Defence
The Bhitari stone pillar inscription narrates the Gupta king Skandagupta's struggle against the:
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Answer: Option C — Hunas
Detailed Solution
The Bhitari stone pillar inscription, found at Bhitari in the Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh, narrates Skandagupta's victory over the Hunas (Huns).
About Skandagupta:
- He was the son of Kumaragupta I, and ruled from about 455 to 467 CE.
- He is regarded as the last great ruler of the Gupta dynasty.
- He took the title "Vikramaditya", like his grandfather.
- His reign faced many challenges, including invasions by the Hunas and internal problems.
About the Bhitari inscription:
- It is inscribed on a stone pillar, in Sanskrit.
- It describes how Skandagupta restored the fallen fortunes of the Gupta family.
- It says that he fought the Pushyamitras (a tribe or group) during his father's reign, and spent a night sleeping on the bare ground.
- It says that he fought the Hunas, and that the earth shook when he clashed with them.
- After his victories, he is said to have gone to his mother, who wept with joy, like Krishna going to Devaki after defeating his enemies.
About the Hunas:
- The Hunas (White Huns or Hephthalites) were a nomadic people from Central Asia.
- They invaded India in the 5th and 6th centuries CE, through the north-west.
- Skandagupta was able to repel their first invasion.
- Later, Huna leaders such as Toramana and his son Mihirakula established control over parts of north-western and central India in the early 6th century.
- Mihirakula was defeated by Yashodharman of Malwa and by the Gupta ruler Narasimhagupta Baladitya, according to sources.
- The Huna invasions weakened the Gupta empire, damaged trade and cities, and contributed to its decline.
Other inscriptions of Skandagupta:
The Junagadh rock inscription, which records the repair of an ancient reservoir and his victory over the "Mlechchhas" (probably the Hunas).
Why not the other options?
- ✗The Shakas were defeated earlier by Chandragupta II.
- ✗The Kushanas ruled earlier, in the north-west and north India.
- ✗The Arabs invaded Sindh much later.
Quick tip
Remember: Bhitari pillar (Ghazipur, UP) = Skandagupta's victory over the Hunas; later Huna leaders = Toramana and Mihirakula; Mihirakula defeated by Yashodharman.
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Post-Mauryan & Gupta Age — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Post-Mauryan & Gupta Age, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the period after the Mauryas: the Shungas, Satavahanas, Indo-Greeks, Shakas and Kushanas, followed by the Gupta Empire, often called the classical age of India, and the reign of Harshavardhana. It includes art, literature, science and administration in these periods. Exams test the rulers and their achievements (Kanishka and the fourth Buddhist council, Samudragupta's Allahabad Pillar inscription, Chandragupta II and Fa-Hien), the Gandhara and Mathura schools of art, and Gupta scholars such as Kalidasa, Aryabhata and Varahamihira. Harsha's reign is usually tested with Hiuen Tsang and Nalanda University. Practise the post-Mauryan and Gupta age questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.