{{Short description|King of the Alchon Huns from 493 to 515}} {{for|the Turkish male given name|Toraman}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox royalty | title = | image = Toramana portrait and initials Tora.jpg | caption = Portrait of Toramana and [[Gupta script]] initials [[File:Gupta allahabad to.jpg|12px]][[File:Gupta_ashoka_r.svg|15px]] 𑀢𑁄𑀭 ''Tora'', from his bronze coinage.<ref>{{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}}</ref> {{Location map+ |South Asia |float = center |width = 240 |caption = [[Find spot]]s of epigraphic inscriptions indicating local control by Toramana.<ref name="Bakker"/> |nodiv = 1 |mini = 1 | border= none |relief=yes |places = {{location map~ |South Asia |lat=23.83|N |long=74.25|E |label=[[Sanjeli inscriptions|Sanjeli]]|position=left |label_size=70 }} {{location map~ |South Asia |lat=24.09|N |long=78.16|E |label=[[Eran boar inscription of Toramana|Eran]] |position=bottom |label_size=70}} {{location map~ |South Asia |lat=26.22|N |long=78.17|E |label=[[Gwalior inscription of Mihirakula|Gwalior]] |position=left |label_size=70 }} {{location map~ |South Asia|lat=32.40|N |long=72.47|E |label=[[Salt Range|Kura]]|position=top |label_size=70}} {{location map~ |South Asia |lat=25.33|N |long=81.39|E |label=[[Kausambi]]<br>(Toramana seals)|position=right |label_size=70}} {{location map~ |South Asia |lat=28.67|N |long=77.42|E |label=[[Rīsthal inscription|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 }} }} | succession = [[Alchon Huns|King of the Alchon Huns]] | reign = 493–515 | predecessor = [[Mehama]] | successor = [[Mihirakula]] | religion = [[Vaishnavism]]<ref>{{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.}}</ref> }}
'''Toramana''', also called '''Toramana Shahi Jauvla''',<ref name="Agrawal 1989">{{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}}</ref> ([[Gupta script]]: [[File:Gupta allahabad to.jpg|14px]][[File:Gupta_allahabad_r.svg|14px]][[File:Gupta allahabad maa2.jpg|14px]][[File:Gupta allahabad nn.svg|14px]] 𑀢𑁄𑀭𑀫𑀸𑀡 ''To-ra-mā-ṇa'',<ref>{{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}}</ref> ruled circa 493–515) was the king of the [[Alchon Huns]] from 493 until his death in 515.<ref name=Rene>{{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 }}</ref> 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'' [[File:Gupta allahabad m.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta ashoka haa.jpg|16px]][[File:Gupta allahabad raa.jpg|10px]][[File:Gupta allahabad j.svg|13px]][[File:Gupta allahabad dhi.jpg|11px]][[File:Gupta allahabad raa.jpg|10px]][[File:Gupta allahabad j.svg|14px]] 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀭𑀸𑀚𑀥𑀺𑀭𑀸𑀚), equivalent to "Emperor",<ref>"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}}</ref> in his inscriptions, such as the [[Eran boar inscription of Toramana|Eran boar inscription]].<ref name="archive.org">{{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}}</ref>
The [[Sanjeli]] inscription of Toramana speaks of his conquest and control over Malwa and Gujarat. His territory also included [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Rajasthan]] and [[Kashmir]].<ref name="Dani">{{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}}</ref> He probably went as far as [[Kausambi]], where one of his seals was discovered.
According to the [[Rīsthal inscription]], discovered in 1983, the [[Aulikaras|Aulikara]] king [[Second Aulikara dynasty#Prakashadharma|Prakashdharman]] of [[Malwa]] defeated him.<ref name="Ojha, N.K. 2001">Ojha, N.K. (2001). ''The Aulikaras of Central India: History and Inscriptions'', Chandigarh: Arun Publishing House, {{ISBN|81-85212-78-3}}, pp.48-50</ref><ref>{{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 }}</ref> Toramana’s inscriptions show his transition from an independent ruler to a vassal after his defeat in 515 CE. Initially titled "[[Maharajadhiraja|Mahārājadhirāj]]," he later served under [[Second Aulikara dynasty#Prakashadharma|Prakashdharman]] and [[Yasodharman]]. This shift reflects the declining power of the Hunas in early medieval India.<ref name=":0" />
==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 [[Hephthalite|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.<ref>{{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}}</ref> In the [[:File:Kura inscription of Toramana.jpg|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 [[Yabghu|Jauvla]]''.<ref name="Agrawal 1989"/><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>
[[File:Kura inscription of Toramana.jpg|thumb|center|upright=1.5|The Kura inscription of Toramana. Starting "In the prosperous reign of the King of Kings, the Great King Toramana Shahi [[Jauhkha]]...".<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> "Toramana" ([[File:Toramana in the Kura inscription of Toramana (1st line).jpg|40px]] [[Gupta script]]: [[File:Gupta allahabad to.jpg|9px]][[File:Gupta_allahabad_r.svg|9px]][[File:Gupta allahabad maa2.jpg|9px]][[File:Gupta allahabad nn.svg|9px]] ''Toramāṇa'', appears in the 1st line of the inscription]]
