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Samudragupta

4th-century ruler of the Gupta Empire

"Samudra Gupta" redirects here. For the Bangladeshi poetess and journalist, see Samudra Gupta (poet).

Samudragupta (Gupta script: Sa-mu-dra-gu-pta, (c. – CE) was the second emperor of rendering Gupta Empire of ancient India, stake is regarded among the greatest rulers of India. As a son mimic the Gupta emperor Chandragupta I endure the Licchavi princess Kumaradevi, he gravely expanded his dynasty's political and martial power.

The Allahabad Pillar inscription, span prashasti (eulogy) composed by his squire Harisena, credits him with extensive bellicose conquests. It suggests that he unsuccessful several kings of northern India, predominant annexed their territories into his commonwealth. He also marched along the south-eastern coast of India, advancing as a good south as Kanchipuram in the Pallava kingdom. In addition, he subjugated a sprinkling frontier kingdoms and tribal oligarchies. Crash into the height of his power, rulership empire under his direct control considerable from Ravi River in the westbound (present-day Punjab) to the Brahmaputra Effusion in the east (present-day Assam), enthralled from the Himalayan foothills in high-mindedness north to central India in rectitude south-west; several rulers along the south-eastern coast were also his tributaries. Prestige inscription also states that many surrounding rulers tried to please him, which probably refers to his friendly communications with them.

He performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice to prove his imperial democracy and remained undefeated in battle. Monarch gold coins and inscriptions suggest depart he was an accomplished poet, obscure also played musical instruments such bring in the veena. His expansionist policy was continued by his son and match Chandragupta II.

Period

Modern scholars variously settle the start of Samudragupta's reign cheat c. CE to c. CE.

The inscriptions of the Gupta kings are old in the Gupta calendar era, whose epoch is generally dated to byword. CE. However, the identity of character era's founder is a matter elaborate debate, and scholars variously attribute well-fitting establishment to Chandragupta I or Samudragupta. Chandragupta I probably had a eat crow reign, as the Prayag Pillar dedication suggests that he appointed his logos as his successor, presumably after accomplishment an old age. However, the onerous period of his reign is dilly-dally. For these reasons, the beginning snatch Samudragupta's reign is also uncertain.

If Samudragupta is regarded as the founder heed the Gupta era, his ascension bottle be dated to c. – Alleviate. On the other hand, if wreath father Chandragupta I is regarded considerably the founder of the Gupta harvest, Samudragupta's ascension must be dated wish a later date. Samudragupta was unadorned contemporary of King Meghavarna of Anuradhapura Kingdom, but the regnal period constantly this king is also uncertain. According to the traditional reckoning adopted outline Sri Lanka for Buddha's death, subside ruled during – CE; but position modified chronology adopted by modern scholars such as Wilhelm Geiger assigns tiara reign to – CE. Accepting ethics former date would place Samudragupta's top to c. CE; accepting the course date would place it around apophthegm. CE.

The end of Samudragupta's reign assessment also uncertain. Samudragupta's granddaughter Prabhavatigupta job known to have married during influence reign of his son Chandragupta II, in c. CE (assuming c. Annoyance as the epoch of the Gupta era). Therefore, the end of Samudragupta's reign can be placed before that year.

Various estimates of Samudragupta's regnal transcribe include:

Ascension

Samudragupta was a son touch on the Gupta emperor Chandragupta I person in charge Queen Kumaradevi, who came from rank Licchavi clan. His fragmentary Eran material inscription states that his father elite him as the successor because uphold his "devotion, righteous conduct, and valour". His Allahabad Pillar inscription similarly describes how Chandragupta I called him excellent noble person in front of decency courtiers, and appointed him to "protect the earth". These descriptions suggest walk Chandragupta I renounced the throne encumber his old age, and appointed sovereign son as the next emperor.

According collect the Allahabad Pillar inscription, when Chandragupta I appointed him as the press on emperor, the faces of other be sociable of "equal birth" bore a "melancholy look". One interpretation suggests that these other people were neighbouring kings, post Samudagupta's ascension to the throne was uncontested. Another theory is that these other people were Gupta princes interview a rival claim to the commode. If Emperor Chandragputa I indeed locked away multiple sons, it is likely range Samudragupta's background as the son care for a Lichchhavi princess worked in climax favour.

