NCERT Textbook: New Empires & Kingdoms | Old & New NCERTs for IAS Preparation (Must Read) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


85 ?
new empires and 
kingdoms CHAPTER 9
NEW EMPIRES AND KINGDOMS
Prashastis and what they tell us
Arvind was supposed to be acting as Samudragupta, 
a famous ruler of a dynasty known as the 
Guptas. We know about Samudragupta from a 
long inscription, inscribed on the Ashokan pillar 
at Allahabad. It was composed as a Kavya by 
Harishena, who was a poet and a minister at the 
court of Samudragupta. 
This inscription is of a special kind known as 
a prashasti, a Sanskrit word, meaning ‘in praise 
of’. While prashastis were composed for some of 
the rulers you read about in Chapter 8, such as 
Gautamiputra Shri Satakarni, they became far 
more important from the time of the Guptas. 
Samudragupta’s prashasti
Let us see what Samudragupta’s prashasti tells us. 
The poet praised the king in glowing terms — as 
a warrior, as a king who won victories in battle, 
who was learned and the best of poets. He is also 
described as equal to the gods. The prashasti was 
composed in very long sentences. Here is a part of 
one such sentence: 
Arvind plays a king
Arvind had been chosen to act as a king in the school play. 
He had expected to march solemnly in splendid robes, to 
twirl his moustaches and wield the silver-paper wrapped 
sword with gusto. Imagine his surprise when he was told 
he would also have to sit and play a veena, and recite 
poetry! A musician-king? Who was that? he wondered. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   85 22 April 2022   02:53:28
Rationalised 2023-24
Page 2


85 ?
new empires and 
kingdoms CHAPTER 9
NEW EMPIRES AND KINGDOMS
Prashastis and what they tell us
Arvind was supposed to be acting as Samudragupta, 
a famous ruler of a dynasty known as the 
Guptas. We know about Samudragupta from a 
long inscription, inscribed on the Ashokan pillar 
at Allahabad. It was composed as a Kavya by 
Harishena, who was a poet and a minister at the 
court of Samudragupta. 
This inscription is of a special kind known as 
a prashasti, a Sanskrit word, meaning ‘in praise 
of’. While prashastis were composed for some of 
the rulers you read about in Chapter 8, such as 
Gautamiputra Shri Satakarni, they became far 
more important from the time of the Guptas. 
Samudragupta’s prashasti
Let us see what Samudragupta’s prashasti tells us. 
The poet praised the king in glowing terms — as 
a warrior, as a king who won victories in battle, 
who was learned and the best of poets. He is also 
described as equal to the gods. The prashasti was 
composed in very long sentences. Here is a part of 
one such sentence: 
Arvind plays a king
Arvind had been chosen to act as a king in the school play. 
He had expected to march solemnly in splendid robes, to 
twirl his moustaches and wield the silver-paper wrapped 
sword with gusto. Imagine his surprise when he was told 
he would also have to sit and play a veena, and recite 
poetry! A musician-king? Who was that? he wondered. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   85 22 April 2022   02:53:28
Rationalised 2023-24
? 86
our pasts –i The king who played the 
veena. 
Some other qualities of 
Samudragupta are shown 
on coins such as this one, 
where he is shown playing 
the veena.
Samudragupta the warrior
Whose body was most charming, being covered with 
the plenteous beauty of the marks of hundreds of 
scars caused by battle-axes, arrows, spikes, spears, 
barbed darts, swords, iron clubs, javelins, barbed 
arrows, long arrows and many other weapons.
What does this description tell you about the 
king? And also about how kings fought wars?
If you look at Map 7 (page 87), you will notice 
an area shaded in green. You will also find a series 
of red dots along the east coast. And you will find 
areas marked in purple and blue as well.
This map is based on the information provided 
in the prashasti. Harishena describes four different 
kinds of rulers, and tells us about Samudragupta’s 
policies towards them. 
1. The rulers of Aryavarta, the area shaded in green 
on the map. Here there were nine rulers who were 
uprooted, and their kingdoms were made a part of 
Samudragupta’s empire.
2. The rulers of Dakshinapatha. Here there were 
twelve rulers, some of whose capitals are marked 
with red dots on the map. They surrendered to 
Samudragupta after being defeated and he then 
allowed them to rule again. 
