History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c9.11

c9.11

Vishṇugopa. Circa 340.—The next point concerns Vishṇugopa, the contemporary of Samudragupta. A perusal of the genealogical portion of the early Pallava charters shows that there were several members bearing this name such as Yuvamahārāja Vishṇugopa, Vishṇugopavarman of the Uruvapalli and the Pikīra plates, besides a Mahārāja-Vishṇugopa who figures twice in the Chura plates.¹ Then again we have, in the Vāyalūr pillar inscription, the name of Vishṇugopa repeated thrice and also the name of Vishṇudāsa. The earliest of these is probably to be identified with the adversary described in the Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta. It has been suggested recently that the orthodox estimate of Samudragupta's southern expedition has been considerably exaggerated and that the Allahabad inscription has been misinterpreted. Thus for instance Prof. Jouveau-Dubreuil in his *Ancient History of Deccan*² says:—