Shiladitya

Shiladitya (also transliterated as Siladitya) is the title of an Indian king mentioned in the writings of the Chinese traveler Xuanzang (Hieun Tsang).

Xuanzang mentions him as a Buddhist king of Kie-Jo-Kio-She-Kwo. Upon assuming the throne, Shiladitya gathered an army of 50,000 foot soldiers, 5000 elephants and 2000 cavalry. He subdued the five regions of India, and built "several thousand" stupas on the banks of the Ganges, each about 100 feet high.[1]

Xuanzang also states that every five years, Shiladitya held an assembly called "Moksha". He gave away his treasury in charity, which was then replenished by his vassals. He describes such a ritual held in the empire's Po-lo-ye-kia kingdom as follows:[1]

To the east of the capital, between the two confluents of the river, for the space of 10 li or so, the ground is pleasant and upland. The whole is covered with a fine sand. From old time till now, the kings and noble families, whenever they had occasion to distribute their gifts in charity, ever came to this place, and here gave away their goods; hence it is called the great charity enclosure. At the present time Shiladitya-raja, after the example of his ancestors, distributes here in one day the accumulated wealth of five years. Having collected in this space of the charity enclosure immense piles of wealth and jewels, on the first day he adorns in a very sumptuous way a statue of Buddha, and then offers to it the most costly jewels. Afterwards he offers his charity to the residentiary priests; afterwards to the priests (from a distance) who are present; afterwards to the men of distinguished talent; afterwards to the heretics who live in the place, following the ways of the world; and lastly, to the widows and bereaved, orphans and desolate, poor and mendicants.
— Xuan Zang, Buddhist Records of the Western World, Book V[1]

Identification

Shiladitya is identified with Harsha by many scholars.[2][3][4] According to this theory, Kie-Jo-Kio-She-Kwo is Kanyakubja (Kannauj), while Po-lo-ye-kia is Prayag.

Xuanzang also mentions another king named Shiladitya, of "Mo-la-po" kingdom.[5] This king is variously identified with a king of Malwa or Shiladitya I of Vallabhi.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Buddhist Records of the Western World, Book V by Xuan Zang
  2. ↑ Kr̥shṇājī Pāṇḍuraṅga Kulakarṇī (1927). Sanskrit Drama & Dramatists: Their Chronology, Mind and Art. K.P. Kulkarni. p. 178.
  3. ↑ Harṣavardhana (King of Thānesar and Kanauj); Wendy Doniger (2006). Ratnāvalī. New York University Press. p. 15.
  4. ↑ Samuel Beal (1885). Buddhist records of the western world. pp. 235–.
  5. ↑ Vincent A. Smith (1999). The Early History of India. Atlantic. pp. 325–. ISBN 978-81-7156-618-1.
  6. ↑ Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi; Narayan Raghunath Navlekar (1969). Kalidasa: Date, Life And Works. Popular. pp. 19–20. ISBN 978-81-7154-468-4.
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