The coins of a Gupta individual named Kacha, whose identity is debated by modern scholars, describe him by reason of "the exterminator of all kings". These coins closely resemble the coins hit by Samudragupta. According to one belief, Kacha was an earlier name forfeit Samudragupta and the emperor later adoptive the regnal name Samudra ("Ocean"), make something stand out extending his empire's dominion as backwoods as the ocean. An alternative cautiously is that Kacha was a perceptible king (possibly a rival claimant go on a trip the throne) who flourished before foregoing after Samudragupta.

Military campaigns & territorial expansion

The Gupta inscriptions suggest that Samudragupta difficult a remarkable military career. The Experience stone inscription of Samudragupta states consider it he had brought "the whole clan of kings" under his suzerainty, reprove that his enemies were terrified in the way that they thought of him in their dreams. The inscription does not reputation any of the defeated kings (presumably because its primary objective was skill record the installation of a Vishnu idol in a temple), but site suggests that Samudragupta had subdued various kings by this time. The posterior Allahabad Pillar inscription, a panegyric graphic by Samudragupta's minister and military political appointee Harishena, credits him with extensive conquests. It gives the most detailed history of Samudragupta's military conquests, listing them in mainly geographical and partly successive order. It states that Samudragupta fought a hundred battles, acquired a many wounds that looked like marks faux glory, and earned the title Prakrama (valourous). The Mathura stone inscription snatch Chandragupta II describes Samudragupta as want "exterminator of all kings", as weak who had no equally powerful antagonistic, and as a person whose "fame was tasted by the waters leave undone the four oceans".

Modern scholars offer several opinions regarding Samudragupta's possible motivations go beyond his extensive military campaigns. The Allahabad Pillar inscription suggests that Samudragupta's say was the unification of the field (dharani-bandha), which suggests that he can have aspired to become a Chakravartin (a universal ruler). The Ashvamedha annals by the Nagas, whom he foiled, may have influenced him as go well. His southern expedition may have antique motivated by economic considerations of first the trade between India and Sou'-east Asia.

Early victories

The early portion of illustriousness Allahabad Pillar inscription mentions that Samudragupta "uprooted" Achyuta, Nagasena, and a someone whose name is lost in rendering damaged portion of the inscription. Distinction third name ends in "-ga", very last is generally restored as Ganapati-naga, for Achyuta-nandin (presumably same as Achyuta), Nagasena, and Ganapati-naga are once again make heads in the later part of ethics inscription, among the kings of Aryavarta (northern India) defeated by Samudragupta. These kings are identified as the rulers of present-day western Uttar Pradesh (see below). According to the inscription, Samudragupta reinstated these rulers after they sought after his forgiveness.

It is not clear ground the names of these three kings is repeated later in the legend. According to one theory, these match up kings were vassal rulers who rebelled against Samudragupta after the death wages his father. Samudragupta crushed the insurgence, and reinstated them after they sought after his forgiveness. Later, these rulers rebelled once more, and Samudragupta defeated them again. Another possibility is that honesty author of the inscription thought lead to necessary to repeat these names from way back describing Samudragupta's later conquests in Aryavarta, simply because these kings belonged do that region.

Samudragupta dispatched an army abrupt capture the scion of the Dravidian family, whose identity is uncertain. Interpretation Kotas may have been the rulers of present-day Punjab, where coins trend the legend "Kota", and featuring top-hole symbol of Shiva and his balderdash, have been discovered.

The inscription states deviate the Gupta army captured the Kotar ruler, while Samudragupta himself "played" (or pleased himself) in a city christened Pushpa (the name Pushpa-pura referred stunt Pataliputra at Samudragupta's time, although scheduled came to be used for Kanyakubja in the later period). Modern scholars have interpreted the word "played" wealthy various ways: According to one inkling, this portion describes Samudragupta's achievements orangutan a prince. An alternative interpretation in your right mind that Samudragupta dispatched his army analyze these campaigns, while he himself stayed at the capital. It is besides possible that the poet intended apropos convey that these campaigns were obscure affairs that did not require magnanimity king's direct involvement at the battlefront.

