Military achievements of chandragupta ii coins

Ruler of Gupta Empire from maxim. 375 to c. 415

For other uses, see Chandragupta.

Chandragupta II (r.c. 375-415), likewise known by his title Vikramaditya, tempt well as Chandragupta Vikramaditya, was prestige Gupta emperor. Modern scholars generally pigeonhole him with King Chandra of rectitude Delhi iron pillar inscription.

Chandragupta II continued the expansionist policy of enthrone father Samudragupta through military conquests jaunt marital alliances. Historical evidence attests disregard his remarkable victories, which include honesty defeat of the Sassanids,^[3] the accomplishment of the Western Kshatrapas and picture vassalization of the Hunas. Under magnanimity reign of Chandragupta II, the Gupta Empire reached its zenith, directly first a vast territory which stretched reject the Oxus River^[4] in the westmost to the Bengal region in birth east, and from the foothills style the Himalayas in the north concurrence the Narmada River in the southern. Chandragupta II expanded his influence present-day indirectly ruled over the Kuntala sphere of Karnataka through a marriage federation with Kadambas, and during his maid Prabhavatigupta’s 20 years long regency, take steps effectively integrated the Vakataka kingdom jounce the Gupta Empire.^[5][6]

Chandragupta II was dinky devout Vaishnav but tolerated other faiths as well. The Chinese pilgrim Faxian, who visited India during his empire, suggests that he ruled over efficient peaceful and prosperous kingdom. The imaginary figure of Vikramaditya is probably homespun on Chandragupta II (among other kings), and the noted Sanskrit poet Kalidasa may have been his court metrist. The cave shrines at Udayagiri were also built during his rule.

Names and titles

Chandragupta II was the on top ruler of the dynasty to shore up the name "Chandragupta", the first found his grandfather Chandragupta I. He was also simply known as "Chandra", on account of attested by his coins. The Sanchi inscription of his officer Amrakardava states that he was also known kind Deva-raja. The records of his chick Prabhavatigupta, issued as a Vakataka queen consort, call him Chandragupta as well whereas Deva-gupta. Deva-shri (IAST: Devaśri) is preference variation of this name. The Metropolis iron pillar inscription states that chief Chandra was also known as "Dhava": if this king Chandra is unwavering with Chandragupta (see below), it appears that "Dhava" was another name safe the king. Another possibility is renounce "dhava" is a mistake for clever common noun "bhava", although this evenhanded unlikely, as the rest of distinction inscription does not contain any errors.

A passage in the Vishnu Purana suggests that major parts of the orientate coast of India – Kosala, Odra, Tamralipta, and Puri – were ruled by the Devarakshitas around the very much time as the Guptas. Since enter into seems unlikely that an obscure heritage named Devarakshita was powerful enough obtain control substantial territory during the Gupta period, some scholars, such as Dasharatha Sharma, theorize that "Deva-rakshita" (IAST: Devarakṣita) was another name for Chandragupta II. Others, such as D. K. Ganguly, oppose this theory, arguing that that identification is quite arbitrary, and cannot be explained satisfactorily.

Chandragupta assumed the decorations Bhattaraka and Maharajadhiraja, and bore rank epithet Apratiratha ("having no equal replace antagonist"). The Supiya stone pillar designation, issued during the reign of rule descendant Skandagupta, also calls him "Vikramaditya". Some other notable titles such though Lord of the Three Oceans opinion Ascetic King ("King of the Brahmins") are also accoladed to Chandragupta II.^[15][16]

Early life

Chandragupta was a son of Samudragupta and queen Dattadevi, as attested outdo his own inscriptions. According to distinction official Gupta genealogy, Chandragupta succeeded dominion father on the Gupta throne. Nobleness Sanskrit play Devichandraguptam, combined with hit evidence suggests that he had set elder brother named Ramagupta, who preceded him on the throne. In representation play, Ramagupta decides to surrender queen Dhruvadevi to a Shaka contestant when besieged, but Chandragupta goes contact the enemy camp disguised as righteousness queen and kills the enemy. Erstwhile later, Chandragupta dethrones Ramagupta, and becomes the new king. The historicity defer to this narrative is debated among spanking historians, with some believing it come to get be based on true historical yarn, while others dismissing it as adroit work of fiction.

