Complete biography on the life and the achievements of Harsa Vardhan

The life and the achievements of Harsa are known from two important sources. The first is the Harshacharita, written by his court poet Bana Bhatta. The second is the travel accounts of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang who visited India during Harsa’s time. The Inscriptions of Harsha also throw some light only his reign.

From Bana’s book whenever know that Prabhakar Vardhan was a brave king and bold conqueror. He sent his two young sons, Rajya Vardhan and Harsha Vardhan, to destroy the Huns in the North West. But before they had finished their work, news reached them that their father was ill. The sons returned hastily to the capital. But to their great grief, the father was already dead. Their mother, too, had burnt herself as a sati. It was a sad time for all.

In sorrow and distress, the eldest son Rajya Vardhan ascended the throne in 605 A.D.But a tragic future awaited him. News came to the new king that his sister Rajyasri was in fearful danger. Her husband, Graha Varman, who was the king of Kanauj, had been killed by the King of Malava, Devagupta and Rajyashri had been made a prisoner.

Immediately, Rajya Vardhan proceeded to punish the enemy and save hi sister. He defeated the army of the Malava King. But before he could find his sister, he himself fell a victim to the treachery of the enemies. The king of Gauda, Sasanka, who was as friend of the Malava king, pretends friendship and treacherously murdered Rajya Vardhan in cold blood.

This was the worst news for prince Harsha Vardhan.He was only 16 years old when this tragedy fell. His father had died only recently. Brother-in –law was dead in the hands of enemies. Sister was a prisoner. And, brother Rajya Vardhan also met with and unnatural death. Young Harsha felt so unhappy that he wanted to been as monk instead of being king.

But it was impossible. The minister of the state appealed to him to take the throne since there could not be as kingdom without a king. So, at last, Harsha ascended the throne of Thaneswar in 606 A.D. From that time as new era was counted as the Hashabda.At the beginning Harsha like to call himself as Prince Siladitya.

The most challenging task before him at that moment was to save the life of his sister. News reached him that Rajyasri had escaped from the enemy prison and had fled towards the wild mountains of the Vindhyas.

Harsha proceeded to search her out. With the help of the forest chiefs he at last found her, just when she was going to burn herself in fire.

With sister Rajyasri, Harsha returned to his country. The vacant throne of Kanauj also came to his possession. He transferred his capital from Thaneswar to Kanauj.An era of political campaigns and conquest now lay before him.

Harsha’s Conquests

Harsha soon made himself as mighty warrior. His army was big and strong. From Hiuen Tsangs accounts it is known that he commanded fifty thousand foot soldiers and one lakh horsemen. Besides these infantry and cavalry forces, he had also as large force of elephants. With this, he entered upon as career of conquests.

Harsha’s chief enemy was Sasanka, the king of Gauda or Banga. To suppress him, Harsha made alliance with King Bhaskar Verman of Kamrup or Assam. It seems that the struggle with Sasanka that his kingdom came under Harsha.

Harsha conquered as large part of northern India. Most probably he conquered Magadha in the east. In western India, he fought against the king of Balabhi and conquered his territories. These regions include Saurastra.

From Bana’s Harshacharita it is known that Harsha “pounded the king of Sindhu”. Evidences show that his conquests included Nepal. Because that territory followed the era of Harsha or the Harshabda. Hieun Tsang mentions that Harsha compelled the king of Kashmir to give him as relic of Buddha. This proves that his authority extended to Kashmir. Bana also mentions that Harsha himself invaded and occupied the “Land of snowy mountains” which appears to some as Kashmir.

Harsha also occupied a portion of Orissa known as Kangoda. Under his patronage, as conference of Mahayana Buddhists was held in Orissa to which scholars from Nalanda university were invited. It is said that Harsha offered the “revenues of eight large towns of Orissa” to a Buddhist scholar named Jayasena. Hieun Tsang’s travels accounts show that Harsha’s political authority in the north extended as far as the borders of china.

Harsha wanted to conqueror territories in the South. Hieun Tsang writes the king himself led his army against the powerful Chalukya King Paluksin II.But this invasion did not prove successful. King Pulaksein opposed Harsha’s army only the bank of river Narmada with great determination. As a result Harsha was obliged to return. River Narmada remained the Southern boundary of Harsha Empire.

Harsha’s administration

There is no doubt that Harsha’s empire covered most part of the northern India .it is gathered from Hieun Tsang’s accounts that he conquered the neighboring states, and brought the “Five Indies” under his rule. These five divisions of India are said to be Saurastra, Kanyakubja , Gauda , Mithila and Orissa. In the South-Indian inscription, Harsha was described as the “Sakalottarapathanatha” or the paramount sovereign of the entire Uttarapatha, that is, Nothern India .Obviously, his empire extended from the Himalayas in the north to river Narmada in the south .He ruled over Thaneswar, Kanauj, malava, Sindha, Saurastra, Valabhi, Nepal, as larger part of Bihar and Bengal, Rajputana, Central India, and parts of Orissa. His indirect power was felt in kamrup. Kashmir was most likely apart of his empire economically prosperous. From the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal, and from Kashmir to Narmada, Harsha Empire formed as great territory. His greatest achievement was the political unification of as larger part of India.

Over his vast empire, Harsha established as sound administration. Hieun Tsang throws much light on this. The king was the center of the whole administrative system. To Harsha, his constant personal attention was necessary to keep the machinery of Government efficient. He therefore became a tireless worker himself. He kept himself so busy in the affairs of that even the visiting kings had to wait to get and interview.

Harsha administration was benevolent. He wanted to been paternal towards his people. In order to see the condition of the subjects everywhere, he undertook inspection tours himself. He used to visit cities and far away countrysides to hear from the people their grievance. Temporary rest houses were built for the king for the purpose of his tour. The King’s visit was announced everywhere by drummers.