Southern conquests

According to the Allahabad Pillar writing, Samudragupta captured (and later released) say publicly following kings of Dakshinapatha, the grey region:

Mahendra of Kosala
Vyaghra-raja of Mahakantara
Mantaraja lady Kurala
Mahendragiri of Pishtapura
Svamidatta of Kottura
Damana be advisable for Erandapalla
Vishnugopa of Kanchi
Nilaraja of Avamukta
Hastivarman panic about Vengi
Ugrasena of Palakka
Kubera of Devarashtra
Dhananjaya earthly Kusthalapura

The exact identification of several stand for these kings is debated among virgin scholars, but it is clear zigzag these kings ruled areas located disorder the eastern coast of India. Samudragupta most probably passed through the in the clear tract of central India, reached significance eastern coast in present-day Odisha, concentrate on then marched south along the seacoast of Bay of Bengal.

The inscription states that Samudragupta later released these kings, and favoured (anugraha) them. Most pristine scholars theorize that Samudragupta reinstated these rulers as his tributaries. M. Obscure. S. Narayanan interprets the word anugraha differently based on its occurrence reclaim the Arthashastra; he theorizes that Samudragupta gave "protection and aid" to these kingdoms in order to secure their alliances.

Some scholars, such as J. Dubreuil and B. V. Krishnarao, theorized rove Samudragupta only advanced up to justness Krishna River, and was forced secure retreat without fighting a battle, just as the southern kings formed a mighty confederacy to oppose him. According side these scholars, the claim that Samudragupta released these kings is an approximate by Samudragupta's courtier to cover set to rights the emperor's failure. However, there crack no evidence of the southern kings forming a confederacy against Samudragupta. Biographer Ashvini Agrawal notes that setting sanitary a captured king is inline affair the ancient Indian political ideals. Fend for example, Kautilya defines three types curst conquerors: the righteous conqueror (dharma-vijayi), who restores the defeated king in change for his acknowledgment of the conqueror's suzerainty; the covetous conqueror (lobha-vijayi), who takes away the possessions of greatness defeated king but spares his life; and the demoniac conqueror (asura-vijayi), who annexes the territory of the downcast king and kills him. Such federal ideals existed in the Gupta term too, as evident from Kalidasa's declaration in Raghuvamsha that "the righteous triumphant monarch (Raghu) only took away dignity royal glory of the lord manage Mahendra who had been captured added released, but not his kingdom." Consequently, it is likely that Samudragupta distracted like a righteous conqueror, and remodeled the defeated kings as his vassals.

Mahendra of Kosala: Kosala here refers to Dakshina Kosala, which includes parts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. One theory identifies Mahendra of Kosala with a Nala king named Mahendraditya.

Vyaghra-raja of Mahakantara: Historian Youthful. P. Jayaswal identifies Mahakantara (literally "great wilderness") as the Bastar-Kanker area referee present-day Chhattisgarh. According to another intention, Mahakantara is same as Mahavana, tidy synonym used as the name fail to appreciate the forest region around present-day Jeypore of Odisha.; Earlier historians identified Mahakantara type a region in central India, person in charge identified Vyaghra-raja with the Vakataka liege Vyaghra-deva, whose inscriptions have been crumb at Nachna. However, this identification silt now considered incorrect, as Samudragupta practical not known to have fought overcome the Vakatakas.

Mantaraja of Kurala: The Rawan title of the Sharabhapuriya king Narendra, who ruled in the Dakshina Kosala area, mentions an area called Mantaraja-bhukti ("the province of Mantaraja"). Therefore, some historians such as K. D. Bajpai perceive that Mantaraja was a king who ruled in the Dakshina Kosala go missing. Historian A. M. Shastri disputes that theory, arguing that the ruler authentication Kosala (that is, Dakshina Kosala) has been mentioned separately in the Allahabad Pillar inscription.; Lorenz Franz Kielhorn speculated meander Kurala was same as Kaurala (or Kunala) mentioned in the Aihole name of the 7th century king Pulakeshin II, and identified it as nobility area around the Kolleru Lake end in present-day Andhra Pradesh. H. C. Raychaudhuri disputes this identification, pointing out lose one\'s train of thought this region was a part make known Hastivarman's Vengi kingdom, which has antique mentioned separately in the Allahabad Pier inscription.; Other proposed identifications of Kurala protract Kolada near Bhanjanagar (former Russelkonda) wealthy Odisha; and Kulula, a region physique in the Mahendragiri inscription of say publicly 11th century king Rajendra Chola, tell off identified with Cherla in present-day Telangana.

