The Varman dynasty (350-650) was the first historical dynasty of the Kamarupa kingdom. It was established by Pushyavarman, a contemporary of Samudragupta.[1] This earlier Varmans were subordinates of the Gupta Empire, but as the power of the Guptas waned, Mahendravarman (470-494) performed two horse sacrifices[2] and asserted more power. There is no direct evidence of Kamarupa was being conquered by Guptas.[3] As per Apsad Inscription of Adityasen, Susthivarman was defeated by Mahasengupta on the bank of Lauhitya.[4]
Kamarupa Kingdom Varman dynasty | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 350 CE–655 CE | |||||||||
 Varmans (in eastern India) with their contemporaries, c. 550 CE | |||||||||
| Capital | Pragjyotishpura | ||||||||
| Official languages | Sanskrit, Kamarupi Prakrit | ||||||||
| Religion | Hinduism | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Maharajadhiraja | |||||||||
• c. 350 - c. 374 | Pushyavarman | ||||||||
• c. 518 – c. 542 | Bhutivarman | ||||||||
• c. 600 – c. 650 | Bhaskaravarman | ||||||||
| Historical era | Classical India | ||||||||
• Established | 350 CE | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 655 CE | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The first of the three Kamarupa dynasties, the Varmans were followed by the Mlechchha and then the Pala dynasties.
Etymology
The name of dynasty derived from surname "Varman"/"Varma" used by the rulers of this dynasty. It is Sanskrit word for "Shield/Defensive armour".
Capital
The capital moved at least once, with the older city not named but presumed to be Pragjyotishpura.[5] The older city is presumed to be at the south-eastern slope of the Narakasur hill near Dispur. The king who moved the capital was Sthitavarman (566-590), who moved it closer to the Brahmaputra river, possibly to some location in Guwahati.[6]
Origins
The last king, Bhaskaravarman claimed descent from Narakasura line of Mithila.[7][8][9] though Dinesh Chandra Sircar considered it to be a fabrication.[10] The dynastic lines first appear in the 7th century, in Dubi and Nidhanpur copperplate inscriptions issued by Bhaskaravarman and in the Harshacharita.[11]
Foreign records are conflicting, with Xuanzang claiming him to be a Brahmin[12] and She-Kia-Fang-Che claiming him to be a kshatriya whose ancestors came from China.[13]
Many modern scholars have opined that the Varman dynasty is of Indo-Aryan descent.[14][15][16][17][18][19]
Suniti Kumar Chatterjee calls Bhaskaravarman a Hinduised Mlechcha king of Tibeto-Burman origin.[20] Hugh B. Urban (2011) too infers that the Varmans descended from non-Aryan tribes.[21]
Politics and diplomacy
The most illustrious of this dynasty was Bhaskar Varman, who claimed be a descendant from god Vishnu and referred to as "lord of eastern India".[22] He accompanied King Harshavardhana to religious processions from Pataliputra to Kannauj.
Kings of Varman dynasty maintained both diplomatic and matrimonial relations with other countries of Aryavarta. Pushya Varman who himself named after king Pushyamitra Shunga, named his son Samudra Varman after king Samudragupta in appreciations of kings of Aryavarta.[23] King Bala Varman organised Swayamvara for his daughter Amrita Prabha; which was attended by princes of different countries. Princess eventually chosen prince of Kashmir Meghavahana as her groom.[24] The alliance between king Harsha of Thanesar and Bhaskar Varman lead to spread of political influence of later to entire eastern India.
