Mihirakula: Difference between revisions

| image        = [[File:Mihirakula portrait.jpg|250px]]

| image_size  =

| reign        = 515-540

| successor    = Toramana II<br>[[Sri Pravarasena|Pravarasena]]

| religion = [[Hinduism]] (later life)<ref>Thakur, Upendra. <u>The Hunas in India</u>. The Chowkhamba Senskrit, Banaras, 1967.</ref>

}}[[File:Mihirakula of the Alchon Huns.jpg|thumb|265px|Coin of Mihirakula. Obv: Bust of king, with legend in [[Gupta script]] ([[File:Gupta allahabad j.svg|14px]])[[File:Gupta allahabad y.svg|14px]]_{[[File:Gupta allahabad tu.jpg|16px]]}^{[[File:Gupta allahabad mi.jpg|14px]]}^{[[File:Gupta ashoka hi.jpg|18px]]}[[File:Gupta allahabad r.svg|12px]]_{[[File:Gupta allahabad ku.jpg|16px]]}[[File:Gupta allahabad l.svg|14px]],<ref>The "h" ([[File:Gupta ashoka h.svg|12px]]) is an early variant of the Gupta script, seen for example in the [[:Template:Early Brahmic scripts|Chandragupta type]]</ref> ''(Ja)yatu Mihirakula'' ("Let there be victory to Mihirakula").<ref>The "h" ([[File:Gupta ashoka h.svg|12px]]) is an early variant of the Gupta script, seen for example in the [[:Template:Early Brahmic scripts|Chandragupta type]]</ref> Rev: Dotted border around Fire altar flanked by attendants in the [[Sasanian Empire]] style.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Verma |first1=Thakur Prasad |title=The Imperial Maukharis: History of Imperial Maukharis of Kanauj and Harshavardhana |date=2018 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=9781643248813 |page=264 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09FqDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT264 |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Sircar |first1=D. C. |title=Studies in Indian Coins |date=2008 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=9788120829732 |page=376 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m1JYwP5tVQUC&pg=PA376 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Tandon |first1=Pankaj | pages=24–34|title=Notes on the Evolution of Alchon Coins Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society, No. 216, Summer |date=2013 |publisher= Oriental Numismatic Society |url=http://coinindia.com/galleries-alchon-early.html}} also [http://coinindia.com/galleries-toramana.html Coinindia Alchon Coins (for an exact description of this coin type)]</ref>]]

'''Mihirakula''' ([[Gupta script]]: ^{[[File:Gupta allahabad mi.jpg|14px]]}^{[[File:Gupta ashoka hi.jpg|18px]]}[[File:Gupta allahabad r.svg|12px]]_{[[File:Gupta allahabad ku.jpg|16px]]}[[File:Gupta allahabad l.svg|14px]], ''Mihirakula''), also '''Mihiragula''' or '''Mahiragula''', was one of the most important rulers of the [[Alchon Huns]], who led a conquest and gained temporary control of [[Gandhara]], [[Kashmir]], northern and central [[India]]. Mihirakula was a son of [[Toramana]], both of [[Huna people|Huna]] heritage, and ruled the Indian part of the [[Hephthalite Empire]]. Mihirakula ruled his empire from 502 to 530,<ref name=Rene>{{citation |last=Grousset |first=Rene |title=The Empire of the Steppes |publisher=Rutgers University Press |year=1970 |isbn=0-8135-1304-9 |page=[https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/71 71] |url=https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/71 }}</ref> from his capital of [[Sagala]] (modern-day [[Sialkot]], [[Pakistan]]).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6p2XCgAAQBAJ&q=sialkot+xuanzang&pg=PA113|title=The World of the Skandapurāṇa|last=Bakker|first=Hans|date=2014-07-16|publisher=BRILL|isbn=9789004277144|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FcKtIPVQ6REC&q=mihirakula+sialkot&pg=PA142|title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia: The crossroads of civilizations: A.D. 250 to 750|last=Dani|first=Ahmad Hasan|date=1999|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=9788120815407|language=en}}</ref>

In around 520 CE, the Chinese monk [[Song Yun]] met with Mihirakula, the King of the [[Alchon Huns]].

