Political Condition of Bengal during Hiuen Tsang’s Visit
Summary
This note assesses Bengal’s political landscape around 637 CE when the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang visited the region. He described four divisions—Pundravardhana, Samatata, Tamralipti and Karnasuvarna—and mentioned Śaśāṅka as a recent ruler of Karnasuvarna. Some historians have taken his silence on politics to mean that Emperor Harsha controlled Bengal after Śaśāṅka’s death, but the author argues that Hiuen Tsang similarly omits political details for other areas known to be independent. Epigraphic evidence points to local kings like Jayanāga ruling Karnasuvarna during this period. By analysing texts and inscriptions, the paper concludes that early seventh‑century Bengal was fragmented among regional powers and that Hiuen Tsang’s account, while valuable for geography and religion, cannot support claims of Harsha’s sovereignty.
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Conclusion
The article concludes that Bengal during Hiuen Tsang’s visit comprised multiple autonomous principalities; scholarly caution is needed when inferring political control from the pilgrim’s narrative.