The Harshacharita (Sanskrit: हर्षचरित, Harṣacarita) (The deeds of Harsha), is the biography of Indian emperor Harsha by Banabhatta, also known as Bana, who was a Sanskrit writer of seventh-century CE India. He was the Asthana Kavi, meaning Court Poet, of Harsha. The Harshacharita was the first composition of Bana and is considered to be the beginning of writing of historical poetic works in the Sanskrit language.
The Harshacharita ranks as the first historical biography in Sanskrit although it is written in a florid and fanciful style. Bana's detailed and vivid descriptions of rural India's natural environment as well as the extraordinary industry of the Indian people exudes the vitality of life at that time. Since he received the patronage of the emperor Harsha, his descriptions of his patron are not an unbiased appraisal and presents the emperor's actions in an overly favourable light.[1]
The Harṣacharita, written in ornate poetic prose,[2] narrates the biography of the emperor Harsha in eight ucchvāsas (chapters). In the first two ucchvāsas, Bana gives an account of his ancestry and his early life. He was the great emperor.
Commentaries
The only commentary available is the Sanketa written by Shankara, a scholar from Kashmir. It seems that Ruyyaka also wrote a commentary known as the Harsacaritavartika, which has not yet been found.[citation needed]
The work was translated into English by Edward Byles Cowell and Frederick William Thomas in 1897.[3] The military historian Kaushik Roy describes Harshacharita as "historical fiction" but with a factually correct foundation.[4]
This work was translated into Telugu prose by M. V. Ramanachari (Medepalli Venkata Ramanacharyulu) of Maharajah's College, Vizianagaram in 1929.[5]
^Keay, John (2000). India: A History. New York: Grove Press. pp. 161–162. ISBN0-8021-3797-0.
^Basham, A. L. (1981) [1954]. The wonder that was India. Calcutta: Rupa & Co. p. 433.
^Rapson, E. J. (April 1898). "The Harṣa-carita of Bāṇa by E. B. Cowell; F. W. Thomas". The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland: 448–451. JSTOR 25208004.
^Roy, Kaushik (2013). "Bana". In Coetzee, Daniel; Eysturlid, Lee W. (eds.). Philosophers of War: The Evolution of History's Greatest Military Thinkers. ABC-CLIO. pp. 21–22. ISBN978-0-313-07033-4.
^M. V. Ramanachari (1929). Andhra Harsha Charitramu (in Telugu). Vizianagaram. Retrieved 17 June 2020.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Further reading
Ashok Kaushik. Harsh Charita by Bann Bhatt (in Hindi), Diamond Pocket Books, Delhi
External links
Banabhatta (1897). The Harsa-carita of Bana. Translated by E. B. Cowell; F. W. Thomas. London: Royal Asiatic Society.
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harshacharita, sanskrit, हर, षचर, harṣacarita, deeds, harsha, biography, indian, emperor, harsha, banabhatta, also, known, bana, sanskrit, writer, seventh, century, india, asthana, kavi, meaning, court, poet, harsha, first, composition, bana, considered, begin. The Harshacharita Sanskrit हर षचर त Harṣacarita The deeds of Harsha is the biography of Indian emperor Harsha by Banabhatta also known as Bana who was a Sanskrit writer of seventh century CE India He was the Asthana Kavi meaning Court Poet of Harsha The Harshacharita was the first composition of Bana and is considered to be the beginning of writing of historical poetic works in the Sanskrit language HarshacharitaAuthorBanabhattaThe Harshacharita ranks as the first historical biography in Sanskrit although it is written in a florid and fanciful style Bana s detailed and vivid descriptions of rural India s natural environment as well as the extraordinary industry of the Indian people exudes the vitality of life at that time Since he received the patronage of the emperor Harsha his descriptions of his patron are not an unbiased appraisal and presents the emperor s actions in an overly favourable light 1 Contents 1 Contents 2 Commentaries 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksContents EditThe Harṣacharita written in ornate poetic prose 2 narrates the biography of the emperor Harsha in eight ucchvasas chapters In the first two ucchvasas Bana gives an account of his ancestry and his early life He was the great emperor Commentaries EditThe only commentary available is the Sanketa written by Shankara a scholar from Kashmir It seems that Ruyyaka also wrote a commentary known as the Harsacaritavartika which has not yet been found citation needed The work was translated into English by Edward Byles Cowell and Frederick William Thomas in 1897 3 The military historian Kaushik Roy describes Harshacharita as historical fiction but with a factually correct foundation 4 This work was translated into Telugu prose by M V Ramanachari Medepalli Venkata Ramanacharyulu of Maharajah s College Vizianagaram in 1929 5 See also EditAshokavadana Prithviraj Raso Akbarnama Raja Vikramaditya Bharat ka veer yoddha Maharaja pratap ShahjahannamanaReferences Edit Keay John 2000 India A History New York Grove Press pp 161 162 ISBN 0 8021 3797 0 Basham A L 1981 1954 The wonder that was India Calcutta Rupa amp Co p 433 Rapson E J April 1898 The Harṣa carita of Baṇa by E B Cowell F W Thomas The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 448 451 JSTOR 25208004 Roy Kaushik 2013 Bana In Coetzee Daniel Eysturlid Lee W eds Philosophers of War The Evolution of History s Greatest Military Thinkers ABC CLIO pp 21 22 ISBN 978 0 313 07033 4 M V Ramanachari 1929 Andhra Harsha Charitramu in Telugu Vizianagaram Retrieved 17 June 2020 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Further reading EditAshok Kaushik Harsh Charita by Bann Bhatt in Hindi Diamond Pocket Books DelhiExternal links EditBanabhatta 1897 The Harsa carita of Bana Translated by E B Cowell F W Thomas London Royal Asiatic Society This article about a biographical or autobiographical book on royalty is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harshacharita amp oldid 1094196104, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
