MAUKHARIS of RAJASTHAN, UP AND BIHAR
The Maukhari dynasty controlled vast territories of Rajasthan, UP and Bihar, of Ganga-Yamuna during post-Gupta period, from their capital at Kannauj. They had earlier served as vassals of the Guptas and later of Harsh Vardhana dynasty. The Maukharis established their independence during the mid 6th century.
The Maukharis ruled over most of what is now Uttar Pradesh & Rajasthan, and had some control over Magadha, until those areas were reconquered by the Guptas. The dynasty’s founder, Ishanavarman, ruled under the title maharajadhiraja. He was succeeded by Sarvavarman, Avantivarman, and Grahavarman.
Grahavarman was the last king of the dynasty & was killed by the Later Guptas.
Maukharis were sanatna dharma followers and had strictly maintained their control and social order in accordance with hindu scriptures.
Although Hinduism had received state support, but Buddhism also managed to remain as a prominent religion.
Inscription number 81.
The Badva Yupa Inscripion of the Mukharis – Ktita
= Vikrama year 295 ( 239 AD.)
Provenance: Badva Village 8 km South West of Antah, a railway station on Kota-Bina line.
Script: Brahmi of the third century AD. (Lines running vertically from top to bottom)
Language: Defective Sanskrit.
References: A.S. Altekar, Ep.Ind. XXIII, pp-42-52, R.B. Pandey,
Historical and Literary Inscriptions,
Varanasi, 1962, pp.55-56.
Footnote-1
Yupas or Sacrificial pillars were originally of wood, as prescribed in the Srautasutras (See Katyayana Srauta s.,
VI, 3) But these have not survived.
The stone ones begin from the 2nd Century AD. presumably in emulation
of the Buddhist pillars like those of Asoka, These stone arupas, it appears, began to be erected as a triumphant and enduring testimony to the revival of
the old vedic religion.
According to the Katyayana
Srauta S VI.3, the yupas (ofcourse wooden) were to be
octagonal in shape and five to fifteen cubits height, except in the case of Vajapeya sacrifice where the
height prescribed was 17 cubits
In the present case,
two yupas are 13′-3″ each and the third 15′-8″ high, while the buried parts of the shafts are 4′ each
All of the three are octagonal above ground, two of them have suare Underground sections The portions above the chashala (i.e octagonal ring or kataka slipped in two to eight inches from the top) bend inwards, a
feature common to all yupas discovered so far.
Footnote-2
1. From the facsimile in Ep-Ind, XXIII, facing, pp.52.
2. Krita or Malava year later came to be Known as the vikrama era. Its Origin is still shrouded in mystery.
Nandsa Yupa Inscription of the Krita year 282 (Ind.Ant, LVIII, pp.53) and the present three inscription (of Krita 295) are perhaps the earliest known to have used this reckoning. Mandasore inscription of Naravarman
of 461 Krita, explicitly states that the era was called Krita and was traditionally used by the Malavas. The
earliest epigraphical evidence of its link up with vikrama belongs to the year 794 vikrama (Dhiniki inscription of Jaikadeva, Ind.Ant, XII, pp.155).
Footnote-3,
The Nandsa Yupa inscription put up in 226 A.D. i.e. 13 years earlier than the present records, at a place 112 km west of Badva suggest that the rule of the Western Kshatrapa Vijayadaman (AD. 238-250) probably extended as far as Badva itself. In case Isvaradatta,
Abhira wrested these areas from the latter as Rapson believes (catalogue etc pp-129) the Mahasenapati Bela may have been an Abhira feudatory. It
Is also believed that Mayurasarman the founder of the Kadamba dynasty defeated, the Abhiras, Pariyatrikas,
Sakas and Maukharis, among others about the middle of the 3rd century AD. (see Krishna Arch Survey, Mysore Annual Report. 1929. pp-50). These Maukharis, associated as they are with the sakas and Abhiras, should
be those ruling somewhere in or near Malwa and hence may have been the descendants of Bala.
4. Triratra sacrifice is an amalgam of Agnishtoma, Ukthya and Atiratra sacrifices, performed on the first
second and third days respectively. (Taittiriya Samhita, VII, 15) Its full name was Garga-Triratra.
