Page:The Harsa-carita of Bana (1897).djvu/18

 son of the Mukhara king of Kanyakubja. The king dies while his elder son is absent on an expedition against the Hunas, but the prince returns at his brother's earnest summons ; and in his overwhelming grief, he determines to become an ascetic and to leave the throne to Harsa. At this moment, however, tidings arrive that Grahavarman has been killed by the king of Malwa 1, who has also thrown Rajya9ri into prison. Rajyavardhana at once determines to avenge his brother-in-law's death and marches with his cousin Bhandi 2 and the army, leaving Harsa as his vicegerent. After a time news is brought that he had easily conquered the Malwa army but had been treacherously assassinated by the King of Gauda 3. Harsa himself now marches against this new enemy; on his way he accepts offers of friendship from Bhaskaravarman 4, the King of Pragjyotisa (Assam). Soon afterwards he meets Bhandi, who is returning loaded with spoil and bringing the Malwa troops prisoners ; he announces that Rajyacri has escaped from prison and fled into the Vindhya forest. Harsa sends Bhandi against the Gauda king and hastens himself to find his lost sister. By the help of a Buddhist mendicant he comes upon her, just as she is preparing to mount the funeral pile, surrounded by her female attendants. Harsa rescues her from the pile and takes her with him to the camp, after making a vow that he and his sister will assume the dress of Buddhist mendicants as soon as he has conquered the Gauda traitor and consoled his subjects in their sorrow for his deceased father.

Harsa's partiality for Buddhists and Buddhist doctrines

47, Corpus Inscr. Ind. in. Adityavarman had as his queen Harsa- gupta, sister to Harsagupta, of the same Guptas of Magadha, who were similarly connected with Harsa's family. 1 Professor Biihler suggests that this is the Northern Malwa about Fatehpur. He would identify the king with the Devagupta of the Madhuban Inscription. 2 Poni in Hiuen Thsang. 3 C Hiuen Thsang, (Julien), n. 248. 4 Bhaskaravarma Kumara, in Hiuen Thsang.