1

Shashanka the King of ancient Bengal

Shashanka the first important king of ancient Bengal, occupies a prominent place in the
history of the region. It is generally believed that he ruled approximately between 600 AD
and 625 AD, and two dated inscriptions, issued in his 8th and 10th regnal years from
Midnapore, and another undated inscription from Egra near Kharagpur have been discovered.
Besides Shashanka's subordinate king of Ganjam (Orissa) Madhavavarma's copper plate
(dated 619 AD), Harshavardhan's Banskhera and Madhuvan copper plates and the Nidhanpur
copper plate of the Kamarupa king Bhaskara Varman contain information about Shashanka.
Besides, Shashanka issued gold and silver coins. A number of independent rulers flourished
in Bengal in the intervening period between the decline of the Guptas and the rise of
Shashanka, and their existence is known from a few inscriptions and gold coins. Besides the
seal-matrix of ‘Shri Mahasamanta Shashanka’ from Rohtasgarh and the contemporary literary
accounts of Banabhatta and the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-Tsang and the Buddhist text
Aryamanjushrimulakalpa are important sources of information.
Very little information about the early life of Shashanka is known. It appears that he ruled for
sometime as a chieftain (mahasamanta) of Rohtasgarh under the Gauda king of
Karnasuvarna, who possibly belonged to the family of the Maukharis. However, Jayanaga,
another king of Karnasuvarna, appears to be close to the date of Shashanka. In fact,
Karnasuvarna was the capital of Shashanka and the famous metropolis was situated near
Chiruti railway station close to Rajbaridanga (the site of Raktamrttika-mahavihara or modern
Rangamati) in Murshidabad district, West Bengal.
Shashanka has been described both in the inscriptions and literary accounts as the ruler of
Gauda. The decline and fall of the Gupta Empire coincided with considerable progress in the
outlying regions. Many obscure areas, which were possibly ruled by tribal chiefs and were
thinly settled, came into historical limelight. This applied to the red soil areas of West
Bengal, north Orissa and the adjoining areas of Madhyapradesh, which formed part of the
Chhotonagpur plateau and were difficult to cultivate and settle.
Under this perspective Shashanka attempted to extend his political influence in different parts
of India. His first task was the redemption of Magadha from the clutches of the Maukharis.
Shashanka with his ally Devagupta, the king of Malava, next waged war against Maukhari
king Grahavarman, the son-in-law of the Pusyabhuti king Prabhakaravardhana. Grahavarman
was killed by Devagupta. At this point Rajyavardhana a Buddhist by faith and eldest son of
Prabhakarvardhana, who became king of Thaneshwar proceeded against Devagupta and
defeated and killed him. But Rajyavardhana himself was killed in an encounter with
Shashanka.
Most of the authorities admit the result of the encounter with Shashanka, but passes the blame
of the murder of Rajyavardhana on the shoulders of Shashanka, the king of Gauda. According
to Bana, Rajyavardhana, though routed the Malava army with ridiculous ease, had been
'allured to confidence by false civilities on the part of the king of Gauda, and then
weaponless, confiding and alone, despatched to his own quarters'. The Chinese pilgrim has
repeated the same story. A fair criticism of Shashanka's conduct is impossible in the absence
of detailed information relating to the actual circumstances that led to his enemy's death. Both
Banabhatta, whose feelings were deeply shaken at the death of his patron's brother and Hiuen
Tsang, whose pro-Buddhist predilections and personal regard for Harsavardhana are well
known, may have found it difficult to restrain their emotions in stating the fact concerning the
affair.
In the opinion of some scholars it is likely that Rajyavardhana was prepared to enter into
negotiation for peace with Shashanka, and for this purpose accepted an invitation in the
enemy's camp. Shankara, a 14th century commentator of the Harsacharita, states that the
Gauda king invited Rajyavardhana in connection with a proposal of marriage between him
 2