3. The inner circle of neighbouring states, including 
Assam, coastal Bengal, Nepal, and a number of 
gana sanghas (remember Chapter 5) in the north-
west, marked in purple on the map. They brought 
tribute, followed his orders, and attended his court.
4. The rulers of the outlying areas, marked in blue on 
the map, perhaps the descendants of the Kushanas 
and Shakas, and the ruler of Sri Lanka, who 
submitted to him and offered daughters in  
marriage. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   86 22 April 2022   02:53:30
Rationalised 2023-24
Page 3


85 ?
new empires and 
kingdoms CHAPTER 9
NEW EMPIRES AND KINGDOMS
Prashastis and what they tell us
Arvind was supposed to be acting as Samudragupta, 
a famous ruler of a dynasty known as the 
Guptas. We know about Samudragupta from a 
long inscription, inscribed on the Ashokan pillar 
at Allahabad. It was composed as a Kavya by 
Harishena, who was a poet and a minister at the 
court of Samudragupta. 
This inscription is of a special kind known as 
a prashasti, a Sanskrit word, meaning ‘in praise 
of’. While prashastis were composed for some of 
the rulers you read about in Chapter 8, such as 
Gautamiputra Shri Satakarni, they became far 
more important from the time of the Guptas. 
Samudragupta’s prashasti
Let us see what Samudragupta’s prashasti tells us. 
The poet praised the king in glowing terms — as 
a warrior, as a king who won victories in battle, 
who was learned and the best of poets. He is also 
described as equal to the gods. The prashasti was 
composed in very long sentences. Here is a part of 
one such sentence: 
Arvind plays a king
Arvind had been chosen to act as a king in the school play. 
He had expected to march solemnly in splendid robes, to 
twirl his moustaches and wield the silver-paper wrapped 
sword with gusto. Imagine his surprise when he was told 
he would also have to sit and play a veena, and recite 
poetry! A musician-king? Who was that? he wondered. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   85 22 April 2022   02:53:28
Rationalised 2023-24
? 86
our pasts –i The king who played the 
veena. 
Some other qualities of 
Samudragupta are shown 
on coins such as this one, 
where he is shown playing 
the veena.
Samudragupta the warrior
Whose body was most charming, being covered with 
the plenteous beauty of the marks of hundreds of 
scars caused by battle-axes, arrows, spikes, spears, 
barbed darts, swords, iron clubs, javelins, barbed 
arrows, long arrows and many other weapons.
What does this description tell you about the 
king? And also about how kings fought wars?
If you look at Map 7 (page 87), you will notice 
an area shaded in green. You will also find a series 
of red dots along the east coast. And you will find 
areas marked in purple and blue as well.
This map is based on the information provided 
in the prashasti. Harishena describes four different 
kinds of rulers, and tells us about Samudragupta’s 
policies towards them. 
1. The rulers of Aryavarta, the area shaded in green 
on the map. Here there were nine rulers who were 
uprooted, and their kingdoms were made a part of 
Samudragupta’s empire.
2. The rulers of Dakshinapatha. Here there were 
twelve rulers, some of whose capitals are marked 
with red dots on the map. They surrendered to 
Samudragupta after being defeated and he then 
allowed them to rule again. 
3. The inner circle of neighbouring states, including 
Assam, coastal Bengal, Nepal, and a number of 
gana sanghas (remember Chapter 5) in the north-
west, marked in purple on the map. They brought 
tribute, followed his orders, and attended his court.
4. The rulers of the outlying areas, marked in blue on 
the map, perhaps the descendants of the Kushanas 
and Shakas, and the ruler of Sri Lanka, who 
submitted to him and offered daughters in  
marriage. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   86 22 April 2022   02:53:30
Rationalised 2023-24
87 ?
new empires and 
kingdoms MAP : 7 
Showing Important Cities and Kingdoms 
Find Prayaga (the old name for Allahabad), 
Ujjain and Pataliputra (Patna) on the map. These 
were important centres of the Gupta rulers. 
What was the difference between the way 
in which Samudragupta treated the rulers of 
Aryavarta and Dakshinapatha?
Can you suggest any reasons for this difference?
