History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c11.10

v1.c11.10

What the condition was in individual kingdoms also obtained in empires. Harsha's empire was the culminating point of the Buddhist period of Indian history which was passing away. He founded and maintained an empire as strong as the Gupta empire and in the history of the following mediæval period no kingdom approached either the extent or the solidarity of Harsha's rule. Harsha again was one of the most righteous emperors in the history of the world, conscientiously endeavouring to secure the happiness of the people. And yet the political conceptions of the people remaining the same, he could not infuse into his empire any national vitality. On the contrary the very extent of this mass of kingdoms held together by force, increased its aptitude to topple down at the slightest shock, like a pile of stones heaped one upon another without any cement. Of course, we cannot blame Harsha for not introducing the cement. For, India had not then evolved representative institutions nor had the Indian intellect evolved proper conceptions of a political state. That department of enquiry remained a blank in the Indian intellectual activity. Harsha, therefore, could never have thought of giving to the people any rights of participation in the government of the country. His maintenance of order by sheer force but confirmed the current opinions about the absolute power of kings, and of God's favour as the origin of all kingly power.