Amrakarddava was a general from Sukuli-desa (present day

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (; ; ) is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and the largest city is Indore, Indore. Other major cities includes Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sagar. Madhya Pradesh is the List of states and union te ...

) in the service of Emperor

Chandragupta II Chandragupta II (r.c. 375–415), also known by his title Vikramaditya, as well as Chandragupta Vikramaditya, was an emperor of the Gupta Empire. Modern scholars generally identify him with King Chandra of the Iron pillar of Delhi, Delhi iron ...

of the

Gupta Empire The Gupta Empire was an Indian empire during the classical period of the Indian subcontinent which existed from the mid 3rd century to mid 6th century CE. At its zenith, the dynasty ruled over an empire that spanned much of the northern Indian ...

. He was known for his military skill and fought and won many of the major battles, including campaigns over the Saka war.

Etymology

The first part possibly referring to

mango tree ''Mangifera indica'', commonly known as mango, is an evergreen species of flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is a large fruit tree, capable of growing to a height and width of . There are two distinct genetic populations in modern ma ...

, "Amra" is his name of becoming personal. The second part, "Karddava," comes from "

Kadru Kadru (, ) is usually regarded as the daughter of Daksha and the consort of the sage Kashyapa in Hindu scriptures. Kashyapa is the son of Marichi, who is a manasputra, manasaputra, a mind-born son of Brahma. Kadru is best known as the mother o ...

," the mythological Indian mother of serpents. By way of metathesis, "Kadrava" becomes "Karddava," "born of Kadru." This indicates a relationship with the Nagas, serpent-demons who inhabit the netherworld. Another obvious indicator of this interpretation is matriarchal names, which are often utilized in aboriginal communities and lower castes in

southern India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

. Hence, "Amrakarddava" is an intertext that is best grasped.

Military achievements

Amrakarddava's military career is emphasized in inscriptions that speak of him as having won "banners of victory and fame in many battles." This warrior, who became one of his important & notable achievements where he participated in the

Gupta–Saka Wars The Gupta–Saka Wars refers to the military conflict between the Gupta Empire and the Western Satraps during the 4th century CE. Chandragupta II, also known as Chandragupta Vikramaditya, was a prominent ruler of the Gupta Empire during the 4th ...

along with Emperor

An inscription from one of the caves at Udayagiri Hill, about two miles northwest of Bhilsa, notes the dedication of a cave to Sambhu by a minister named

Virasena Acharya Virasena (792-853 CE), also spelt as Veerasena, was a Digambara monk and belonged to the lineage of Acharya Kundakunda. He was an Indian mathematician and Jain philosopher and scholar. He was also known as a famous orator and an accom ...

who was in the service of

. This undecorated inscription is believed to refer to the Saka war. A second inscription, dated to Gupta Year 93 (the date gives the Gregorian equivalent of 412–413 CE), records donations made by Amrakarddava to a major Buddhist Vihara on the site. Historians have connected this note to the Saka war, and they have argued that this conflict lasted for a long time.

Patronage of Buddhism

Apart from his military achievements, Amrakarddava is also known to have patronized

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

monasteries. Furthermore, such patronage is proof of his economic patronage to temple grounds and places of worship during his time. A donation mentioned in an inscription indicates that Amrakarddava gave a village and 25 dinars so that ten Buddhist monks and two lamps would be maintained in the monastery at

Sanchi Sanchi Stupa is a Buddhist art, Buddhist complex, famous for its Great Stupa, on a hilltop at Sanchi Town in Raisen District of the States and territories of India, State of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located, about 23 kilometers from Raisen ...

Legacy

Amrakarddava is an important figure in the context of

Gupta Gupta () is a common surname of Indian origin, meaning "guardian" or "protector". Origins and distribution The name is based on the Sanskrit word गोप्तृ ''goptṛ'', which means "guardian" or "protector". According to historian ...

history, as he is both a military man and a patron. His contribution to the Saka war, as well as his patronage of Buddhism, serves to emphasize his multifaceted contributions to the Gupta Empire.

References

Citations

4th-century Indian people 5th-century Indian people People from the Gupta Empire Ancient Indian people 4th-century births Indian warriors Indian military leaders People by former country in Asia Indian maharajas Vassal rulers of the Gupta Empire Buddhist monarchs

Sources

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