History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v1.c7.s2.1

v1.c7.s2.1

Corp. Ins. Vol. III, Aśirgad Seal, No. 47 (page 219), gives us a seal inscription of Śarvavarmā and this contains, in my view, the genealogy, of the kings of Kanauj. Unfortunately in these records the recorders never trouble themselves to mention the kingdom where the particular kings ruled. Perhaps they omit the name of the kingdom because they think it so well known, but this omission causes us at this distance of time a great deal of doubt and difficulty. It is from the Harsha-Charita that we know that the Maukharis ruled in Kanauj; for Grahavarmā came from there and was killed there and Rājyashri was also imprisoned there. This seal gives the following genealogy:—1. Mahārāja Harivarmā; 2. Mahārāja Ādityavarmā; 3 Mahārāja Iśvaravarmā, born of Harsha Guptā; 4. Mahārājādhirāja Iśānavarmā, born of Upaguptā; 5. Parama Māheśvara Mahārājādhirāja Śarvavarmā Maukhari. This line of the seal may be continued by the help of the Aphsad inscription of the later Guptas (p. 203, Corp. Ins., Vol. III); 6. Susthitavarmā, and by the aid of the Deo Barnak inscription (p. 217 ditto); 7 Avantivarmā. This Deo Barnak inscription is of one Jīvita Gupta and mentions the confirmation of the grant of the village of Vārunika (now Deo Barnak), a village about 25 miles south-west of Arrah, the chief town of the Shahabad district of Bengal to a sun-worshipper, first made by Bālāditya and subsequently confirmed by Śarvavarmā and again by Avantivarmā both styled Parameśvara. These two are evidently the kings of the Maukhari line of Kanauj. We may by the help of these inscriptions, give the Maukhari line of kings with the Gupta line as follows:—