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Question

Which of the following ruler ruled Assam in the time of Harsha ?

This question was previously asked in
BPSC 70th 2024 Prelims General Studies Question Paper (13-Dec-2024)
The correct answer is

Bhaskar Varman

 Bhaskaravarman ruled Kamarupa — ancient Assam — as the contemporary and ally of Harshavardhana, so option 2 is correct.

Who he was. Bhaskaravarman (reigned about 600–650 CE) was the last and greatest ruler of the Varman dynasty of Kamarupa, with his capital at Pragjyotishpura, near modern Guwahati. He came to the throne at a time when Sasanka of Gauda dominated eastern India, and his answer to that pressure was diplomatic: he allied himself with Harsha of Kannauj, and between them they broke Sasanka’s power.

The evidence for the alliance. Two independent sources record it. Banabhatta’s Harshacharita describes the embassy Bhaskaravarman sent to Harsha and the gifts that accompanied it. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) travelled to Kamarupa at Bhaskaravarman’s invitation and has left an account of the kingdom; he then accompanied the king to the great assemblies Harsha convened at Kannauj and Prayag. His Nidhanpur copper-plate inscription, which records a grant of land to Brahmanas, is the principal epigraphic record of his reign.

OptionWho he actually was
Aswad JahanNot a historical ruler of Assam — a distractor
Bhaskar VarmanVarman king of Kamarupa, ally of Harsha, host of Xuanzang
King DahirRuler of Sindh, defeated and killed by Muhammad bin Qasim in 712 CE — the wrong region and a century later
More than one of the aboveWrong, since only one name fits

Why option 4 fails. “More than one of the above” requires at least two correct names, but Dahir belongs to Sindh in the eighth century and Aswad Jahan is not an Assamese ruler at all, so only a single option survives.

Hence, the answer is Bhaskar Varman.

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Important Questions from Post Guptas Age

  1. The Prayaga Prashasti (Allahabad Pillar Inscription) was composed by
  2. The Hunas issued coins only in
    (i) Gold
    (ii) Silver
    (iii) Copper
    (iv) Potin
    Codes :
  3. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer with the help of the code given below :
    List-I
    (Dynasty)
    List-II
    (Founder)
    (a) Uttar Gupta(i) Krishnagupta
    (b) Maukhari(ii) Asvapati
    (c) Pushyabhuti(iii) Naravardhana
    (d) Varman(iv) Pushyavarman

    Code :
  4. Where was the capital of Paramara Dynasty of Vagad?

  5. The Chalukya ruler Pulakesin's victory over Harshavardhana was in the year _______.

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