History of India, c. 150 A.D. to 350 A.D.: Naga–Vakataka Imperial Period c16.s3.43

c16.s3.43

140 A. Now the question is whether all these three rulers fought on the side of Rudradeva in one battle or separately. Nāgadatta and Chandravarman were not in the neighbourhood of Rudrasena, but we know from Indian History that kings and allies travelled from long distances to fight pitched battles; it is not unlikely that the three feudatories fought along with Rudradeva in one and the same battle, which must have been expected. This must have been the biggest battle of Samudra Gupta, as he notes that all the Āṭavika kings became his servants after his war with these kings, which means that the rulers of Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand took part in this battle and changed allegiance to the Gupta conqueror on the fall of their sovereign lord. But as to the two western kings or rulers it seems more likely that there was a subsequent engagement to the west of Mathurā. The Purāṇic (Va. and Br.) description of Samudra Gupta's empire at the date of the death of Rudrasena [§129], which does not include the Punjab, would also indicate it. There was thus, more likely, a Third War in Āryāvarta, a year or so later.