Sarvavarman
| Author: Laxman Burdak IFS (R) |
Sarvavarman was a king of The Maukhari Dynasty, classically called the Megar Dynasty, ruled a large region of North India for over six generations. The game of chess (then called Chaturanga, meaning "army") was invented during their rule in the 6th century. They earlier served as vassals of the Guptas. They were related to Harsha and his short-lived Vardhan dynasty.
Asirgarh Copper Seal Inscription of Sarvavarman Maukhari
- (There was) the illustrious Mahârâja Harivarman, whose fame stretched out beyond the four oceans; who had other kings brought into subjection by (his) prowess and by affection (for him); who was like (the god) Chakradhara, in employing (his) sovereignty for regulating the different castes and stages of religious life; (and) who was the remover of the afflictions of (his) subjects. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the illustrious Mahârâja Âdityavarman, begotten on the Bhattârikâ and Dêvî Jayasvâminî. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the illustrious Mahârâja Îshvâravarman, begotten on the Bhattârikâ and Dêvî Harshaguptâ. His son, who meditated on his feet, (was) the Mahârâjâhirâja, the glorious Îshânavarman, begotten on the Bhattârikâ and Dêvî Upaguptâ. His son, who meditates on his feet, (is) the most devout worshipper of (the god) Mahêshvara, the Mahârâjâhirâja Sharvavarman, the Maukhari, begotten on the Bhattârikâ and Mahâdêvi Lakshmîvatî.
- From: Fleet, John F. Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Inscriptions of the Early Guptas. Vol. III. Calcutta: Government of India, Central Publications Branch, 1888, 221.
The Asirgadh Seal of Sarvavarman
[p.65]: Asirgadh is a hill-fort about 14 miles from Burhanpur and 7 miles from Chandni Station on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. The seal was found in a box containing property of the Maharaja Sindhia to whom Asirgadh once belonged. It is one of the Maukhari king Sarvavarman, son of Ishanavarman whose father was Adityavarman,
[p.66]: the son of Maharaja Harivarman. No other records of the Maukharis have been found in the Central Provinces, and Dr. Fleet rightly remarks that the mere finding of the inscription at Asirgadh of course does not suffice in any way to connect the members of this family, with that locality. Their territory probably lay some hundreds of miles to the east.
(Fleet's Gupta Inscriptions, page 219; Journal, Bengal Asiatic Society, Volume V, page 482 ff. ; Journal, Royal Asiatic Society, F. S., Volume III, page 377 ff.)