Chapter 9-10.indd   87 22 April 2022   02:53:31
Rationalised 2023-24
Page 4


85 ?
new empires and 
kingdoms CHAPTER 9
NEW EMPIRES AND KINGDOMS
Prashastis and what they tell us
Arvind was supposed to be acting as Samudragupta, 
a famous ruler of a dynasty known as the 
Guptas. We know about Samudragupta from a 
long inscription, inscribed on the Ashokan pillar 
at Allahabad. It was composed as a Kavya by 
Harishena, who was a poet and a minister at the 
court of Samudragupta. 
This inscription is of a special kind known as 
a prashasti, a Sanskrit word, meaning ‘in praise 
of’. While prashastis were composed for some of 
the rulers you read about in Chapter 8, such as 
Gautamiputra Shri Satakarni, they became far 
more important from the time of the Guptas. 
Samudragupta’s prashasti
Let us see what Samudragupta’s prashasti tells us. 
The poet praised the king in glowing terms — as 
a warrior, as a king who won victories in battle, 
who was learned and the best of poets. He is also 
described as equal to the gods. The prashasti was 
composed in very long sentences. Here is a part of 
one such sentence: 
Arvind plays a king
Arvind had been chosen to act as a king in the school play. 
He had expected to march solemnly in splendid robes, to 
twirl his moustaches and wield the silver-paper wrapped 
sword with gusto. Imagine his surprise when he was told 
he would also have to sit and play a veena, and recite 
poetry! A musician-king? Who was that? he wondered. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   85 22 April 2022   02:53:28
Rationalised 2023-24
? 86
our pasts –i The king who played the 
veena. 
Some other qualities of 
Samudragupta are shown 
on coins such as this one, 
where he is shown playing 
the veena.
Samudragupta the warrior
Whose body was most charming, being covered with 
the plenteous beauty of the marks of hundreds of 
scars caused by battle-axes, arrows, spikes, spears, 
barbed darts, swords, iron clubs, javelins, barbed 
arrows, long arrows and many other weapons.
What does this description tell you about the 
king? And also about how kings fought wars?
If you look at Map 7 (page 87), you will notice 
an area shaded in green. You will also find a series 
of red dots along the east coast. And you will find 
areas marked in purple and blue as well.
This map is based on the information provided 
in the prashasti. Harishena describes four different 
kinds of rulers, and tells us about Samudragupta’s 
policies towards them. 
1. The rulers of Aryavarta, the area shaded in green 
on the map. Here there were nine rulers who were 
uprooted, and their kingdoms were made a part of 
Samudragupta’s empire.
2. The rulers of Dakshinapatha. Here there were 
twelve rulers, some of whose capitals are marked 
with red dots on the map. They surrendered to 
Samudragupta after being defeated and he then 
allowed them to rule again. 
3. The inner circle of neighbouring states, including 
Assam, coastal Bengal, Nepal, and a number of 
gana sanghas (remember Chapter 5) in the north-
west, marked in purple on the map. They brought 
tribute, followed his orders, and attended his court.
4. The rulers of the outlying areas, marked in blue on 
the map, perhaps the descendants of the Kushanas 
and Shakas, and the ruler of Sri Lanka, who 
submitted to him and offered daughters in  
marriage. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   86 22 April 2022   02:53:30
Rationalised 2023-24
87 ?
new empires and 
kingdoms MAP : 7 
Showing Important Cities and Kingdoms 
Find Prayaga (the old name for Allahabad), 
Ujjain and Pataliputra (Patna) on the map. These 
were important centres of the Gupta rulers. 
What was the difference between the way 
in which Samudragupta treated the rulers of 
Aryavarta and Dakshinapatha?
Can you suggest any reasons for this difference?
Chapter 9-10.indd   87 22 April 2022   02:53:31
Rationalised 2023-24
? 88
our pasts –i Vikram Samvat
The era beginning in the 
58 BCE is traditionally 
associated with Gupta 
king, Chandragupta 
II, who had founded 
it as a mark of victory 
over the Shakas and 
assumed the title of 
Vikramaditya.
Genealogies 
Most prashastis also mention the ancestors of 
the ruler. This one mentions Samudragupta’s 
great grandfather, grandfather, father and 
mother. His mother, Kumara devi, belonged 
to the Lichchhavi gana, while his father, 
Chandragupta, was the first ruler of the Gupta 
dynasty to adopt the grand title of maharaj-
adhiraja, a title that Samudragupta also used. 
