GayleTibbs8: further correct formatting per sources further and fixed typos

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further correct formatting per sources further and fixed typos

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{{Short description|Classical Indian dynasty (c.500–647 CE)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox country
| common_name = Pushyabhuti dynasty
| conventional_long_name = Pushyabhuti dynasty (Vardhana dynasty)
|image_map =
{{Location map+
|South Asia
|overlay_image= Map of the Pushyabhutis.png
|float = center
|width = 290 
|border =none
|nodiv = 1
|mini = 1
|relief=yes
|places =
{{Annotation|text-align=center|230|5|South-Asia 600–650 CE|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=10|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|70|105|[[Pratiharas of Mandavyapura|PRATIHARAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|125|180|[[Pallava dynasty|PALLAVAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|115|225|[[Pandyan dynasty|PANDYAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|125|200|[[Chola dynasty|CHOLAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|105|210|[[Chera dynasty|CHERAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|70|34|[[Nezak Huns|NEZAK HUNS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|150|160|[[Eastern Ganga dynasty|KALINGAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|90|60|[[Taank Kingdom|TAANK]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=6|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|30|15|[[Tokhara Yabghus|TOKHARA YABGHUS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|1|1|[[Western Turkic Khaganate|WESTERN TURKS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|90|25|[[Patola Shahis|PATOLAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=6|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|100|40|[[Karkota dynasty|KARKOTAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=6|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|180|45|[[Tibetan Empire|TIBETAN EMPIRE]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=8|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|160|2|[[Tocharians|TOCHARIANS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|65|130|[[Maitrakas|MAITRAKAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|145|135|[[Kalachuris of Tripuri|KALACHURIS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|55|90|[[Brahmin dynasty of Sindh|CHACHAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|95|160|[[Chalukya dynasty|CHALUKYAS]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=7|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|text-align=center|5|55|[[Sasanian Empire|SASANIAN EMPIRE]]|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=8|color=#000000}}
{{Annotation|262|250|[[Template:South Asia in 500 CE| ◁ ]] [[Template:South Asia in 800 CE| ▷ ]]|text-align=center|font-weight=bold|font-style=normal|font-size=12|color=#000000}}
|caption={{center|Map of the Pushyabhutis at their zenith, {{Circa|600}}-650 CE, forming the "[[Harshavardhana|Empire of Harsha]]", and neighbouring polities.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schwartzberg |first1=Joseph E. |title=A Historical atlas of South Asia |date=1978 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |page=146, map XIV.2 (d)|isbn=0226742210 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=183}}</ref>}}
}}
|image_coat = Harshavardhana Circa AD 606-647.jpg
|coa_size = 290px
|symbol_type =Coin of [[Harshavardhana]], {{Circa|606}}–647 CE. ''Obverse'': portrait of Harshavardhana with a crescent over the head. ''Reverse'': Fan-tailed [[Garuda]] standing facing.<ref>[https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=261204 CNG Coins]</ref>
| image_map_caption =
| year_start = c. 500
| year_end = {{Circa|647 CE}}
| capital = Sthanvishvara (modern [[Thanesar]]) Kanyakubja (modern [[Kannauj]])
| government_type = Monarchy
| p1 = Gupta Empire
| flag_p1=Map_of_the_Gupta_Empire.png
| p5 = Later Gupta dynasty
| flag_p5 = Map of the Later Guptas.jpg
| p2 = Alchon Huns
| flag_p2 = Alchon_Tamga.png
| p3 = Gauda Kingdom
| flag_p3 = Map_of_the_Shashankas.png
| p4 = Maukhari dynasty
| flag_p4 = Map_of_the_Maukharis.png
| s1 = Varman dynasty of Kannauj
| flag_s1 = Map_of_the_Varmans.png
| s3=Chalukya dynasty
| flag_s3 = Badami-chalukya-empire-map.svg
|demonym=|area_km2=|area_rank=|GDP_PPP=|GDP_PPP_year=|HDI=|HDI_year=|today=}}
The '''Pushyabhuti dynasty''' ([[IAST]]: Puṣyabhūti), also known as the '''Vardhana dynasty''', was ruling dynasty in northern India during the 6th and 7th centuries. The dynasty reached its zenith under its last ruler [[Harshavardhana|Harsha Vardhana]] ({{Circa|590|647 CE}}), and the '''Empire of Harsha''' covered much of north and north-western India, extending till [[Kamarupa]] in the east and [[Narmada River]] in the south. The dynasty initially ruled from [[Thanesar|Sthanveshvara]] (in modern [[Kurukshetra district]], [[Haryana]]), but Harsha eventually made Kanyakubja (modern [[Kannauj]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]) his capital, from where he ruled until 647 CE.

