Guptas were traditionally hindu dynasty, and dedicated to the welfare of its subjects as per hindu values being followed since several centuries.
Narasimhagupta Baladitya, , was brought up under the influence of great teacher Vasubandhu. He built a sangharama at Nalanda and also a 300 ft tall vihara with a Buddha statue.
Gupta dynasty had produced brave and popular kings loved by their subjects like Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, Chandragupta II, Kumaragupta I etc and Narasimhagupta Baladitya was the seventh successor in this family lineage. He succeeded his elder brother Budhagupta around 495 A.D. He was born to Purugupta and the chief queen Chandradevi.
He was a brave king and had badly defeated Hunas.
Mihirakula son of Toramana once attacked Gupta Empire. Narasimhagupta Baladitya along with the ruler of Malwa named Yasodharman defeated the Hunas led by Mihirakula on the delta of Ganga-Brahmaputra.
However Narasimhagupta spared the life of Mihirakula consequent to the mercy appeal of his mother. Later Mihirakula sort refuge in Kashmir as his brother had usurped the throne. Later Mihirakula headed a rebellion against his brother and captured the throne and became the king of Kashmir. Narasimhagupta was Grandson of Kumargupta the great, and great grand son of Chandergupta 2 and Dhruvadevi.
With the help of Yasodharman empire,
Narasimhagupta drive out Alchon Huns. Narasimhagupta’s governor in malwa Bhanugupta also independently fought several battles to drive out Hunas.
Inscription number 44.
Nalanda Seal of Narsimhagupta
Provenance: Nalanda, Patna district. Bihar.
Script: Late Northern Brahmi
Language: Sanskrit.
References: D.C. Sircar Ind.Hist.Quart, XIX,pp-272ff.
English Translation of the inscription
L1.1-4
There was the devout worshipper of Bhaga Vishnu,
the Maharajadhiraja Sri Chandragupta , who was begotten on the Chief queen. Dattadevi (and) who was himeself
a matchless warrior (and) who was the son of and accepted by the Maharajadhiraja Sri Samudragupta,
who was the exterminator of all the kings on the earth, (and) who was the daughter’s son of the Lichchhavis
begotten on the Chief queen Kumaradevi and was the son
of the maharajdhiraja Sri Chandragupta (and) the grandson of Maharaja Sri Ghatotkacha and the great grandson of Maharaja Sri Gupta.
L1.4-5 His son devoted to his feet (and) begotten on the Chief queen, Dhruvadevi was the Maharajadhiraja, Sri
Kumaragupta.
L1.5-6 His son, devoted to his feet. (and) begotten on the
Chief queen Anantadevi, was the Maharajadhiraja, Sri Purugupta.
l1. 6-8 His son devoted to his feet, begotten on the Chief queen, Sri Chandradevi (and) a devout worshipper of Bhagavan Vishnu. Maharajadhiraja Sri Narasimhagupta
(issued this seal)
Inscription number 43.
Nandapur Copper-plate Inscription of the.Gupta year 169 488 A.D.
Provenance: Nandapur near Surajgarha. MR Munger District, .Bihar
Script: Late brahmi of the Northern class.
Language: Sanskrit.
References : N. G Majumdar Ep.Ind- XXIII, pp.52 ff.
D.C. Sircar Sel.Inss PP-382-84.
English Translation of the inscription
L.1: Peace
L1.1-2: The administrative Board called. Atmavisvasa of the agrahara of the Ambila village after mentioning their
well-being, inform the judicial officers and other householders, led by Brahmanas at the village, Jayongika
and write (to them)
L1.2-4: The vishaya chief, Chhatramaha , informs us ‘I desire to purchase four kulyavpas of uncultivated fields and bestow them with the purpose of increasing my
religious merit to the Brahmana – – — svamin, a Samavedin of Kasyapa gotra, (and) belonging to the agrahara
Khatapurana located in the Nandavithi for the performance of five great sacrifices.
L1.5-6: And in your district there continues the practice of sale, at the rate of two dinaras per kulyayapa of uncultivated fields; which are under primeval shrub (and) not yielding
any revenue (and) which can be enjoyed asa perpetual
endowment for as long as the moon the Sun and the stars endure
L1.6-7: Therefore you are requested to grant as a perpetual endowment through a copper-plate charter, sour kulyavapas of uncultivated land in the village. Jayongilka, after collecting from me eight dinaras.
L1.8-13: wherefore. having been determined through ascertaining by
the record-keepers, Pradyotasimha and Bandhudasa, that in this district, there continues the practice of sale of
barren field under old shrub not yielding any crop nor any revenue. And in the sale of Such barren fields, not
yielding any revenue there is no conflict with the interest of the king: but if given, there will be gain of
the sixth part of the religious merit (accruing from the pious gift) to His Majesty the king. Therefore it may be
given.
Hence having received eight dinaras from this Vishayapati chhatramaha, four kulyavapas of barren flelds have been given in the Jayongika village, (located) to the south of the copper-chartered land of Gorakshita,
(and) to the west of the, Village Gopalibhoga.
L1.13-15 Having known thus you should give land) at a site not
in conflict with the cultivation of (the other) house-Holders, after measuring it out with the ashtaka-nayaka
measuring it out through the agency of Darvikama, and after making this measurement regulated on the four sides with long-lasting marks of straw and charcoal etc. And having
given. you should protect it for ever as a perpetual endowment.
L1.16-19: And this ( gifts) should be used by the present and future judges , in consideration of their pious duty.
And venerable Vyasa has said
(Here two of the imprecatory verses are quoted).
L.19: The year 169, the 8th day of the bright fortnight of Vaisakha.
Footnotes
1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind XIII
2. संव्यवहारिन The word is used here in the sense of a judicial officer, is clear from the context in 1.16 below. The
other meaning of the word is a merchant.
3. The subject, the adhikarana or the board of administration being in singular, the verbs are also the pronoun in the next sentence, should have been in the singular, But the
Writer allowed the plurality of the board’s membership, to govern his verbs and pronouns.
4. Nanda pur, the find spot of the plate may have been the headquarters of the territorial unit called Nandavithi
Majumdar notes similarity in style of this Deo ord with that
of the Baigram and other plates from North Bengal and hence
suggests that the document was drafted and the land was situated, in North Bengal even, though the donee hailed from the Monghyr District. But there is no reason, why Mandavithi should not be identified with Mandapur the finds spot.
Footnote 2
आध स्तम्ब
प्रतिकर
1. समुदय – बाहय = not yielding any crop or revenue
Covered ith original shrub
2. ब originally left out was later incised below the line
3. अप्र प्रतिकर=उत् प्रतिकर=अकिञ्चित् प्रतिकर = not yielding any
revenue c.f उबलिके (= उदबलिक) of free from tax in Rummindei Pillar Inscription of Asoka (Hltzsch C. I. I., I, pp 164)