History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.799.2

v4.c63.t2.799.2

It is probable that the dismal accounts of Kaliyuga were put forth in the first centuries of the Christian era when the ancient varṇāśrama-dharma had suffered a great set-back owing to the ascendancy of Buddhism and Jainism and the invasions of foreigners like the Śakas and Hūṇas, that when Yaśodharman defeated the great Hun invader Mihirakula, people believed that the dark ages were at an end and that an era of perfect dharma was at hand. That Mihirakula was a most ruthless and blood-thirsty invader who in his long career of 70 years slaughtered myriads of men and women is stated by the Rājatarangiṇī I. 310 (which speaks of him as *trikoṭihan*) and 322 (which narrates that he slaughtered three crores of women of respectable birth together with their husbands, brothers and sons). Hiouen Chwang (Beal's B. R. W. W. pp. 171-172) narrates that Mihirakula either slaughtered or made slaves of nine lakhs of people in Gandhāra. Passages in a prophetic vein were added about the time of Yaśodharman to those already existing about the decline of dharma in Kaliyuga. This will of course necessitate that all passages about Kalkin in any work whatever were put in later than about 530 A. D. There are two theories as to who defeated Mihirakula. Hiouen Chwang's account gives the name of the victor as Bālāditya of Magadha (vide Beal's B. R. W. W. part I. pp. 167-171).