Toramana

{{Infobox royalty

| title = Ruler of the Alchon Huns

| reign = 493–515

| image = Toramana portrait and initials Tora.jpg

| caption = Portrait of Toramana and Gupta script initials 12px 15px 𑀢𑁄𑀭 Tora, from his bronze coinage.{{cite journal |last1=ALRAM |first1=MICHAEL |title=Three Hunnic Bullae from Northwest India |journal=Bulletin of the Asia Institute |date=2003 |volume=17 |page=180, Figure 11 |jstor=24049314 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/24049314.pdf |issn=0890-4464}}

{{Location map+

|South Asia

|float = center

|width = 240

|caption = Find spots of epigraphic inscriptions indicating local control by Toramana.

|nodiv = 1

|mini = 1

| border= none

|relief=yes

|places =

{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=23.83|N |long=74.25|E |label=Sanjeli|position=left |label_size=70 }}

{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=24.09|N |long=78.16|E |label=Eran |position=bottom |label_size=70}}

{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=26.22|N |long=78.17|E |label=Gwalior |position=left |label_size=70 }}

{{location map~ |South Asia|lat=32.40|N |long=72.47|E |label=Kura|position=top |label_size=70}}

{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=25.33|N |long=81.39|E |label=Kausambi
(Toramana seals)|position=right |label_size=70}}

{{location map~ |South Asia |lat=28.67|N |long=77.42|E |label=Rīsthal|position=top |label_size=70}}

{{location map~ |India |lat=27.5|N |long=75|E |label=Alchon Huns|label_size=80|mark=1000x1.png|marksize=0 }}

}}

| predecessor = Mehama

| successor = Mihirakula

| religion = Vaishnavism{{Cite book |last=Bakker |first=Hans T. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZLnVDwAAQBAJ |title=The Alkhan: A Hunnic People in South Asia |date=2020-03-12 |publisher=Barkhuis |isbn=978-94-93194-00-7 |page=76 |language=en |quote=Toramana, who was well-disposed towards the Vaisnava faith, may have thought it appropriate to the occasion.}}

}}

Toramana also called Toramana Shahi Jauvla{{Cite book|last=Agrawal|first=Ashvini|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRjC5IaJ2zcC&dq=jauvla&pg=PA242|title=Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas|date=1989|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ.|isbn=978-81-208-0592-7|language=en}} (Gupta script: 14px 14px 14px 14px 𑀢𑁄𑀭𑀫𑀸𑀡 To-ra-mā-ṇa,{{cite book |last1=Fleet |first1=John Faithfull |title=Inscriptions Of The Early Gupta Kings And Their Successors |date=1960 |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.463254/page/n161 162] |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.463254}} ruled circa 493-515 CE) was a king of the Alchon Huns who ruled in northern India in the late 5th and the early 6th century CE.{{Cite book |last=Grousset |first=Rene |title=The Empire of the Steppes |publisher=Rutgers University Press |year=1970 |isbn=0-8135-1304-9 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/70 70-71] |url=https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppesh00prof/page/70 }} Toramana consolidated the Alchon power in Punjab (present-day Pakistan and northwestern India), and conquered northern and central India including Eran in Madhya Pradesh. Toramana used the title "Great King of Kings" (Mahārājadhirāja 12px 16px 10px 13px 11px 10px 14px 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀭𑀸𑀚𑀥𑀺𑀭𑀸𑀚), equivalent to "Emperor","the Huna emperor Toramana" in {{cite book |last1=Agrawal |first1=Ashvini |title=Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas |date=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=9788120805927 |page=251 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRjC5IaJ2zcC&pg=PA251 |language=en}} in his inscriptions, such as the Eran boar inscription.{{cite book |last1=Fleet |first1=John Faithfull |title=Inscriptions Of The Early Gupta Kings And Their Successors |date=1960 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.463254/page/n4 158]–161 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.463254}}

The Sanjeli inscription of Toramana speaks of his conquest and control over Malwa and Gujarat. His territory also included Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Kashmir.{{cite book |title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia: The crossroads of civilizations, A.D. 250 to 750 |first=Ahmad Hasan |last=Dani |author-link=Ahmad Hasan Dani

|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ |year=1999 |isbn=8120815408 |page=142 |accessdate=November 5, 2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FcKtIPVQ6REC}} He probably went as far as Kausambi, where one of his seals was discovered.