== Etymology and name ==
According to ''[[Harshacharita|Harsha-charita]]'', composed by the court poet [[Bāṇabhaṭṭa|Bana]], the family was known as Pushyabhuti dynasty ([[IAST]]: Puṣyabhūti-vaṃśa),{{sfn|D. C. Ganguly|1981|p=240}} or Pushpabhuti dynasty ([[IAST]]: Puṣpabhūti-vaṃśa). The manuscripts of ''Harsha-charita'' use the variant "Pushpabhuti", but [[Georg Bühler]] proposed that this was a scribal error, and that the correct name was Pushyabhuti.{{sfn|Baijnath Sharma|1970|p=89}} Several modern scholars now use the form "Pushpabhuti", while others prefer the variant "Pushyabhuti".{{sfn|Max Deeg|2016|p=99}}

Some modern books describe the dynasty as "Vardhana", because the names of its kings end with the suffix "-vardhana". However, this may be misleading as the names of kings of other dynasties also end with this suffix.{{sfn|D. C. Ganguly|1981|p=240}}

== Origins ==
No concrete information is available about the origins of the dynasty. ''[[Harshacharita]]'' by the 7th century poet [[Bāṇabhaṭṭa|Bana]] gives a legendary account of their origin, naming Pushyabhuti as the dynasty's founder. According to this legend, Pushyabhuti lived in the Srikantha [[janapada]] (modern [[Kurukshetra district]]), whose capital was Sthanvishvara (modern [[Thanesar]]). A devotee of [[Shiva]], Pushyabhuti became involved in a [[tantra|tantric]] ritual at a cremation ground, under the influence of Bhairavacharya, a teacher from "the South". At the end of this ritual, a goddess (identified with [[Lakshmi]]) anointed him the king and blessed him as the founder of a great dynasty.{{sfn|Hans Bakker|2014|pp=78-79}} The Pushyabhuti mentioned in Bana's account appears to be a fictional character, as he is not mentioned in the dynasty's inscriptions or any other source.{{sfn|Hans Bakker|2014|p=80}}

During Prabhakarvardhan's rule this dynasty became prominent. His son Harshvardhan further expand Vardhan kingdom in his rule.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Itihas Va Nagarikshastra Iyatta Sahavi |publisher=Maharashtra rajya pathyapustak nirmiti va abhyaskram sanshodhak mandal, [[Pune]] |year=2021 |edition=5th |location=Mudra vibhag, Pathyapustak madal, Pune, India |page=39 |language=mr |trans-title=History and Sociology class sixth |script-chapter=mr: ८. मोर्य समर्ज्यानंतरची राज्ये |trans-chapter=8. Kingdoms after Maurya empire}}</ref>{{better source needed|reason=A government school textbook is not a great source when more scholarly sources exist|date=March 2023}}

