The Vakataka Chronology
By V. V. Mirashi
Summary
This article reconstructs the chronology of the Vākāṭaka dynasty of central India. Drawing on genealogies and inscriptions, the author proposes a sequence beginning with Vindhyasakti (c. A.D. 250) and his son Pravarasena I (c. 270). The dynasty then divides into a main line – Gautamīputra, Rudrasena I (330), Prithivisena I (350), Rudrasena II (400) and Divākarsena (405) – and a Basim branch – Sarvasena (330), Vindhyasena (355), Pravarasena II (400), an unnamed son (410) and Devasena (450). The lines re‑converge with Pravarasena II (c. 420), followed by Narendrasena (450) and Prithivisena II (470). The author notes that Candragupta II Vikramāditya, the Gupta emperor, was the maternal grandfather of Pravarasena II. By clarifying the relationships between the two branches, the article resolves longstanding confusions about succession. The study also references inscriptions from Ajanta and copper‑plate grants that highlight the Vākāṭakas’ patronage of art and literature and directs readers to a longer work for details beyond the reign of Hariṣeṇa.
Conclusion
By assembling epigraphic data, the article offers a coherent timeline for the Vākāṭaka dynasty. It clarifies relationships between the main and branch lines, situates Vākāṭaka history within the broader Gupta era and demonstrates the value of genealogical reconstruction for early Deccan history.