According to [[Xuanzang]], Mihirakula initially was interested in Buddhism, but after being insulted by Buddhist monks, he turned anti Buddhist.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Upinder |title=Political Violence in Ancient India |date=2017 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0-674-97527-9 |page=241 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t6A4DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA241 |language=en}}</ref> According to Buddhist texts, the Huna king Mihirakula was extremely cruel and barbaric.<ref name=britmihirkula>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mihirakula Mihirakula], Encyclopaedia Britannica</ref><ref name=Rene/><ref name=kurt>{{cite book|last1=Behrendt|first1=Kurt A.|title=Handbuch der Orientalistik|date=2004 |publisher=BRILL|isbn= 9789004135956}}</ref> An ardent follower of [[Shaivism|Hindu Shaivism]],<ref name=britmihirkula>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mihirakula Mihirakula], Encyclopaedia Britannica</ref> he destroyed Buddhist sites, ruined monasteries, killed monks.<ref>{{Cite book|last=A. L. Basham|url=http://archive.org/details/wonderthatwasind00alba|title=The Wonder That Was India|date=1967|others=Public Resource}}</ref> Yashodharman and [[Gupta Empire]] rulers, in and after about 532 CE, reversed Mihirakula's campaign and ended the Mihirakula era.<ref name="Sagar"/><ref name="Majumdar1977p242"/>

The name "Mihirakula" is most likely of [[Iranian languages|Iranian]] origin and may have the meaning "[[Mithra]]'s Begotten", as translated by [[Janos Harmatta]].<ref>Janos Harmatta, "The Rise of the Old Persian Empire: Cyrus the Great," AAASH Acta Antiqua Acadamie Scientiarum Hungaricae  19, 197, pp. 4-15.</ref> According to [[Harold Walter Bailey]]: "A name like Toramana and his son's name Mihirakula interpreted by North Iranian (and not by Western Iranian) are clearly Iranian".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bailey |first1=H. W. |authorlink1=Harold Walter Bailey |title=Culture of the Sakas in Ancient Iranian Khotan |date=1982 |publisher=Caravan Books |page=81}}</ref>

According to Krishna Chandra Sagar, the Huna king Toramana was cruel and barbaric, his son Mihirakula even more so, during their rule.<ref name="Sagar"/> Mihirakula had conquered Sindh by 520 CE, had a large elephant and cavalry-driven army. Mihirakula destroyed Buddhist sites, ruined monasteries, according to Sagar. Yashodharman, about 532 CE, reversed Mihirakula's campaign and started the end of Mihirkula era.<ref name="Sagar">Foreign Influence on Ancient India by Krishna Chandra Sagar [https://books.google.com/books?id=0UA4rkm9MgkC&pg=PA216 p.216]</ref><ref name=britmihirkula/> Mihirakula issued coins, like the Kushana era kings, showing Oesho or Shiva, which suggests that he may also have patronized [[Shaivism]]. Other scholars state that there are many legends surrounding this era and historical facts are difficult to ascertain. The Chinese pilgrim [[Xuanzang]] (Hsuan Tsang) mentions Mihirakula as conquering Kashmir first, then Gandhara. He is also mentioned as attempting to conquer central and eastern India, but getting vanquished by Yashodharman and the Gupta king Narasimhagupta Baladitya. Mihirakula was captured during the war, but his life spared because Baladitya's mother intervened and argued against capital punishment.<ref name="Majumdar1977p242">{{cite book|author=Ramesh Chandra Majumdar|title=Ancient India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNxiN5tzKOgC&pg=PA242|year=1977|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass  |isbn=978-81-208-0436-4|pages=242–244}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Louis Renou|author2=Jean Filliozat|title=Political history of India from the earliest times to the 7th century A.D. by J. Filliozat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=THxDAAAAYAAJ|year=1957|publisher=Susil|pages=176–183}}</ref> He returned to Kashmir, states the Chinese pilgrim, with treachery seized power, attacked Gandhara, then died within a few months.<ref name="Majumdar1977p242"/>

The 6th-century [[Alexandria]]n traveler [[Cosmas Indicopleustes]] states that the Hephthalites in India reached the zenith of its power under "Gollas", which is thought to be the same as Mihirakula from the last part of his name.<ref name="Dani">{{cite book |title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia: The crossroads of civilizations, A.D. 250 to 750 |first=Ahmad Hasan |last=Dani |authorlink=Ahmad Hasan Dani |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ |year=1999 |isbn=8120815408 |page=142 |accessdate=November 5, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FcKtIPVQ6REC}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Indian History |publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Education |isbn=9781259063237 |page=396 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ORnlAAAAQBAJ&pg=SL1-PA396 |language=en}}</ref>

{{quote|Higher up in India, that is, farther to the north, are the White Huns. The one called Gollas when going to war takes with him, it is said, no fewer than two thousand elephants, and a great force of cavalry. He is the lord of India, and oppressing the people forces them to pay tribute.|[[Cosmas Indicopleustes]], [http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cosmas_11_book11.htm Book XI]}}

"The Record of the Western Regions" by the 7th-century Chinese traveler [[Xuanzang|Hsüan-tsang]] states that Mihirakula destroyed [[Buddhism]] and killed monks in Gandhara.<ref name="Neelis">Early Buddhist Transmission and Trade Networks by Jason Neelis [https://books.google.com/books?id=GB-JV2eOr2UC&pg=PA168 p.168]</ref> Xuanzang wrote in 630 CE that Mihirakula had conquered all India. The Narasimhagupta Baladitya defeated Mihirakula who was finally captured by the Indian king, who later spared his life.<ref name="Neelis"/> Xuanzang states that while Mihirkula lost his conquest, his brother seized power in Kashmir and Gandhara. Mihirakula returned to [[Kashmir]], with treachery seized the throne, attacked Gandhara but died within a year.<ref name="Majumdar1977p242"/>  

