History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c5.13

Language: English

v1.c5.13.1

Such were the strange, yet not improbable, circumstances which, within a few months of the year 606 A. D. (about May), placed Harsha on the throne of Thanesar at the early age of 16². They have been very eloquently related by Bāṇa, the most famous prose writer of Sanskrit literature, who was Harsha's contemporary and protege, and they are supported to a considerable extent by the account of Hiuen Tsang, the most famous and trustworthy traveller of China who was honoured for his Buddhist learning and piety by Harsha. Young as he was, Harsha was a man of extraordinary courage, ability and good fortune like his remote successor Akbar who fought his first battle at 14, ascended the throne of Dehli a few months later and assumed absolute power at 18. Harsha resolved at once on punishing the dastardly Gupta of Bengal and on rescuing the unfortunate queen of Kanauj. He harnessed his army of elephants, horses and men with a view not only to conquer Bengal but the whole of India, for he well surmised that the whole country would be arrayed against him, unfriended and inexperienced as he apparently was. To quote the poetic expression of Bāṇa he therefore asked his foreign secretary to write to all the kings of India to proffer either battle or submission. He started immediately on this *Digvijaya* or expedition for the conquest of the four quarters.

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His first camp was pitched on the banks of the Sarasvatī, only a few miles east of Thanesar and the Patel or headman of the village came forward to receive his king at this first halting place and offered the customary *nuzzar* of a gold coin marked with a bull and specially struck anew for the occasion, on the palm of his hand. Harsha, while picking up the coin, accidentally let it go and it fell on the muddy bank of the Sarasvatī imprinting the soft soil with its impression. Persons present stood aghast at this ill omen happening at the very outset of his march for *Digvijaya*, but Harsha, with undaunted courage and wit, remarked that it was a good augur as it plainly indicated that the earth would soon be stamped with the sign of his sovereignty. To a man of such strength and presence of mind no advice was needed, yet his minister implored him to guard himself against possible treachery giving him a score of examples how in past times kings had been murdered by various devices by wily persons, both male and female. Thankfully accepting his minister’s advice and entrusting his kingdom to the proper persons, Harsha set forth on his conquering expedition and now marched towards Kanauj. He met Bhandi on the way and with tears in his eyes heard from him again the story of Rājya’s murder.

v1.c5.13.3

He saw the army of elephants captured from the defeated king of Malwa as also the vast treasure secured and the family and courtiers of the king all put in chains in return for his savage treatment of Rājyashrī. He learned, however, from Bhandi that Rājyashrī had been let off from confinement, that she had taken refuge in the jungles of the Vindhya and that in spite of efforts made, her whereabouts were not still ascertained. In the impetuosity of his affection for Rājyashrī, Harsha bade his army halt on the banks of the Ganges and with a select retinue started off himself in search of his sister. He came by chance to the hermitage of one Divākarmitra, a Buddhist recluse, who turned out to be a close friend of his brother-in-law, Grahavarmā. From one of his disciples he heard that a lady in affliction was going to burn herself on a pyre just in the neighbourhood and with this man's aid Harsha reached in time to save the queen of Kanauj, who, unable to bear her calamities, was going thus to put an end to her life. But the calamities of both the brother and the sister were now at an end, and they joyfully went to take leave of Divākaramitra. Rājyashrī was so impressed with the sanctity and quiet of the Āshrama of the Buddhist hermit, her husband's friend, that she implored her brother to permit her to turn a Buddhist nun.

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But Harsha and Divākaramitra both dissuaded her, Harsha prophetically saying that he and she would both together take the holy order when their life's business was done. Harsha then returned with his sister Rājyashrī to his camp on the bank of the Ganges.