Post Gupta Age (550-750 A.D)
In the sixth century, after the reign of Gupta, the northern part of India was again divided into several kingdoms. The following were important kingdoms:
• Maitrakas of Valabhi, Gujarat (490-776 A.D)
• Hunas in Punjab
• Maukharis of Kannauj (554-605 A.D.)
• Yashovarman of Malwa
• Vakatakas in Deccan
• Pushyabhutis of Thaneshwar (vardhana Dynasty)
(500-647 A.D.)
• Later Guptas of Magadh (490-725 A.D.)
Sources
Literary Sources
Bana’s Harshacharitta
•
Hieun Tsang’s Si-Yu-Ki
• Epigraphical Sources
• Madhuban Copper plate Inscription, UP
• Issued by King Harsha to a group of Brahmins in the year 631 AD.
• The inscription is written in Sanskrit in the Brahmi script. It records the grant of villages to Brahmins.
• Sonpat Inscription on Copper Seal, Haryana.
• It is dated to the 7th century CE and records the name and title of King Harshavardhana.
• Banskhera Copper plate Inscription, UP
• Issued by King Harshavardhana in the year 628 AD.
• Records grant of villages to Brahmins.
• The inscription provides information about the reign of King Harshavardhana, the administrative system of his kingdom, and the social and religious conditions of the time.
• Nalanda Copper-plate Inscription, Bihar
• Dated to 860 CE.
• Provides evidence of the patronage of Buddhism by the Palas as Devapaladeva of Bengala (Pala Empire) granted area to build a monastery at Nalanda on request of Sri Maharaja of Suvarnadvipa, Balaputra (Indonesia).
• Aihole Inscription, Karnataka
• Sanskrit inscription dated to 634-35 CE.
• Composed by the Jain poet Ravikirti, and it is engraved on a stone slab at the Meguti Jain temple in Aihole, Karnataka, India.
• The inscription is a eulogy of Pulakeshin II of Chalukya Dynasty, and it records his victories over several neighboring kingdoms, including the Vakatakas, the Pallavas, and the Maukharis.
• It also provides information about the administrative system of the Chalukya kingdom and the social and religious conditions of the time.
• Mandsaur Inscription, Madhya Pradesh
• Mentions how Yasodharman, the King of Malwa
defeated Huna Army in 528AD.
• Aphsad inscription, Bihar
• Mentions how Ishan Varman (550-560 A.D.) of
Maukharia Dynasty fought and defeated the Huns.
• It was by Adityasena, King of Thanesar from Pushyabhuti Dynasty.
• Mokhalinam clay seal
• In Brahmi script shows that the Maukhari family which ruled Kannauj in 6th Century AD (existed from Mauryan times).
• Asirgarh copper plate inscription, Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh
• Mentions Ishanvarmana of Maukhari Dynasty who assumed the title of ‘Maharajadhiraja’.
• Mentions rise of the Maukhari dynasty and their genealogy.
• By Maukhari king Sarvavarman.
• Mentions Ishanvarmana’s victory over Huna kings.
• It is in Sanskrit with the upper part showing many emblems—a bull, an umbrella, and two men carrying axes and a sunshade and a stick.
• Kura Stone Inscription, Punjab, Pakistan
• It is dated to the 5th century CE and records the construction of a Buddhist monastery by a person named Rotta Siddhavriddhi during the reign of the Huna ruler Toramana.
• The inscription is written in Sanskrit in the Brahmi script.
• It shows Buddhist patronage by Hunas and how they adopted Indian titles and customs.