Cultural environment
People were simple and honest with small stature and dark yellow complexion who speak language little different from Mid-India. Their nature was very impetuous and wild with retentive memories. People were sincere in study who adore and sacrifice to the Devas, and they didn't worship Buddha and No Monument related to Buddha wss built. Some Buddha disciples say their prayers (repeat the name of Buddha) secretly , that was all .There was 100s of Deva Temple , and different sectaries to the number of several myriads. Bhaskar Varman was fond of learning who was role model for the people of his country. Intellectual of distant places visited his country . Bhaskar Varman wasn't believer of Buddha but respected Sramaņas of learning..[25]
The dynasty
The dynastic line, as given in the Dubi and Nidhanpur copperplate inscriptions:
| Reign | Name | succession | Queen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 350-374 | Pushyavarman | (unknown) | |
| 2 | 374-398 | Samudravarman | son of Pushyavarman | Dattadevi |
| 3 | 398-422 | Balavarman | son of Samudravarman | Ratnavati |
| 4 | 422-446 | Kalyanavarman | son of Balavarman | Gandharavati |
| 5 | 446-470 | Ganapativarman | son of Kalyanavarman | Yajnavati |
| 6 | 470-494 | Mahendravarman | son of Ganapativarman | Suvrata |
| 7 | 494-518 | Narayanavarman | son of Mahendravarman | Devavati |
| 8 | 518-542 | Bhutivarman | son of Narayanavarman | Vijnayavati |
| 9 | 542-566 | Chandramukhavarman | son of Bhutivarman | Bhogavati |
| 10 | 566-590 | Sthitavarman | son of Chandramukhavarman | Nayanadevi |
| 11 | 590-595 | Susthitavarman | son of Sthitavarman | Syamadevi |
| 12 | 595-600 | Supratisthitavarman | son of Susthitavarman | (Bachelor) |
| 13 | 600-650 | Bhaskaravarman | brother of Supratisthitavarman | (Bachelor) |
| 14 | 650-655 | Unknown[26] | (unknown) | (unknown) |
See also
References
- ^ "Three thousand years after these mythical ancestors (Naraka, Bhagadatta and Vajradatta) there occurred Pushyavarman as the first historical king, after whom we have an uninterrupted line of rulers up to Bhaskarvarman." (Sharma 1978, p. xxix) harv error: multiple targets (3×): CITEREFSharma1978 (help)
- ^ "According to him (D C Sircar) Narayanavarma, the father of Bhutivarman, was the first Kamarupa king to perform horse-sacrifices and thus for the first time since the days of Pusyavarman freedom from the Gupta political supremacy was declared by Narayanavarma. But a careful study or even a casual perusal of the seal attached to the Dubi C.P. and of the nalanda seals should show that it is Sri Mahendra, the father of Narayanavarma himself, who is described as the performer of two horse-sacrifices." (Sharma 1978, p. 8) harv error: multiple targets (3×): CITEREFSharma1978 (help)
- ^ There is no conclusive proof that the Guptas conquered Kāmarupa, but attention may be drawn to the similarity of the name of the second ruler to that of the great Samudra Gupta. Curiously enough the names of the queens of the two rulers were also the same. The discovery of an inscription in Assam dated in the Gupta era and the fact that there appears to be no insuperable chronological difficulties in regarding Samudravarman and Samudra Gupta as contemporaries, seem to strengthen the suspicion that Gupta influence at least must have penetrated in the valley of the Brahmaputra. In the Allahabad prasasti of Harişeņa the ruler of Kāmarūpa is included in the list of tributary Pratyanta-nrpatis of the great Gupta emperor. The Damodarpur inscriptions refer to Gupta rule in Pundravardhana, which as we have seen was only separated from Kāmarūpa by the river Karatoya. In the Aphsad inscription of Adityasena, the later Gupta king Mahāsenagupta claims to have defeated the illustrious Susthitavarman on the banks of the Lauhitya (Brahmaputra). This prince has rightly been identified with the father of Bhāskaravarman." The latter ruled at least up to 648 A. D., when he supported the Chinese invasion of Tirhut under Wang Hiuen-t'se.(Ray & The Asiatic Society 1931:238)
- ^ Again the Apsad Inscription of Adityasen refer to his grandfather Mahasengupta's defeat of Susthivarmand on the bank of Lauhitya. Susthivarman was the King of Kamarupa (Maity & Mukherji 1967:7)
- ^ "The older city is not given by name...(it) might have been Pragjyotisha." (Sharma 1978:30–31) harvcol error: multiple targets (3×): CITEREFSharma1978 (help)
- ^ "This verse refers to the act of abandoning the old capital city and building of a new metropolis on the bank of the holy river. The holy river seems to be none other than the Brahmaputra and the site of the city must have been located in the present Gauhati region." (Sharma 1978:30) harvcol error: multiple targets (3×): CITEREFSharma1978 (help)
- ^ Tripathi, Chandra Dhar (2008). Kāmarūpa-Kaliṅga-Mithilā: a politico-cultural alignment in Eastern India : history, art, traditions. Indian Institute of Advanced Study. p. 106.
