[Solved] Allahabad Prashasti: Political Web of the Gupta Empire

Allahabad Prashasti: Political Web of the Gupta Empire

The Allahabad Prashasti depicts the Gupta empire as the center of a complex web of political relationships. It details how different rulers were either conquered, reinstated as tributaries, or accepted Gupta suzerainty.

Primary Reference: NCERT Class XII - Themes in Indian History Part 1

Archived: 2017

Updated: 9 Aug 2025

Which one of the following statements about Allahabad Prashasti is correct?

[CAPF 2017]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

The Allahabad Prashasti is a sophisticated political map that defines the different grades of relationships between the central Gupta authority and various regional powers.

Authentic Source Evidence

Statement A is the most conceptually accurate. The inscription (Prayag Prashasti) identifies distinct categories of rulers: those violently exterminated (Prasabhoddharana), those captured and released (Grahana-Moksha-Anugraha), and those on the frontiers paying tribute.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: It portrays Samudragupta not just as a conqueror, but as the supreme lord to whom diverse kings (from the forest tribes to the Kushans) owe different forms of allegiance.

Logic 2: The numbering of specific lines (Options B, C, D) in competitive exams often serves as distractors unless matched with exact verse content; the core takeaway is the complex political web.

Logic 3: Harisena’s composition is the primary source for Samudragupta’s 'Chakravartin' status.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"What were the three main categories of rulers mentioned in the Prashasti?"

The rulers of Aryavarta (uprooted), Dakshinapatha (reinstated), and Frontier/Tribal kings (tributary).

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"The Allahabad Prashasti shows that the Gupta 'Empire' was not a uniform administrative unit but a layered system of suzerainty."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Aryavarta 2 Dakshinapatha 3 Samudragupta 5