The Vakataka–Gupta Age (circa 200–550 A.D.) c9.s2.2

c9.s2.2

Rudra-sena I enjoyed a fairly long reign of 22 years, which was not disturbed by any internecine wars. He had two brothers, Saṅgha-dāman and Dāma-sena, and two sons, Pṛthivi-sena and Dāmajada. Circumstances were thus quite favourable for a prolonged and bitter struggle for the throne. But growing wiser by the war of succession in the preceding generation, which had led to the diminution of the kingdom, it seems that the Western Kshatrapas decided that usually the crown should pass from the reigning sovereign to his younger brothers in succession and not to his eldest son. We thus find Rudra-sena being succeeded by his younger brothers Saṅgha-dāman and Dāma-sena in succession. In the next generation we find three sons of Dāma-sena ruling one after another. A generation later Viśva-sena was succeeded by his brother Bhartṛi-dāman. This arrangement seems to have been preferred, because it ensured the presence of experienced rulers on the throne and removed the temptation to rebel from the path of the brothers of the reigning sovereign. It, however, made it more or less impossible for the eldest son of the ruling king to succeed him as the supreme ruler of the state. He was, however, offered the position and status of a Kshatrapa under his ruling uncles. Thus we find both Pṛithivī-sena and Dāma-jada II ruling as Kshatrapas in succession under their uncles Saṅgha-dāman and Dāma-sena.