Bhanugupta was one of the lesser known kings of the

Gupta dynasty The Gupta Empire was an Outline of ancient India, ancient Indian empire which existed from the early 4th century CE to late 6th century CE. At its zenith, from approximately 319 to 467 CE, it covered much of the Indian subcontinent. This period ...

. He is only known from an inscription in Eran, and a mention in the Manjushri-mula-kalpa. Only mentioned in the Eran inscription as a "Raja" and not a "Maharaja" or a "Maharajadhiraja" as would be customary for a Gupta Empire ruler, Bhanugupta may only have been a Governor for the region of

Malwa Malwa is a historical region, historical list of regions in India, region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic plateau, volcanic upland north of the Vind ...

, under Gupta Emperor Narasimhagupta.

Eran inscription of Bhanugupta

Bhanugupta is known from a stone pillar inscription in Eran,

. The inscription was translated by John Faithfull Fleet in 1888, and then a second time in 1981, leading to different interpretations.

Initial translation (J.F Fleet 1888)

According to the initial translation of the Eran inscription (by

John Faithful Fleet John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

in 1888), Bhanugupta participated to a non-specific battle in 510 CE (Line 5). This translation was the basis for various conjectures about a possible encounter with Toramana, the

Alchon Huns The Alchon Huns, ( Bactrian: αλχον(ν)ο ''Alchon(n)o'') also known as the Alchono, Alxon, Alkhon, Alkhan, Alakhana and Walxon, were a nomadic people who established states in Central Asia and South Asia during the 4th and 6th centuries CE. ...

ruler. It has been suggested that Bhanugupta was involved in an important battle of his time, and suffered important losses, possibly against the Hun invader Toramana, whom he may or may not have defeated in 510. Mookerji actually considers, in view of the inscription, that Bhanugupta was vanquished by Toramana at this 510 CE Eran battle, so that the western Gupta province of

fell into the hands of the Hunas at that point. Toramana would then have made his Eran boar inscription, claiming control of the region.

New translation (1981)

A new revised translation was published in 1981. Verses 3-4 are markedly differently translated, in that ruler Bhanugupta and his chieftain or noble Goparaja are said to have participated in a battle against the "Maittras" in 510 CE, thought to be the

Maitraka The Maitraka dynasty ruled western India (now Gujarat) from approximately 475 to approximately 776 CE from their capital at Vallabhi. With the sole exception of Dharapaṭṭa (the fifth king in the dynasty), who followed the Mithraic mysteries, ...

s (the reading being without full certainty, but "as good as certain" according to the authors). This would eliminate the suggestion that Bhanugupta alluded to a battle with Toramana in his inscription. Bhanugupta in the inscription is only mentioned as a "Raja" and not a "Maharaja" or a "Maharajadhiraja" as would be customary for a Gupta Empire ruler. Therefore he may only have been a Governor for the region of

, under Gupta Emperor Narasimhagupta. The Gupta Empire, Radhakumud Mookerji, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 195
p.120
/ref>

Manjushri-mula-kalpa

According to a 6th century CE Buddhist work, the Manjushri-mula-kalpa, "after the death of

Budhagupta Budhagupta (Gupta script: ''Bu-dha-gu-pta'', ) was a Gupta emperor and the successor of Kumaragupta II. He was the son of Purugupta and was succeeded by Narasimhagupta.Raychaudhuri, H.C. (1972). ''Political History of Ancient India'', Calcutt ...

, two kings in Gupta line were crowned, one in Gauda and the other in

Magadha Magadha was a region and one of the sixteen sa, script=Latn, Mahajanapadas, label=none, lit=Great Kingdoms of the Second Urbanization (600–200 BCE) in what is now south Bihar (before expansion) at the eastern Ganges Plain. Magadha was ruled ...

", the latter being probably Narasimhagupta. According to this work, after Bhanu Gupta had lost Malwa, Toramana continued his conquest to

, forcing Narasimhagupta Baladitya to make a retreat to

Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...

. Toramana is said to have crowned a new king in

Benares Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

, named Prakataditya, who is presented as a son of Narasimha Gupta.Early history of Jammu region, Raj Kumar, Gyan Publishing House, 201
p.538
/ref> Toramana then died in

as he was returning westward.

References

Sources

* {{cite book , last=Fleet , first=J. F. , author-link=John Faithfull Fleet , year=1888 , title=Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum , volume=3 , publisher=Government of India, Central Publications Branch , location=Calcutta 6th-century Indian monarchs Gupta Empire