Narasimhagupta

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Narasimhagupta
Narasinhagupta I Circa 414-455 AD.jpg
Coin of Narasinhagupta I, Circa 414-455 AD.[1] The name Gupta allahabad n.svgGupta allahabad r.svg Nara appears vertically under the left arm of the King.[2]
12th Gupta emperor
Reign c. 495 – c. 530 AD
Predecessor Budhagupta
Successor Kumaragupta III
Spouse Shrimitradevi
Dynasty Gupta
Father Purugupta
Religion Hinduism

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Narasimhagupta (Gupta script: Gupta allahabad n.svgGupta allahabad r.svgGupta ashoka si.jpgGupta ashoka ngh.jpgGupta allahabad gu.jpgGupta allahabad pt.jpg Na-ra-si-ṅha-gu-pta)[2] Baladitya was an emperor of the Gupta Empire of North India. He was son of Purugupta and probably the successor of Budhagupta.

Defeat of the Hunas

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According to the Chinese monk Xuanzang, Narasimhagupta had to pay tribute to the Huna king Mihirakula.[3][4]

Finally, Baladitya along with Yasodharman of Malwa is credited with driving the Alchon Huns from the plains of North India according to the Chinese monk Xuanzang.[5] In a fanciful account, Xuanzang, who wrote a century later in 630 AD, reported that Mihirakula had conquered all India except for an island where the king of Magadha named Balditya (who could be Gupta ruler Narasimhagupta Baladitya) took refuge, but that Mihirakula was finally captured by the Indian king, who later spared his life. Mihirakula is then said to have returned to Kashmir to retake the throne.[6][7]

Narasimhagupta's governor in Malwa, Bhanugupta may also have been involved in this conflict.

Buddhism

The Guptas were traditionally a Brahmanical dynasty.[8] Narasimhagupta Baladitya however, according to contemporary writer Paramartha, was brought up under the influence of the Mahayanist philosopher, Vasubandhu.[8] He built a sangharama at Nalanda and also a 300 ft (91 m) high vihara with a Buddha statue within which, according to Xuanzang, resembled the "great Vihara built under the Bodhi tree". According to the Manjushrimulakalpa (c. 800 AD), king Narasimhsagupta became a Buddhist monk, and left the world through meditation (Dhyana).[8]

The Chinese monk Xuanzang also noted that Baladitya's son, Vajra, who commissioned a sangharama as well, "possessed a heart firm in faith".[9]:45[10]:330

His clay sealing has been found in Nalanda. The name of his queen mentioned in the Nalanda sealing is Shrimitradevi. He was succeeded by his son Kumaragupta III.

Coinage

References

  1. CNG Coins
  2. 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. "According to Hiuen-tsang, Narasimhagupta was forced to the humiliating position of paying tribute to Mihirakula." Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. Malwa Through the Ages, from the Earliest Times to 1305 A.D, Kailash Chand Jain p.249
  6. Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas by Ashvini Agrawal p.245
  7. Early Buddhist Transmission and Trade Networks by Jason Neelis p.168
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India by Upinder Singh p.521
  9. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. CNG Coins
  12. The Identity of Prakasaditya by Pankaj Tandon, Boston University

Sources

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Regnal titles
Preceded by Gupta emperor
495 – 530
Succeeded by
Kumaragupta III


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