Which one of the following was NOT a way in which kings in ancient India attempted to claim a higher status ?

In ancient India, kings employed various symbolic and ideological strategies to project supreme authority and claim a higher status. Identifying with deities (Option A) was a prominent method, notably among the Kushana rulers who adopted the title Devaputra (son of god) to claim divine status. Assuming pompous titles (Option B) like Maharajadhiraja (king of kings) or Chakravartin served to elevate their rank above local chieftains and rivals.

Conquests and annexations (Option D), often validated through grand rituals like the Ashvamedha (horse sacrifice), were primary means of establishing imperial dominance and legitimacy. In contrast, imposing high taxes (Option C) was a functional aspect of statecraft and fiscal administration. While necessary for maintaining the army and bureaucracy, excessive taxation was generally viewed as a sign of poor governance in ancient political treatises and did not serve as a mechanism for claiming higher status.