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Who among the following ancient Indian kings was praised in glowing terms in the Prayaga Prashasti ?
Explanation
The Prayaga Prashasti, also known as the Allahabad Pillar inscription, is a famous eulogy (prashasti) composed in praise of the Gupta emperor Samudragupta [2]. Written in classical Sanskrit by his court poet and minister Harisena, the inscription consists of 33 lines detailing the king's military conquests, personality, and political achievements [1]. It describes Samudragupta's ambition to unify the earth ('dharani-bandha') and lists the numerous kings he defeated across northern and southern India [3]. While the inscription is engraved on a pillar originally erected by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, the specific 'glowing terms' and panegyric content of the Prayaga Prashasti refer exclusively to Samudragupta's reign [4]. The text serves as a primary historical source for reconstructing the geopolitical landscape of the classical Gupta age [1].
Sources
- [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > II. Epigraphical Sources > p. 89
- [2] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity > The warrior king > p. 149
- [3] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > 7.2 Samudragupta > p. 90
- [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allahabad_Pillar