Samudragupta

Samudragupta, ruler of the Gupta Empire (c335 – c375 CE), and successor to Chandragupta I, is considered to be one of the greatest military geniuses in Indian history according to Historian V. A. Smith. The Allahabad inscriptions or the Prayag Prashashti composed by his court poet. He was the second ruler of the Gupta Dynasty, who ushered in the Golden Age of India. He was perhaps the greatest king of Gupta dynasty. He was a benevolent ruler, a great warrior and a patron of arts. His name appears in the Javanese text `Tantrikamandaka'. His name is taken to be a title acquired by his conquests (samudra referring to the 'oceans'). Samudragupta the Great is believed to have been his father's chosen successor even though he had several elder brothers. Therefore, some believe that after the death of Chandragupta I, there was a struggle for succession in which Samudragupta prevailed. It is said that Samudragupta became the ruler after subduing his rival Kacha, an obscure prince of the dynasty. He ranks with Ashoka, though in fundamentals both differed radically from each other. 'While Ashoka' says R.K. Mukerjee,'stands for peace and non-violence, Samudragupta for the opposite principle of war and aggression. The one had contempt for conquests, the other had a passion for them'.