According to the Rīsthal inscription, discovered in 1983, the Aulikara king Prakashdharman of Malwa defeated him.Ojha, N.K. (2001). The Aulikaras of Central India: History and Inscriptions, Chandigarh: Arun Publishing House, {{ISBN|81-85212-78-3}}, pp.48-50{{cite journal |last1=Salomon |first1=Richard |title=New Inscriptional Evidence For The History Of The Aulikaras of Mandasor |journal=Indo-Iranian Journal |date=1989 |volume=32 |issue=1 |page=27 |doi=10.1163/000000089790082971 |issn=0019-7246|jstor=24654606 }} Toramana’s inscriptions show his transition from an independent ruler to a vassal after his defeat in 515 CE. Initially titled "Mahārājadhirāj," he later served under Prakashdharman and Yasodharman. This shift reflects the declining power of the Hunas in early medieval India.

Overview

Toramana is known from Rajatarangini, through coins and inscriptions.

=Punjab inscription=

An inscription found at Kura in the Salt Range in Pakistan records the building of a Buddhist monastery by a person named Rotta Siddhavriddhi during the reign of the Huna ruler Toramana. The donor expresses the wish that the religious merit gained by his gift be shared by him with the king and his family members.{{cite book |author= Upinder Singh |date=2017 |title=Political Violence in Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dYM4DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA240 |publisher=Harvard University Press |page=240 |isbn=9780674981287}} In the Khurā inscription (495-500, from the Salt Range in Punjab and now in Lahore), Toramana assumes the Indian regnal titles in addition to central Asian ones: Rājādhirāja Mahārāja Toramāṇa Shahi Jauvla.{{Cite book|last=Katariya|first=Adesh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ihFUDAAAQBAJ&dq=jauvla&pg=RA1-PA166|title=Ancient History of Central Asia: Yuezhi origin Royal Peoples: Kushana, Huna, Gurjar and Khazar Kingdoms|date=2007-11-25|publisher=Adesh Katariya|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Gupta|first=Parmanand|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PPlNxFkiVfIC&dq=jauvla&pg=PA52|title=Geographical Names in Ancient Indian Inscriptions|date=1977|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|language=en}} Among which Shahi is considered to be his Title and Jauvla being an epithet or Biruda. This is a Buddhist record in hybrid Sanskrit, recording the gift of a monastery (vihāra) to members of the Mahīśāsaka school.{{Cite web|url=https://siddham.network/inscription/in00101/|title=Siddham. The Asian Inscription Database {{!}} IN00101 Khura Inscription of Toramana|language=en|access-date=2019-11-19}}{{cite book |last1=Burgess |title=Epigraphia Indica Vol 1 |date=1892 |publisher=Archaeological Society of India |pages=[https://archive.org/details/EpigraphiaIndicaVol1/page/n273 238]–245 |url=https://archive.org/details/EpigraphiaIndicaVol1}}

File:Kura inscription of Toramana.jpg...".{{cite book |last1=Balogh |first1=Dániel |title=Hunnic Peoples in Central and South Asia: Sources for their Origin and History |date=12 March 2020 |publisher=Barkhuis |isbn=978-94-93194-01-4 |pages=326–327 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=frnVDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA327 |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Burgess |first1=James |title=Epigraphia Indica Vol.1 |date=1898 |pages=238–241 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.56636/page/n273/mode/2up}} "Toramana" (40px Gupta script: 9px 9px 9px 9px Toramāṇa, appears in the 1st line of the inscription]]

=Gwalior inscription of Mihirakula=

File:Mihirakula inscription.jpg in which Toramana is eulogized.]]

In the Gwalior inscription of Mihirakula, from Gwalior in northern Madhya Pradesh, India, and written in Sanskrit, Toramana is described as:

{{blockquote|"A ruler of [the earth], of great merit, who was renowned by the name of the glorious Tôramâna; by whom, through (his) heroism that was specially characterized by truthfulness, the earth was governed with justice."}}

=Eran Boar inscription=

File:Vishnu temple at Eran, Madhya Pradesh.jpg boar (left) on which an inscription relating to Toramana can be found.]]

