for students of BA I sem BHU

1. BA I Sem
Maukharies of Kannauj
By
Prachi Virag Sontakke

2. Antiquity of Maukhari dynasty
• Ashtadhyayi (c.6/5th cent BCE): Panini refers to word “Maukharya”
• Mahabhashya (c.2nd cent BCE): Patanjali uses the word “Mukhar”
• Probably Patanjali &Panini were familiar with presence of Maukharis.
• Mauryan sealing from Gaya: Bears legend ‘Maukhalinam’
• Kashikavrutti (c.7th cent CE): refers to word “Maukharya”
• Harshacharita (7th cent CE): Mukhar, Maukharii, Maukhari

3. Origin of Maukhari dynasty
• Harha inscription: Rulers of Mukhar family descendants of 100 sons
of king Ashvapati. Aadi Purush= Person named Mukhar
• Puranas: King Ashvapati= Suryavamsi king.
• Maukharies= Suryavanshisi.
• Cunningham: Maukhari= Moriya= Maurya
• R.S.Tripathi: Cunningham's corelation is unacceptable.

4. Branches of Maukharies
Kota Magadh Kannauj

5. Maukharies of Kannauj
• Most powerful & glorious of all three branches.
• Rose to prominence after the decline of Gupta empire.
• Established their seat of power in Ganga-Yamuna doab.
• Kannauj (ancient Kānyakubja) must have been their capital.
• Took imperial titles, gave grants.
• Tried to fill in the political vacuum created by fall of Gupta empire.

6. Sources
• Haraha inscription of
Ishanvarman
• 2 Jaunpur inscriptions of
Ishanvaraman
• Harshacharita of Banabhatta
• Asirgarh seal of Sarvavarma
• Nalanda seal of
Avantivarma.
• Deva-Barnark inscription
• Aryamanjushrimulkalpa.
• Silver coins of Ishanvarma.

7. Succession
genealogy
Harivarman
Adityavarman
Ishwarvarman
Ishanvarman
Sarvavarman
Avantivarman
Grahvarma

8. Harivarman (c.480-500CE)
• Progenitor of the Kannauj branch of Maukharis.
• Probably a contemporary of Kṛishṇagupta, the founder of the Later Gupta
dynasty and Gupta king Buddhgupta.
• Asirgarh seal: Ascribes him title Mahārāja.
• Indicative of his feudatory position with Gupta king.
• Inscriptions call him as protector of Varnashram system & a king devoted to
welfare of his subjects.

9. Imperialistic endeavours
• Harha inscription: His fame stretched out beyond the four oceans; had
other kings brought into subjection by his prowess & affection.
• R.G.Basak: Harivarman had brought some kings under his subjection by
the dual policy of imperialism and friendship.
• R.S.Tripathi: The praise must have been because of the simple fact that he
was the first Maukhari to attain distinction & is pure exaggeration.

10. Matrimonial alliances
• Married his son Adityavarma with Harshaguptaa, daughter of
Kṛishṇagupta, the King of Later Guptas.
• Both benefitted in this mutual build-up at cost of the rapidly declining
Gupta empire

11. Adityavarman (c.500-520CE)
• S/O Harivarma born of his wife Bhaṭṭārikā Jayasvāminī.
• Haraha inscription and the Asirgarh seal: Epithet Mahārāja
• Still accepted Gupta sovereignty = Not an independent king.
• Harha inscription: Credited with performing several sacrifices and regulating the
right conduct of the four varnas.
• Jaunpur inscription: He was very interested in Yajna ceremonies.
• Matrimonial relations : Wife was a Later Gupta princess.
• No imperialistic conquests are known.

12. Ishwarvarman (c.520-540CE)
• S/O Adityavarma & Harshaguptaa
• First Maukhari ruler to bring the family into prominence
• Harha inscription: Epithet Kshitipati.
• Not an independent king.
• Gupta overlord = Narsimhagupta Baladitya
• Inscriptions: Performed many Yajnas & worshipped Indra.
• Follower of Brahmanical religion.

