Gupta–Saka Wars: Difference between revisions

: The exact location of the Shakas mentioned in Samudragupta's inscription is not certain. [[Vincent Arthur Smith|V. A. Smith]] identified them with the [[Western Kshatrapas]], who controlled the western [[Malwa]] and [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]] regions. [[D. R. Bhandarkar]] alternatively identified the Shaka-Murunda ruler with [[Shridhara-varman]], a Shaka ruler whose inscriptions have been discovered at [[Sanchi]] ([[Kanakerha inscription]]) and [[Eran]].<ref name="CII4" /> Eran then came under the direct control of Samudragupta, as attested by his Eran inscription.{{sfn|Agrawal|1989|p=123}}<ref name="CII4" />

: The Central Indian region around [[Vidisha]], [[Sanchi]] and [[Eran]] had been occupied by a Saka ruler named [[Sridharavarman]], who his known from the [[Kanakerha inscription]] at Sanchi, and another inscription with his Naga general at Eran.<ref name="Shaw 58">Buddhist Landscapes in Central India: Sanchi Hill and Archaeologies of Religious and Social Change, c. Third Century BC to Fifth Century AD, Julia Shaw, Routledge, 2016 [https://books.google.com/books?id=IUbUDAAAQBAJ&pg=PR58 p58-59]</ref> At [[Eran]], it seems that Sridharavarman's inscription is succeeded by a monument and an inscription by [[Gupta Empire|Gupta King]] [[Samudragupta]] (r.336-380 CE), established "for the sake of augmenting his fame", who may therefore have ousted Sridharavarman's Sakas in his campaigns to the West.<ref>"During the course of this expedition he is believed to have attacked and defeated the Saka Chief Shridhar Varman, ruling over Eran-Vidisha region. He then annexed the area and erected a monument at Eran (modern Sagar District) "for the sake cf augmenting his fame"." in {{cite book |last1=Pradesh (India) |first1=Madhya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7CYLAQAAIAAJ |title=Madhya Pradesh: District Gazetteers |last2=Krishnan |first2=V. S. |date=1982 |publisher=Government Central Press |page=28 |language=en}}</ref> Sridharavarman is probably the "Saka" ruler mentioned in the [[Allahabad pillar]] inscription of Samudragupta, as having "paid homage" to the Gupta king,<ref name="CII42">{{cite book |last1=Mirashi |first1=Vasudev Vishnu |url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.3725/page/n321 |title=Corpus inscriptionum indicarum vol.4 pt.2 Inscriptions of the Kalachuri Chedi Era |date=1955 |publisher=Archaeological Society of India |pages=605–611}}</ref> forced to "self-surrender, offering (their own) daughters in marriage and a request for the administration of their own districts and provinces".<ref>Lines 23-24 of the [[Allahabad pillar]] inscription of Samudragupta: "Self-surrender, offering (their own) daughters in marriage and a request for the administration of their own districts and provinces through the Garuḍa badge, by the [[Kushan Empire|Dēvaputra-Shāhi-Shāhānushāhi]] and the Śaka lords and by (rulers) occupying all Island countries, such as Siṁhala and others."</ref>

==Reference==

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