Vasundhara, the Daughter of Vikrama

Summary

D. B. Diskalkar investigates the identity of Vasundharā mentioned in the Kṛtyakalpataru of Lakṣmīdhara. In a verse enumerating persons who attained salvation through religious observance, the text names Vasundharā, daughter of Vikrama, as a resident of Daśārṇa. Diskalkar argues that this Vikrama can only be Candragupta II Vikramāditya, the great Gupta emperor, and that Vasundharā should be identified with the Vākāṭaka queen Prabhāvatī Gupta, who is also called Vasundharā in certain inscriptions. He examines geographical references to Daśārṇa (modern Dasarna in Chhattisgarh) and compares them with accounts in the Periplus and other sources. Diskalkar explains that Candragupta II married his daughter to the Vākāṭaka ruler Rudrasena II and that she later acted as regent for her minor sons, earning a reputation for piety. Copper‑plate grants from Prabhāvatī’s regency show her donating villages for religious purposes. The author argues that Lakṣmīdhara, who lived in the same region centuries later, naturally referenced this celebrated queen. He concludes that Vasundharā’s story demonstrates the cooperation between Gupta and Vākāṭaka dynasties and highlights the role of royal women in promoting piety and learning.