The Early History of India, from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest, including the Invasion of Alexander the Great c35.s4.12

c35.s4.12

The earliest known documents of the dynasty, certain copperplate grants found in the Guntūr District, tell us of a king reigning at Kānchī (Conjeeveram), whose dominions included Amarāvatī, and so extended to the Krishnā (Kistnā) river. Those grants, which date from about the third century or the beginning of the fourth, and are written in Prākrit, give no indication of the manner in which the kingdom was acquired. It seems to be safe to date its origin not later than the beginning of the third century. All authors are agreed in regarding as a Pallava the Rāja Vishnugopa of Kānchī, who was defeated by Samudragupta about A. D. 350; and Hastivarman, the contemporary Rāja of Vengī, also must have been a Pallava. The names Vishnugopa and Hastivarman both occur in Pallava genealogies. Simhavarman, king of Kānchī (*acc.* A. D. 437), was a Buddhist.²