Bhaskaravarman

 ( Varman Dynasty ) 

Bhaskaravarman (600–650 CE) was king of Kamarupa and the last ruler of the Varman dynasty. He restored Varman rule after his father, Susthitavarman, was defeated and allied with Harsha of Thaneswar against Gauda and East Malwa.

He was visited by Chinese envoys Xuanzang and Wang Xuance.

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Background Bhaskaravarman succeeded his brother Supratisthitavarman and was the first Kamarupa king to claim descent from Narakasura, Bhagadatta, and Vajradatta. He issued the Dubi and Nidhanpur copper plate grants. A clay seal with his name was found at Nalanda.

After Susthitavarman defeat by Mahasenagupta, Supratisthitavarman briefly ruled but died without an heir. Bhaskaravarman then took the throne around 600 CE.

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Rivals Mahasenagupta allied with Shashanka and controlled northern and central Bengal after defeating Susthitavarman. After Mahasenagupta’s death, Shashanka ruled Bengal. Bhaskaravarman’s principal rivals were Shashanka and Prabhakaravardhana, the father of Harshavardhana.

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Alliance with Harsha After Shashanka murdered Harshavardhana’s brother and successor, Rajyavardhana, Bhaskaravarman sent an envoy, Hangsavega, to Thaneswar to form an alliance. This is recorded by Banabhatta and Xuanzang.

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Chinese accounts

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Xuanzang's account Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang visited Bhaskaravarman’s court around 643 CE and described the capital's circumference as thirty li (~9 miles). He described Bhaskaravarman as a Brahmin who patronized Buddhism, although he was not a Buddhist himself. This contrasts with the She-Kia-Fang-Che, which describes Bhaskaravarman as a Kshatriya of Chinese ancestry.

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Wang Xuance's account After 648 CE, envoy Wang Xuance visited Harsha court but was expelled by Yashovarman. Wang returned with an army, captured Yashovarman, and brought him to China. Bhaskaravarman aided Wang with supplies. Chinese records call Bhaskaravarman Ch-Kieu-mo (Sri-Kumara) and Kamarupa Kia-mu-lu. He gave Wang a map and requested an image of Laozi.

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Kamarupa of Bhaskaravarman Xuanzang, in his travelogue, noted that he crossed the river Karatoya River before entering Kamarupa. The eastern boundary was a line of hills close to the China frontier. He also said that Kamarupa was nearly 1,700 miles (2,700 km) in circumference. Xuanzang described the climate as favorable. He mentioned that the people were of short height and yellow complexion, and Bhaskaravarman was Hindu and not Buddhist. He also noted that people's speech differed little from that of Central India. They were of violent disposition but also persevering students. They worshipped the Devas and didn't believe in Buddhism. The Deva-temples were some hundreds in number, and the various systems had some myriads of professed adherents. The few Buddhists in the country performed their acts of devotion in secret. The pilgrim heard from the locals that to the east of the country was a series of hills which reached as far as the confines of China. The inhabitants of these hills were akin to the "Man of the Lao". In the southeast of the country, Elephant were plentiful.

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Description Xuanzang notes that Kamarupa was low and moist and that the crops were regular. Coconuts and jackfruits grew abundantly and were appreciated by the people. The described location is around present-day Guwahati.

According to the account given in the Si-yu-ki, the circumference of Kamarupa was about 1,700 miles (2,700 km). As Edward Albert Gait has pointed out, this circumference must have included the whole of the Assam valley, Surma valley, parts of North Bengal, and parts of Mymensingh.

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Religion /ref>

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Culture During Bhaskaravarman's reign, the Nidhanpur copper plate grant records unique local literary forms, and Chinese accounts document diplomatic exchanges with Harshavardhana's court. The Nidhanpur copper plate grant from Karnasuvarna includes unique local literary forms not seen in later inscriptions.[1]

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Art and industry /ref>

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Nidhanpur inscription inscription of Bhaskaravarman