File:Eran boar inscription.jpg

The Eran Boar inscription (in Eran, Malwa, 540 km south of New Delhi, state of Madhya Pradesh) of his first regnal year indicates that eastern Malwa was included in his dominion. The Eran Boar inscription was erected in honor of the deity Vishnu as his avatar, Varaha.

{{quote|Om ! Victorious is the god (Vishnu), who has the form of a Boar; who, in the act of lifting up the earth {out of the waters}, caused the mountains to tremble with the blows of {his} hard snout ; {and) who is the pillar {for the support) of the great house which is the three worlds !| Eran Boar Inscription}}

The statue is of the deity in form of a boar, with engravings display it protecting rishis and upholding Dharma. Additionally, the statue contains Sanskrit inscriptions inscribed on the neck of the boar, in 8 lines of in Brahmi script.

It also records the building of the temple in which the current Varaha image stands, by Dhanyaviṣṇu, the younger brother of the deceased Maharaja Mātṛviṣṇu.{{cite book |last=Fleet |first=J.F. |author-link=John Faithfull Fleet |year=1888 |title=Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum |volume=3 |publisher=Government of India, Central Publications Branch |location=Calcutta | url= https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.358795/2015.358795.Corpus-Inscriptionum }} The first line of the inscription, made after 484/85 CE mentions the "Maharajadhiraja Toramana" ("The great king of king Toramana")Hans Bakker [https://zenodo.org/record/377032/files/Bakker%202016.pdf 24th Gonda lecture] and reads:

{{blockquote|"In year one of the reign of the King of Kings Sri-Toramana, who rules the world with splendor and radiance...."| Eran Boar inscription.[http://pro.geo.univie.ac.at/projects/khm/showcases/showcase9?language=en Coin Cabinet of the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna]}}

=Sack of Kausambi=

The presence of seals in the name of "Toramana" and "Hunaraja" in Kausambi, suggests that the city was probably sacked by the Alkhons under Toramana in 497–500.Indian History, Allied Publishers [https://books.google.com/books?id=MazdaWXQFuQC&pg=PA81 p.81]Dynastic History of Magadha, Cir. 450-1200 A.D., by

Bindeshwari Prasad Sinha [https://books.google.com/books?id=V3KDaZY85wYC&pg=PA70 p.70]Geography from Ancient Indian Coins & Seals, by Parmanand Gupta [https://books.google.com/books?id=LzHpZ5N5MhcC&pg=PA175 p.175]

=Defeats=

File:Toramana.jpg 14px "Tora" in Brahmi script appear in large letters on the reverse, under the solar wheel design.{{cite journal |last1=ALRAM |first1=MICHAEL |title=Three Hunnic Bullae from Northwest India |journal=Bulletin of the Asia Institute |date=2003 |volume=17 |page=180, Figure 11 |jstor=24049314 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/24049314.pdf |issn=0890-4464}}{{cite book |last1=Dani |first1=Ahmad Hasan |last2=Litvinsky |first2=B. A. |title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia: The crossroads of civilizations, A.D. 250 to 750 |date=1996 |publisher=UNESCO |isbn=9789231032110 |page=175 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=883OZBe2sMYC&pg=PA175 |language=en}}]]

File:Toramana gold coin circa 490-515.jpg on the reverse ({{Circa|490}}–515), inspired from contemporary Gupta coins, such as those of Narasimhagupta Baladitya. The obverse legend reads "avanipati torama(no) vijitya vasudham divam jayati": "The lord of the earth, Toramana, having conquered the earth, wins Heaven".[https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=301345 CNG Coins][http://coinindia.com/Prakasaditya.pdf The Identity of Prakasaditya by Pankaj Tandon, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, October 2015.]]]

File:Maharajadhiraja Sri Toramana on Eran boar inscription.jpg 16px 10px 13px 11px 10px 14px 12px 12px 12px 12px 14px

𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀭𑀸𑀚𑀥𑀺𑀭𑀸𑀚 𑀰𑁆𑀭𑀻 𑀢𑁄𑀭𑀫𑀸𑀡 Mahārājadhirāja Shrī Toramāṇa ("Great King of Kings, Lord Toramana"), in the Gupta script, in the Eran boar inscription.]]