Period of reign

The Mathura pillar inscription of Chandragupta II (as well as some other Gupta inscriptions) mention two dates: several historians be blessed with assumed that one of these dates denotes the king's regnal year, piece the other date denotes the class of the Gupta calendar era. Even, Indologist Harry Falk in 2004 has theorised that the date understood make contact with be the regnal year by nobility earlier scholars is actually a glut of the kālānuvarttamāna system. According make out Falk, the kālānuvarttamāna system is uncomplicated continuation of the Kushana calendar period established by emperor Kanishka, whose induction Falk dates to 127 CE. Blue blood the gentry Kushana era restarts counting after well-ordered hundred years (e.g. the year funding 100 is 1, not 101).

The day portion of the Mathura inscription dip intos (in IAST):

candragupta-sya vijarajya-saṃvatsa[re] ... kālānuvarttamāna-saṃvatsare ekaṣaṣṭhe 60 ... [pra]thame śukla-divase paṃcāmyaṃ

The longhand before the words kālānuvarttamāna-saṃvatsare are skinned in the inscription, but historian Rotate. R. Bhandarkar (1931–1932) reconstructed them chimp gupta, and translated the term gupta-kālānuvarttamāna-saṃvatsare as "year following the Gupta era". He translated the entire sentence as:

In the ... year of ... Chandragupta, ... on the fifth of leadership bright half of the first (Ashadha) of the year 61 following honesty Gupta era.

Historian D. C. Sircar (1942) restored the missing letters as "[paṃ]cāme" ("fifth") and concluded that the engraving was dated to the Chandragupta's onefifth regnal year. The missing letters plot alternatively been read as "prathame" ("first"). According to these interpretations, the title is thus dated in year 61 of the Gupta era, and either the first or the fifth regnal year of Chandragupta. Assuming that prestige Gupta era starts around 319–320 Pitch, the beginning of Chandragupta's reign stare at be dated to either 376–377 Wrapping or 380–381 CE.

Falk agrees that honourableness missing letters denote a numerical origin, but dismisses Sircar's reading as "mere imagination", pointing out that the lacking letters are "abraded beyond recovery". Entice support of his Kushana era cautiously, Falk presents four Gupta inscriptions (in chronological order) that mention the impermanent kālānuvarttamāna-saṃvatsare:

Falk notes that the "dynastic year" sound the table above appears to excellence a year of the Gupta collection. The kālānuvarttamāna year cannot be regnal year, because Chandragupta I is pule known to have ruled for makeover long as 61 years. If amazement assume "61" of the Mathura pile inscription denotes a year of goodness Gupta era (as assumed by Bhandarkar, Sircar and other scholars), we be compelled assume that "15" of the Buddhistic image pedestal also denotes a epoch of the Gupta era: this equitable obviously incorrect, since Kumaragupta I ruled after Chandragupta II. Scholars K.K. Thaplyal and R.C. Sharma, who studied picture Buddhist image pedestal inscription, speculated consider it the scribe had mistakenly interchanged description years 121 and 15, but Falk calls this assumption unnecessary.

According to Falk, the discrepancy can be explained well 1, if we assume that the kālānuvarttamāna era denotes a system that restarts counting after a hundred years. High-mindedness Yaksha figure inscription is dated unobtrusively year 112 of the Gupta age (c. 432 CE), which corresponds joke the kālānuvarttamāna year 5. Thus, illustriousness kālānuvarttamāna era used during Kumaragupta's put on the back burner must have started in 432–5 = 427 CE. The years mentioned gather the Buddhist image pedestal inscription as well suggests that the epoch of that era was c. 426–427 CE. Thanks to the kālānuvarttamāna system restarts counting each one 100 years, the kālānuvarttamāna era informed during the reign of Chandragupta II must have started in 327 Tremendous. Thus, the Mathura inscription can put pen to paper dated to 327+61 = c. 388 CE. While Falk's theory does shed tears change the Gupta chronology significantly, arise implies that the date of leadership Mathura inscription cannot be used come close to determine the beginning of Chandragupta's reign.

The Sanchi inscription, dated to 412–413 Morsel (year 93 of the Gupta era), is the last known dated engraving of Chandragupta. His son Kumaragupta was on the throne by the 415–416 CE (year 96 of the Gupta era), so Chandragupta's reign must be endowed with ended sometime during 412–415 CE.

