Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya)

Chandragupta II was the son of Samudragupta. He ruled from the late 4th century CE into the early 5th. He took the title Vikramaditya, which means “Sun of Power”.

What did he inherit?

• His father had built a vast empire.
• So Chandragupta II did not have to build one from nothing.
• His job was to deal with the powers his father had left alone.
• He fought some of them and made allies of others.

What was Vikramaditya?

Vikramaditya was a title, not a personal name. An inscription from Mathura dated to 380 CE shows him using it. So Chandragupta II is often mixed up with a legendary hero of the same name.

What is the memory hook?

Think “inherit, then extend”.

Many scholars say Chandragupta II had an older brother, Ramagupta. Coins and Jain image inscriptions name a king Ramagupta. But the Gupta family records do not mention him.

What does the play say?

• The Sanskrit play Devichandraguptam tells a famous story.
• Ramagupta is weak and surrenders to a Shaka king.
• The terms include giving up his queen, Dhruvadevi.
• Chandragupta disguises himself and kills the Shaka king.
• He then removes his brother and marries Dhruvadevi.

Is the story true?

Treat it with care. The poet Bana also mentions a similar event. But Ray Chaudhuri says plays like this are poor bases for chronicles. One historian thinks the disguise story is very unlikely for an emperor. Still, Dhruvadevi was a real queen. She was the mother of Kumaragupta I.

What is the memory hook?

Think “play, not proof”.

Chandragupta II knew war was costly. So he also used marriage. A marriage could turn a rival into an ally.

Who did he marry and why?

• He married Kuberanaga, a princess of the Naga family.
• The Nagas were a strong dynasty in north-central India.
• Their daughter was Prabhavatigupta.
• She married the Vakataka king Rudrasena II.

Why the Vakatakas?

The Vakatakas lay in the Deccan, south of the Guptas. Their land was well placed for a campaign against the Shaka satraps of Gujarat and Surashtra. A friend there was worth more than an enemy.

What happened after?

Rudrasena II died early. Prabhavatigupta ruled for her young son. Many historians think she followed her father’s advice. So the Guptas gained real influence in the Deccan.

What is the memory hook?

Think “daughter as a bridge”.

The Western Satraps, or Shakas, were the biggest threat in the west. The war against them added western Malwa and Surashtra to the Gupta lands. Surashtra is also called Kathiawar.

What do the records say?

• An inscription at Udayagiri mentions the campaign.
• It says the king came in person, seeking to conquer the whole world.
• His minister Saba, in charge of peace and war, went with him.
• Eastern Malwa was the base of operations.
• Coins prove that the Shaka lands were annexed.

How did he keep trade smooth?

He issued silver coins in the style of the Kshatrapas. This kept money steady in the new lands. He used the title Parama-Bhagavata, a devotee of Vishnu.

Who was Sakari?

Sakari means “destroyer of the Shakas”. Some scholars link the title Vikramaditya Sakari to Chandragupta II.

What is the memory hook?

Think “sword in the west, silver in the west”.

Fa-hien was a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. He visited India in the reign of Chandragupta II. He gave a lively report of a peaceful and prosperous land. He never names the king, but his report fits this reign.

What did Fa-hien write?

• The people were numerous and happy.
• They did not have to register their households.
• Only those who farmed royal land paid a share of the crop.
• The king did not punish with death.
• Criminals were usually fined.
• Small purchases were made with cowries.

Why does it matter?

A foreign visitor gives a check on Gupta claims. An independent witness is worth more than a royal praise poem. Still, he was a traveller and could not speak for every village.

What is the memory hook?

Think “Fa-hien, Chandragupta II”.

The Iron Pillar stands at the Qutb complex in Mehrauli, Delhi. It carries a Sanskrit inscription in the name of a king called Chandra. Scholars identify him with Chandragupta II.

What does it show?

• The inscription is tied to a Vishnu temple built by the king.
• It also celebrates the metal-working skill of the age.
• The king’s coins call him a devotee of Vishnu.
• The pillar is a famous sign of Gupta craft.

Why is the name only “Chandra”?

The inscription uses a short form of the name. So the link to Chandragupta II is an identification. It rests on the script, the age and his devotion to Vishnu.

What is the memory hook?

Think “Chandra on iron”.

Exams test which Gupta king ruled when Fa-hien visited. The wrong options are other Gupta emperors. Fa-hien came in the reign of Chandragupta II, not before or after.

How do you answer it?

The answer is (b) Chandragupta II. Samudragupta ruled before him. Kumaragupta I and Skandagupta ruled after him. Each wrong option is a Gupta king from another reign.

What is the memory hook?

Think “pilgrim in the peak reign”.