[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Religion and philosophy](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion) › [History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951) › c19.13 # History and Doctrines of the Ajivikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c19.13 History and Doctrines of the Ājīvikas: A Vanished Indian Religion c19.13 - **Language:** English ### [c19.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c19.13) The chronicler tells the source of the precious metals from which Harṣa minted this abundant new coinage. When the king was short of money his evil counsellor Loṣṭadhara, grandson of Haladhara, advised him to restore his fortunes by looting the treasure of the temples and melting down the images of the gods. He is also said to have advised the confiscation of the \*agrahāras\* belonging to the Kalaśeśvara temple at Śrīnagara, and even its demolition to provide materials for bridge-building.³ The king was at first dissuaded by his righteous counsellor Prayāga, but ultimately he accepted Loṣṭadhara’s advice, and methodically looted first the temple treasures, and then the sacred ikons themselves. The policy of iconoclasm was so thorough that one Udayarāja was specially appointed as “superintendent of the destruction of the gods” (\*dev’-ōṭpāṭana-nāyaka\*).⁴ Of the larger images in the kingdom only four, two Hindu and two Buddhist, were spared.⁵ This was followed by the inevitable palace revolution, and the assassination of the king. Harṣa’s tragic end, graphically described by Kalhaṇa, took place in the hut of a base ascetic (\*kṣudra-tapasvin\*) Guṇa, whither the king had been led by his faithful attendant Mukta. The ascetic betrayed his hiding-place to the usurper Uccala, the hut was surrounded, and the king and his good friend Prayāga were slain on the spot by Uccala’s troops.⁶ - [Previous: c19.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c19.12) - [Next: c19.14](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c19.14) - [Up: c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c19) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c19.13](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.religion.basham-1951.c19.13) · Pramāṇa