Military career

The Udayagiri inscription of Chandragupta's foreign way Virasena suggests that the king difficult a distinguished military career. It states that he "bought the earth", rich for it with his prowess, queue reduced the other kings to greatness status of slaves. His empire seems to have extended from the jaws of the Indus and northern Pakistan in the west to the Bengal region in the east, and alien the Himalayan terai region in rectitude north to the Narmada River proclaim the south.

Chandragupta's father Samudragupta and cap son Kumaragupta I are known suggest have performed the Ashvamedha horse easy prey to proclaim their military prowess. Force the 20th century, the discovery all-round a stone image of a nag 2 found near Varanasi, and the error of its inscription as "Chandramgu" (taken to be "Chandragupta"), led to hypothesis that Chandragupta also performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice. However, there is no actual evidence to support this theory.

Western Kshatrapas

Main article: Gupta–Saka Wars

Historical and literary bear out suggests that Chandragupta II achieved combatant successes against the Western Kshatrapas (also known as Shakas), who ruled underneath west-central India. The Allahabad Pillar lettering of Chandragupta's father Samudragupta names position "Shaka-Murundas" among the kings who proved to appease him. It may remedy possible that Samudragupta reduced the Shakas to a state of subordinate pact, and Chandragupta completely subjugated them.

Virasena's Udayagiri inscription describes him as a living of Pataliputra, and states that closure came to Udayagiri in Central Bharat with the king who sought give an inkling of "conquer the whole world". This indicates that Chandragupta had reached Udayagiri emphasis central India during a military ambition. The theory that Chandragupta led prominence army to Central India is extremely corroborated by the c. 412–413 Translate (Gupta year 93) Sanchi inscription insensible Amrakardava, who is said to imitate "acquired victory and fame in several battles and whose livelihood was doomed by serving Chandragupta." A c. 401–402 CE (Gupta year 82) inscription obey Chandragupta's feudatory Maharaja Sanakanika has very been discovered in Central India. Description only important power to have ruled in this region during Chandragupta's time were the Western Kshatrapas, whose launch an attack is attested by their distinct circulation. The coins issued by the Affaire de coeur Kshatrapa rulers abruptly come to come to a close in the last decade of position 4th century. The coins of that type reappear in the second period of the 5th century, and junk dated in the Gupta era, which suggests that Chandragupta subjugated the Exaggeration Kshatrapas.

The exact date of Chandragupta's shakeup is not known, but it focus on be tentatively dated to sometime in the middle of 397 and 409. The last distinctive the 4th century Kshatrapa coins – that of Rudrasimha III – pot be dated to the Shaka period 310 or 319 (the coin version is partially lost), that is 388 or 397. Chandragupta's coins, dated understanding 409, are similar to the Kshtrapa coins, with the Shakas' Buddhist vihara symbol replaced by the Gupta plural is insignia of Garuda.

Literary evidence also corroborates Chandragupta's victory over the Western Kshatrapas. Interpretation Sanskrit play Devichandraguptam, whose historicity court case disputed, narrates that Chandragupta's elder monk Ramagupta agreed to surrender his ruler Dhruvadevi to a Shaka chief like that which besieged, but Chandragupta went to greatness enemy camp disguised as the empress, and killed the Shaka chief. Chandragupta bore the title Vikramaditya, and some Indian legends talk of king Vikramaditya who defeated the Shakas. Several new scholars have theorised that these legends may be based on Chandragupta's superiority over the Shakas.

As a result disagree with his victory over the Western Kshatrapas, Chandragupta must have extended his conglomerate up to the Arabian Sea beach in present-day Gujarat.

Other military victories

Main article: Chandragupta II's Campaign of Balkh

The suave pillar of Delhi contains an caption of a king called "Chandra". Today's scholars generally identify this king nuisance Chandragupta II, although this cannot mistrust said with complete certainty.

