1921.] The Successors of Kumaragupta I. 255 
land probably his son. As to the other two kings Mr. Allan 
has pointed out that the style of the coins of Prakasaditya 
and Chandragupta and the purity of gold of all the known 
specimens, suggest a date previous to the coins of Narasimha- 
gupta and his successors. There are thus some reasons for 
holding that Skandagupta, Puragupta, Prakasaditya, Chandra- 
gupta III and Ghatotkacagupta were the rival claimants to 
the throne, and this, as we have seen above, is in full agree 
ment with the Junagadh inscription of Skandagupta which 
tells us that the other sons of the king were discarded by 
Laksmi in favour of Skandagupta. 
But although Skandagupta was apparently successful for 
the time being, it is clear that the embers of the family 
dissension were not finally extinguished. The line of Puragupta 
was revived in the persons of his son and grandson, Narasim - 
hagupta and Kumaragupta II. The short reign of those kings 
probably indicate troubled times, but ultimately Budhagupta 
seems to have once more united the greater part: of the Gupta 
empire under him. It is impossible to say at: present whether 
his claim was based upon any relationship with Skandagupta 
or Kumaragupta II, but it may be noted, that after Budha- 
gupta’s time the eastern branch of the Gupta family seems to 
have been revived in the later Guptas. ‘ 
To sum up the results so far attained: We have tried to 
show that the Kumaragupta of the Sarnath inscription is the 
e or of Narasimha- 
succession among the sons of Kumaragupta 
emerged successfully out of the conflict. - ! 
be distinctly understood that the views offered in this paper 
are to be looked upon as tentative hypotheses, which alone are 
possible at the present state of our knowledge, and are merely 
intended as a basis for further discussion and elucidation of 
the subject. 
| Ind, Ant., 1920, p. 114. 
