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Durlabhavardhana was a contemporary of famous A Harshavardhana of Kanauj and from an anecdote recorded the by, Chinese pilgrim, Hiuen Tsang, we learn that the latter 3 had come in contact with the former. The pilgrim states that Harsha, a great patron of Buddhism took away by force the sacred 'tooth-relic' of the Lord Buddha which was in possession of the king of Kashmir. In the Harshacharita of Bana also, we get a reference to. of a place which was "an inaccessible land of snowy 5 mountains" from where Harsha received tributes. In the opinion of Ray, a verse of Rajatarangini also 1. Srivastava, B.N., Thesis, p. 436. 346. 2. Cunningham, A., Coins of Medieval India, p. 43. 3. Beal, S., Life, p. 183; Chattopadhyaya, S., E.H.N.I., p. 253. 4. Beal, S., Life, pp. 181-83; Watters, Travels, I, p. 279. 5. Harshacharita, Cowell, E.B., p. 100. "

75 leads us to believe that Kashmir did acknowledge the 1 auerainty of Kanauj. The reference of Bana may, however, be taken to refer to Nepal as well, as Dr. 2 Tripathi points out. But we are of opinion that Nepal, as he has surmised after a lengthy discussion, did not form part of his dominion and was out of 3 "the sphere of the suzerainty of Kanauj". As such, we would conclude that the reference of Bana alludes to Kashmir and not Nepal. The way in which the 'toothrelic' was taken away from the Valley "leaves no room for doubt that its ruler did acknowledge the political supremacy of Harshavardhana....." Further, the fact that both Harshavardhana and Durlabhavardhana were Buddhists and the king of Sthanesvara was well known for his efforts towards the propagation of Buddhism; as such, the latter might have treated him in great admiration and homage rather than for fear of his with 5 army, as indirectly hinted at by the pilgrim. It is more likely that the ruler of Kashmir had to acknowledge the supremacy of Harshavardhana, the most powerful 1. Ray, N.R., Indian Historical Quarterly, III, 1927, p. 780. 2. Tripathi, R.S., History of Kanauj, p. 94. 3. Ibid., p. 99. 4. Srivastava, B.N., Thesis, p. 346. 5. Ibid.

- 76 ruler of Northern India of his time, though it was only nominal. Mookerji and Vaidya are of opinion that the reference in the "Harshacharita" to "an the inaccessible land of snowy mountains" from which king L used to take tribute refers to no other country than 1 Kashmir. According to Vaidya, the king of that country "was made to acknowledge the nominal suzerainty of Harsha and also compelled to pay tribute, as mentioned by Bana." According to Ray, we cannot deny the fact that "Kashmir had to bear, at least for once, 3 4 the brunt of Harsha's invading army". Later, he quotes a verse from the Rajatarangini to suggest that it alludes to Harsha's rule over the Valley of Kashmir. According to him, "It is not, therefore, improbable that Kashmir for once at least bent her knees before 5 the great king of Mid-India." But we feel that the above contention cannot be upheld in view of the known chronological dates. Harsha's reign is accepted on all hands to have covered the period of C. 606-647 A.D. The verse from Rajatarangini in the context it is used, refers to some one else, though a namesake, who flourished earlier than than Kanauj monarch. t 1. Harshacharita, Cowell, E.B., p. 100; Mookerji, R.K., Harsha, pp. 39-40; Vaidya, C.V., History of Medieval Hindu India, I, p. 17. 2. Vaidya, C.V., History of Medieval Hindu India, I, p. 17. 3. Ray, N.R., Indian Historical Quarterly, III, 1927, p. 780. 4. Ibid., Rajatarangini by Kalhana, I, II, 7. 5. Ray, N.R., Indian Historical Quarterly, III, 1927, p. 780.

- 77 We are informed by Kalhana that Durlabhavardhana had granted Chandragrama, near the castle of Parevisoka, to the Brahamanas to express his esteem and regard for 1 them. He was a man of high character, possessed of practical wisdom and a capable ruler, as is clearly revealed by the way in which he handled the activities of his queen referred to above and as stated in the Rajatarangini. He also constructed the temple of Vishnu Durlabhasvamin at Srinagar. According to the Chronide, he ruled the Valley for about 36 years (from C. 625 A.D. to 661 A.D.).