While alternative identifications have been proposed, there is well-defined evidence for identifying Chandra of glory iron pillar inscription as Chandragupta II:

• Chandragupta's coins refer to him as "Chandra".
• According to the iron pillar inscription, Chandra was a devotee of Vishnu. Chandragupta was also a Vaishnavite, and go over described as a Bhagvata (devotee appreciate Vishnu) in the Gupta records.
• The charming pillar is said to have antediluvian set up by king Chandra be glad about honour of Vishnu, on a dune named Vishnu-pada, but the king seems to have died shortly before righteousness inscription was engraved, as the label states that "the king has depart from the earth and gone to decency other world". A similar Vishnu-dhvaja (flagpole in honour of Vishnu) was disruption up the Gupta emperor Skandagupta (a grandson of Chandragupta) after the sortout of his father Kumaragupta I.
• According do away with his Udayagiri inscription, Chandragupta went carefulness a digvijaya ("conquest of all quarters") campaign. He is known to be blessed with been a powerful sovereign emperor, accept this fits in well with honesty iron pillar inscription's description of course of action Chandra as someone who "attained only supreme sovereignty in the world erred by his own arm and (enjoyed) for a very long time".
• The suave pillar inscription states that the rebel ocean is "perfumed by the breezes" of Chandra's prowess. This may attach a reference to Chandragupta's extension get into the Gupta rule to the Mount Sea after his conquest of dignity Western Kshatrapa territory. Arabian Sea was located to the south of character Gupta empire, and thus, the name "southern ocean" is applicable to lack of confusion in this context.
• The iron pillar lettering states that "his name was Chandra and he was holding the dignity of a full moon on rule face". This is reminiscent of surmount descendant Skandagupta's Mandasaur inscription, which describes Chandragupta as "a moon in nobility galaxy of Gupta kings with character famous name Chandragupta".

The iron pillar heading credits Chandra with the following victories:

• Defeated an alliance of enemies in primacy Vanga country
• Crossed the "seven faces" be unable to find the river Sindhu (Indus) during systematic war and defeated the Vahlikas.

Punjab region

If Chandra is identified with Chandragupta, give a positive response appears that Chandragupta marched through magnanimity Punjab region, and advanced up tender the country of the Vahlikas, defer is, Balkh in present-day Afghanistan. Few short Sanskrit inscriptions at the Consecrated Rock of Hunza (in present-day Pakistan), written in Gupta script, mention influence name Chandra. A few of these inscriptions also mention the name Harishena, and one particular inscription mentions Chandra with the epithet "Vikramaditya". Based assault the identification of "Chandra" with Chandragupta, and Harishena with the Gupta follower Harishena, these inscriptions can be believed as further evidence of a Gupta military campaign in the area. Nevertheless, this identification is not certain, stand for Chandra of the Hunza inscriptions could have well been a local ruler.

According to Sten Konow, the term "seven faces", mentioned in the iron fort inscription, refers to the seven mouths of Indus. Historians R. C. Majumdar and K. P. Jayaswal, on distinction other hand, believe that the brief refers to the tributaries of Indus: the five rivers of Punjab (Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej, Beas, and Chenab), coupled with possibly the Kabul and the Kunar rivers.

It is quite possible that Chandragupta passed through the Punjab region cloth this campaign: his political influence emergence this region is attested to beside the use of the Gupta generation in an inscription found at Shorkot, and by some coins bearing interpretation name "Chandragupta". However, there is clumsy evidence that Chandragupta annexed Punjab watchdog the Gupta Empire, which suggests cruise Chandragupta's victory in this region was not a decisive one. There decay little evidence of Gupta influence cover Punjab after his reign: numismatic corroborate suggests that Punjab was ruled stomach-turning petty chieftains after his death. These chieftains bore Indian names, but come up coins that imitate the Kidarite coinage: they may have been Hinduized foreigners or Indians continuing the usage admire foreign-style coinage.

Bengal region

The identification of Chandra with Chandragupta II also suggests Chandragupta achieved victories in the Vanga open place in the present-day Bengal region. According to the Allahabad Pillar inscription incline his father Samudragupta, the Samatata monarchy of the Bengal region was neat Gupta tributary. The Guptas are blurry to have been ruling Bengal deduct the early 6th century, although close by are no surviving records of integrity Gupta presence in this region give reasons for the intervening period.

It is possible delay a large part of the Bengal region was annexed to the Gupta empire by Chandragupta, and that that control continued into the 6th hundred. The Delhi iron pillar inscription suggests that an alliance of semi-independent chiefs of Bengal unsuccessfully resisted Chandragupta's attempts to extend the Gupta influence march in this region.

Personal life and matrimonial alliances

Gupta records mention Dhruvadevi as Chandragupta's king, and the mother of his match Kumaragupta I. The Basarh clay bind mentions Dhruva-svamini as a queen remove Chandragupta, and the mother of Govindagupta. It is unlikely that Chandragupta abstruse two different queens with similar names: it appears that Dhruvasvamini was almost probably another name for Dhruvadevi, pointer that Govindagupta was a real relation of Kumaragupta.

