Gauda kingdom – King Shashanka

When the­ Gupta Empire fell apart in the e­arly 5th century CE, many small kingdoms started in Bangladesh. One of the­ most famous was the Gauda kingdom. Gauda was the historic capital of Bengal. Now it is ruins on the­ border betwee­n India and Bangladesh. The city of Gauda is also known as Lakshmanavati. The Gauda kingdom was founde­d by King Shashanka. It was the first kingdom in Bengal’s history led by Be­ngalis themselves.

This article is about the “Gauda Kingdom” which is an important topic from ancient Indian history for UPSC and other competitive govt job examinations.

King Shashanka

• Shashankadeva or Shashanka was the sovereign ruler of the Gauda Empire of ancient Bengal and the first independent king of a unified state in the Bengal region. He united many small kingdoms of Bengal and formed the extended Gauda empire.
• Shashanka or Shashankadeva was the only known King of the Gauda kingdom. According to historians he ruled between 593 and 637 CE.
• Beginning on the day of his succession to the throne, the Bengali Calendar, or “Bangabda“, officially starts to count.
• Shashank was a worshiper of Shiva. Banabhata, Hiuen Tsang, and various Buddhist scriptures call him an anti-Buddhist. Banabhatta called Shashanka ‘Gaudaham‘ and ‘Gaudbhujanga‘. Shashanka’s capital was Karnasubarna.
• After Shashanka’s death in 637 CE, a grave disaster occurred in the history of Bengal. Anarchy was the permanent rule of Bengal during this time. In the Buddhist text called ‘Aryamanjushrimulkalpa‘, this anarchic condition of Bengal is mocked as ‘Gauda Tantra‘. This anarchic state is called Matsyanyaya. In this critical situation in the national life of Bengal, the leaders of Bengal placed a person named Gopal on the throne of Bengal and as a result, the Pala dynasty was established in Bengal.
• Manava, Shashanka’s son, ruled the Gaur kingdom for eight months following his father’s death. However, Harshavardhana and Kamarupa’s Bhaskaravarman soon had control over Gauda. Karnasubarna was captured by even Bhaskaravarman.

The renowned Indian archaeologist Rakhaldas Bandyopadhyay, who is best known for his discoveries in Mohenjo Daro, wrote the historical novel Shashanka, which was first published in 1914. He considered Shashanka to be a compelling representation of Bengal’s glorious past and ambitions for the future.

Also Read: Background of Delhi Sultanate GK

Military Campaigns of Shashanka:

There were three major campaigns carried out by King Shashanka. These are discussed below:

1. Campaign against the Varmans of Kamarupa (Assam) between 595 and 600 C.E. Shashanka defeated the king, and princes Bhaskaravarma of kamrupa And Supratisthita.
2. Campaign against the Maukharis of Kanyakubja (Kanauj) in 606 C.E. Shashanka killed Rajyavardhana.
3. War with Harsha of Thanesar in 606 C.E. The battle’s outcome was inconclusive.

Also Read: Mahmud of Ghazni – Key Points (Pre-sultanate era)