The Varman dynasty (350–650) was the first historical dynasty of the Kamarupa kingdom. It was established by Pushyavarman, a contemporary of Samudragupta. The earlier Varmans were subordinates of the Gupta Empire, but as the power of the Guptas waned, Mahendravarman (470–494) performed two horse sacrifices and the status of Kamarupa as an independent state remained unimpaired. As per the Apsad Inscription of Adityasen, Susthivarman was defeated by Mahasengupta on the bank of Lauhitya. The first of the three Kamarupa dynasties, the Varmans were followed by the Mlechchha and then the Pala dynasties.Sircar, D C (1990), "Political History", in Barpujari, H K (ed.), The Comprehensive History of Assam, vol. I, Guwahati: Publication Board, Assam, pp. 94–171
Origin
The first king in this dynasty was Pushyavarman, possibly a contemporary of Samudragupta (c. 335/350-375 CE). The kingdom which he established with much effort, grew in the periphery of the Gupta Empire, adopted the north Indian political model, and its kings took on names and titles of the Gupta kings and queens. Nothing much is known directly about the initial kings till the sixth king, Mahendravarman, who established a rock temple and assumed the title of Maharajadhiraja (king-of-kings) in the last quarter of the fifth century. The dynastic line from Pushyavarman first appear in the 7th century, in Dubi and Nidhanpur copperplate inscriptions issued by Bhaskaravarman and in the Harshacharita and not earlier in any inscription from his ancestors. In these inscriptions Bhaskaravarman claims that he was a descendant of Narakasur, Bhagadatta and Vajradatta. Modern scholars consider this claim to be a fabrication, Jae-eun Shin suggests that this genealogy was created in the context of Bharkarvarman's alliance with Harshavardhana, to help legitimise his sovereignty. The use of Naraka/Bhagadatta lineage to establish sovereignty continued under the Mlechchha and the Pala dynasties, a practice which is in keeping with the trend in the post-Gupta period in India.
Chinese work She-Kia-Fang-Che describes Bhaskaravarman as a Kshatriya whose ancestors had come from China. The ethnic origin of the Varman dynasty remains disputed. Some scholars have regarded it as probably the first Indo-Aryan dynasty of Assam, whereas other historians have argued for an indigenous or non-Indo-Aryan origin. Kanak Lal Barua described Kamarupa as having been ruled by an indigenous line of kings claiming descent from Naraka, Bhagadatta and Vajradatta. Jae-Eun Shin argues that the Varmans' adoption of the demon Naraka—rather than the conventional solar or lunar Kshatriya lineages—as their progenitor alludes to the dynasty's indigenous origin, although its rulers subsequently became patrons of Brahmanical religion. Suniti Kumar Chatterji, using the racial terminology of his period, similarly described Bhaskaravarman as a Hinduised mleccha king of Indo-Mongoloid origin. B. P. Singh characterised the state established in seventh-century Assam under Bhaskaravarman as a “Hinduized Indo-Mongoloid empire”. Hugh B. Urban also infers that the Varmans descended from non-Aryan tribal populations that were gradually incorporated into Brahmanical kingship.
Capital The capital was moved at least once, the last time by Sthitavarman (566-590) with the older city not named but presumed to be Pragjyotishpura,"The older city is not given by name...(it) might have been Pragjyotisha." located at the south-eastern slope of the Narakasur hill near Dispur. The new capital was possibly some location in Guwahati."This verse refers to the act of abandoning the old capital city and building of a new metropolis on the bank of the holy river. The holy river seems to be none other than the Brahmaputra and the site of the city must have been located in the present Gauhati region." Though the claim is not supported by any archaeological findings.
Politics and diplomacy The Varman's modeled themselves after the Gupta's and named themselves after the Gupta kings and queens."the early kings of Kamarupa freely implemented the political model of north India, particularly following that of the Guptas, rather suggests their relative autonomy in the periphery. They adopted the imperial title of the Gupta, and the name of a Gupta king and queen, and performed a horse sacrifice...The resemblance between the names of Pushyavarman's son, Samudravarman, and daughter-in-law, DattadevI, on the one hand and those of Gupta emperor Samudragupta and his queen Dattadevl on the other may not be accidental. It was probably a conscious adoption."
The dynasty The dynastic line, as given in the Dubi and Nidhanpur copperplate inscriptions:
Reign Name succession Queen 1 350-374 Pushyavarman (unknown) 2 374-398 Samudravarman son of Pushyavarman Dattadevi 3 398-422 Balavarman son of Samudravarman Ratnavati 4 422-446 Kalyanavarman son of Balavarman Gandharavati 5 446-470 Ganapativarman son of Kalyanavarman Yajnavati 6 470-494 Mahendravarman son of Ganapativarman Suvrata 7 494-518 Narayanavarman son of Mahendravarman Devavati 8 518-542 Bhutivarman son of Narayanavarman Vijnayavati 9 542-566 Chandramukhavarman son of Bhutivarman Bhogavati 10 566-590 Sthitavarman son of Chandramukhavarman Nayanadevi 11 590-595 Susthitavarman son of Sthitavarman Syamadevi 12 595-600 Supratisthitavarman son of Susthitavarman (Bachelor) 13 600-650 Bhaskaravarman brother of Supratisthitavarman (Bachelor) 14 650-655 Avantivarman"Though there exists no direct evidence, there are indirect evidence of a king who ruled for a short period after Bhaskaravarman, but was ousted by Salasthamba.". (unknown) (unknown)
Family tree
References
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