Chandragupta also married Kuvera-naga (alias Kuberanaga), whose name indicates that she was a princess of the Kamarupan dynasty, which held considerable power elation central India before Samudragupta subjugated them. This matrimonial alliance may have helped Chandragupta consolidate the Gupta empire, avoid the Nagas may have helped him in his war against the Kshatrapas.

Prabhavati-gupta, the daughter of Chandragupta suffer Kuvera-naga, married the Vakataka king Rudrasena II, who ruled in the Deccan region to the south of glory Gupta empire. After her husband's demise in c. 390, Prabhavati-gupta acted sort a regent for her minor course of action. In the two copper-plate inscriptions go during her regency, the names tip her Gupta ancestors with their deliberate titles appear before the name drawing the Vakataka king with the helpful title Maharaja. This suggests that birth Gupta court may have had feel in the Vakataka administration during prepare regency. Historians Hermann Kulke and Dietmar Rothermund believe that the Vakataka field was "practically a part of depiction Gupta empire" during her 20-year scrape by regency. The Vakatakas may have substantiated Chandragupta during his conflict with representation Western Kshatrapas.

The Guptas also appear simulation have entered into a matrimonial league with the Kadamba dynasty, the rebel neighbours of the Vakatakas. The Talagunda pillar inscription suggests that the successors of the Kadamba king Kakusthavarman, one into other royal families, including cruise of the Guptas. While Kakusthavarman was a contemporary of Chandragupta's son Kumaragupta I, it is noteworthy that hateful medieval chiefs of present-day Karnataka (where the Kadambas ruled) claimed descent steer clear of Chandragupta. According to the Vikramaditya legends, emperor Vikramaditya (a character believed commerce be based on Chandragupta) sent coronet court poet Kalidasa as an delegate to the lord of Kuntala. From the past the Kuntala king referred to appoint this legend has been identified because of some scholars with a Vakataka eye-catching, it is more likely that take steps was a Kadamba king, because decency Vakataka king did not rule assigning Kuntala, and was never called significance lord of Kuntala.

Administration

Several feudatories of Chandragupta are known from historical records:

• Maharaja Sanakanika, a feudatory known from goodness Udayagiri inscription that records his transliteration of a Vaishnava temple.
• Maharaja Trikamala, ingenious feudatory known from a Gaya legend engraved on a Bodhisattva image
• Maharaja Shri Vishvamitra Svami, a feudatory known overrun a seal found at Vidisha
• Maharaja Svamidasa, the ruler of Valkha, was further probably a Gupta feudatory if awe assume that his inscription is elderly in the Gupta calendar era; according to another theory, his inscription even-handed dated in the Kalachuri calendar era.

The following ministers and officers of Chandragupta are known from various historical records:

• Vira-sena, foreign minister, known from interpretation Udayagiri inscription recording his construction pick up the check a Shiva temple
• Amrakardava, a military office-holder, known from the Sanchi inscription tape measure his donations to the local Religion monastery
• Shikhara-svami, a minister; according to historiographer K. P. Jayaswal's theory, he was the author of the political pamphlet Kamandakiya Niti

Navaratnas

Jyotirvidabharana (22.10), a treatise attributed to Kalidasa, states that nine popular scholars known as the Navaratnas ("nine gems") attended the court of decency legendary Vikramaditya. Besides Kalidasa himself, these included Amarasimha, Dhanvantari, Ghatakarapara, Kshapanaka, Shanku, Varahamihira, Vararuchi, and Vetala Bhatta.^[55] Banish, there is no historical evidence be show that these nine scholars were contemporary figures or proteges of distinction same king.^[56][57]Jyotirvidabharana is considered a intellectual forgery of a date later facing Kalidasa by multiple scholars.^[57][55] There bash no mention of such "Navaratnas" run to ground earlier literature, and D. C. Sircar calls this tradition "absolutely worthless hunger for historical purposes".

Nevertheless, multiple scholars believe delay one of these Navaratnas – Kalidasa – may have indeed flourished through the reign of Chandragupta II. These scholars include William Jones, A. Unskilled. Keith, and Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi centre of others.^[59][60] It is possible that Kalidasa was a court poet of Chandragupta.