13. Imperialistic endeavours
• R.K.Mookerji: He did not have imperial ambitious nor he tried to extend his conquests.
• Jaunpur inscription: He subsided the fuss created by cruel people & brought peace.
• Probably Ishwarvarma supported Narsimhagupta Baladitya during Huna attack.
• Jaunpur inscription: Maukhari king had defeated an Āndhra king who took shelter in
Vindhya mountains because of the fear of the Maukhari king.
• N.G.Majumdar, R.G.Basak, R.S.Tripathi and S.R.Goyal: Maukhari king = Ishvarvarman
• D.C.Sircar : Maukhari king was Īśānavarman or one of his successors
• Jaunpur inscription: He performed victory march till Himalayas.

14. Matrimonial alliance
• Married Princess Upagupta.
• Identification-
1. B.P. Sinha: Sister/daughter of Imperial Gupta king Vishnugupta.
2. Some: Sister of Later Gupta king Jivitagupta
This alliance must have proved fruitful in strengthening the position of
Maukharies.

15. Ishanvarman (c.540-560CE)
• S/O Ishwarvarma & Upagupta
• Asirgadh seal: Maharajadhiraja
• Harha inscription: Called moon amongst all kings.
• First independent Maukhari King.
• R.S.Tripathi: He safeguarded the prestige of his family (from Hunas?)
• Pleased his subjects by his noble deeds.
• Issued his coins.
• Equation of Maukharies with Later Guptas also changed in his times.
• Starting of Later Gupta-Maukhari enmity.

16. Imperialistic conquests
• Jaunpur inscription: Maukhari king had defeated an Āndhra king and the
later king took shelter in one crevice after another in the Vindhya
mountains because of the fear of the Maukhari king.
• N.G.Majumdar, R.G.Basak, R.S.Tripathi and S.R.Goyal: Maukhari king =
Ishvarvarma
• D.C.Sircar + H.C.Rai Chaudhary: Maukhari king was Īśānavarman
• H.C.Rai Chaudhary + R.S.Tripathi: Andhra king = King of Vishnukundin
family.

17. Imperialistic conquests
• Harha inscription: Ishanvarama ascended the throne after defeating
Andhras, Shulikas and Gaudas
• H.C.Rai Chaudhary: Shulika king = Chalukyas ruling in Maharashtra-
Karnataka
• Brahma Purana: Shulikas resided in western India.
• Others: Cholas/South eastern India.
• H.Shashtri + R.G.Basak: Restricted Gauds to sea coast of Bengal.
• Rajvant Rao: Probably He acquired Magadh also.

18. Relations with Later Guptas
• Contemporary Later Gupta king = Kumargupta
• Harha inscription: silent in this regard.
• Afsadh inscription: Kumargupta churned the sea of army of Ishanvarman.
• H.C.Raichaudhary: Kumargupta won the battle against Maukharies.
• Maukhari inscriptions silent about this battle.
• Kumargupta took eastern parts of Maukhari kingdom.
• But he died in the battle?
• R.K.Mookherji + Nihar Ranjan Rai: Kumargupta was defeated in battle
against Ishanvarma & so he committed suicide.
• Rajvant Rao: With this defeat, later Guptas became samantas of Maukharies

19. Śarvavarman (c.560-580CE)
• Succeeded his father Īśānavarman
• H.N.Shashtri + R.S.Tripathi: He had to fight for his accession on Maukhari throne.
• Śarvavarman had the most extensive territories under his rule.
• Harha inscription: He constructed a Shiva temple.
• Varaha donatory inscription of Pratiharas + Nirmand copper-plate inscription:
Donations of land to Brahmans
• Asirgarh seal: Maharajadhiraja.
• Issued silver coins: विजितािनिरििीपनत: श्री शिविर्विदििं ियनत

20. Imperialistic conquests
• Nirmand copper-plate inscription: Control of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh.
• Deo-Barnak inscription: Magadha had come under the Maukharis from the
grip of the Later Guptas during the reign of Śarvavarman and Avantivarman.
• Evidence: Coins of Maukharis from Magadh.
• Asirgarh seal: Control over Asirgarh (Burhanpur, M.P)?
• Fleet + R.S.Tripathi: Mere presence of a single seal should not be taken as
proof of the Maukhari rule over the territory.
• Rajvant Rao: Extent till Vindhyas- Rajyashri sought shelter in Vindhyas.
• Varaha donatory inscription of Pratiharas: Control of Bundelkhanda?

