Last Days of the Maukharis

Summary

This final article reconstructs the decline of the Maukhari dynasty, which rose to prominence in northern India during the sixth century CE. Using the Asirgadh seal of Sarvavarman and other genealogical inscriptions, the author traces the lineage from Harivarman through Adityavarman, Ishanavarman, Sharvavarman and Avantivarman. The seal portrays Ishanavarman as a powerful king, but information about his successors is sparse. The Maukharis reached the zenith of their power under Ishanavarman, who adopted imperial titles and challenged the later Guptas. However, their dominance was short‑lived. Grahavarman’s marriage to Rajyasri, sister of the rising ruler Harsha, created an alliance with the Pushyabhutis, but he was defeated and killed by Devagupta of Malava, plunging the dynasty into crisis. Harsha’s campaigns and the ambitions of the Gauda king Shashanka further undermined Maukhari independence. Subsequent references to Avantivarman are minimal, and literary texts like the Arya‑Mañjuśrī‑Mūla‑Kalpa mention the Maukharis only in passing. The article argues that the Maukhari territories were absorbed by more powerful neighbours, notably Harsha’s empire and the Gauda kingdom, by the mid‑seventh century. Through a combination of seal inscriptions, coins and narrative sources, the author paints a picture of a brief but significant dynasty whose last days were marked by internal weakness and external pressure.