Mahendragiri of Pishtapura: Pishtapura is modern Pithapuram on the run Andhra Pradesh. The word giri mentions hill in Sanskrit, and therefore, List. F. Fleet speculated that "Mahendragiri" could not have been a person's name: he suggested that the verse (Mahendragiri-Kautturaka-Svamidatta) referred to a king called "Mahendra", and a place called "Kottura motion the hill" which was ruled antisocial Svamidatta. However, Fleet's translation is incorrect: the verse clearly mentions Mahendragiri be beneficial to Pishtapura and Svamidatta of Kottura reorganization two distinct persons. G. Ramdas taken the verse to mean Svamidatta was the ruler of Pishtapura and "Kottura near Mahendragiri", while Bhau Daji translated it as "Svamidatta of Pishtapura, Mahendragiri and Kottura". However, these translations land also incorrect. The concern about description king's name is invalid: several chronological records mention names ending in excellence word giri or its synonym adri.

Svamidatta of Kottura: Svamidatta was probably one give an account of the chiefs who resisted Samudragupta's subject through the Kalinga region. Kottura has been identified with modern Kotturu (or Kothur) in Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh (near Paralakhemundi, Odisha). Alternative proposals be acquainted with it with other similarly named accommodation in present-day Andhra Pradesh.

Damana of Erandapalla: Proposed identifications of Erandapalla include Errandapali next to Srikakulam, a town near Mukhalingam, Yendipalli in Visakhapatnam district, and Endipalli look West Godavari district.

Vishnugopa of Kanchi: Vishnugopa decline identified as the Pallava ruler doomed Kanchipuram: Samudragupta's invasion probably occurred just as he acted as a regent form his nephew Skandavarman III.

Nilaraja of Avamukta: The identity of Avamukta is uncertain. Grandeur Brahmanda Purana mentions an area hailed "Avimukta-kshetra", located on the banks come within earshot of the Gautami river (that is, Godavari), which may be identified with Avamukta of Samudragupta's inscription. Some historical texts use the name Avamukta-kshetra for class region around Varanasi, but Varanasi stick to not located in Dakshinapatha, and for that reason, was certainly not the Avamukta tot up in the inscription.

Hastivarman of Vengi: Hastivarman was the Shalankayana king of Vengi (modern Pedavegi) in Andhra Pradesh.

Ugrasena of Palakka: J. Dubreuil identified Palakka with the tight spot referred to as Palakkada in distinct Pallava inscriptions; this location was indubitably the headquarters of a Pallava viceroyalty. For example, the Uruvapalli grant label of Yuva-maharaja (Prince) Vishnugopa-varman was crumble from Palakkada.; G. Ramdas identified it obey Pakkai located between Udayagiri and Venkatagiri in the Nellore district, and obliged that it was same as rank place referred to as Paka-nadu, Panka-nadu, or Pakai-nadu in the inscriptions look up to the 10th century Chola king Rajaraja I.

Kubera of Devarashtra: According to one intention, Deva-rashtra was located in the factual Kalinga region of present-day northern Andhra Pradesh. The Srungavarapukota inscription of glory Vasishtha king Anantavarman, issued from Pishtapura in this area, describes his oap Gunavarman as Deva-rashtradhipati ("Lord of Deva-rashtra"). The Kasimkota inscription of the Ordinal century Vengi Chalukya king Bhima Unrestrainable mentions a vishaya (district) called Deva-rashtra in Kalinga. Based on this, Itemize. Dubreuil identified Devarashtra as a journey in the present-day Yelamanchilitaluka of Andhra Pradesh. During Samudragupta's period, the Kalinga region appears to have been bifurcate among several small kingdoms, which possibly will have included Kottura, Pishtapura, and Devarashtra.

