The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c15.23

v1.c15.23

There is no conclusive proof that the Guptas conquered Kāmarupa, but attention may be drawn to the similarity of the name of the second ruler to that of the great Samudra Gupta. Curiously enough the names of the queens of the two rulers were also the same.¹ The discovery of an inscription in Assam dated in the Gupta era and the fact that there appears to be no insuperable chronological difficulties in regarding Samudravarman and Samudra Gupta as contemporaries, seem to strengthen the suspicion that Gupta influence at least must have penetrated in the valley of the Brahmaputra.² In the Allahabad *praśasti* of Hariṣeṇa the ruler of Kāmarūpa is included in the list of tributary *Pratyanta-nṛpatis* of the great Gupta emperor.³ The Damodarpur inscriptions refer to Gupta rule in Puṇḍravardhana, which as we have seen was only separated from Kāmarūpa by the river Karatoya. In the Aphsad inscription of Ādityasena, the later Gupta king Mahāsenagupta claims to have defeated the illustrious Susthitavarman on the banks of the Lauhitya (Brahmaputra). This prince has rightly been identified with the father of Bhāskaravarman.⁴ The latter ruled at least up to 648 A. D., when he supported the Chinese invasion of Tirhut under Wang Hiuen-t'se.⁵