Karkota Dynasty (c.

625 − 855 CE)

NAGA DYNASTY

ANCIENT HISTORY OF J&K

BY JK LATEST INFO
Durlabhavardhana (625 – 661 AD)
• He was also known as Prajnaditya and gifted many villages
(agraharas) to Brahmins

• His Queen Ananglekha built a buddhist Vihara which came

to be known as Anangabhavanavihara.

• Rajatarangini records no military activity during his reign;

assuming Xuanzang to have visited Kashmir during his
reign.

• The Nilamata Purana, believed to have been commissioned

by Durlabhavardhana
• Durlabhavardhana controlled vast swaths of territories
including modern day Kashmir, Punjab and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa
Hieun Tsang/Xuanzang/Mokṣadeva (Sanskrit Name)
• A 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler,
and translator
• It was in 631 that he reached Kashmir and was received by
the king

• ‘Kashmira is land with a very cold climate and is often calm

without any wind. The region has lakes, grows plenty of
flowers and fruit, saffron and medicinal herbs. Kashmira
has over 100 monasteries and more than 5000 monks. The
residents revere four large stupas that were built in ancient
times by Ashoka. King Kanishika too built many Buddhist
monasteries here. He also had treatises with 960,000
words written on copper plates and stored in a newly built
great stupa. The Kashmira region has numerous monks
well versed with the Tripitaka”
• Rajouri, then known as Rajapuri – ‘the land of
Kings’ – finds its mention in the travelogue of
Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang who visited the town
• Studied with various monks which included 14
months with Vinita Prabha, 4 months with
Candravarman, and “a winter and half a spring”
with Jaya Gupta.
• Hien-Tsang entered the valley via Varahmulla where he
found a huge stone gate. The entry of all outsiders, except
the Hindus, was banned in the state then. Hien-Tsang was
given a right royal reception by the people including the
king. He stayed in Kashmir for nearly two years, studied
Sanskrit and Hindu scriptures at the feet of learned men
here.
DURLABAHAKA ( 662 – 712)
• Durlabhaka became known as Pratapaditya, adopting the
surname of his maternal grandfather.
• He had a rich minister named Oda, who built a village
named Hanumata for the habitation of the Brahmanas. This
powerful king built a beautiful town named Pratapapura, where
merchants from many places came and settled

DURLABHAKA

CHANDRAPIDA TARAPIDA LALITADITYA

• CHANDRAPIDA : Candrapida ruled from 712/13−720 A.D and
bore the name Vajraditya.

• By this time the Arabs most probably reached the frontiers of Kashmir.
The king got frightened and sent an embassy to the Chinese court
seeking help but after not getting any positive response from the
Chinese court. King Chandrapida somehow was able to defend his
kingdom from the attack of invaders.

• For this victory, he was rewarded with the title of “king of Kashmir” in
720 CE by the Chinese emperor Xuan Zong. Unfortunately, he didn't
live long and was soon assassinated by his brother Tarapida

• Tarapida (720 – 724 A.D) He bore the name Udayaditya.

• His inglorious rule of Four years was full of cruel and bloody
deeds.