Sankaravarman
| Sankaravarman | |
|---|---|
_Circa_883-902_CE.jpg) Coinage of King Sankaravarman, Dupatalas (Kashmir) Circa 883–902 CE | |
| King of Kashmir | |
| Reign | 855–902 CE |
| Predecessor | Avantivarman |
| Successor | Gopalavarman |
| Issue | Gopalavarman |
| House | Utpala dynasty |
| Father | Avantivarman |
| Religion | Shaivism |
Sankaravarman was a Chamar king of the Utpala dynasty,[1][2]a Hindu kingdom which ruled over the Kashmir region from 8th to 10th century CE. The kingdom was established by Avantivarman, who ended the rule of Karkota dynasty in 855 CE.
Sankaravarman ruled from 885 CE until 902 CE.[3][4]
Accession and Early Rule
The death of Avantivarman led to a power struggle. Sankaravarman was placed at the helm of affairs by Ratnavardhana, the chamberlain. However, counselor Karnapa throned Sukhavarman instead. Multiple battles were waged, before the latter emerged victorious.
Kalhana notes that Samkaravarman invaded Gujarat with an army composed of "nine lac infantrymen, three hundred elephants and one lac cavalry"; Alakhana, the local ruler had to gift a swath of territory to maintain his sovereignty.[5] Samkaravarman was married to Sugandha, the daughter of a neighboring king and had at-least three other queens including one Surendravati. He is remarked to have brought cultural as well as economic prosperity.
History
Rajatarangini tells us that ....Udaya who worked hard, until he fainted, in collecting an army, heard that in the town of Shankaravarmma, Lothana had joined Alankarachakra, and he also heard that Vigraharaja, son of king Sussala, and Bhoja, son of Salhana,had come with Lothana. Then when their insurrection had gained strength, Udaya hurriedly marched in one day over the road which is traversed in many days. The Damara (Alankarachakra), unable to take possession of Kantha with his own party, was at a loss, and on being checked in his movements by Udaya's attack, he fled and took shelter in the fort of Shirahshila, situated on the banks of the Sindhu, where the Madhumati also flowed with its pearl like beauty.[6]
Rajatarangini writes that On death of Avantivarman all the members of the family of Utpala aspired to the throne. But Ratnavardhana the Royal guard raised Shankaravarmma, son of the late king, to the throne. The minister Karnapavinnāpa became envious, and raises Sukhavarmma the son of Suravarmma to the dignity of heir-apparent and so the king and the heir-apparent became enemies to each other, and consequently the kingdom was frequently disturbed by their quarrels. Shivashakti and other warriors refused offers of wealth, honor, &c, from the opposite party, and remained faithful to their master, and died for him. Honorable men never desert their party. After much trouble the king prevailed at last. He defeated Samaravarmma and others, on several occasions, and acquired great fame.
Having thus beaten and subjugated his own relatives,he made preparations for foreign conquests. Though the country was weak in population, he was able to set out with nine hundred thousand foot, three hundred elephants, and one hundred thousand horse. He, whose command had been ill obeyed in his own kingdom a short while before, now began to pass orders on kings.[6]
His army was joined by the forces of tributary kings, and increased as he went on. On his approach the king of Darvabhisara fled in terror and there was no fighting. The Kashmirian army caught several lions and confined them in a fort, a sort of abode in which they had never lived before. The king then marched for the conquest of Gurjjara. Prithivi-chandra the king of Trigarta hid himself, but his son Bhuvanachandra, on whom the king of Kashmira had bestowed wealth before, came to pay homage. But when he saw the large army of Kashmira, he became afraid of being captured, and accordingly turned and fled. The king of Kashmira, whom the historians describe as a very handsome man, was regarded by other kings as Death. Shankaravarmma easily defeated Alakhāna king of Gurjjara who ceded Takka a part of his kingdom to his conqueror. The king of the Thakkiyaka family took service as guard under the king of Kashmira. The latter caused the kingdom of the Thakkiya king which had been usurped by the king of Bhoja to be restored to him. The king of the country which lay between Darat and Turushka, (as the Aryavarta lies between Himalaya and Vindhya,) Lalliya Shahi by name, who was among kings even as the sun is among stars, and was also lord over Alakhāna, did not submit to the king of Kashmira, on which the latter drove him out of his country.[6]
Despotism and Death
However, the later years of his regime were cruel and marked by rampant oppression, especially from a fiscal perspective. Kalhana described him to be a "robber" who seized profits exacted by temples, plundered religious institutions and brought agraharas etc. under direct control of the crown whilst providing minimal compensations.
Forced labor were systematically legitimized in Kashmir for the first time and not rendering such services was made into an offense. New revenue offices were created and an elaborate taxation scheme was devised, which led to the employment of numerous Kayasthas in royal service. Kalhana blames these lowly Kayasthas for driving honest villagers to poverty and destroying all repute of Samkaravarman. Scholarship struggled to flourish and court-poets lived a pitiful existence, without pay. Famines and other calamities became commonplace.
These continued despite Gopalavarman accusing his father of unbound greed and inflicting terrible misfortune on the subjects. Finally, Samkaravarman died in 902 of a stray-arrow at a foreign territory, whilst returning from a successful conquest. His ministers guarded-back the corpse to Kashmir, where last respects were conferred and funeral rites organized; some of his queens and servants died by Sati. Despite having thirty to forty issues, none other than Gopalavarman and Samkata survived past infancy, in what Kalnana ascribed to karma.
Coins of Sankaravarman
Art and architecture
Samkaravarman established Samkarapura (modern-day Pattan) and, in conjunction with Sugandha, the Shiva-temples of Samkaragaurisa and Sugandhesa.
Shankaragaurishvara Temple
The Shankaragaurishvara Temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and located in Pattan, near Baramulla, India. The temple is in a dilapidated condition and worship is no longer conducted. It is built in a style similar to the Shankaracharya Temple. It is listed as one of the more than 15 important temples for promotion of tourism in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
References
- ^ Sarkar, Jadunath (1949). "Ain-i-akbari Of Abul Fazl I Allami Vol. 2 Ed. 2nd". Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ "The Ain-i-Akbari Vol II". INDIAN CULTURE. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
- ^ Warikoo, K (2009). Cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir. Pentagon Press. p. 88. ISBN 978-8182-743-76-2.
- ^ Sen, Sailendra Nath (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. p. 295. ISBN 978-8122-411-98-0.
- ^ Stein, Marc Aurel (1973). "A Contribution to the History of the Śāhis of Kābul". East and West. 23 (1/2): 13–20. JSTOR 29755834. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Marc Aurel Stein (1900). Kalhana's Rajatarangini Vol 1.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Mitchiner, Michael (1979). Oriental coins and their values: Non-islamic states and Western colonies : A.D. 600–1979 (in French). Hawkins.
- ^ Cunningham, a (1894). Coins Of Mediaeval India From The Seventh Century.
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