History of Kanauj to the Moslem Conquest c9.s1.t9.17

c9.s1.t9.17

Regarding the Gauḍas as a political power, we get the earliest definite epigraphic reference in the Haraha inscription. It appears from the term *Samudrāśrayān* applied to them that they occupied the seaboard of western Bengal, but we do not know with certainty what local dynasty was ruling there at that time.² They had now distinctly entered upon a career of aggrandisement, since not only does this record represent them as "issuing forth from their proper realm", but the Aphsad inscription also mentions Jivitagupta I's struggles against these "haughty foes" who "stood on seaside shores."³ Considering this, and the fact that between the kingdoms of Gauḍa and Kanauj intervened the Gupta dominion of Magadha, it may not be unreasonable to suggest that both Iśānavarman and his Gupta contemporary may have co-operated to check the advance