Budhagupta was a Gupta Emperor and the successor of Kumargupta II. He was the son of Purugupta and was succeeded by the Narasimhagupta.

Budhagupta was a Gupta Emperor and the successor of Kumargupta II. He was the son of Purugupta and was succeeded by the Narasimhagupta.

Rule

Budhagupta had close ties with the rulers of Kannauj and together they sought to run the Alchon Huns (Hunas) out of the fertile plains of Northern India.

Northern India, and especially the region of Eran, was attacked by the Alchon Hun ruler Toraman, who established his own inscription there, the Eran Boar inscription of Torana, 510-513 BC.

Inscriptions

The Damodarpur copper-plate inscription tells us that Pundravardhana Bhakti (present-day North Bengal) was ruled by his two Viceroys (Uparika Maharaja) Brahmadatta and Jayadatta.

The Eran stone pillar inscription of two brothers, Matravishnu and Dhanavarishta, states Budhgupta as their emperor (Bhupathi), under whom Maharaja Suryashamachandra was ruling the land between Yamuna and Narmada.

The Buddhagupta inscription on the Eran pillar is westward down the lower and square of a big monolithic red-sandstone column located near the broken group of temples at Eran.

This inscription belongs to the reign of Budhgupta in the area “between the rivers Kalindi and Narmada”, and is dated to 484–485 CE. Its purpose is to record the construction of the pillar, which is called ‘Vijjastambha’ or the flag staff of Lord Vishnu. This pillar is about 48 feet high. This inscription was discovered by T.S. Burt in 1838.

An inscription of a Buddha statue found at Govindnagar near Mathura is dated “in the reign of Budhgupta in 161 years” (circa 480 CE). This is the only recognized epigraphic proof showing that Buddhagupta’s authority extended as far as Mathura in the north.

…Today, when king Budhagupta of the famous dynasty is administering the whole earth, in the year one hundred and sixty one…

— Budhagupta inscription of Govindnagar, Mathura

Two standing Buddha statues of Sarnath are known, in which the bear inscription states the “Gift of Abhayamitra in 157 in reign of Buddhagupta”(157 in 477 BCE of the Gupta era). Varanasi and Eran also have stone inscriptions and a seal from Nalanda which mentions Budhgupta as the ruler, as well as several copperplate inscriptions.

First Buddha statue with inscription of Budhagupta

A statue of a standing Buddha discovered at Sarnath bears an inscription (year 157) in the name of Buddhagupta. The material is partially preserved, but quite identical to the inscription of a second statue, created by the same donor, providing for reconstruction.

Second Buddha statue with inscription of Budhagupta

A second statue of Buddha standing at Sarnath bears an inscription (year 157) in the name of Buddhagupta. This statue is fragmented, but the devotees are beautifully preserved at the feet of the Buddha. The material is partially preserved, but identical to an inscription on the first statue, made by the same donor, allowing for reconstruction.

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