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After the fall of the Gupta Empire and the overthrow of the Huna power late in the 5^th century, there was no great power left in the Northern India. A large number of small independent kingdoms emerged in this region. One of these was the Kingdom of Thaneshwar of the Srikantha Janpada. In its earliest states it comprised a substantial portion of the Sutlaj Yamuna Doab in the east Punjab. According to Bana, the author of Harsha Charita, the Kingdom of Thaneshwar was founded by Pushpabhuti, a great worshipper of Shiva. The line of rulers who ruled over this kingdom is, therefore known as Pushpabhuti Dynasty. The Madhuban Plate inscriptions give the names of the first three rulers of this dynasty as Naravardhana, Rajusyavardhana and Adityavardahana. They used the title only of Maharaja. Little is known about these three kings. It seems that they were feudatories either of the Guptas or the Hunas or of both of them at different times. They also remained under the Maukharis for some time. These three kings ruled during the period AD 510-580. The next ruler of this dynasty was Parbhakarvardhan who came to the throne in 580 AD.

Parbhakarvardhan was the first king of the Vardhana Dynasty who assumed the royal titles of Maharajadhiraj and Parmabhatarka. Beginning as a petty chief of a small kingdom, he rose to pre-eminence by his military exploits and conquest of his neighboring kingdoms. He became a lion to the Huna Deer, a burning fever to the king of the Indus lands, a troubler of the sheep of Gujarat, a bilious plague to that scent- elephant the lord of Gandhara, a looter to the lawlessness of the Latas, an axe to the creeper of Malwa glory. Madhubani Plate Inscription describes him as a king whose fame had spread beyond the four seas. The empire of Parbhakarvardhan was limited to Thanesar only is what some scholar believe.

Bana’s Harashcharita tells that the Hunas ruled over a small principality in the foothills of the Himalayas in the north and the North West Punjab. The Gurjaras ruled over the upper regions of the Chajj and Rachna Doabs to the north east of the Sindhu comprising the Peshawar and Attock districts and some adjoining regions. Parbhakarvardhan followed a vigorous policy towards the North West Frontier territories. He sent an expedition against these kingdoms and brought them under his sphere of influence but probably he was not able to annex them to his empire. The territories under his direct rule seem to have been the present day states of Haryana and Punjab only. Whenever the Kingdoms of the North West became headstrong, he dealt with them sternly. For instance, when the Hunas created some trouble towards the closing years of his reign, he sent his elder son Rajyavardhana to suppress them. The young prince received numerous wounds in the battle but was successful in defeating and driving them away. Parbhakarvardhan also received the help of the Maukharis of Kanauj to fight against the Hunas.

Parbhakarvardhan had two sons Rajyavardhana and Harshavardhan and one daughter Rajyashri. He gave his daughter Rajyashri in marriage to Prince Grahavarman, the son and successor of Avantivarman Maukhari of Kanauj. Parbhakarvardhan died in 606 Ad and was succeeded by his son Rajyavardhana. Just then, Devagupta, the king of Malwas which is modern Madhya Pradesh invaded Kanauj, killing its young ruler Grahavarman. He also took away his queen Rajyashri as prisoner to Malwa. Hearing such shocking news, Rajyavardhana instantly led an army and defeated the King of Malwa. The battle was won but Rajyavardhana was treacherously killed by Sassanak, the King of Gaur which is modern day state of Bengal, an ally of Devagupta.