The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c8.s9.9

v1.c8.s9.9

The theory of the Naḷa conquest of the Vākāṭaka kingdom as being the catastrophe from which Narendrasena suffered can be regarded as definitely proved only when the date of Bhavadattavarman will be fixed with certainty in the middle of the fifth century. It is nevertheless very likely that this dating will after all be shown by later discoveries to be correct. For we can think of no other possible cause that would account for the misfortunes of the Vākāṭaka family at about A.D. 450. The Hūṇas had not then succeeded in penetrating into the Deccan and so could have inflicted no defeat on the Vākāṭakas. The Puṣyamitras, who had for a time brought even the Gupta empire to its knees, are not known to have launched any expedition against the Vākāṭakas. It therefore seems certain that no power other than the Naḷas of the former Bastar State could have been the cause of the humiliation of the Vākāṭakas.