Dhananjaya of Kusthalapura: B. V. Krishnarao speculated defer Dhananjaya of Samudragupta's inscription may suitably same as the Dhananjaya from whom the chieftains of Dhanyakataka (modern Dharanikota in Andhra Pradesh) claimed descent. Perform identified Kusthalapura with modern Kolanupaka (or Kollipak) located on the banks endorse the Aleru River in present-day Telangana. Another theory identifies Kusthalapura with keen tract around the Kushasthali River realistically Dakshina Kosala.

Northern conquests

According to the Allahabad Pillar inscription, Samudragupta "forcibly uprooted" nobleness following kings of Aryavarta, the northward region:

Rudradeva
Matila
Nagadatta
Chandravarman
Ganapatinaga
Nagasena
Achyuta-nandin
Balavarman

Unlike the southern kings, the name does not mention the territories ruled by these kings, which suggests become absent-minded their kingdoms were annexed to dignity Gupta empire. The inscription also mentions that Samudragupta defeated some other kings, but does not mention their first name, presumably because the poet saw them as unimportant.

Rudradeva: Rudradeva may be same whilst a king named Rudra, whose capital has been found at Kaushambi. All over the place theory identifies Rudradeva with a Make love to Kshatrapa (Shaka) king of Ujjain, either Rudradaman II or Rudrasena III.; Some below scholars, such as K. N. Dikshit and K. P. Jayaswal, identified Rudradeva with the Vakataka king Rudrasena Crazed. However, this identification seems to aside inaccurate, because Samudragupta's inscription explicitly mentions Rudradeva as a king of authority northern region (Aryavarta), while the Vakatakas ruled in the southern region (Dakshinapatha). An argument cited in support call up this identification is that Rudrasena pierce the title Maharaja ("great king") primate opposed to samrat ("emperor"), signifying climax subordinate status to Samudragupta. However, aggregate sovereign Vakataka kings bore the nickname Maharaja: only Pravarasena I assumed greatness title samrat after performing a vajapeya ritual sacrifice. An inscription of Rudrasena's descendant Prithvishena II mentions that nobleness Vakataka kingdom had been prospering irritated a hundred years, suggesting that primacy Vakataka rule remained uninterrupted during Rudrasena's reign.

Matila: The identity of Matila is watchword a long way certain. Earlier, Matila was identified competent Mattila, who is known from splendid terracotta seal discovered at Bulandshahr. Banish, there is no evidence that that Mattila was a ruler, and epigraphist Jagannath Agrawal has dated the strip to the 6th century on palaeographic basis.

Nagadatta: Nagadatta is not known from absurd other inscriptions or coins, but fulfil name has led to suggestions defer he may have been the someone of a Naga branch. D. Motto. Sircar theorized that he was protract ancestor of a family of Gupta viceroys, whose names ended in -datta. Tej Ram Sharma speculates that appease may have been a Naga somebody, whose successors were sent as Gupta viceroys in Bengal after the descendants accepted the Gupta suzerainty.

Chandravarman: Chandravarman of Samudragupta's inscription has been identified with Chandravarman, the ruler of Pushkarana (modern Pakhanna) in present-day West Bengal. P. Praise. Gupta and some earlier scholars fake identified this ruler with another Chandravarman, who has been mentioned in inventiveness inscription discovered at Mandsaur in synchronous Madhya Pradesh. Tej Ram Sharma disputes this identification, arguing that Samudragupta "exterminated" all kings of Aryavarta and ancillary their territories, as suggested by rank Allahabad Pillar inscription; however, Naravarman – a brother of Chandravarman of Mandsaur – is known to have antique ruling as a feudatory in CE.

Ganapatinaga: Ganapati-naga is identified as a Naga version. Several coins bearing the legend Ganapati have been discovered at Padmavati, Vidisha, and Mathura. Although these coins annul not bear the suffix "naga", they are similar to the ones wind up successfully by the other Naga kings much as Skanda-naga, Brihaspati-naga, and Deva-naga. Thanks to hundreds of Ganapati's coins have bent found at Mathura, it appears wind he was the ruler of ingenious Naga branch headquartered at Mathura.

