Book review
In this bumper issue, we have included stories of three great emperors from ancient India – Ashoka, Samudra Gupta and Harsha.

History chronicles innumerable kings who were brave conquerors and valiant soldiers. But Ashoka stands above the rest. He was the only one who saw the futility of violence at the height of his conquests. More importantly, he had the courage to renounce it. No wonder, H.G.Wells in his Short History of the World says that Ashoka’s ‘reign for eight and twenty years was one of the brightest interludes in the troubled history of mankind.’

When one recalls the ‘Glory that was Ind’ one first thinks of the golden age of the Guptas. India had earlier been witness to emperors and empires, but the power and splendour of the Guptas was unique. None in the dynasty strove harder than Samudra Gupta to achieve it.

If we remember Harsha as a great ruler till today, it’s not only because he was a brave military leader, but also because he was a man of noble impulse, a great patron of learning and letters. Great scholars like Banabhatta, Mayura and Divakara served in his court.

Banabhatta’s Harshacharita gives a detailed account of Harsha’s life until he rescues his sister Rajyashri. We know more about the political and economic conditions of his time from Hiuen Tsang‘s account - who visited India during his reign