History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c13.s2.t1: Quinquennial distributions at Prayāga
History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c13.s2.t1
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Quinquennial distributions at Prayāga
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³ The account of the Prayāga assembly is based on the *Life* (pp. 183-87).
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When the special assembly at Kanauj broke up, Yuan Chwang began to make preparations for his homeward journey, but Harṣa invited him to attend another imposing ceremony, which the sovereign used to hold every five years at Prayāga at the confluence of the Ganges and the Jumna. The ultra-sacredness of this site “due to the crescent-shaped formation of the land, where the two holy rivers united, went back to the earliest vedic times;”⁴ and as it was thought “more advantageous to give one mite in charity in this place than a thousand in any other place,”⁵ this spot had come to be known as the “Arena of Charitable Offerings.”⁶ Harṣa explained to his illustrious guest that during the last thirty years he had celebrated five of these great quinquennial distributions of alms called the Mahā-mokṣa Pariṣad, and it was now time to hold the sixth. Yuan Chwang, although homesick, was too religiously-minded to refuse Harṣa’s invitation to witness this display of charity wherein the accumulated treasure would be freely distributed to the poor and needy, as well as to the devout of all denominations. He, therefore, agreed to be present at that unique function saying, “if Your Majesty does not grudge his treasure for the good of others, how can Yuan Chwang grudge a short delay (in his departure).”¹ Attended by the “kings of eighteen kingdoms” and by Yuan Chwang, Harṣa then arrived in *Po-lo-ye-kia* or Prayāga to find already assembled there a huge concourse of people amounting to about 500,000—Śramaṇas, heretics, Nirgranthas, the poor, the orphans, and the solitary (bereaved) of the Five Indias who had been summoned by an imperial decree.² The “Great Distribution Arena” was the vast sandy plain, fourteen or fifteen *li* in circuit, bounded on the north by the Ganges (*King-kia*), and on the south by the Jumna (*Yen-mu-na*). The arrangements for the solemn ceremonial were completed before the arrival of the royal cortége. A great square space was marked off by a bamboo hedge 1,000 paces on each side, and in the middle “many scores of thatched buildings” were erected to deposit all the treasures (intended for distribution); to wit, gold, silver, fine pearls, red glass, and other valuables; while the less costly articles such as silk and cotton garments, the gold and silver money; were placed in “several hundred store-houses” constructed by the side of the above. Outside this quadrangle were pavilions for refreshments, and there were also constructed “some hundred or so long buildings ...in which some thousand people might sit down for rest.”¹ Besides these numerous erections, there was the tent of Harṣa pitched on the north bank of the Ganges, and that of Tu-lu-po-pa-cha (Dhruvabhaṭa), “king of South India,” who had located himself on the west of the junction of the two mighty rivers. The camp of the king of Assam was on the south side of the Jumna, whereas the space lying to the west of the Valabhi camp was occupied by the numerous people who had collected there to receive the royal bounty. The proceedings of this grand assembly lasted for seventy-five days, commencing with a military procession of the followers of Harṣa and of Kumārarāja, embarked in ships, and the attendants of Dhruvabhaṭa mounted on elephants, which proceeded in an impressive array to the scene of the distribution. The “Kings of the eighteen countries” followed in the order previously arranged.
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⁴ E. B. Havell, *Aryan Rule in India*, p. 204.
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⁵ *Life*, p. 184.
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⁶ It was also called the “Field of great Beneficence” (*Life*, p. 90), or “the Grand Arena of Largesse” (Watters, I, p. 364).
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¹ *Life*, p. 184.
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² *Ibid.*, p. 185.
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¹ Life, p. 185.
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The religious services were of the curiously eclectic kind so characteristic of Hindu society and worship. On the first day the image of the Buddha was set up in one of the temporary shrines built upon the sands; flowers were offered, and vast quantities of precious articles and clothing of the finest quality were lavishly distributed. On the second day the image of Ādityadeva (Sun) was worshipped with similar rites; and on the third day the image of Īśvara-deva (Śiva) received adoration, but in each case the gifts bestowed were of only half the value of those consecrated to the Buddha on the opening day. On the fourth day began the distribution of the stupendous treasures thus dedicated to the service of the divinity. To each of the selected ten thousand of the “religious community” (Buddhist monks probably) were given one hundred pieces of gold, one pearl, one cotton garment, various drinks and meats; flowers and perfumes. During the next twenty days the Brahmans were the recipients of generous gifts. The next ten days were reserved for the bestowal of largess on those described in the *Life* as “heretics,” i.e., probably Jains and members of other sects.¹ The same number of days were spent on bestowing alms upon those mendicants who had come from distant countries, whilst it took a month to distribute charity to the poor, the orphans, and the destitute. By this time nothing was left of all the surplus of the imperial coffers that had accumulated in the previous five years. There now remained only the horses, elephants, and military accoutrements of the imperial forces, “which were necessary for maintaining order and protecting the royal estate.”² Then in imitation of the Prince Siddhārtha Gautama at the hour of his great Renunciation, Harṣa freely and without stint gave away his gems and goods, his clothing and necklaces, earrings and bracelets, chaplets, neck-jewel, and bright head-jewel.³ The Chinese author, Hwui-li, informs us in conclusion that “all being given away, he (Harṣa) begged from his sister (Rājyaśrī) an ordinary second-hand garment, and having put it on he paid worship to the Buddhas of the ten regions,” and rejoiced that his treasure had thus been exhausted in the “field of religious merit.”⁴ At the close of the “magnificent convocations” the assembled kings redeemed by their money Harṣa’s regalia, court vestments, and other costly presents from the persons on whom they had been bestowed, and restored them to the king. Harṣa, however, after the lapse of a few days again distributed them, and thus established a record in individual charity and liberality hardly equalled in history.¹
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¹ For an idea of the variety of religious sects, see Appendix I.
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² *Life*, p. 186.
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³ *Ibid.*, p. 187.
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⁴ *Ibid.*
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¹ But this sort of munificence must have been a heavy drain on the treasury. Was it, therefore, responsible for the sudden collapse of the kingdom after Harṣa’s death?