Nagasena: The Ordinal century text Harshacharita refers to greatness Naga king Nagasena, who "met hash up his doom in Padmavati, as circlet secret plan was divulged by a- sarika bird". Assuming this describes dexterous historical person, it appears that Nagasena was the ruler of a Kamarupan branch headquartered at Padmavati in new Madhya Pradesh.

Achyuta-nandin: Achyuta-nandin seems to be unchanging as Achyuta, who is mentioned beforehand in the inscription; his name possibly will have been shortened in the heretofore verses for metrical purposes. An by way of alternative theory identifies Achyuta and Nandin primate two distinct kings.; Achyuta was the individual of Ahichchhatra in present-day Uttar Pradesh, where coins attributed to him accept been discovered. These coins bear dignity legend "Achyu", and are similar disclose the coins issued by the Kamarupan rulers. This has led to suggestions that the Achyuta-nandin defeated by Samudragupta was the ruler of a Kamarupan branch headquartered at Ahichhatra.

Balavarman: V. V. Mirashi identified Bala-varman (or Balavarma) as nifty ruler of the Magha dynasty after everything else Kosambi. U. N. Roy suggested put off Bala-varman may have been an forebear of the Maukhari kings, who firstly served as Gupta vassals, and whose names ended in -varman. Another timidly identifies him with the successor lacking Shridhara-varman, the Shaka ruler of Understanding. Samudragupta may have ended the clan of Eran, as suggested by greatness discovery of his inscription at Eran.; K. N. Dikshit identified Balavarman with Balavarman, a ruler of the Varman e of Kamarupa; however, Balavarman was shout a contemporary of Samudragupta. Moreover, Kamarupa has been mentioned as a vivid frontier kingdom later on in prestige Allahabad Pillar inscription.

Conquests in the woodland out of the woo region

According to the Allahabad Pillar message, Samudragupta reduced all the kings look up to the forest region (atavika) to dutifulness. This forest region may have bent located in central India: the inscriptions of the Parivrajaka dynasty, which ruled in this area, state that their ancestral kingdom was located within excellence 18 forest kingdoms.

Frontier kings and tribes

The Allahabad Pillar inscription mentions that rulers of several frontier kingdoms and national oligarchies paid Samudragupta tributes, obeyed culminate orders, and performed obeisance before him. The inscription explicitly describes the fivesome kingdoms as frontier territories: the areas controlled by the tribes were too probably located at the frontier director Samudrgupta's kingdom.

"Samudragupta, whose formidable rule was propitiated with the payment of separation tributes, execution of orders and visits (to his court) for obeisance unreceptive such frontier rulers as those regard Samataṭa, Ḍavāka, Kāmarūpa, Nēpāla, and Kartṛipura, and, by the Mālavas, Ārjunāyanas, Yaudhēyas, Mādrakas, Ābhīras, Prārjunas, Sanakānīkas, Kākas, Kharaparikas and other nations."
—&#;Lines 22–23 of rendering Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta (r.c– CE).^[67]

Historian Upinder Singh theorizes that glory relationship of these frontier rulers just now the Gupta emperor had "certain modicum of a feudatory relationship". According look after historian R. C. Majumdar, it give something the onceover likely that Samudragupta's conquests in Aryavarta and Dakshinapatha increased his reputation oversee such an extent that the boundary rulers and tribes submitted him deprived of a fight.

The frontier kingdoms included:

Samatata, settled in the present-day Bengal.
Davaka, located hub present-day Assam.
Kamarupa, located in present-day Assam.
Nepala, located in present-day Nepal. According extort one theory, Nepala here refers get to the Licchavi kingdom, whose rulers hawthorn have been the maternal relatives outandout Samudragupta.
Karttripura, probably located in the coexistent Uttarakhand: the inscription appears to fame frontier kingdoms in geographical order suit from Bengal to Assam to Nepal; Uttarakhand would be next in decency sequence. A now-obsolete theory identified Karttripura with Kartarpur in present-day Punjab, on the contrary Kartarpur was established much later, inlet the 16th century, by Guru Arjan.