The writings of [[Xuanzang]] and an 8th century Buddhist text, the ''[[Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa|Arya-manjushri-mula-kalpa]]'' suggest that the dynasty belonged to the [[Vaishya]] caste.<ref name="Congress2007">{{cite journal|author=Shankar Goyal|title=Religious Analysis of Harsha's Personality |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=68 |page=137|jstor=44147825|year=2007|publisher=Indian History Congress|quote=This probably explains the emergence of Pushyabhuti , a Vaisya by caste and a Saiva by faith , as its ruler}}</ref><ref name="KrishanSociety1986">{{cite book|author1=Y. Krishan|author2=Indian History and Culture Society|title=Essays in Indian History and Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EhS2AAAAIAAJ|year=1986|publisher=Indian History & Culture Society|quote=yuan Chwang, who remained in Inda for approximately thirteen years (c. A.DD. 630-44) tells us that Harshavardhana was of 'Fe ishe'(bais) extraction. The Āryamanjuśrimulakalpa also clearly states that the Pushyabhutis belonged to the vaisya caste. According to Tripathi , the suffix ' bhūti ' additionally indicates that Pushyabhuti , the founder of the family was a vaisya|page=167}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Indian Stone Statue- Female Bust, Vardhana, 7th Century CE.jpg|thumb|Female Bust, Gwalior, Madhy Pradesh. Vardhana dynasty, 7th Century CE.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Nath |first1=Amarendra |title=Reflections of Indian Consciousness |date=2008 |publisher=National Museum |isbn=978-81-85832-26-5 |page=55 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vUF6zmiao7IC |language=en|quote="Female bust Vardhana , 7th Gwalior , Madhya Pradesh Stone , 67 x 41x 27 cm Acc . No. 51.97 National Museum , New Delhi The present sculpture is a surviving upper portion of a female figure from Gwalior region."}}</ref>]]
The Pushyabhuti dynasty originally ruled a small area around their capital Sthaneshvara ([[Thanesar]]). According to [[Hans T. Bakker]], their ruler Aditya-Vardhana (or Aditya-Sena) was probably a feudatory to [[Sharva-varman]], the [[Maukhari]] king of [[Kannauj]]. His successor [[Prabhakaravardhana|Prabhakara-Vardhana]] may have also been a feudatory to the Maukhari king Avanti-Varman in his early days. Prabhakara's daughter Rajyashri married Avanti-Varman's son Graha-Varman. As a result of this marriage, Prabhakara's political status increased significantly, and he assumed the imperial title ''Parama-bhattaraka Maharajadhiraja''. ("the one to whom the other kings bow because of his valour and affection").{{sfn|Hans Bakker|2014|p=79}}

[[File:Seal of Harshavardhana found in Nalanda.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.7|Seal of [[Harshavardhana]] found in [[Nalanda]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sastri |first1=Hirananda |title=Epigraphia Indica Vol.21 |date=1931 |pages=74–80 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.56981/page/n104/mode/1up}}</ref>]]
According to the ''Harshacharita'', after Prabhakara's death, the king of [[Malwa|Malava]] attacked Kannauj, supported by the ruler of [[Gauḍa (region)|Gauda]]. The Malava king killed Graha-Varman, and captured Rajyashri.{{sfn|Hans Bakker|2014|p=81}} Bana does not mention this king, but historians speculate him to be a ruler of the [[Later Gupta dynasty]].{{sfn|Hans Bakker|2014|p=82}} Prabhakara's elder son [[Rajyavardhana|Rajya-Vardhana]] defeated the Malava ruler, but was killed by the Gauda king.{{sfn|Hans Bakker|2014|pp=85-86}}

The ''Harshacharita'' further states that Prabhakara's younger son [[Harshavardhana|Harsha-Vardhana]] then vowed to destroy the Gauda king and their allies. {{sfn|Hans Bakker|2014|p=87}} Again, Bana does not mention the name of the Gauda king, but historians identify him with [[Shashanka|Shashanka-Deva]], the ruler of Bengal ([[Gauda Kingdom|Gauda]]). Harsha formed an alliance with [[Bhaskar Varman]], the king of [[Kamarupa]], and forced Shashanka to retreat. Subsequently, in 606 CE, Harsha was formally crowned as an emperor.{{sfn|Hans Bakker|2014|p=88}} He captured a large part of northern India (see the [[Empire of Harsha]]).{{sfn|Sukla Das|1990|p=2}} There are different assessments of the exact extent of Harsha's empire, but he controlled major parts of northern India; his overlordship was accepted by the [[Maitraka dynasty|king of Vallabhi]] in the west and the [[Kamarupa]] king [[Bhaskaravarman]] in the east; in the south, his empire extended up to the [[Narmada River]].{{sfn|Upinder Singh|2008|p=562}}

