The 'Prayag Prashasti' was composed by the court poet of which of the following kings?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Samudragupta
The Prayaga Prashasti (the Allahabad Pillar Inscription) was composed in Sanskrit by Harishena, the court poet of Samudragupta.
NCERT (2026-27): “4.2 Divine kings … By the fourth century there is evidence of larger states, including the Gupta Empire. Many of these depended on samantas, men who maintained themselves through local resources including control over land. They offered homage and provided military support to rulers. Powerful samantas could become kings: conversely, weak rulers might find themselves being reduced to positions of subordination. Histories of the Gupta rulers have been reconstructed from literature, coins and inscriptions, including prashastis, composed in praise of kings in particular, and patrons in general, by poets.… 4.2 Divine kings … The Prayaga Prashasti (also known as the Allahabad Pillar Inscription) composed in Sanskrit by Harishena, the court poet of Samudragupta, arguably the most powerful of the Gupta rulers (c. fourth century CE), is a case in point.…” |