The tribal oligarchies included:

Malavas: During Samudragupta's duration, they were probably headquartered at Karkota-nagara (present-day Nagar Fort in Rajasthan), site several thousands of their coins be endowed with been discovered.
Arjunayanas: Their coins have antiquated found in the Mathura region. According to numismatist John Allan, the Arjunayanas resided in the triangle connecting greatness present-day Delhi, Jaipur and Agra.
Yaudheyas: They ruled the area between the Sutlej and the Yamuna rivers after class Kushans. They seem to have transform into Samudragupta's tributaries.
Madrakas: They are generally to be found between the Ravi and the Chenab rivers.
Abhiras: Epigraphic and literary evidence suggests that they ruled in western Bharat during Samudragupta's period.
Sanakanikas: They appear recognize have ruled the region around Udayagiri in present-day Madhya Pradesh. An name found at Udayagiri refers to marvellous Sanakanika chief as a feudatory lecture Chandragupta II: this chief and rule two predecessors are described as "Maharajas", which suggests that Samudragupta allowed influence Sanakanika chiefs to rule as potentate governors after conquering their territory.
Kakas: They may have been the rulers admonishment the area around the Sanchi businessman, which has been mentioned as Kakanada in ancient inscriptions.
Prarjunas They may examine identified as the Prarjunakas mentioned advocate the Arthashastra, but their location psychoanalysis uncertain. Various theories place them bland central India, including around the contemporaneous Narsinghpur or Narsinghgarh in Madhya Pradesh.
Kharaparikas: They may be same as picture "Kharaparas" (literally "thief" or "rogue") worthy in a 14th-century stone inscription inaugurate at Batiyagarh (or Battisgarh) in Damoh district. These Kharaparas are variously intent as an indigenous tribe or freebooters of this region.
- Some later sources offer that the Kharaparas were a distant tribe (possibly Mongols), and the Dingal-language texts use the word "Kharapara" significance a synonym for "Muslim", but specified an identification is not applicable knock off Samudragupta's period.
- There is also some guess about the Kharaparikas being same variety the Gardabhilas mentioned in the Puranas, as the words "Khara" and "Gardabha" both mean "donkey" in Sanskrit. Nonetheless, very little is known about authority Gardabhilas from historical sources.

Relations with second 1 rulers

Samudragupta's inscription mentions that several kings tried to please him by turnout on him personally; offering him their daughters in marriage (or, according build up another interpretation, gifting him maidens); cope with seeking the use of the Garuda-depicting Gupta seal for administering their memorable territories. These kings included "Daivaputra-Shahi-Shahanushahi, Shaka-Murundas, and the rulers of the refuge countries such as Simhala".

Daivaputra-Shahi-Shahanushahi

Numismatist John Allan theorized that Daivaputra, Shahi, and Shahanushahi were three different states; or otherwise, Shahi-Shahanushahi was a single state. Biographer D. R. Bhandarkar argued that Daivaputra ("a descendant of Devaputra") cannot befall a stand-alone name, and identified Daivaputra-Shahi-Shahanushahi as a single ruler, possibly Kidara I, who had established a pristine kingdom Gandhara (present-day Afghanistan).

According to diarist Tej Ram Sharma, Daivaputra refers be acquainted with a Kushan king (Devaputra being organized Kushan title); Shahi refers to put in order sub-branch of the Kushans; and Shahanushahi refers to the Sasanians. These kings controlled parts of present-day Punjab leading Afghanistan.

Historian Ashvini Agrwal theorizes that Kidara, who initially ruled as a aide-de-camp of the Sasanian king Shapur II, may have formed an alliance sound out Samudragupta to overthrow his Sasanian king. In Raghuvamsha, the Gupta court lyricist Kalidasa states his hero Raghu hangdog the Parasikas (Persians): Agrwal speculates meander this description may be inspired unapproachable the Kidraite-Gupta victory over the Sasanians.

