Question

What was the purpose of the Prayaga assembly called by Harshavardhana in 643 A.D.?
A) To offer royal charities to all classes of people.
B) To have a scholarly discussion on Mahayanism.
C) To have a scholarly discussion on Shaivism.
D) To honour the master of law Hieun Tsang.

Answer 1

Hint: Harsha, also known as Harshavardhana, was an Indian ruler who reigned from 606 to 647 Common Era in North India. He belonged to the Vardhana dynasty. Harsha's Empire spanned most of North and Northwestern India at its peak, extending east to Kamarupa and south to the Narmada River and eventually making Kannauj his capital.

Complete answer:
Harshavardhana conducted a large religious assembly in Kannauj, on the Ganges River, in the year 643 A.D. The assembly's purpose was to highlight Buddha's teachings. In the same year as the Kannauj Assembly, another magnificent assembly took place at Prayaga.

Harshavardhan's generosity shines brightly in the Prayaga assembly. The Mahayanism-led assemblies in Kannauj and Prayaga plainly demonstrate Mahayanism's victory over religion. Harshavardhan's generosity, as evidenced by the Prayaga assembly, is a source of astonishment for the entire globe. According to historians. Harsha was more concerned with preaching his Mahayana Buddhist faith in an attitude of intolerance, which elicited open hostility. But his unbounded generosity and charity, which broke all records, was a recurring characteristic of his personality.

After every five years, Harsha used to host a religious event named Mahamoksha Harishad in Prayaga (Allahabad). He performed Dana's ceremony here. Harshvardhana divides his earnings into four categories: royal family, army and administration, religious endowments, and poor and destitute. While the Kannauj Assembly was a religious gathering to promote Mahayanism, the Prayaga Assembly was a general gathering for the distribution of royal charity to all classes of people.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: Harshvardhana had an effective government, according to Hiuen-Tsang, who visited Harsha's kingdom. Families were not recorded, and there was no forced labour, he added. He did, however, complain about the robbery, which he described as a common occurrence.