===Gwalior inscription of Mihirakula=== [[File:Mihirakula inscription.jpg|thumb|265px|[[Gwalior inscription of Mihirakula]] in which Toramana is eulogized.]] {{Main|Gwalior inscription of Mihirakula}} 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=== {{Main|First Battle of Eran|Eran boar inscription of Toramana}} [[File:Vishnu temple at Eran, Madhya Pradesh.jpg|thumb|265px|The [[Eran]] boar (left) on which an inscription relating to Toramana can be found.]] [[File:Eran boar inscription.jpg|thumb|265px|The Eran boar inscription.]] 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 [[Varaha|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 [[rishi]]s 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]].<ref>{{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 }}</ref> The first line of the inscription, made after 484/85 CE mentions the "''Maharajadhiraja Toramana''" ("The great king of king Toramana")<ref name="Bakker">[[Hans Bakker]] [https://zenodo.org/record/377032/files/Bakker%202016.pdf 24th Gonda lecture]</ref> 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.<ref>[http://pro.geo.univie.ac.at/projects/khm/showcases/showcase9?language=en Coin Cabinet of the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna]</ref>}}
===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.<ref name="Bakker"/><ref>Indian History, Allied Publishers [https://books.google.com/books?id=MazdaWXQFuQC&pg=PA81 p.81]</ref><ref>Dynastic History of Magadha, Cir. 450-1200 A.D., by Bindeshwari Prasad Sinha [https://books.google.com/books?id=V3KDaZY85wYC&pg=PA70 p.70]</ref><ref>Geography from Ancient Indian Coins & Seals, by Parmanand Gupta [https://books.google.com/books?id=LzHpZ5N5MhcC&pg=PA175 p.175]</ref>
===Defeats=== [[File:Toramana.jpg|thumb|265px|Coin of Toramana. The initials [[File:Gupta allahabad to.jpg|12px]][[File:Gupta_ashoka_r.svg|14px]] ''"Tora"'' in [[Brahmi script]] appear in large letters on the reverse, under the solar wheel design.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>]] [[File:Toramana gold coin circa 490-515.jpg|thumb|265px|A rare gold coin of Toramana with [[Lakshmi]] 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".<ref>[https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=301345 CNG Coins]</ref><ref>[http://coinindia.com/Prakasaditya.pdf The Identity of Prakasaditya by Pankaj Tandon, ''Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society'', October 2015.]</ref>]] [[File:Maharajadhiraja Sri Toramana on Eran boar inscription.jpg|thumb|265px|Inscription [[File:Gupta allahabad m.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta ashoka haa.jpg|16px]][[File:Gupta allahabad raa.jpg|10px]][[File:Gupta allahabad j.svg|13px]][[File:Gupta allahabad dhi.jpg|11px]][[File:Gupta allahabad raa.jpg|10px]][[File:Gupta allahabad j.svg|14px]][[File:Gupta allahabad shrii.jpg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad to.jpg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad_r.svg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad maa2.jpg|12px]][[File:Gupta allahabad nn.svg|14px]]
𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀭𑀸𑀚𑀥𑀺𑀭𑀸𑀚 𑀰𑁆𑀭𑀻 𑀢𑁄𑀭𑀫𑀸𑀡 ''Mahārājadhirāja Shrī Toramāṇa'' ("Great King of Kings, Lord Toramana"), in the [[Gupta script]], in the [[Eran boar inscription of Toramana|Eran boar inscription]].<ref name="archive.org" />]] [[File:Toramana coin in Western Gupta style.jpg|265px|thumb|Silver coin of Toramana in Western [[Gupta Empire]] 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.<ref name="RST">{{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}}</ref> On the obverse the date "52" is also inscribed.<ref>{{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}}</ref> A modern image: [http://coinindia.com/H119-BM.jpg].]] {{Alchon Huns}} According to the ''[[Rishtal inscription|Rishtal stone-slab inscription]]'', discovered in 1983, the [[Aulikaras|Aulikara]] king Prakashadharma of [[Malwa]] defeated him in 515 CE.<ref name="Ojha, N.K. 2001"/><ref name="Bakker"/> Historian Thaplyal suggests that this seal confirms Toramana's status as a vassal king following his defeat by [[Second Aulikara dynasty#Prakashadharma|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 inscriptions|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 "[[Maharajadhiraja|Mahārājadhirāj]]." These titles, however, predate his loss to Prakāśadharman, as documented in the Risthal inscription from 515 CE.<ref name=":0">{{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}}</ref>
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.<ref>Archaeological Excavations in Central India: Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, by Om Prakash Misra [https://books.google.com/books?id=o0ISjDDWJwQC&pg=PA7 p.7]</ref><ref>Encyclopaedia of Indian Events & Dates by S. B. Bhattacherje A15</ref><ref>The Classical Age by R.K. Pruthi p.262</ref>
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.<ref>Gupta, P.L. (2000). ''Coins'', New Delhi: National Book Trust, {{ISBN|81-237-1887-X}}, p.78</ref><ref>The Identity of Prakasaditya by Pankaj Tandon [http://coinindia.com/Prakasaditya.pdf p.661], with photograph</ref>
A Jaina work of the 8th century, the ''[[Kuvalayamala]]'' states that he lived in Pavvaiya on the bank of the [[Chenab River|Chandrabhaga]] and enjoyed the sovereignty of the world.<ref>Mahajan V.D. (1960, reprint 2007). ''Ancient India'', S.Chand & Company, New Delhi, {{ISBN|81-219-0887-6}}, p.519</ref>
==Successor== Toramana was succeeded by his son [[Mihirakula]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>
==See also== * [[First Battle of Eran]] * [[Hephthalite Empire]] * [[Mihirakula]] * [[Alchon Huns]]
==Notes== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{succession box | before = [[Khingila I]] | title = King of the [[Alchon Huns]] | years = | after = [[Mihirakula]] }} {{s-end}}
[[Category:5th-century Indian monarchs]] [[Category:6th-century Indian monarchs]] [[Category:Rulers of Kashmir]] [[Category:Kings of the Alchon Huns]]