It was called Asvi Triratra if a horse wes immolated on the second day Sankhayana Srauta satra XVI, 2i).
English Translation of the inscription
Success on the fifth day of the bright half of Phalguna by (i.e of) the Krita year 295. This Sacrificial pillar (was erected) by the illlustrious
Maukhari Commander-in-chief Balavardhana, son of Bala.
The fee of a thousand cows, as laid down for the triratra sacrifice (was duly given to the Brahmanas)
B and C. (The text is exactly identical, except that the names of Somadeva and Balasimha occur respectively
in place of that of Balavardhana).
Footnote-4
1. The conclusion of the record in inscription A is shown by a triangle. In B, it is shown by a triangle.followed by a circle. In C. it is shown by a double
triangle, one inside the other. In C the final m in sahasram is inscribed below the line.
2. Altekar, erroneously treats Maukharch and Mahasenapateh
as adjectives of Bala, which name is not in the genetive case.
Inscription number 80.
Mandasor Fragmentary Inscription Manava King Gauri of the time of Adityavardhana (490-500 AD.)
Provenance: Mandasor, Madhya Pradesh.
Script: Late brahmi of northern class.
Language: Sanskrit.
Metre: Vv1-9: श्लोक अनुष्टुभ
References D.C. Sircar, Ep.Ind, XXX,
pp- 127 f, XXXIII, pp-205ff, I.H.O, pp- 73ff, XXVI, pp-191ff, Sel.Inss, I, pp-410ff, V.V. Mirashi, I.H.O, XXXIII,
Pp-314ff, XXXV, pp-254ff.
Footnote-1
1. Another inscription of Gauri or Gaurin.(chhoti Sadari Inscription,
Ep.Ind, XXX, pp-120.ff, (see above) is dated in (Vikrama) year 547 = 491 AD. Only eleven lines of the present inscription have survived. Also lost are four or five 1etters on the left of each line, and a few on the right side also. Originally each line contained about 24 syllables, These have been restored
oy D.C Sircar, and are placed in brackets.
2. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind. XXX, Pl..facing pp.125.
3. Punctuation is marked by slightly curved horizontal strokes.
Footnote-2.
1. Dasapura is modem Mandasor
2. V.V. Mirashi (I.H.Q., XXXIII, pp-314-20) conjectures
that Gauri’s overlord, Adityavardhana belonged to the Aulikara family of the famous emperor Yasodharman
alias Vishhnuvardhana, whose known date is 589 Vikrama.
Varahamihira, who wrote this Panchasiddhantica in saka
427 (= 505 AD. = 564 Vikrama) mentions another Avantika.
Aulikara Nripa, Maharajadhiraja Dravyavardhana as an
author of a work on sakuna-sastra. He seems to have succeeded Adityavardhana.
3. मानव गोत्र = मानवायनि गोत्र claimed in the chhoti sadadi ins.
4. The proper place of the half verse is before तेनेदं नगराभ्याशे in verse 8.
5. Halanta n is incised above the line.
English Translation of the inscription.
1. Victorious is the divine Vishnu, who yields a discus in hand who rides a chariot that is the Garuda (the
eagle) (and) who in the three worlds
2. While the king Aaityavarddhana, a tiger among men, was governing the beautiful city of Dasapur after
having conquered the enemy forces in battle.
3. There was the king Yasogapta, who as the noble son of Rashtravarddhana, who was the augmenter of fame
and power of the Manava lineage.
4. This son of his, the illustrious Maharaja Gaurin, whose maternal grand father as the illustrious and heroic, and whose mother was the renowned
Harisura, the faithful wife.
6. Who, the mother, having attained old age after having performed unsurpassed penance and after
having given gifts to the Brahmanas, went to heaven.
7.: By him (Gauri), who had caused to be made wells, tanks and beautiful halls in villages and cities
for increasing (hi) religious merit (also) caused to be dug, for the increase of religious merit of (his) mother, this tank in the vicinity of the city,
a storage of water, which is pleasant for all the creatures to drink.
8: of mother and father – –