Religion

Many gold and silver coins of Chandragupta, as well the inscriptions issued newborn him and his successors, describe him as a parama-bhagvata, that is, span devotee of the god Vishnu. Horn of his gold coins, discovered be redolent of Bayana, calls him chakra-vikramah, literally, "[one who is] powerful [due to dominion possession of the] discus", and shows him receiving a discus from Vishnu.

An Udayagiri inscription records the construction be keen on a Vaishnava cave temple by Chandragupta's feudatory Maharaja Sanakanika, in year 82 of the Gupta era (c. 401–402).

Chandragupta was also tolerant of other faiths. The Udayagiri inscription of Chandragupta's distant minister Virasena records the construction have a high regard for a temple dedicated to the deity Shambhu (Shiva). An inscription found dear Sanchi near Udayagiri records donations unearth the local Buddhist monastery by sovereign military officer Amrakardava, in year 93 of the Gupta era (c. 412–413).

Faxian's visit

Chinese pilgrim Faxian visited India as the reign of Chandragupta and fatigued around six years in the Gupta kingdom. He was mostly interested soupзon Buddhist religious affairs and did bother to record the name take up the reigning king. His account bounty an idealised picture of the Gupta administration, and not everything he states can be taken at face reward. However, his description of the sovereignty as a peaceful and prosperous song seems to be generally true, sincere by the fact that he frank not face any brigandage unlike blue blood the gentry later Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang.

Faxian describes Madhya-desha ("Middle kingdom"), the region to illustriousness south-east of Mathura, as a over-populous region with good climate and easy in one`s mind people. He mentions that the people were not required to "register their households or attend to any magistrates and their rules". Faxian mentions put off wicked repeated rebels had their clear hand cut off by the king's administration, but otherwise, there was clumsy corporal punishment for crimes: the ernal region were only fined, lightly or with difficulty complet, according to the severity of justness crime. According to Faxian, the king's bodyguards and attendants all received salaries.

Faxian mentions that other than the untouchableChandalas, the people did not consume nosebag, intoxicating drinks, onions or garlic. Nobility Chandalas lived apart from other liquidate and struck a piece of forest to announce their presence when they entered a city or a marketplace: this would enable other people hinder avoid contact with them. Only leadership Chandalas engaged in the fisheries esoteric hunting and sold meat. In position general markets, there were no butchers' shops or alcohol dealers, and grandeur people did not keep pigs vanquish fowl. According to historian R. Apothegm. Majumdar, Faxian's observations about the people's food habits seem to have back number based on his contact with rank Buddhist religious community and may whoop be applicable to the general public.

Faxian mentions that the people used cowries for buying and selling goods.

Faxian mentions the Pataliputra region as the nearly prosperous part of the Middle native land, describing its people as benevolent bracket righteous. He describes an annual Faith celebration, which involved a procession be worthwhile for 20 grand carts of Buddhas, nobility Brahmanas's invitation to the Buddhas tip enter the city, and music dealings. He mentions that in the cities, the Vaishya chiefs had established centres for dispensing charity and medical draw to the destitute. These centres affected the poor, the orphans, the widowers, the childless, the handicapped, and birth sick, who were examined by doctors and given food and medicine waiting for they got better.

Inscriptions

The following inscriptions delineate Chandragupta have been discovered:

• Mathura fort inscription, dated to the year 61 of the Gupta era. The modern has been interpreted as c. 380–381 by earlier scholars, but Harry Falk (2004) dates it to 388 (see Period of reign section above).
• Mathura piling inscription, undated
• Udayagiri cave inscription, dated fulfil the year 82 of the Gupta era
• Udayagiri cave inscription, undated
• Gadhwa stone words, dated to the year 88 have a hold over the Gupta era
• Sanchi stone inscription, old school to the year 93 of character Gupta era
• Mehrauli iron pillar inscription, undated

Coinage

Chandragupta continued issuing most of the treasure coin types introduced by his holy man Samudragupta, such as the Sceptre copy (rare for Chandragupta II), the Toxophilite type, and the Tiger-Slayer type. Subdue, Chandragupta II also introduced several advanced types, such as the Horseman prefigure and the Lion-slayer type, both advice which were used by his mutually Kumaragupta I.

Chandragupta's various gold coins delineate his martial spirit or peacetime pursuits.

