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Allahabad Inscription of Samudragupta is not posthumous

By B. Ch. Chhabra

Vol. 24 · No. 2June - 1948pp. 104–113English

Summary

This study analyses the Allahabad pillar inscription of the Gupta emperor Samudragupta. Historians had suggested that the eulogistic inscription was composed after his death by his minister Hariseṇa, but the author argues otherwise. The genealogy in the inscription ends with Samudragupta and does not mention his successor Chandragupta II, implying that it dates from Samudragupta’s reign. The inscription also omits reference to his later Aśvamedha sacrifice, suggesting it was written before that event. The paper argues that court poets did not normally eulogise deceased rulers without acknowledging their successors and that the style conforms to contemporary epigraphic conventions. It concludes that the inscription was a contemporary record commissioned by Samudragupta himself and is therefore a reliable historical source.

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Conclusion

By examining omissions and stylistic conventions, the author shows that the Allahabad inscription is a contemporaneous document rather than a posthumous composition. This reinforces its value for reconstructing Samudragupta’s reign and underscores the need for caution when attributing epigraphs to later editors.

Key passages

Chosen by AI from the article's text. Each one is checked word for word against the text before it is shown.

  • “The problem is not a new one. In fact, che problem would not have arisen at all, but for an unfortunate error that crept in at an early stage of the study of the record.”
  • “There is, however, one instance in the inscription where the present tense unmistakably refers to.a 'present' event and not to a past one, and that is in verse 8.”
  • “There is thus absolutely no doubt that the inscription is one of Samudragupta’s own time, not posehumous.”

Works cited in this article

  1. JASB., vol. VI, 1837, pp. 976-8.
  2. Corpns Inscriptionnm Indicarum, vol. Ill, Calcutta, 1888, ‘p. g.
  3. K. P. Jayaswal, History of India 150 A.D. to 350 A.D. Lahore, 1933, p- 121, footnote.
  4. R.C. Majumdar and A. S. Altekar, The Vakateka-Gupta Age, (vol. V3 of A New History of the Indian People), Lahore, 1946, p. 137-
  5. Indian Antiguary, vol. XLII (1913).

Discussed in this article

Texts & works

  • Gupta Inscriptions
  • Inscriptions of the early Gupta kings and their successors

Dynasties, sects & groups

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In this issue

Vol. 24 · No. 2
87–93The Ms. of Asanga's AbhidharmasamuccayaPrahlad Pradhan94–103The Puranic data on the Original Home of the Indo-AryansR. B. Pandey104–113Allahabad Inscription of Samudragupta is not posthumousB. Ch. ChhabraCurrent article114–122Fresh Evidence of Dandin's Composition of KalaparicchedaSadashiva L. Katre123–133Commerce and Industry in the Pre-Mughal PeriodJogindra Nath Chowdhuri134–140Kalidasa's Treatment of Nature in RitusamharaK. Rama Pisharoti141–142A Copper-plate grant of Rana Arisimha to Ahilyabai HolkarD. B. Diskalkar142–147Surya and SivaDilip Kumar Biswas148–155The Vakataka ChronologyV. V. Mirashi156–161More Light on the Authorship of BhasaparicchedaDinesh Chandra Bhattacharya162–162Indian Constitutional Documents, Vol. IIIndubhusan Banerjee162–165An Introduction to the Study of Theravada Buddhism in BurmaDineshchandra Sircar165–166Anthologie Sanskrite (Textes de L'Inde Ancienne) Traduits du Sanskrit167–169Select Contents of Oriental JournalsU. N. Ghoshal

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