Harshacharita (socio-cultural Study)

by Mrs. Nandita Sarmah | 2014 | 67,792 words

This page relates ‘Similarities (2): Duties of the Kings’ of the English study on the Harshacharita: A Sanskrit (poetical work) which can be studied as a Historical book of Indian society during the 7th century. It was originally written by Banabhatta who based his Harsacarita on the life of the Gupta emperor Harshavardhana. This study researches the religion, philosophy, flora and fauna and society of ancient India as reflected in the Harsha-Charita.

1. Similarities (2): Duties of the Kings

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[Full title: Similarities between the Two Societies of the Kādambarī and the Harṣacarita (2): Duties of the Kings]

In the Kādambarī and in the Harṣacarita, Bāṇa elaborately deals with the duties and daily routine of the kings in the character of king Śūdraka,^[1] king Puṣpabhūti,^[2] king Prabhākaravardhana^[3] etc. In both the societies, the king’s duties were the same. The advices^[4] of minister Śukanāsa to Candrāpīḍa in Kādambarī and the minister Skaṇḍagupta^[5] to king Harṣa, show all the evils that plagued all the princes in all claims and great responsibilities towards the state.

It is found in the Harṣacarita that king performed many sacrifices with the ordinary peoples in sabhā (hall), satra (the room), prapā (where water is given to the travelers), prāgvaṃśa (i.e., it is a room opposite to the sacrificial chamber in which the family and friends of the sacrificial assemble^[6]) outside the city to maintain a good relation with them.^[7] In the Kādambarī also people established^[8] sabhā (hall), prapā, ārāma (pleasure garden), prāgvaṃśa^[9] in their city Ujjayinī for their enjoyment.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

sa tasyāma…..snigdhaiḥ prabudhaiścāmātaiḥ parivṛtaḥ samānavayovidyālaṅkārairanekamūrdhābhiṣikta….rājaputraiḥ saha ramamāṇaiḥ prathame vayasi sukhamaticiramuvāsa …..yatheva ca divasamevamārabdhavividhakrīḍaparihāsacaturaiḥ suhṛdbhirupeto niśāmanaiṣīt, Kādambarī,p.14-16

[2]:

tatra ca sakṣātsahasrakṣa iva sarvavarṇadharaṃ dhanurdadhānaḥ,….dakṣaḥ prajākarmaṇi, sarvādirājātejaḥpuñjanirmita iva rājā puṣpabhūtiriti…, Harṣacarita,III.p.44

[3]:

teṣu………….pratāpaśīla iti prathitāparanāmā prabhākaravardhano nāma rājādhirājaḥ. yo rajyāṅgasaṅgīnyabhiṣicyamāna……. nirsagata eva ca nṛpatirādityabhakto babhūva. pratidinamudaye dinakṛtaḥ snātaḥ ….. Ibid.,IV.p.56-58

[4]:

Kādambarī,p.166-180

[5]:

Harṣacarita,VI.p.99-102

[6]:

Amarakoṣa,II.7.19

[7]:

yasminśca rājani…..barhiruparacitavikaṭasabhāsatraprapāprāgvaṃśamaṇḍapaiḥ prasūtamiva grāmaiḥ, Harṣacarita,IV. p.57

[8]:

..sabhāvasathakupaprapārāma…..pravartakena…. ujjayinī nāma nagarī, Kādambarī,p.86-89

[9]:

Ibid.,p.149