History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c5.10

v1.c5.10

Such was the grave news which reached Rājya, just raised to the throne of Thanesar and not yet rested from his fight with the Huns. He was, however, a valiant and an undaunted warrior. Setting his grief aside he started immediately, with a view to speedily reach his enemy, with a mobile force of 10,000 horse under the command of his trusted general, Bhandi, who was his compeer and cousin, being a son of his maternal uncle. In spite of entreaties he left Harsha his younger brother behind at Thanesar both as a matter of convenience and precaution. He surprised his enemy Deva Gupta by the suddenness of his movement and totally defeated him, the latter being probably killed in action. He marched on to the relief of Kanauj and met Saśānka of Bengal on the way. The wheel of destiny which was evidently working from the first in favour of Harsha now had a third turn and engulfed Rājya in its working. Saśānka was unequal to face Rājya and resolved to rid himself of his enemy by a bold stroke of treachery. He offered his submission to the youthful king of Thanesar and promised to give his daughter in marriage to him in atonement for his fault.¹ Such was the usual Kshatriya fashion to patch up differences between contending kings. Rājyavardhana, straight and confiding, without arms and with a few followers only, went to the camp of Saśānka and while at a feast was treacherously murdered by that unscrupulous king. He, then, without attempting to try conclusions with Rājya's army commanded by Bhandi, as suddenly marched back from Kanauj to his kingdom as he had marched to it; while a Gupta chief who was in charge of the city of Kanauj quietly released Rājyashrī from confinement¹ and sent her away, in order probably to divert the attention of Bhandi.