Tamil Nadu History NCERT Chap-10 Class 11

Chap 10

Harshavardhana(606-647 AD)
Pushyabhutis dynasty

--Pushybhuti Dynasty

Sources:
1) Harcharita = Written by Bana.
2) Ratnavali, Nagananda ,Priyadarshini = Written by Harsha himself.
3)Foreign account= Hiuen Tsang or Xuan Zang(7^th Cent AD).
4)Inscription = (Madhyben plat + Sonpat) = Chronology ; Banskhera =signature of Harsha

Rise of Harsha(Filmy style):
--Pushybhuti à Feudality of Gupta à called themselves  Vardhana.
--Hun invasion à weakened the Gupta empire à Pushybhuti family announced Independence.
--Pushybhuti dynasty à North delhi (Thaneshwar) à first important ruler = Prabhakarvardhana.
--Filmy story:
                --Married his Sister Rajyasiri to Ruler of Maukhari(neighbor kingdom=present Matura)=Grihavarman.
                --in league with Devgupta(Malwa) and Sasanka(Bengal) killed Grihavarman(Husband of Rajyasiri)
                --Pushybhuti wen to help…..but on his return was killed treacherouslyà his sister escaped
               --Brother of Pushybhuti = Harshavardhan à first objective= Save sisterà take revenge(from sasanka ruler of Bengal)
--Harsha made Kanouj his new capital.


Harsha’s Military conquest:
Defeated:
               --drove out Sasanka (ruler of Bengal) out of Kanouj(which he had captured).
              --Dhruvsena  of Valabhi.
              --Kalinga in orrisa
              --Controll over Kashmir, Bengal, Nepal, Sind, Assam
 Was defeated by:
              --Pulkeshin 2 of Chalukya dynasty
              --Proof:
                       1)Inscription= Aihole inscription = defeat of Harsha= took title= Parmeshwara.
                       2)Foreign account= Hiuen Tsang or Xuan Zang= acknowledges the defeat of Harsha.

Religion(Harsha):
--Shiv bhakta à converted to Hinayna Buddhism à converted by Hiuen Tsang = Mahayana Buddhism.
NOTE: Avlokiteswara(AKA Padampani or Lokesvara)  is a  Bodhisattva = embodies the compassion of all Buddhas.= Mahayana Buddhism.

--Animal food consumption = offence.
--Erected thousands of stupa  and Viharas
--5 year plan = gathering of all religious head for assembly discussion.
                    --Kanauj Assembly:
                                    --to popularise Mahayna Buddhism.
                                    --To honour Hiuen Tsang or Xuan Zang during end of his reign.
                                    --Hiuen Tsang explained doctrine of Mahayna Buddhism.
                                    --also explained Mahayna’s superiority over others(Jainism,Brahminism etc)
                                    --Violence brokeà act of arson à attempt to murder Harsha.

                  --Allahabad Conference:
                                     --at prayag = To popularise himself
                                     --Harsha gave lots of gifts.



Administration(Harsha):
--Structure same as Gupta
--Less tax à 16.61% of produce
--Cruel period of Moryan period continued
--Against Trials ==bcoz Hiuen Tsang or Xuan Zang said =it was superstitious and barbarous.
--Maintained record = Nilopitu

Cultural Progress:
--Decline in trade and commerce à proof= lees coins and trade centres
--No major architecture
--Two major architecture:
           1)Lakshman Temple at Sirpur(Chatisgarh) à made of Bricks(image below)

           2)Copper statue of Buddha à Sultanganj
--Patronised literatureàBarithrihri a poet,grammarian,philosopher
--Nalanda University(built by Kumargupta) à international reputation now
Nalanda University:
--Mahayna University (Hinayana university was of Vahabhi).
--Teachers=Pandita
--residential à hostel+education= Free à fee taken from villages that has  been endowed by kings by collecting taxes.
--Subject= Mahayna(obvious)+Hinayna+Veda+Sankhya+Yoga+Phillosophy
            Special subjects=Logic +Grammer+Astronomy
--Language= Sanskrit.
--Hieun Tsang or Xuan Zang  remained student for some period.