Guptas

September 16, 2008

Let us revisit Guptas. The rule of Andhrabhrityus has continued for 450 years , starting in 766 bce with the last two kings Chandra¶rí (Xandramas- 334- 324 bce) and his son will be Pulomárchi (324- 316 bce) ruling for 10 years and 8 years respectively. Ghatotkacha, father of Chandragupta (Sandrocottus) was in royal service with Xandramas. The confusion in Greek communication about Ghatoksacha , literally bald head is understandable about him being a barber. They understood him to be 'lessening hair' instead of being 'less hair ' or even 'hairless'.

By name, we can infer that Ghatotkacha was not only forest origin but also, was remarkable for his prowess. The queen of Xandrames was said to have taken a secret liking to him. Chandragupta has taken over the throne of Maghadha after killing Pulomarici. No doubt, he was well inspired by Alexander and adopting a title " Vikramaditya,' , he started away on a conquest in 311 bce, barely five years of his taking over. He was a successful conqueror but the long years of waiting perhaps in forests seemed to have taken its toll and by 305 bce, (or just before that) he has willingly abdicated in favor of Samudra gupta. Selucus Nikator fought with Samudra gupta in 305 bce , perhaps soon after his coronation but certainly after his settling scores with those who were jealous of his advancement. But Selucus had to loose bitterly in the hands of Samudragupta and had to offer his daughter as a matter of truce. This aspect has been very proudly proclaimed in Prasasthi of Allhabad authored by Harisena.

Samudra gupta also was a fantastic warrior and adopting such titles as Asokaditya . ){The Greeks called him Amitrochates or Allitrochades - the Greek transliteration for the Sanskrit 'Amitraghata' (Slayer of Enemies: " Both of these men (Megasthenes and Deimachus)

were sent ambassadors to Palimbothra (Pataliputra): Megasthenes to

Sandrocottus, Deimachus to Allitrochades his son " (Strabo II,I, 9). Strabo II,I, 9]The various types of coins found of Chandragupta (chandra, vikramah etc) and Samudragupta tell a very fantastic story about these two warrior kings.

Samudragupta could have had a long tenure since he was in touch with Antiochus I Soter (281 bce - 261 bce) and asked him to send him figs, wine and a sophist. But it looks like it is not long before Guptas were pushed to west, to settle down in Ujjain, where Ramachandra gupta has reigned from. It appears that he had to undergo some kind of insults on account of a sudden attack by enemy forces while he was taking rest on a hillock and he had to flee making his wife in charge of the fight that was to ensue. However, if the literary sources are to be believed, his brother Chandragupta II came to the rescue of his sister in law and this made Ramagupta so dejected that he left for Himalayas.

The problem about Guptas is they were not mentioned in Puranas(the sloka Anugangaprayagam... is about later Guptas, also called minor Guptas) and on top of it, so much of secular liturgical information is available in tits and bits. This has got to be converged with the numismatic and inscriptional evidence that is available.

I am sure to hope that we will be able to share the new history of Guptas in a better perspective. best regards, Kishore patnaik