Literary Reference to Samudragupta
By Ramesh Chandra Majumdar
Summary
This brief note highlights a literary reference to the Gupta emperor Samudragupta in an Indonesian or Javanese text. The author notes that while inscriptions and coins provide evidence of Samudragupta’s reign, literary references are rare. The newly discovered passage praises Samudragupta’s conquests and compares his prowess to legendary heroes. The text indicates that his fame had spread beyond India, reaching Southeast Asia. The note discusses the implications of this reference for understanding cultural contacts between India and the Indonesian archipelago and suggests that Gupta political and cultural influence extended further than previously thought.
Conclusion
The discovery of a literary reference to Samudragupta in a Southeast Asian text reinforces his reputation as a formidable ruler whose deeds were celebrated beyond India. It highlights the broader cultural interactions between India and the Malay world during the early centuries CE and invites further investigation into other regional texts.