- ^ "The mythical ancestors of (the Varman) line of rulers were Naraka, Bhagadatta and Vajradatta." (Sharma 1978:0.29) harvcol error: multiple targets (3×): CITEREFSharma1978 (help)
- ^ (Sircar 1990:95)
- ^ "Since the Epico-Pauranic myths associated Pragjyotisha with Naraka and his descendants, it was quite natural for the kings of ancient Assam to fabricate the story of descent from Naraka's family" (Sircar 1990:96)
- ^ "This genealogy seems to have been claimed at least from the seventh century AD (Sircar 1990b: 95), since it is noticed for the first time in the Dubi and the Nidhanpur C. P of Bhaskaravarman, and in the Harshacarita" (Shin 2010:176)
- ^ "The present king belongs to the old line (tso yari) of Narayana-deva. He is of the Brahman caste. His name is Bhaskaravarman, and his title Kumara (Keu-mo-lo)." (Beal 1884, p. 196)
- ^ Acharyya, N.N. (1985). Studies On The Graeco-Roman And Chinese Sources Of The History Of Ancient Assam in Journal of Assam Research Society, Volume 28. Kāmarūpa Anusandhān Samiti. p. 112.
At the time of Hiuan-tsang's visit King Bhaskaravarman, was "a descendant of the God Narayana" ; he was "of the caste of the Brahman, as," and had the title of " Kumara." "Since the possession of the kingdom by his family up to his time, the succession of princes covers a space of a thousand generations" (Mem.II,77.)The evidence of his contemporary Bana (Harsacarita, chap. VII) confirms almost all these details. Finally, we possess since a few years ago an inscription of King Bhaskaravarman (Nidhanpur plates,Ep.Ind.,XII,65), which takes back the genealogy up to King Bhagadatta, the famous adversary of the by a long list of ancestors. However, when he had business with others than Indians, the same prince boasted of another origin altogether. When the envoy of the T'ang dynasty, Li Yi-piao, paid him a visit during the course of his mission (643-646) the king in a private conversation told him: "the royal family has handed down its power for 4,000 years. The first was a holy spirit which came from China (Han-ti) flying through the air." (She-kia fang tche, ed. Tok. XXXV, 1, 94b, col. ult.) As though he would show sympathy for China, he asked the envoy to get him a portrait of Lao-tseu and a Sanskrit translation of the Tao-to-king. (She-kia fang tche, ed. Tok. XXXV, 1, 94b, col. ult.)
- ^ Kāmarūpa Anusandhāna Samiti, Readings in the history & culture of Assam - Page 179, 1984 "The Varman dynasty, which was probably the first Indo-Aryan dynasty in Assam was overthrown by Salastambha, a man of Mleccha or non-Aryan (Mongolian) origin."
- ^ Niśipada Caudhurī, Historical archaeology of central Assam - Page 83, 1985 "K.N. Dutta seems to be right in concluding that the Varman dynasty, which was probably the first Indo-Aryan dynasty in Assam, was overthrown by Salastambha, (Mongoloid) origin, who then made himself the king of Kamarupa."
- ^ Suresh Kant Sharma, Usha Sharma, Discovery of North-East India: Geography, History, Culture ..., Volume 3 - Page 275, 2005 "One may go perhaps a step further and suggest that Pusyavarman was the first Indo-Aryan ruler..."
- ^ Sharma, Mukunda Madhava (1978). Inscriptions of Ancient Assam. Gauhati: Department of publication, Gauhati University. p. .34.
Epigraphical references tend to show that both the families belonged to the same race and had a common descent. But, presumbly due to following an un-Aryan way of life the family of Salastambha earned some degree of social degradation and a deregatory designation as Mlecchas.
- ^ Sharma, Mukunda Madhava (1978). Inscriptions of Ancient Assam. Gauhati: Department of publication, Gauhati University. p. .35.
Thus K.L. Barua's suggestion that the Mlecchas of Kamarupa might have been the people of the Mongoloid Mech community does not seem to be convincing. What appears to be more likely is that in case of their belonging to the Mongoloid race, they would have been referred to as Kiratas and not as Mlecchas.
- ^ Singh, G. P (2003). Facets of Ancient Indian History and Culture: New Perception. D.K. Printworld. p. 182.
- ^ "Hiuen Ts’ang by mistake described Bhaskara-varman as a Brahman, but he was just a neo-Kshatriya, a member of a Hinduised mleccha or non-Hindu Indo-Mongoloid family which had been accepted within the fold of Hindu orthodoxy." (Chatterji 1851:90–91)
- ^ "Virtually all of Assam’s kings, from the fourth-century Varmans down to the eighteenth-century Ahoms, came from non-Aryan tribes that were only gradually Sanskritised." (Urban 2011, p. 234)
- ^ Goyala, Śrīrāma; Goyala, Śaṅkara (2000). Indian Art of the Gupta Age: From Pre-classical Roots to the Emergence of Medieval Trends. Kusumanjali Book World. p. 20.
