हर्षचरितसङ्ग्रहः /6

iv
 

 
pilgrim's authentic account and the historical re-

searches of modern scholars, it is now definitely

known that Sri Harsha Deva, king of Kanouj

was born in 590 A. D. and ruled over the whole

of Northern India from 606 A. D to 647 A. D.

Bana was one of his foremost favourites and must

therefore have flourished during the first half of

the seventh century of the Christian era.
 

 
King Sri Harsha Deva whose life-story is pre-

sented to us in the Harsha Charita is also a well-

known author. The name Harsha Deva appears to

have been assumed by at least two kings who have

also been authors. The earlier Harsha Deva is a

contemporary of the famous Chinese traveller

Hiouen Thsang who travelled in India during the

first half of the seventh century of the Christian

era. This Harsha Deva is to be identified with king

Harsha Deva of Kanouj (Kanyakubja and Sthanes-

wara), the subject mattter of the Harshacharita of

Bana. The other Harsha Deva is the famous

poet-king of Kashmir who ruled from 1113 A. D. to

1125 A. D. according to the Rajatarangini of Kal-

hana. King Sri Harsha Deva of Kanouj is best re-

membered as the author of the three famous dramas,

Ratnavali, Nāgānanda and Priyadarśikā.
 

 
P. P. S. SASTRI, B A. (OXON.),

M.A., M.R.A.S.