Harsha

Harsha, in the Bible

Harsha (här`shə), in the Bible, family that returned from the Exile.

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Harsha, Indian emperor

Harsha (hûr`shə), b. c.590, Indian emperor (606–47). He became (606) king of a small state in the upper Ganges Valley, and by 612 he had built up a vast army with which he forged nearly all India N of the Narmada River into an empire. An extremely able military leader, his only defeat was at the hands of the Chalukyas, when he attempted (c.620) to invade the Deccan. His capital at Kanauj was an artistic and literary center, and Harsha himself was a distinguished poet and dramatist. A Hindu early in life, Harsha later became a devout Buddhist and forbade the killing of animals in his realm. He built innumerable stupas, established many monasteries, and founded several state hospitals. His great Buddhist convocation at Kanauj (643) was reputedly attended by 20 kings and thousands of pilgrims. The life and times of Harsha are described in the Harsha-charita, a flowery work by Bana, the court poet, and in the Si-yu-ki [records of the Western world] written by the Chinese pilgrim Hsüan-tsang. After Harsha's death, N India relapsed into anarchy.

Bibliography

See R. K. Mookerji, Harsha (1926); studies by D. Devahuti (1970) and B. Sharma (1970).

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Harsa

 or Harsha or Harsavardhana

(born c. 590—died c. 647) Ruler of a large empire in northern India (606–47). He was a Buddhist convert in a Hindu era. He brought what is now Uttar Pradesh and parts of Punjab and Rajasthan under his hegemony, but he contented himself with tribute and homage and never built a centralized empire. His chroniclers, including the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang, describe him as benevolent and energetic. He set up institutions to benefit the poor and the sick and established the first diplomatic relations between India and China (641). A patron of scholars, he was himself a poet.