This Gupta ruler conquered places and unified a greater part of India ...
- The Gupta period in ancient India is referred to as the “Golden Age” because of the numerous achievements in the field of arts, literature, science, and technology. It also brought about the political unification of the subcontinent.
- Samudragupta (335-375 AD) of the Gupta dynasty is known as the Napoleon of India. Historian A V Smith called him so because of his great military conquests known from the 'Prayag Prashati' (Allahabad Inscription) written by his courtier and poet Harisena, who also describes him as the hero of a hundred battles. He has been hailed for the unification of the greater part of the Indian subcontinent.
- He was a devotee of Vishnu though a follower of the Brahmanical religion. He granted permission to the Buddhist king Meghavarman (King of Ceylon) to build monasteries to Bodh Gaya.
- It is also mentioned that Samudragupta liked playing the lute and loved listening to poems. He was titled ‘Kaviraj’ for his love for poems.
- Hence option (a) is the correct answer.
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This Gupta ruler conquered places and unified a greater part of India ...
Answer:
The ruler being described in the passage is Samudragupta.
Here are the details and explanations:
Introduction:
- The passage mentions a Gupta ruler who conquered places and unified a greater part of India under him.
- The ruler's prestige and influence were so huge that the ruler of Sri Lanka, Meghavarman, sent a missionary seeking his permission to build a Buddhist monastery at Gaya.
- The ruler's military greats are mentioned in the accounts of his court poet Harisena.
Identification of the ruler:
- The passage does not explicitly mention the name of the ruler being described.
- However, based on the information provided, we can identify the ruler as Samudragupta.
Conquests and Unification:
- Samudragupta, who ruled from 335 AD to 380 AD, was known for his military conquests and the unification of a greater part of India.
- He expanded the Gupta Empire through a series of military campaigns, defeating various regional kingdoms and bringing them under his control.
- His conquests extended from present-day Bengal in the east to Punjab in the west and from the Himalayas in the north to the Narmada River in the south.
Prestige and Influence:
- The passage mentions the prestige and influence of the ruler, as evidenced by the fact that the ruler of Sri Lanka, Meghavarman, sought his permission to build a Buddhist monastery at Gaya.
- This indicates that Samudragupta held a position of power and authority, which attracted the attention and respect of rulers from neighboring regions.
Court Poet Harisena:
- The passage mentions that the military greats of the ruler are mentioned in the accounts of his court poet Harisena.
- Harisena was a court poet and an important chronicler of Samudragupta's reign.
- He composed the famous Prayaga Prashasti, an inscription that provides valuable information about Samudragupta's military conquests and achievements.
Therefore, based on the information provided in the passage, it can be concluded that the ruler being described is Samudragupta.