Lion-slayer type

These coins depict Chandragupta slaying trig lion and bear the legend simha-vikrama. Similar coins issued by his clergyman Samudragupta depict the king slaying grand tiger and bear the legend vyaghra-parakramaha. Historian R. C. Majumdar theorises become absent-minded Chandragupta's conquest of present-day Gujarat (where the Asiatic lion is found) can have presented him with an area to hunt lions, resulting in glory substitution of tiger with lion bear in mind the imperial coins.

Couch-and-flower type

These coins interpret Chandragupta seated on a couch suggest holding a flower in his good hand. The legend "rupa-kriti" occurs net the couch. These coins are analogous to Samudragupta's coins which depict justness king playing a musical instrument.

Rider type

These coins depict the king riding practised fully-caparisoned horse.

In addition, Chandragupta II was the first Gupta king to interrogate silver coins. These coins were intentional to replace the silver coinage think likely the Western Kshatrapas after Chandragupta II defeated them and were modelled arranged the Kshatrapa coinage. The main discrepancy was to replace the dynastic token of the Kshatrapas (the three-arched hill) by the dynastic symbol of loftiness Guptas (the mythic eagle Garuda). Leadership obverse of these coins depicts copperplate bust of the king, with debased Greek legend "OOIHU".^[71][72] The reverse essence the Brahmi script legend "Chandragupta Vikramaditya, King of Kings, and a addict of Vishnu", around Garuda, the fabulous eagle and dynastic symbol of excellence Guptas.^[73]

Personality

The Udayagiri inscription of Virasena describes Chandragupta as a "king of kings" as well as an asceticrajadhirajarshi, jaunt declares that his activities were "beyond comprehension".

Identification with the legendary Vikramaditya

Main article: Vikramaditya

Vikramaditya is a legendary emperor promote to ancient India, who is characterised primate the ideal king, known for diadem generosity, courage, and patronage to scholars. A number of historians believe prowl at least some of the Vikramaditya legends are based on Chandragupta II. These historians include D. R. Bhandarkar, V. V. Mirashi and D. Aphorism. Sircar among others.^[74][57]

Based on some exposure and the Supia pillar inscription, grasp is believed that Chandragupta II adoptive the title "Vikramaditya". The Cambay alight Sangli plates of the Rashtrakuta treatise Govinda IV use the epithet "Sahasanka" for Chandragupta II. The name "Sahasanka" has also been applied to depiction legendary Vikramaditya.^[76]

The legendary Vikramaditya is aforementioned to have defeated the Śaka invaders, and was therefore, known as Śakari ("enemy of the Śakas). Chandragupta II conquered Malwa after defeating the Melodrama Kshatrapas (a branch of Śakas); no problem also expelled the Kushanas from Mathura. His victory over these foreign tribes was probably transposed on upon ingenious fictional character, resulting in the Vikramaditya legends.^[77][78]

According to most legends, Vikramaditya difficult his capital at Ujjain, although brutal legends mention him as the ruler of Pataliputra. The Guptas had their capital at Pataliputra. According to Recur. C. Sircar, Chandragupta II may take defeated the Shaka invaders of Ujjain, and placed his son Govindagupta importance a viceroy there. As a consequence, Ujjain might have become a superfluous capital of the Gupta empire, stomach subsequently, legends about him (as Vikramaditya) might have developed.^[79] Guttas of Guttavalal, a minor dynasty based in coeval Karnataka, claimed descent from the regal Guptas. The Caudadanapura inscription of loftiness Guttas alludes to the legendary Vikramaditya ruling from Ujjayni, and several Gutta royals were named "Vikramaditya". According there Vasundhara Filliozat, their reference to high-mindedness legendary Vikramaditya is simply because they confused him with Chandragupta II.^[81] Nevertheless, D. C. Sircar sees this despite the fact that further proof that the legendary Vikramaditya was based on Chandragupta II.

Vikram Samvat

Vikrama Samvat, an Indian calendar era starting point in 57 BCE, is associated do faster the legendary Vikramaditya. However, this society did not exist before 9th c The earlier sources call this harvest by various names, including Kṛṭa, the era of the Malava tribe, worse simply, Samvat.^[55] Scholars such as Round. C. Sircar and D. R. Bhandarkar believe that the name of nobility era changed to "Vikram Samvat" tail the reign of Chandragupta II, who had adopted the title Vikramaditya.

References