Southern Campaigns of Samudra Gupta.
Samudra Gupta (335-375/380 AD), was the Second Emperor of Gupta dynasty, who campaigned in South India, and brought this whole area under his suzerainty.
The main source of his campaigns to the South is the famous Allahabad Pillar inscription.
The inscription is undated, but inscribed before his Ashvamedha, and the writer of this composition is his court-poet, Harisena.
The pillar is undated, however, it could be ascertained that this campaign must have occured before Samudra Gupta's ' Second War of Extermination', against kings of North India in around 348 AD.
Hence this campaign must have occured in around 340 AD.
We don't know of the army strength of Samudra Gupta which invaded South but it must have been considerable, containing Infantry, Elephants, Cavalry.
Since his route took him near east coast, it can be ascertained that the Gupta Navy must also have played a part in this venture.
One problem with Harisena's description about the campaign is that it does not follow strict order, i.e, the names of the places conquered are not in order of conquest.
The objective of conducting this campaign must have been two-fold.
One, to control the trade-routes, which at that point of time were quiet extensive, and secondly to prove that he ( Samudra) was the paramount sovereign of India.
His conquests in the South was marked by three features:-
1) ' Grahana' ( Capture of the Enemy),
2) ' Moksha' ( Liberating him), &
3) ' Anugraha' ( favouring him by reinstating him in his kingdom)
Image of Samudra Gupta's inscription on the Allahabad Pillar
Leaving the Yamuna valley, Samudra Gupta must have marched through modern Rewa district & Jabalpur district & came up against his first object of attack, the Kingdom of Kosala.
'Sri Maharajadhiraja Samudra Gupta' as mentioned on the Allahabad pillar.
The Kingdom of Kosala , which is Southern Kosala with its capital Sripura, modern village of Sirpur in Chattisgarh State, & included also the eastern & southern parts of Madhya Pradesh & Chattisgarh, the modern districts of Bilaspur, Raipur & Sambalpur.
The king of Southern Kosala has been named as Mahendra in the Allahabad pillar inscription.
Next, Samudra Gupta found himself in the Vindhyan wilderness, called ' Mahakantara', whose chief is most aptly called the ' tiger of the forest', named Vyaghra raja.
As he emerged victorious, after crushing Vyghra Raja, Samudra Gupta came into the east coast and its first kingdom, that of Kaurala.
Kaurala has been identified as :
1) Kolleru Lake in Andhra Pradesh ( image),
2) Sonpur dist of Odhisa, of whose capital was known as Yayati - Nagari on the Mahanadi river, or
3) Korada - which is the name of a small village in Vishakapatnam dist. or in Srikakulam dist.
After conquering Kaurala, Samudra Gupta's next objective was the Kingdom of Pishtapura, modern Pishtapuram in the east Godavari district, then under its King Mahendragiri.
It was the turn of Kottura Kingdom, after Pishtapura. Kottura is variously as:
1) Kotthur in the Ganjam district of Odhisa, or
2) A place called Kottura at the foothills in the Vishakapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh.
The next king subdued was Damana of Erandapalla.
This place, again is identified variously as:
1) Erandol in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra, or
2) Erandapali, a town in Vishakapatnam district, or
3) Yendapalli in east Godavari, or
4) Endapalli in Andhra Pradesh.
After the conquest of Damana, Samudra Gupta reached Kanchi or Kanchipuram, situated 72 km from modern Chennai.
He fought and defeated its king who has been named as Vishnugopa.
The next conquest is that of Vengi under its king Hastivarman. Samudra Gupta, in procedding against Kanchi could not have left in his rear, the king of Vengi.
Very probably, he had to give battle to a coalition of Pallava Kings headed by Vishnugopa & Hastivarman.
After defeating these kings Samudra Gupta proceeded against Ugrasena of Palakka.
This is a place in Malabar coast. Some historians identify it in modern Nellore area. It was a seat of Pallava Viceroyalty.
The next kingdom that came in Samudra Gupta's way was Devarashtra under its King Kubera.
A copper plate inscription of eastern Chalukya King Bhima- I, mentions a village in Elamanchi called Kalingadesa which was part of Devarashtra.
The last kingdom mentioned in the Allahabad inscriptions is Kusthalapura under its king Dhananjaya.
The place has been identified with Kattalur, near Pollilur in the Arcot area of Tamil Nadu.
All in all, Samudra Gupta defeated 12 kings of South and 8 kings of North India.
He always used to fight in front, and his body had marks of injuries from various weapons like sword, arrow, javelin, etc.
Harisena calls these marks as ' jewels'.
He has been called ' Samarasta' = Hero of a hundred battles.
His campaign of South was of much importance as the whole of the subcontinent, except Western India was united under one king for the first time, after 600 odd years.
Even the King of Sri Lanka, hearing of his campaigns sent letters, gifts and maidens, accepting Samudra Gupta's suzerainty.
For his efforts in making numerous wars, Samudra Gupta has been called ' Napoleon of India' by Dr. V.A. Smith.
Though, unlike Napoleon, Samudra Gupta never lost a battle.
According to Eran inscription, his enemies saw him in their dreams and were much afraid.
Samudra Gupta should be called the Greatest Indian Emperor of the current era.
All other kings, who came after him were 'babies' before him.
The golden age of India started under him, and reached its climax under his successors.
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