- ^ "the early kings of Kamariipa freely implemented the political model of north India, particularly following that of the Guptas, rather suggests their relative autonomy in the periphery. They adopted the imperial title of the Gupta, and the name of a Gupra king and queen, and performed a horse sacrifice...The resemblance between the names of Pushyavarman's son, Samudravarman, and daughter-in-law, DattadevI, on the one hand and those of Gupta emperor Samudragupta and his queen Dattadevl on the other may not be accidental. It was probably a conscious adoption." (Shin 2018:30)
- ^ Dutta, Sristidhar; Tripathy, Byomakesh (2006). Buddhism In North-East India. Indus Publishing Company. p. 53. ISBN 9788173871900.
- ^ Hsüan-tsang, ca 596-664; Beal, Samuel. Si-yu-ki, Buddhist records of the Western world. Robarts - University of Toronto. London: London : Trübner. pp. 195, 196.
The manners of the people simple and honest. The men are of small stature, and their complexion a dark yellow. Their language differs a little from that of Mid-India. Their nature is very impetuous and wild; their memories are retentive, and they are earnest in study. They adore and sacrifice to the Dêvas, and have no faith in Buddha; hence from the time when Buddha appeared in the world even down to the present time there never as yet has been built one sanghårdma as a place for the priests to assemble. Such disciples as there are, are of a pure faith, say their prayers (repeat the name of Buddha) secretly, and that is all. There are as many as 100 Dêva temples, and different sectaries to the number of several myriads. The king is fond of learning, and the people are so likewise in imitation of him. Men of high talent from distant regions aspiring after office visit his dominions as strangers. Though he has no faith in Buddha, yet he much respects Sramaņas of learning.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Though there exists no direct evidence, there are indirect evidence of a king who ruled for a short period after Bhaskaravarman, but was ousted by Salasthamba (Sharma 1978, pp. xxxi–xxxii) harv error: multiple targets (3×): CITEREFSharma1978 (help).
Bibliography
- Barua, Kanak Lal (1933). Early History Of Kamarupa: from the Earliest Times to the End of the Sixteenth Century.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Beal, Samuel (1884). Si-Yu-Ki. Buddhist Records of the Western World. Vol. II. Ludgate Hill: Trubner & Co. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
- Ji, Bian (1996). The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions (Translated by Li Rongxi). Vol. 51. BDK America. p. 248. ISBN 1-886439-02-8. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
- Tripathi, Chandra Dhar (2008). Kāmarūpa-Kaliṅga-Mithilā: a politico-cultural alignment in Eastern India : history, art, traditions. Indian Institute of Advanced Study. p. 197.
- Ray, H.C. (1931). Dynastic History Of Northern India Vol. 1. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers.
- Chatterji, Suniti Kumar (1951). Kirata-jana-krti. Calcutta: The Asiatic Society.
- Chattopadhyaya, S (1990), "Social Life", in Barpujari, H K (ed.), The Comprehensive History of Assam, vol. I, Guwahati: Publication Board, Assam, pp. 195–232
{{citation}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Choudhury, P. C. (1966). The History of the Civilisation of the People of Assam to the Twelfth Century AD. Gauhati: Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies of Assam.
- Sharma, Mukunda Madhava (1978). Inscriptions of Ancient Assam. Gauhati University, Assam.
- Sircar, D C (1990), "Political History", in Barpujari, H K (ed.), The Comprehensive History of Assam, vol. I, Guwahati: Publication Board, Assam, pp. 94–171
{{citation}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Shin, Jae-Eun (2018), "Region Formed and Imagined: Reconsidering temporal, spatial and social context of Kamarupa", in Dzüvichü, Lipokmar; Baruah, Manjeet (eds.), Modern Practices in North East India: History, Culture, Representation, London & New York: Routledge, pp. 23–55
{{citation}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Shin, Jae-Eun (2010). "Changlng Dynasties, Enduring Genealogy: A Critical Study on the Political Legitimation in Early Medieval Kamarupa". Journal of Ancient Indian History. XXVII.
{{cite journal}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Sylvain, Lévi (1929). Pre-Aryan and Pre-Dravidian in India. Calcutta: University of Calcutta. Retrieved 25 February 2013.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Urban, Hugh B. (2011). "The Womb of Tantra: Goddesses, Tribals, and Kings in Assam". The Journal of Hindu Studies. 4: 231–247. doi:10.1093/jhs/hir034.
- Mukherji, Ramaranjan; Maity, Sachindra Kumar (1967). Corpus Of Bengal Inscriptions Bearing On History And Civilization Of Bengal. Calcutta: Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay.