Describe the economic condition of Bengal during the reign of sasanka
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
Hiuen T-Sang came to visit Bengal immediately after death of Sasanka and he found Bengal divided into five principalities, namely, Kajangal, Pundravardhana, Karnasurvarna, Samatata and Tamralipti. Utkal and Kangod although had been parts of Bengal had become independent.
In Manjusreemulakalpa there is a clear reference to the total disruption in Bengal after the death of Sasanka. Manab, son of Sasanka, ruled over Bengal for eight months five days and rulers who arose in different parts of Bengal likewise ruled for very short time. Taking advantage of the situation Bhaskarvarman of Kamrup conquered Gauda and Harshavardhana conquered Utkal and Kangod. When Harshavardhana was camping at Kajangal near Rajmahal, Bhaskarvarman came to see him with twenty thousand war elephants and thirty thousand warships.
The kingdom of Bengal was broken up in this manner soon after the death of Sasanka. After Harshavardhana’s death Bengal was being invaded by neighbouring kings repeatedly. The king of Tibet, the later Guptas, the kings of the Saila dynasty, Yasovarman of Kanauj, Harshadeva of Assam, and Lalitaditya of Kashmir invaded Bengal one after another. Vatsyaraj of Gurjara also invaded Bengal.
The conquest of Bengal by Yasovarman of Kanauj was the subject-matter of his Gaudabaho written by Bakpatiraj, the court poet of Kanauj. Yasovarman had also conquered the kingdom of Vanga, that is, northern and eastern Bengal. Of course Yasovarman’s authority in these areas was very short-lived.
It is needless to stress that due to internal disorder and external aggression condition in Bengal became desperate. The small local rulers were mutually at war, the stronger was oppressing the weaker, and the more powerful was attacking the less powerful. There was veritable matsya-nyaya, that is, the logic of the fishes prevailing in Bengal.