His great grandfather and grandfather are 
mentioned simply as maha-rajas. It seems 
as if the family gradually rose to importance. 
Arrange these titles in order of importance: raja, 
maharaj-adhiraja, maha-raja. 
Samudragupta in turn figures in the genealogies 
(lists of ancestors) of later rulers of the dynasty, such 
as his son, Chandragupta II. We know about him 
from inscriptions and coins. He led an expedition 
to western India, where he overcame the last of the 
Shakas. According to later belief, his court was full 
of learned people. About some of them you will read 
in Chapter 10. 
Harshavardhana and the Harshacharita
While we can learn about the Gupta rulers from 
their inscriptions and coins, we can find out about 
some kings from biographies. Harshavardhana, 
who ruled nearly 1400 years ago, was one such 
ruler. His court poet, Banabhatta, wrote his 
biography, the Harshacharita, in Sanskrit. This 
gives us the genealogy of Harsha, and ends with 
his becoming king. Xuan Zang, about whom  
you read in Chapter 8, also spent a lot of time  
at Harsha’s court and left a detailed account of 
what he saw. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   88 22 April 2022   02:53:31
Rationalised 2023-24
Page 5


85 ?
new empires and 
kingdoms CHAPTER 9
NEW EMPIRES AND KINGDOMS
Prashastis and what they tell us
Arvind was supposed to be acting as Samudragupta, 
a famous ruler of a dynasty known as the 
Guptas. We know about Samudragupta from a 
long inscription, inscribed on the Ashokan pillar 
at Allahabad. It was composed as a Kavya by 
Harishena, who was a poet and a minister at the 
court of Samudragupta. 
This inscription is of a special kind known as 
a prashasti, a Sanskrit word, meaning ‘in praise 
of’. While prashastis were composed for some of 
the rulers you read about in Chapter 8, such as 
Gautamiputra Shri Satakarni, they became far 
more important from the time of the Guptas. 
Samudragupta’s prashasti
Let us see what Samudragupta’s prashasti tells us. 
The poet praised the king in glowing terms — as 
a warrior, as a king who won victories in battle, 
who was learned and the best of poets. He is also 
described as equal to the gods. The prashasti was 
composed in very long sentences. Here is a part of 
one such sentence: 
Arvind plays a king
Arvind had been chosen to act as a king in the school play. 
He had expected to march solemnly in splendid robes, to 
twirl his moustaches and wield the silver-paper wrapped 
sword with gusto. Imagine his surprise when he was told 
he would also have to sit and play a veena, and recite 
poetry! A musician-king? Who was that? he wondered. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   85 22 April 2022   02:53:28
Rationalised 2023-24
? 86
our pasts –i The king who played the 
veena. 
Some other qualities of 
Samudragupta are shown 
on coins such as this one, 
where he is shown playing 
the veena.
Samudragupta the warrior
Whose body was most charming, being covered with 
the plenteous beauty of the marks of hundreds of 
scars caused by battle-axes, arrows, spikes, spears, 
barbed darts, swords, iron clubs, javelins, barbed 
arrows, long arrows and many other weapons.
What does this description tell you about the 
king? And also about how kings fought wars?
If you look at Map 7 (page 87), you will notice 
an area shaded in green. You will also find a series 
of red dots along the east coast. And you will find 
areas marked in purple and blue as well.
This map is based on the information provided 
in the prashasti. Harishena describes four different 
kinds of rulers, and tells us about Samudragupta’s 
policies towards them. 
1. The rulers of Aryavarta, the area shaded in green 
on the map. Here there were nine rulers who were 
uprooted, and their kingdoms were made a part of 
Samudragupta’s empire.
2. The rulers of Dakshinapatha. Here there were 
twelve rulers, some of whose capitals are marked 
with red dots on the map. They surrendered to 
Samudragupta after being defeated and he then 
allowed them to rule again. 
3. The inner circle of neighbouring states, including 
Assam, coastal Bengal, Nepal, and a number of 
gana sanghas (remember Chapter 5) in the north-
west, marked in purple on the map. They brought 
tribute, followed his orders, and attended his court.