21. Conflict with Hunas
• Afsadh inscription: Sarvavarma = Conqueror of Hunas
• R.K.Mookerji + C.V.Vaidya: Pushyabhūties & Maukharis joined hands together
and fought against their common enemies.
• Rajvant Rao: Sarvavarma was helped by his Later Gupta samant
Damodargupta in this battle against Hunas.

22. Avantivarman (c.580-600CE)
• S/O Śravavarman.
• Contemporary of Prabhākaravardhana of Pushyabhūtis.
• His reign was quite and peaceful
• Bāṇabhatta: Avantivarman = र्ौखरीक
ु लनतलक
• Deva barnak inscription: Gave grants to Sun temple.
• Titles: Parmeshwar, Maharajadhiraja
• Poet Vishakhadutta who wrote Mudrarakshash & Devichandraguptam, resided in
his court.

23. Conquests
• Content with large extent of his reign handed down by his father.
• Nalanda seal of Avantivarman + Deva barnak inscription: Control of
Magadh.
• Mudrarakshash: Avantivarma protected the suffering earth from
Malechchhas.
• Rajvant Rao: Malechchhas = Hunas.

24. Grahavarman (c.600-606 CE)
• Harshacharita: He was eldest son of Avantivarman
• No inscription or coins.
• Banabhatta: Grahavarman married Rājyaśrī, the youngest daughter of the
Pushyabhūti king Prabhākaravardhana and sister of Rājyavardhana and
Harshavardhana.
• Banabhatta: Grahavarman himself negotiated his marriage with Rājyśrī, daughter of
Prabhākaravardhana through an ambassador.
• It is generally agreed that his father was already dead by the time of his marriage.

25. Implications of Matrimonial alliance
• The matrimonial alliance between these two royal families had brought sea of
changes in the political condition of northern India.
• Friendly relation between, the Pushyabhūtis and the Later Guptas, were disturbed
• Probably Maukharis took the initiative in establishing this matrimonial alliance with
the Pushyabhūtis in order to strengthen their position.
• In reaction to this alliance the Later Gupta formed an alliance with the Gauḍa king
against the two newly allied powers, the Pushyabhūtis and the Maukharis.
• Majumdar: the marriage of Grahavarma with Rajyashri initially appeared to be a
boon but later turned into a curse for Maukharies.

26. Attack on Kannauj
• Harshacharita: Evil Malava king killed brother-in-law of Harshavardhan &
imprisoned sister of Harsha.
• Majumdar + Raichaudhary: This Malava king= Devagupta
• Probably Devagupta invaded Kannauj in alliance with Śaśāṇka (king of
Gauda).
• Harshacharita: Maukhari queen Rajyashri imprisoned.

27. Succession
• With the death of Grahavarman, the Maukhari empire of Kanauj seems to have come to
an end.
• Xuan Xang: The throne of Kanauj passed on to Harshavardhana after the death of
Grahavarman.
• Nalanda seal: Name of another successor of Avantivarman, whose name started with the
letter ‘Su’ and who took the title Paramabhaṭṭaraka Mahārājādhirāja.
• ‘Su’ ruled for some time as successor of Avantivarman?
• N.P.Chakravarti: Suggested the name to be Suvaratavarman on the basis of
Āryamañjuśrimūlkalpa.

28. Identification of King Su
• R.S.Tripathi: He probably ruled after the death of Grahavarman before
Harsha took over of the Kanauj.
• Alexander Cunningham + D.Devahuti: He was a younger brother of
Grahavarman.
• Another suggestion is that he was an elder brother of Grahavarman and
become the king after Avantivarman but died before the marriage of
Grahavarman
• Collins: He is same as Grahavarman.
• R.C.Majumdar: He was a protégé of Śaśāṇka, who was put on the
Maukhari throne after the death of Grahavarman, by the king Gauḍa.
• Others: Su was governor of Magadha and rebelled against Grahavarman
when the latter become the king.

29. Maukharis of Kannauj: Overview
• Long history of Maukhari family: many branches.
• Maukharis of Kannauj: most powerful branch.
• Imperialistic-Diplomatic approach in sync with political scenario.
• Lost hold of Kannauj after death of Grahvarama
• Kannauj went in hands of Harshavardhan.