File:Toramana coin in Western Gupta style.jpg style, with the Gupta peacock and Brahmi legend on the reverse: vijitavaniravanipati sri toramana divam jayati. Similar to the silver coin type of Skandagupta for example, although Toramana faces to left whether Gupta rulers faced to the right, a possible symbol of antagonism.{{cite book |last1=Tripathi |first1=Rama S. |title=History of Kanauj: To the Moslem Conquest |date=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=9788120804043 |page=45 Note 1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Tnh2QjGhMQC&pg=PA45 |language=en}} On the obverse the date "52" is also inscribed.{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Vincent Arthur |last2=Edwardes |first2=Stephen Meredyth |authorlink2=Stephen Edwardes |title=The early history of India : from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan conquest, including the invasion of Alexander the Great |date=1924 |publisher=Oxford : Clarendon Press |page=Plate 2 |url=https://archive.org/details/earlyhistoryofi00smit/page/76}} A modern image: [http://coinindia.com/H119-BM.jpg].]]

According to the Rishtal stone-slab inscription, discovered in 1983, the Aulikara king Prakashadharma of Malwa defeated him in 515 CE. Historian Thaplyal suggests that this seal confirms Toramana's status as a vassal king following his defeat by Prakashdharman around 515 CE. Toramana likely continued in this role under Yasodharman, Prakāśadharman's successor. Evidence supporting Toramana’s independent rule prior to his defeat includes the Sanjeli copper plate inscription (dated 502–503 CE), which refers to him as "paramabhațțaraka mahārājadhirāja sioramane" ("The most holy and supreme one, the Great King of Kings Toramana"). Additionally, the Eran boar inscription, dated between 510 and 513 CE, also uses the title "Mahārājadhirāj." These titles, however, predate his loss to Prakāśadharman, as documented in the Risthal inscription from 515 CE.{{Cite book |last=Kumar |first=Sanjeev |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mN0UEQAAQBAJ |title=Treasures of the Gupta Empire: A Numismatic History of the Golden Age of India |date=2024-07-18 |publisher=Archaeopress Publishing Ltd |isbn=978-1-80327-796-7 |page=478 |language=en}}

Toramana may also have been defeated by the Indian Emperor Bhanugupta of the Gupta Empire in 510 A.D. according to the Eran inscription, although the "great battle" to which Bhanagupta participated is not explicited.Archaeological Excavations in Central India: Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, by Om Prakash Misra [https://books.google.com/books?id=o0ISjDDWJwQC&pg=PA7 p.7]Encyclopaedia of Indian Events & Dates by S. B. Bhattacherje A15The Classical Age by R.K. Pruthi p.262

A few silver coins of Toramana closely followed the Gupta silver coins. The only difference in the obverse is that the king's head is turned to the left. The reverse retains the fantailed peacock and the legend is almost similar, except the change of name to Toramana Deva.Gupta, P.L. (2000). Coins, New Delhi: National Book Trust, {{ISBN|81-237-1887-X}}, p.78The Identity of Prakasaditya by Pankaj Tandon [http://coinindia.com/Prakasaditya.pdf p.661], with photograph

A Jaina work of the 8th century, the Kuvalayamala states that he lived in Pavvaiya on the bank of the Chandrabhaga and enjoyed the sovereignty of the world.Mahajan V.D. (1960, reprint 2007). Ancient India, S.Chand & Company, New Delhi, {{ISBN|81-219-0887-6}}, p.519

Successor

Toramana was succeeded by his son Mihirakula.{{cite web|url=http://www.sdstate.edu/projectsouthasia/upload/Gwalior-of-Mihirakula.pdf|title=Gwalior Stone Inscription of Mihirakula|publisher=Project South Asia|accessdate=2009-04-05|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812061844/http://www.sdstate.edu/projectsouthasia/upload/Gwalior-of-Mihirakula.pdf|archivedate=12 August 2011|df=dmy-all}}