On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c14.22

v1.c14.22

In the above transcript from the Records the words rendered “reigned in peace for thirty years without raising a weapon” are in Julien’s translation— “Au bout de trente ans, les armes se reposèrent”. The text is Ch‘ui-san-shih-nien-ping-ko-pu-ch‘i (垂三十年兵戈不起). Here the word ch‘ui is employed, as frequently, to denote “don the imperial robe”, that is, to reign gently and happily. Thus the pilgrim tells us that there were thirty years of Śīlāditya’s reign in which there were peace and good government. Our pilgrim has expressly stated that the king’s conquests were completed within six years, and it is against text and context to make him represent the king as fighting continuously for thirty or thirty-six years. When his wars were over Śīlāditya (the style of Harshavardhana as king) proceeded to put his army on a peace footing, that is, to raise it to such a force that he could overawe any of the neighbouring states disposed to be contumacious. We shall presently see how a word from him was enough for the king of one of those states. Having thus made himself strong and powerful Śīlāditya was able to live in peace, and devote himself to the duties and functions of a pious but magnificent sovereign. He was now as fond of the solemn pomps and grand processions of religion as he had been of the marshalling of vast hosts, the “magnificently stern array” of battle, and the glories of a great victory.