and the daughter of the former. How far this is true is difficult to say, as the source of his
information is not disclosed. The information about Rajyavardhana's death, furnished by the
Banshkhera copper plate inscription of Harsavardhana, is meagre, but the bad impression
created by the accounts of Banabhatta and the Chinese traveller is considerably mitigated
when it is related in this inscription that his brother lost his life in keeping with the truth in
the abode of his enemy, though the name of the enemy is not given. It appears that
Rajyavardhana's death was a sequel to the unfinished peace-talk, but Shashanka's personal
responsibility for this incident cannot be determined with certainty.
After this event Harsavardhana, the younger brother, who ascended the throne of Thaneshwar
proceeded with a huge army to punish Shashanka and formed an alliance with
Bhaskaravarman (Kumara of Bana), king of Kamarupa and eastern neighbour of Shashanka.
According to Bana, Harsa entrusted Bhandi to lead the army, while he engaged himself in
searching for her widowed sister Rajyashri in the Vindhya forest. It is mentioned in the
Harsacharita (8th ucchvasa) that Harsha reunited the advancing army after rescuing his sister.
Later, Harsavardhana became the ruler of Kanyakubja (Kanauj) with the consent of his sister
Rajyashri. The progress of Bhandi's march is not known. But there can be no doubt that
Shashanka continued to rule his empire vigorously, which included northern Orissa and
southern deltaic regions of Bengal.
Towards the end of his career in 640-43 AD Harsa's authority in southeastern Bihar and
Orissa was established and during the same time Bhaskarvarman appears to have conquered
the capital Karnasuvarna. These events are likely to have occurred after the demise of
Shashanka as nothing more is heard about him, and there was a decline of Gauda power. But
the story of the defeat of Shashanka at the battle of Pundravardhana by Harsa and
Shashanka's reign for 17 years etc, as suggested by the Buddhist text
Aryamanjushrimulakalpa are not supported by any other contemporary accounts. Rather,
Shashanka's newly discovered inscription from Southern Midnapur records the existence of
Dandabhukti-Janapada, combining parts of Midnapur and Orissa.
Harsa, a Shaiva in his early years, gradually became a great patron of Buddhism. As a devout
Buddhist he convened a grand assembly at Kanauj to publicise the Mahayana doctrines. It is
here that Harsa is said to make a bloody suppression of a revolt by the Brahmanas. After
Kanauj, he held a great assembly at Prayaga and both the assemblies were attended by Hiuen
Tsang and all the tributary princes, ministers, nobles, etc. Hiuen Tsang is said to have made a
remark that Harsa was born at the behest of the Bodhisattva to punish Shashanka, a hater of
Buddhist religion. He also cited a few instances of Shashanka's anti-Buddhist activities. But it
may be mentioned that the flourishing condition of the Buddhist University atNalanda, where
Hiuen Tsang himself studied for some time, and the existence of a number of monasteries in
Shashanka's kingdom including the Raktamrttika-Mahavihara near Shashanka's capital
Karnasuvarna, goes against the evidence of Hiuen Tsang.
In other words, it appears that the Chinese pilgrim, who enjoyed the patronage of Harsa,
became partisan in his attitude towards the adversary of his patron. It is true that Shashanka
was a strong champion of Brahmanical religion and a devout Shaiva, and had little sympathy
for Buddhism which received patronage from wealthy mercantile classes and from no less
than Harsavardhana himself, his sworn enemy. It is not unlikely that it wounded the
sentiments of the Buddhists of his time.
On the contrary, Harsavardhana's pro-Buddhist and anti-Brahmanical attitude despaired the
followers of Brahmanical religion who began to migrate to eastern India in large number.
Hiuen Tsang mentioned of a large influx of learned Brahmanas in Kamarupa. A large number
of Brahmanas were granted lands in Kamarupa by Bhaskaravarman for their settlement. The
Kulaji texts also noted the influx of Kanauji Brahmanas into Bengal. The story of the
migration of Graha-Vipras from the banks of the Sarayuriver (in U P) to Bengal, possibly at
 3

the invitation of Shashanka, may be taken notice of in this connection. The impact of this
large-scale migration though initially was welcomed both in Bengal and Kamarupa, told upon
the socio-economic fabric of the respective countries. The social restrictions in behaviour,
attitude and comingling among the different classes though not much felt under the rule of
Buddhist Palas, became more and more acute under the Senas, who championed the
Brahmanical religions, widened the gaps among different classes of people. The emergence
of lowly untouchable classes and the antaja classes in the society became more and more
pronounced.