{{quote|There was a king called Mo-hi-lo-kiu-lo (Mahirakula), who established his authority in this town ([[Sagala]]) and ruled over India. He was of quick talent, and naturally brave. He subdued all the neighbouring provinces without exception.|Xuanzang "The Record of the Western Regions"<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hsüan-tsang |first1=ca 596-664 |last2=Beal |first2=Samuel |title=Si-yu-ki, Buddhist records of the Western world; |date=1884 |publisher=London : Trübner |page=[https://archive.org/details/siyukibuddhistre01hsuoft/page/167 167] |url=https://archive.org/details/siyukibuddhistre01hsuoft}}</ref>}}

[[Xuanzang]] tells us that initially Mihirakula was interested in learning about [[Buddhism]], and asked the monks to send him a teacher; the monks insulted him by recommending a servant of his own household for the purpose. This incident is said to have turned Mihirakula virulently anti-Buddhist.<ref>{{cite book |author= Upinder Singh |date=2017 |title=Political Violence in Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dYM4DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA241 |publisher=Harvard University Press |page=241 |isbn=9780674981287}}</ref>

Historian [[Upinder Singh]] has raised some questions over the anti-Buddhist reputation of Mihirakula while considering these episodes of violence:-

{{Quote|Was this reputation based on actual religious persecution? Or was Mihirakula cast into the role of a cruel anti-Buddhist king because one of his arch political opponents, king Baladitya of Magadha (sometimes identified with a later [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] emperor [[Narasimhagupta]]), at whose hands he apparently suffered a crushing defeat, was an ardent patron of the [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] sangha? The interesting thing is that ninth- and tenth-century [[Jainism|Jaina]] texts describe Mihirakula as a wicked, oppressive tyrant who was anti-[[Jainism|Jaina]]. Are the textual references evidence of active political persecution and violence? Or are they merely expressions of resentment at a lack of royal patronage and support? Are they recastings of political conflicts into religious molds?<ref>{{cite book |author= Upinder Singh |date=2017 |title=Political Violence in Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dYM4DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA241 |publisher=Harvard University Press |page=241-242 |isbn=9780674981287}}</ref>}}

It is possible that Mihirakula, who from one of his inscriptions and the symbols on his coins seems to have been inclined toward [[Shaivism]] (although his coins also have representations of other deities such as the goddess [[Lakshmi]]), was inimical toward both Buddhists and Jainas.<ref>{{cite book |author= Upinder Singh |date=2017 |title=Political Violence in Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dYM4DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA241 |publisher=Harvard University Press |page=241-242 |isbn=9780674981287}}</ref>  

She concludes that:- {{Quote|Even if the extent of the persecution of kings such as Mihirakula and [[Shashanka]] (king of unified Bengal polity; circa. 590 CE - 625 CE) was exaggerated, it is significant that such perceptions of violent royal persecution and oppression on religious lines existed. But Mihirakula and [[Shashanka]] are exceptions to the general trends of royal religious policy of that period.<ref>{{cite book |author= Upinder Singh |date=2017 |title=Political Violence in Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dYM4DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA242 |publisher=Harvard University Press |page=242 |isbn=9780674981287}}</ref>}}

The [[Gwalior inscription of Mihirakula|Gwalior inscription]] issued in the 15th [[regnal year]] created by Matricheta in a Surya temple, mentions Mihirakula. It confirms that Mihirakula reign had included [[Gwalior]] around 535 CE.

===Sondani columns inscription===

{{main|Sondani inscription}}

In 528 Mihirakula suffered a defeat in the [[Battle of Sondani]] by the Aulikara king [[Yashodharman]]<ref>Ojha, N.K. (2001). ''The Aulikaras of Central India: History and Inscriptions'', Chandigarh: Arun Publishing House, {{ISBN|81-85212-78-3}}, p.52</ref> and the Gupta emperor [[Narasimhagupta]] who previously paid tribute to him. The defeat at the resulted in the loss of Alchon possessions in the Punjab and north India by 542.<ref name="Vondrovec2014">{{cite book|author=Klaus Vondrovec|title=Coinage of the Iranian Huns and Their Successors from Bactria to Gandhara (4th to 8th Century CE)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ek6_jgEACAAJ|year=2014|isbn=978-3-7001-7695-4}}</ref>

 

* {{Url|https://archive.is/20130418175218/http://chronica.swhu.tk/huns/histwhitehuns.htm|History of White Huns}}

{{S-reg}}{{succession box

| title = Tegin of the [[Alchon Huns]]

| after = Toramana II

[[Category:History of Pakistan]]

[[Category:Hindu monarchs]]