गुप्त अभिलेख संग्रह (जे. एफ. फ्लीट - गुप्त सम्राटों एवं परवर्ती नरेशों के ऐतिहासिक पाषाण व ताम्रलेख)

râja Hastin's grants as shewing that the supremacy of the Gupta kings was still continuing
in his time; and beyond introducing (id. p. 368) Mr. Blochmann's proposed emendation
of the translation of Albêrûnî's statement, which I have quoted at page 28 above, note 1.
But Dr. R. Mitra failed to see the interpretation that might be put upon the emended
rendering; and he expressed his own conviction (id. p. 372) that the Early Gupta dates,
and those of Budhagupta and of the Mahârâja Hastin, are recorded in the Śaka era; and
that Albêrûnî's Gupta era commemorates the expulsion of the Guptas from Gujarât by the
Kings of Valabhî.
In 1876, in the Archæol. Surv. West. Ind. Vol. II. p. 18 ff.; Mr. Thomas published
a chapter on the "Sâh and Gupta Coins, &c.," in which, as already noted, he included
some strong remarks in support of the authenticity of the supposed bardic tradition from
Kâṭhiâwâḍ, that had been brought to notice by Col. Watson. In his tabular statement
of the Early Gupta dynasty (id. p. 70), he referred the Gupta dates, as before, to the
Saka era, and, with them, the date on Tôramâṇa's coin, which he interpreted (id. p. 66) as
182; on the authority of the supposed tradition, he placed the Sênâpati Bhaṭârka,
the founder of the Valabhî family, specifically two years before the death of Skandagupta;
and he added a remark indicating apparently that his opinion was, that the Valabhî
era, commencing A.D. 319, was established by the Mahârâja Dharasêna II., "who seems
"to have been the earliest monarch of any real pretensions."
In 1878, in the Ind. Ant. Vol. VII. p. 79 ff., Dr. Bühler brought to notice the newly
discovered Alînâ grant of Śîlâditya VII. of Valabhî, No. 39, page 171, which gives for him
the date of Gupta-Saṁvat 447 (A.D. 766-67), and the biruda, or title or second name, of
Dhrûbhaṭa or Dhruvabhaṭa. Drawing attention (id. p. 80) to the pointed similarity of
this name with the T'u-lu-p'o-po-tu of Hiuen Tsiang's account, and suggesting that Hiuen
Tsiang's translation of the name by 'constantly intelligent' might be due to incorrect
information, or to some confusion between bhaṭa, 'a warrior,' and bhaṭṭa, 'a learned man,'
Dr. Bühler expressed himself as inclined to believe that Śîlâditya VII. was Hiuen Tsiang's
contemporary; the result of which would be that the era used in the Valabhî grants must
have commenced either shortly before or shortly after A.D. 200. He pointed out, however,
(id. p. 81) that the occurrence of the title of Dhrûbhaṭa or Dhruvabhaṭa in this grant, was
in reality only one point among many, requiring careful consideration, in connection with
a question that was by no means a simple one.
In 1879, in the Archæol. Surv. Ind. Vol. IX. p. 9 ff., General Cunningham brought
to notice the grant of the Mahârâja Hastin, of the year 191, No. 23, page 106; the Bhumarâ
pillar inscription, No. 24, page 110; the Mahârâja Saṁkshôbha's grant, of the year 209,
No. 25, page 112; and, with the exception of No. 28, page 125, the grants of the Mahâ-
râjas of Uchchakalpa, No. 26, page 117, to No. 31, page 135, ranging from the year 174
to the year 214. And, in the grants of Hastin and Saṁkshôbha, he followed Prof. Wilson
in giving to the expression Gupta-nṛipa-râjya-bhuktau interpretations which, though
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