1. Jainism was patronised by later rulers such as Amoghavarsha I, Indra IV, Krishna II and Indra III.
2. Buddhism had declined and its only important centre was at Kanheri. The Rashtrakuta rulers were great patrons of learning.
3. Kannada and Sanskrit literature made great progress during their reign. Amoghavarsha I was the author of Prasnottaramalika, a Sanskrit work, and Kavirajarnarga, a Kannada work.
4. Jinasena wrote the Adipurana of the Jains.
5. Krishna II's spiritual guide, Gunabhadra, wrote the Mahapurana of the Jains.
6. The three gems of ancient Kannada literature - Kavichakravarthi Ponna, Adikavi Panpa and Kavichakravarti Ranna - were patronised by Rashtrkuta king Krishna III, as well as by Tailapa and Satyashraya of Western Chalukyas.

1. The rivalry between the Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas proved to be destructive to both the dynasties.
2. The Arab traveller AI- Masudi who visited Kanauj recorded the enmity between the two ruling dynasties.
3. The Rashtrakutas who were bidding their time to capture Kanauj from Pratiharas succeeded in their motive and continued to rule until 10th century CE.
4. They claimed descent from the Rastikas or Rathikas, an important clan domiciled in the Kannada-speaking region and mentioned in the edicts of Ashoka.

1. The rockcut shrines at Ellora and Elephanta located in present-day Maharashtra belong to their period.
2. The Ellora cave complex contains the features of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monuments and art work.
3. Amoghavarsha I espoused Jainism and there are five Jain cave temples at Ellora ascribed to his period.
4. The most striking structure at Ellora is the creation of the Monolithic Kailasanath Temple. .
5. The temple was hewn out of a single rock during the time of Krishna I in the 8th century.

1. Criminal law was more severe than that of the Gupta age.
2. Mimamsakas were appointed to dispense justice.
3. Banishment and the cutting of limbs of the body were the usual punishments.
4. Trial by ordeal was in practice .
5. Life imprisonment was the punishment for the violations of the laws and for plotting against the king.

Harsha's Relations with China
Harsha had cordial relations with China, The contemporary Tang emperor, Tai Tsung, sent an embassy to his court in 643 and again in 647 CE. On the second occasion, the Chinese ambassador found that Harsha had recently died. On learning that the throne had been usurped by an undeserving king, the Chinese ambassador rushed to Nepal and Assam to raise a force to dislodge the usurper. Later, the king who had usurped the throne was taken to China as a prisoner.

1. The Rashtrakuta rulers were great patrons of learning.
2. Kannada and Sanskrit literature made great progress during their reign.
3. Amoghavarsha I was the author of Prasnottaramalika, a Sanskrit work, and Kavirajamarga, a Kannada work. Jinasena wrote the Adipurana of the Jains.
4. Krishna II's spiritual guide, Gunabhadra, wrote the Mahapurana of the Jains.
5. The three gems of ancient Kannada literature - Kavichakravarthi Ponna, Adikavi Panpa and Kavichakravarti Ranna - were patronised by Rashtrkuta king Krishna III, as well as by Tailapa and Satyashraya of Western Chalukyas.

1. The Palas were great patrons of Mahayana Buddhism.
2. The Buddhist philosopher Haribhadra was the spiritual preceptor of Dharmapala, the founder of the Pala kingdom.
3. Bengal remained one of the few places where Buddhist monasteries continued to exist.
4. The kingdom as well as Buddhism soon suffered decline because of large-scale conversion of merchants and artisans to Islam.

1. According to historian Burton Stein, a centralised administration did not even exist under the powerful Guptas.
2. It was restricted only to the central part of the Gangetic plain between Pataliputra and Mathura.
3. Beyond that zone, there was no centralised authority.
4. The only difference between Guptas and Vardahanas is that the former had formidable enemies like Huns, while the latter had no such opponents. The copper plates of 632 CE record a gift of land to two Brahmans
5. The names of certain political personages with state power, as protectors of the gift,are mentioned in them. Some were mahasamantas, allied to the kin but of a subordinate status.
6. Others were independent maharajas but acknowledged feudatories of Harsha.
7. There was yet another category of rulers who pledged their loyalty to Harsha and professed to be at his service. This is the characteristic of Harsha's imperial authority in North India.

1. Harsha was a worshipper of Siva at least up to 631 CE.
2. But he embraced Buddhism under the influence of his sister Rajyasri and the Buddhist monk Hieun Tsang.
3. He subscribed to the Mahayana school of thought. Yet he held discourses among learned men of various creeds.
4. Slaughter of animals and consumption of meat was restricted.
5. Harsha summoned two Buddhist assemblies (643 CE), one at Kanauj and another at Prayag.
6. assembly at Kanauj was attended by 20 kings including Bhaskaravarman of Kamarupa. A large number of Buddhist, Jain and Vedic scholars attended the assembly.
7. A golden statue of Buddha was consecrated in a monastery and a small statue of Buddha (three feet) was brought out in a procession.
8. The procession was attended by Harsha and other kings.

1. On his accession in 606 CE Harsha focused his attention on the affairs of his sister Rajyasri who had fled to Vindhya mountains to escape from the evil design of Deva Gupta of Malwa to covet her.
2. Harsha went to Vindhya mountain ranges and succeeded in saving his sister who was about to burn herself after killing Deva Gupta.
3. Harsha consoled Rajyasri and brought her back to the kingdom of Kanauj.
4. Later Rajyasri took to Buddhism and was instrumental in converting Harsha to Buddhism.