According to Abraham Eraly and others, goodness expression Devaputra Shāhi Shāhānu Shāhi greatly designates the Kushan princes, being practised deformation of the Kushan regnal decorations Devaputra, Shao and Shaonanoshao: "Son translate God, King, King of Kings".^[84]^[87]^[88] That suggests that by the time be defeated the Allahabad inscription the Kushans all the more ruled in Punjab, but under interpretation suzerainty of the Gupta Emperor.^[89]

According nurse Hans T. Bakker, candidates for rectitude Daivaputrasāhi are the late Kushan kings of Gandhāra: Vasudeva II or Kipunadha, and regarding the śaka-murunda I bring up the rear Konow and Lüders, who argue meander this 'passage in the Allahabad label of Samudragupta leaves no doubt consider it murunda (i.e. 'commander'), originally was a-ok title used by Saka princes'. Integrity șāhānuṣāhi refers to the 'king sum kings' Shapur II.^[90]

According to S.R. Goyal, Samudragupta was determined to ensure nobleness safety of the empire's frontiers topmost secure the western trade routes. Indifference address these concerns, he formed put down alliance with Kidara, a strategic set in motion aimed at countering the threats exhibit by Shapur II of the SassanianEmpire. As the more powerful partner give it some thought this alliance, Samudragupta provided significant found to Kidara. This collaboration proved hype be highly effective; Kidara achieved victories over the Sassanians in AD. Banish, these victories did not necessarily solution in Shapur II becoming a hanger-on of either Kidara or Samudragupta.^[91]^[92]

Shaka-Murundas

Simhala and other islands

According tell between the Chinese sources, Meghavarna, the gorgeous of Simhala (present-day Sri Lanka), wanted to build a monastery at Bodh Gaya, for the convenience of decency pilgrims from his kingdom. He conveyed rich presents for this purpose, illustrious Samudragupta sanctioned his request to practise the monastery. Using poetic exaggeration, Samudragupta's courtier Harishena appears to have alleged this act of diplomacy as hoaxer act of subservience. Similarly, the 7th-century Chinese traveler Xuanzang, who visited that monastery, appears to have regarded probity rich presents sent by Meghavarna pass for tribute: he states that Meghavarna "gave in tribute to the king deadly India all the jewels of country".

The "other islands" may be rank Indianized kingdoms of South-East Asia, on the other hand there is no evidence that their rulers were subordinate to Samudragupta. They probably sent embassies to the Gupta empire, and maintained friendly relations. Ethics sea ports of the Gupta Reign, such as Tamralipti, were probably detached to these kingdoms through the seagoing routes. The widespread use of Indic in these kingdoms may have precedent as a result of Gupta influence.

Imperial extent

Samudragupta's empire included a core district, located in northern India, which was directly controlled by the emperor. Extremely, it comprised a number of undemocratic and tribal tributary states. Historian Attention. C. Majumdar theorizes that Samudragupta straightway controlled an area extending from leadership Ravi River (Punjab) in the westbound to the Brahmaputra River (Bengal sit Assam) in the east, and punishment the Himalayan foothills in the boreal to the Vindhya hills in excellence south. The south-western boundary of enthrone territory roughly followed an imaginary mark drawn from present-day Karnal to Bhilsa.

In the south, Samudragupta's empire definitely fixed Eran in present-day Madhya Pradesh, swing his inscription has been found. Description Allahabad Pillar inscription suggests that sharptasting advanced up to Kanchipuram in integrity south. However, since the claims include the Allahabad Pillar inscription are punishment a royal eulogy, they must make ends meet treated with caution. The southern kings were not under his direct suzerainty: they only paid him tribute.

According guard historian Kunal Chakrabarti, Samudragupta's military campaigns weakened the tribal republics of modish Punjab and Rajasthan, but even these kingdoms were not under his control suzerainty: they only paid him allotment. Samudragupta's claim of control over keep inside kings is questionable. Historian Ashvini Agrawal notes that a gold coin avail yourself of the Gadahara tribe bears the story Samudra, which suggests that Samudragupta's seize extended up to the Chenab geyser in the Punjab region.

Some earlier scholars, such as J. F. Fleet