Harsha eventually made Kanyakubja (modern [[Kannauj]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]]) his capital,{{sfn|Baijnath Sharma|1970|p=89}} and ruled till c. 647 CE. He died without an heir, leading to the end of the Pushyabhuti dynasty.{{sfn|Sukla Das|1990|p=2}}

== Rulers ==
[[File:Indian Stone Statue- Lion Capital, Vardhana 7th Century CE Gwalior.jpg|thumb|Lion Capital, Vardhana dynasty, Gwalior, 7th Century CE.<ref>[[Vardhana]] attribution by the Indian Museum in New Delhi, see label [[:File:Indian_Stone_Statue-_Lion_Capital,_Vardhana_7th_Century_CE_Gwalior.jpg|of the lion capital]]</ref>]]
[[File:Sculptures near Teli Mandir, Gwalior Fort.jpg|thumb|Lion Capital on his original pillar, near [[Teli ka Mandir]], [[Gwalior Fort]].<ref>[[Vardhana]] attribution by the Indian Museum in New Delhi, see label [[:File:Indian_Stone_Statue-_Lion_Capital,_Vardhana_7th_Century_CE_Gwalior.jpg|of the lion capital]]</ref>]]
The following are the known rulers of the Pushyabhuti or Vardhana dynasty, with estimated period of reign ([[IAST]] names in bracket):{{sfn|Ronald M. Davidson|2012|pp=38-39}}

;List of Rulers–
{| class="wikitable"
|+List of Pushyabhuti dynasty rulers
!Ruler
!Reign (CE)
!Notes
|-
| Pushyabhuti
| ~500
|
|-
| Nāravardhana
| 500–525
|
|-
| Rājyavardhana I
| 525–555
|
|-
| [[Adityavardhana|Ādityvardhana]]
| 555–580
|
|-
| [[Prabhakara-vardhana|Prabhākaravardhana]]
| 580–605
|
|-
| [[Rajya-vardhana|Rājyavardhana II]]
| 605–606
|
|-
| [[Harsha-vardhana|Harṣavardhana]]
| 606–647
|
|-
|}

==See also==
* [[Middle kingdoms of India]]
* [[List of Hindu empires and dynasties]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{ref begin}}
* {{cite book |author=Baijnath Sharma |title=Harṣa and His Times |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q5QBAAAAMAAJ |year=1970 |publisher=Sushma Prakashan |oclc=202093 }}
* {{cite book |author=D. C. Ganguly |chapter=Western India in the Sixth Century A.D.|editor=R. C. Majumdar |editor-link=R. C. Majumdar |title=A Comprehensive History of India |volume=3, Part I: A.D. 300-985 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mRBuAAAAMAAJ |year=1981 |publisher=Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House |oclc=34008529 }}
* {{cite book |author=Hans Bakker |author-link=Hans T. Bakker |title=The World of the Skandapurāṇa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6p2XCgAAQBAJ |year=2014 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-27714-4 }}
* {{cite book |author=Max Deeg |chapter=The Political Position of Xuanzang: The Didactic Creation of an Indian Dynasty in the Xiyu ji |editor=Thomas Jülch |title=The Middle Kingdom and the Dharma Wheel: Aspects of the Relationship between the Buddhist Saṃgha and the State in Chinese History |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XVRjDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA99 |year=2016 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-32258-5 }}
* {{cite book |author=Ronald M. Davidson |title=Indian Esoteric Buddhism: A Social History of the Tantric Movement |publisher=Columbia University Press |year=2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nwyeIyWTlEMC |isbn=978-0-231-50102-6 }}
* {{cite book |author=Sukla Das |title=Crime and Punishment in Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rQa43r1GyicC |year=1990 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |isbn=978-81-7017-054-9 }}
* {{cite book |author=Upinder Singh |title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&pg=PA562 |year=2008 |publisher=Pearson Education India |isbn=978-81-317-1120-0 }}
{{ref end}}

[[Category:Pushyabhuti dynasty| ]]
[[Category:States and territories established in the 6th century]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in the 7th century]]
[[Category:6th-century establishments in Nepal]]

Pushyabhuti dynasty - Revision history

GayleTibbs8: further correct formatting per sources further and fixed typos

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article