The Age of the Imperial Guptas c5.4

c5.4

The Mandasor inscription of V.S. 524.—It is not quite clear from the wording of this inscription whether Govindagupta was alive in V.S. 524=467 A.D. or not. The inscription records the erection of a Stūpa and an Ārāma and the excavation of a well (Kūpa) by one Dattabhaṭa, son of Vāyurakṣita, who was the general of Govindagupta. Further, this Dattabhaṭa is styled the Commander-in-chief of a king named Prabhākara who is called "The destroyer of the enemies of the Gupta dynasty" (Gupt-ānvay-āri-druma-dhumaketuḥ). King Prabhākara is not known to us from any other source. He appears to have been a local chief or the Governor of Daśapura or Mandasor. This inscription passes over Kumāragupta I and Skandagupta, which may indicate that Govindagupta or the chiefs of Mālava did not recognise these two emperors.