Kakusthavarma () or Kakusthavarman was a ruler of the
Kadamba dynasty in
South India. He succeeded his brother
Raghu as king. Under Kakusthavarma's rule the Kadamba kingdom attained the height of its power and influence, and the Kadambas enjoyed close diplomatic relations with the great royal houses of India. The
Talagunda
Talagunda is a village in the Shikaripura taluk of Shivamogga district in the state of Karnataka, India. Many inscriptions found here have provided insights into the rise of the Kadamba Dynasty.
History
Talagunda was earlier known as Sthanakund ...
and
Halmidi inscription
The Halmidi inscription is the oldest known Kannada language inscription in the Kadamba script. While estimates vary slightly, the inscription is often dated to between 450 CE - 500 CE. The inscription was discovered in 1936 by Dr. M. H. Krishn ...
s praise Kakusthavarma as a formidable Kadamba warrior.
Early life
Kakusthavarma was born to King
Bhageerath
Bhageerath (reigned c. 385 – 410 CE) was a king of the Kadamba dynasty in South India. He succeeded his father Kangavarma on the Kadamba throne.
Bhageerath is praised as a "king loved by his kingdom just as a husband is held dear by his brid ...
, the third ruler of the Kadamba dynasty. Upon his father's death, Kakusthavarma's elder brother Raghu assumed the throne of the Kadamba kingdom, with Kakusthavarma as ''Yuvaraja'' or
Crown Prince. Kakusthavarma held court as the heir apparent, perhaps at Palashika (present-day
Halasi
Halasi (Kannada: ಹಲಸಿ, also Halsi or Halshi, in earlier times also called Halasige or Palasige) is a town in Khanapur Taluk, Belgaum District in Karnataka, India. It is 14 km from Khanapur and about 25 km from Kittur. As known ...
) from where he is known to have issued land grants.
In due course, he succeeded his brother on the Kadamba throne.
Reign
Kakusthavarma's reign is notable for the marriage alliances that he contracted with other powerful dynasties. Most importantly, Kakusthavarma married one of his daughters into the imperial
Gupta
Gupta () is a common surname or last name of Indian origin. It is based on the Sanskrit word गोप्तृ ''goptṛ'', which means 'guardian' or 'protector'. According to historian R. C. Majumdar, the surname ''Gupta'' was adopted by se ...
family. It is also likely that Kakusthavarma married another one of his daughters to the
Vakataka prince
Narendrasena
Narendrasena () was a ruler of the Nandivardhana-Pravarapura branch of the Vakataka dynasty. He succeeded his father Pravarasena II as Maharaja.
Early life
Narendrasena was possibly born to Ajnakabhattarika, who may have been the chief queen ...
, as the Vakataka records describe Narendrasena's wife Ajjhitabhattarika as a princess of the
Kuntala country which probably corresponds to the Kadamba kingdom.
Kakusthavarma appears to have been a great builder and avid patron of secular architecture as well as of religious causes. He is described as possessing numerous palaces adorned with ''
gopuras''.
Kakusthavarma's son and successor,
Santivarma, records in his Talagunda pillar inscription that his father had constructed a great water tank near a
Shiva temple at which
Satakarni and other kings of the past had worshipped. Kakusthavarma himself appears to have had
Jain religious tendencies, as in his grant at Halasi he begins with an invocation to Jinendra, the lord of the
Jinas, and likely patronized a Jain temple at this place.
Successors
Upon Kakusthavarma's death, the Kadamba kingdom appears to have been divided between his progeny. One of Kakusthavarma's sons, Santivarma, succeeded his father at
Banavasi and ruled over the northern part of the Kadamba realm. Another one of Kakusthavarma's sons, Krishnavarma, seems to have founded a
cadet branch of the Kadamba dynasty at Triparvatha, in the southern part of the Kadamba realm.
[Sastri (1997), pp. 272–273]
References
{{reflist
Kadambas
5th-century Indian monarchs