact that they preserve the impressions of an eye witness adds considerably to the value and merits of their testimony. The “Life of Yuan Chwang,” written by his friend Hwui-li, also throws welcome light as a supplement to the pilgrim’s account. Lastly, Harṣa’s early life and career are the subject-matter of the historical romance entitled “Harṣacarita”, composed by Bāṇa, who wielded his forceful pen to immortalise the deeds of his patron and hero.
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³ We are fortunate in possessing several records of Harṣa :
(a) Banskhera copper plate of the year 22 or 628 A. D. (*Ep. Ind.*, IV, pp. 208-11).
(b) Madhuban copper plate of the year 25 or 631 A. D. (*Ibid.*, I, pp. 67-75).
(c) Sonpat copper seal (*C. I. I.*, III, No. 52, pp. 231-32).
(d) The Nalanda seals (*Ep. Ind.*, XXI, April 1931, pp. 74-76). Some interesting information is also furnished by the southern inscriptions, especially of his rival Pulakeśi II Cālukya.