4. The rulers of the outlying areas, marked in blue on 
the map, perhaps the descendants of the Kushanas 
and Shakas, and the ruler of Sri Lanka, who 
submitted to him and offered daughters in  
marriage. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   86 22 April 2022   02:53:30
Rationalised 2023-24
87 ?
new empires and 
kingdoms MAP : 7 
Showing Important Cities and Kingdoms 
Find Prayaga (the old name for Allahabad), 
Ujjain and Pataliputra (Patna) on the map. These 
were important centres of the Gupta rulers. 
What was the difference between the way 
in which Samudragupta treated the rulers of 
Aryavarta and Dakshinapatha?
Can you suggest any reasons for this difference?
Chapter 9-10.indd   87 22 April 2022   02:53:31
Rationalised 2023-24
? 88
our pasts –i Vikram Samvat
The era beginning in the 
58 BCE is traditionally 
associated with Gupta 
king, Chandragupta 
II, who had founded 
it as a mark of victory 
over the Shakas and 
assumed the title of 
Vikramaditya.
Genealogies 
Most prashastis also mention the ancestors of 
the ruler. This one mentions Samudragupta’s 
great grandfather, grandfather, father and 
mother. His mother, Kumara devi, belonged 
to the Lichchhavi gana, while his father, 
Chandragupta, was the first ruler of the Gupta 
dynasty to adopt the grand title of maharaj-
adhiraja, a title that Samudragupta also used. 
His great grandfather and grandfather are 
mentioned simply as maha-rajas. It seems 
as if the family gradually rose to importance. 
Arrange these titles in order of importance: raja, 
maharaj-adhiraja, maha-raja. 
Samudragupta in turn figures in the genealogies 
(lists of ancestors) of later rulers of the dynasty, such 
as his son, Chandragupta II. We know about him 
from inscriptions and coins. He led an expedition 
to western India, where he overcame the last of the 
Shakas. According to later belief, his court was full 
of learned people. About some of them you will read 
in Chapter 10. 
Harshavardhana and the Harshacharita
While we can learn about the Gupta rulers from 
their inscriptions and coins, we can find out about 
some kings from biographies. Harshavardhana, 
who ruled nearly 1400 years ago, was one such 
ruler. His court poet, Banabhatta, wrote his 
biography, the Harshacharita, in Sanskrit. This 
gives us the genealogy of Harsha, and ends with 
his becoming king. Xuan Zang, about whom  
you read in Chapter 8, also spent a lot of time  
at Harsha’s court and left a detailed account of 
what he saw. 
Chapter 9-10.indd   88 22 April 2022   02:53:31
Rationalised 2023-24
89 ?
new empires and 
kingdoms Harsha was not the eldest son of his father, 
but became king of Thanesar after both his father 
and elder brother died. His brother-in-law was the 
ruler of Kanauj (see Map 7) and he was killed by 
the ruler of Bengal. Harsha took over the kingdom 
of Kanauj, and then led an army against the ruler 
of Bengal. 
Although he was successful in the east, and 
conquered Magadha and probably Bengal also, 
he was not as successful elsewhere. He tried to 
cross the Narmada to march into the Deccan, but 
was stopped by a ruler belonging to the Chalukya 
dynasty, Pulakeshin II.
Look at political map of India and list the 
present-day states which Harshavardhana passed 
through when he went (a) to Bengal and (b) up to 
the Narmada. 
The Pallavas, Chalukyas and Pulakeshin’s prashasti
The Pallavas and Chalukyas were the most 
important ruling dynasties in south India during 
this period. The kingdom of the Pallavas spread 
from the region around their capital, Kanchipuram, 
to the Kaveri delta, while that of the Chalukyas was 
centred around the Raichur Doab, between the 
rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra. 
Aihole, the capital of the Chalukyas, was an 
important trading centre (see Map 7). It developed 
as a religious centre, with a number of temples. 
The Pallavas and Chalukyas frequently raided one 
another’s lands, especially attacking the capital 
cities, which were prosperous towns. 
The best-known Chalukya ruler was Pulakeshin 
II. We know about him from a prashasti, composed 
by his court poet Ravikirti. This tells us about 
his ancestors, who are traced back through 
four generations from father to son. Pulakeshin 
evidently got the kingdom from his uncle.
Chapter 9-10.indd   89 22 April 2022   02:53:31
Rationalised 2023-24