103.216.213.45 at 07:48, 13 November 2023

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{{Infobox royalty
| succession = ? [[Gupta Empire|Gupta Ruler]]
| reign = {{circa|510|? CE}}
|image=File:Male head, northern India, Kushan or Gupta period, 5th-6th century CE, terracotta, HAA.JPG
|caption=Male head, northern India, 5th-6th century CE.
| dynasty = [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]]
| spouse =
}}
'''Bhanugupta''' was one of the lesser known kings of the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta dynasty]]. 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]], under Gupta Emperor [[Narasimhagupta]].<ref name="Mookerji"/>

==Eran inscription of Bhanugupta==
Bhanugupta is known from a stone pillar inscription in [[Eran]], [[Malwa]]. 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]] in 1888), Bhanugupta participated to a non-specific battle in 510 CE (Line 5).<ref>{{harvp|Fleet|1888|p=93}}</ref>

{{quote|
{{multiple image|perrow=2|total_width=300|caption_align=center
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| header=Eran pillar inscription of Goparaja
| image1 = Eran_pillar_of_Goparaja_(detail).jpg
| caption1 = Eran pillar of Goparaja
| image2 = Eran_pillar_inscription_of_Goparaja.jpg
| caption2 = [[Eran]] stone pillar inscription of Bhanugupta.
| image3 = Bhanugupta Eran stone pillar inscription.jpg
| caption3 = Rubbing of the inscription.
| footer=
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* (Line 1) Ôm! In a century of years, increased by ninety-one; on the seventh lunar day of the dark fortnight of (the month) Srâvana; (or in figures) the year 100 (and) 90 (and) 1; (the month) Srâvana; the dark fortnight; the day 7: —
* (Line 2)—(There was) a king, renowned under the name of . . . . râja, sprung from the . . laksha (?) lineage; and his son (was) that very valorous king (who was known) by the name (of) Mâdhava.
* (Line 3)— His son was the illustrious Gôparâja, renowned for manliness; the daughter's son of the Sarabha king; who is (even) now (?) the ornament of (his) lineage.
* (Line 5) — (There is) the glorious Bhanugupta, the bravest man on the earth, a mighty king, equal to [[Pârtha]], exceedingly heroic; and, along with him, Gôparâja followed . . . . . . . . . . (his) friends (and came) here. [And] having fought a very famous battle, he, [who was but little short of being equal to] the celestial [king (Indra)], (died and) went to heaven; and (his) devoted, attached, beloved, and beauteous wife, in close companionship, accompanied (him) onto the funeral pyre.|source=[[Eran|Eran inscription]] of Bhanugupta, 510 CE.{{sfn|Fleet|1888|p=93}}}}

This translation was the basis for various conjectures about a possible encounter with [[Toramana]], the [[Alchon Huns]] 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.<ref>Ancient Indian History and Civilization by Sailendra Nath Sen p.220</ref><ref>Encyclopaedia of Indian Events & Dates by S. B. Bhattacherje p.A15</ref> 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 [[Malwa]] fell into the hands of the Hunas at that point.<ref name="Mookerji"/> Toramana would then have made his [[Eran]] boar inscription, claiming control of the region.<ref name="Mookerji"/>

===New translation (1981)===
A new revised translation was published in 1981.<ref name="CII"/> 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]]s (the reading being without full certainty, but "as good as certain" according to the authors).<ref name="CII"/> This would eliminate the suggestion that Bhanugupta alluded to a battle with [[Toramana]] in his inscription.

{{quote|
[[File:South Asia historical AD590 EN.svg|thumb|300px|The [[Maitraka]]s ruled in the areas of [[Gujarat]] and Western India. According to the 1981 translation, they may have been the adversaries of Gupta ruler Bhanugupta.<ref name="CII"/>]]
*(Lines 1-2) Ōm ! When a century of years, increased by ninety-one, (had elapsed) on the seventh lunar day of the dark fortnight of (the month) [[Śrāvaṇa]], (or in figures) the year 100 (and) 90 (and) 1 (the month) Śrāvaṇa the dark fortnight; the (lunar) day 7;-
*(Verse 1) (there was) a ruler, renowned as . . . . [[rāja]] sprung from the Śulakkha lineage; and his son (was) valorous by the name (of) Mādhava.
*(Verse 2) His son was the illustrious Goparaja, renowned for manliness; the daughter’s son of the Sarabha king;1 who became the ornament of (his) family.
*(Verses 3-4) (There is) the glorious Bhanugupta, a distinguished hero on earth, a mighty ruler, brave being equal to [[Pârtha]]. And along with him Goparaja, following (him) without fear, having overtaken the [[Maitraka|Maittras]] and having fought a very big and famous battle, went to heaven, becoming equal to [[Indra]], the best of the gods; and (his) devoted, attached, beloved, and beauteous wife, clinging (to him), entered into the mass of fire (funeral pyre).
|[[Eran|Eran inscription]] of Bhanugupta, 510 CE.<ref name="CII">Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Vol.3 (inscriptions Of The Early Gupta Kings) [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.108395 Main text p.352sq]</ref>}}

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 [[Malwa]], under Gupta Emperor [[Narasimhagupta]]. <ref name="Mookerji">The Gupta Empire, Radhakumud Mookerji, Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 1959 [https://books.google.com/books?id=uYXDB2gIYbwC&pg=PA120 p.120]</ref>

==Manjushri-mula-kalpa==
According to a 6th century CE Buddhist work, the [[Manjushri-mula-kalpa]], "after the death of [[Budhagupta]], two kings in Gupta line were crowned, one in [[Gauda Kingdom|Gauda]] and the other in [[Magadha]]", the latter being probably [[Narasimhagupta]]. According to this work, after Bhanu Gupta had lost Malwa, [[Toramana]] continued his conquest to [[Magadha]], forcing Narasimhagupta Baladitya to make a retreat to [[Bengal]]. Toramana is said to have crowned a new king in [[Benares]], named [[Prakataditya]], who is presented as a son of Narasimha Gupta.<ref>Early history of Jammu region, Raj Kumar, Gyan Publishing House, 2010 [https://books.google.com/books?id=pSKNeJsH7QgC&pg=PA538 p.538]</ref><ref name="Mookerji"/> Toramana then died in [[Benares]] as he was returning westward.<ref name="Mookerji"/>

== References ==
{{Gupta Empire}}
{{reflist}}

==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 }}

[[Category:6th-century Indian monarchs]]
[[Category:Gupta Empire]]

Bhanugupta - Revision history

103.216.213.45 at 07:48, 13 November 2023