Second Battle of Eran

Second Battle of Eran
Part of First Hunnic War
Sanjeli Eran Gwalior Sondani Choti Sadri Kura Kausambi Rīsthal ALCHON HUNS HEPHTHALITES NEZAK HUNS SASA- NIANS RAIS GUPTAS VAKATAKAS ZHANGZHUNG KINGDOM Northern Wei TOCHARIANS class=notpageimage| Find spots of epigraphic inscriptions (red dots) indicating local control by the Alchon Huns in India between 500-530 CE, with neighbouring polities, and territorial extent of the Alchon Huns (brown).
Date 510 CE Location Eran (Modern day India) 24.0890°N 78.1650°E / 24.0890; 78.1650 Result Gupta victory Territorial changes Toramana retreated to Gwalior after being expelled from central India.
Belligerents
Gupta Empire Aulikara dynasty	Alchon Huns
Commanders and leaders
Bhanugupta Prakāśadharman Goparaja †	Toramana
Battle of Eran class=notpageimage| Location within South Asia Battle of Eran Battle of Eran (Madhya Pradesh)

The Second Battle of Eran, around 510 CE, marked a significant conflict between Emperor Bhanugupta of the Gupta Empire and the Huna invaders led by Toramana. The battle, commemorated in the Eran inscription, resulted in the death of Bhanugupta's general, Goparaja. It was pivotal in either halting the Huna advance into eastern Malwa or attempting to expel them from the region. The battle marked the first of a series of setbacks for the Huna conqueror. During his struggle against the invader, Bhanugupta may have received support from King Prakāśadharman, the ruler of Mandasor.

Background

Main article: First battle of Eran

Rahatgarh Waterfall on Beena River

The fertile plains around Eran, also known as Airikana or the "Refreshing Fields," situated at the confluence of the Betwa and Bina rivers, became a focal point for conflict between major powers. This area, rich in history, was home to a religious complex dedicated to Vishnu, the Gupta Empire's tutelary deity, constructed during Emperor Budhagupta's reign. Two local feudatories, Maharaja Matrivishnu and his younger brother Dhanyavishnu, built a twin temple guarded by the 13-meter-high 'Column of Janardana' (Vishnu/Krishna), highlighting the religious and cultural significance of the region.

Gold coin of Budhagupta

The First battle of Eran marked a significant confrontation between the Gupta Empire and the Hunas, under Toramana. Inscriptional evidence from Eran suggests that by the first year of Toramana's reign, Dhanyavishnu, a prominent local official, shifted his allegiance from the Guptas to the Hunas. This transfer of loyalty, reflected in a temple inscription, underscores the growing power of the Hunas and their ability to influence regional politics.

Battle

In this battle the Eran posthumous inscription of Goparaja, dated 510 CE, gains significance. It mentions King Bhanugupta, described as "the bravest man on the earth," who fought a major battle at Eran, in which his general Goparaja lost his life. This battle was likely fought against the Huna invaders, either to halt their advance into eastern Malwa or to expel them from the region. If it was an attempt to stop their advance, Toramana’s conquest of eastern Malwa could be placed around 510 CE, but if the battle was to expel the invaders, it would have occurred earlier. While a precise date for the Huna occupation of the region is difficult to determine, it can be inferred that Toramana's invasion of India proper occurred sometime after 500 CE, with the Hunas initially confined to Gandhara. By 510 CE, Toramana's rule in Malwa can be considered established.

Eran pillar inscription of Goparaja

Eran pillar of Goparaja

Eran stone pillar inscription of Bhanugupta.

Rubbing of the inscription.

• (Lines 1-2) Ōm ! When a century of years, increased by ninety-one, (had elapsed) on the seventh lunar day of the dark fortnight of (the month) Śrāvaṇa, (or in figures) the year 100 (and) 90 (and) 1 (the month) Śrāvaṇa the dark fortnight; the (lunar) day 7;-
• (Verse 1) (there was) a ruler, renowned as . . . . rāja sprung from the Śulakkha lineage; and his son (was) valorous by the name (of) Mādhava.
• (Verse 2) His son was the illustrious Goparaja, renowned for manliness; the daughter’s son of the Sarabha king;1 who became the ornament of (his) family.
• (Verses 3-4) (There is) the glorious Bhanugupta, a distinguished hero on earth, a mighty ruler, brave being equal to Pârtha. And along with him Goparaja, following (him) without fear, having overtaken the Maittras and having fought a very big and famous battle, went to heaven, becoming equal to Indra, the best of the gods; and (his) devoted, attached, beloved, and beauteous wife, clinging (to him), entered into the mass of fire (funeral pyre).

— Bhanugupta, Eran inscription 510 CE.

According to Bakker, the inscription does not provide a clear indication of the battle's outcome. However, in light of subsequent events, it may be suggested that the inscription marks the first of a series of setbacks for the Huna conqueror. In his struggle against the invader, Bhanugupta may have received support from the ruler of Mandasor, King Prakāśadharman.

Male head, northern India, 5th-6th century CE.

This connection is likely due to Bhanugupta’s sister (or possibly another close relative), Bhanugupta, being married to Ravikīrti, the prime minister (amātya) under Prakāśadharman's father, Rājyavardhana. Ravikīrti's son, Bhagavaddosa, who was the nephew (or possibly another relation) of Bhānugupta, served as prime minister under Prakāśadharman and may have fought alongside his maternal uncle. As it is indicated, this emerging dynasty of Mandasor kings, known as the 'Later Aulikaras,' was on the path to challenging their former Gupta overlords.

Aftermath

Indian resistance

See also: Rīsthal inscription

Resistance against external threats and instability gained momentum around the second decade of the 6th century, centering on a branch of the Aulikaras who claimed sovereignty in the region. The Rīsthal Inscription, dated to Mālava Year 572 (515 CE), reveals that King Prakāśadharman successfully restored order in Daśapura with the support of the influential Naigama merchant clan. Prominent members of this clan served as rājasthānīyas (viceroys) to the Later Aulikaras, playing a crucial role in stabilizing the region.

Rīsthal inscription

This era of resilience is reflected not only in inscriptions but also in the monuments left by the new rulers of Daśapura. Religious transformation underpinned this revival, as the sixth-century Aulikara rulers abandoned Vaisnavism, the state religion of their ancestors and former overlords, in favor of a dynamic and militant form of Shaivism. This Saivism, associated with the Pāśupata movement, had spread from the region between the Narmadā and Mahī rivers and was firmly established in Gujarat and Rajasthan, supported by a network of temples and Mathas.

Rise of Shaivism

The above instance demonstrates how Shaivism evolved into a significant cultural force during this period. While already a widespread popular religion, Shaivism gained new vigor through the Pāśupata school, which was embraced by the political elite to reinforce their ideology of power. In contrast, Vaishnavism, the former state religion, had lost its relevance in this context. Shaivism offered unique elements, such as the incarnation of Śiva as the Brahmin Lakulīśa, which provided ordinary individuals access to superhuman powers (siddhi) and divine weapons through teachings transmitted by human gurus (achāryas) who were believed to embody the Lord himself during rituals.

Shiva with Trisula, worshipped in Central Asia. Penjikent, Uzbekistan, 7th–8th century CE. Hermitage Museum.

This transformation underpinned the Aulikara rulers' aspirations, as reflected in their monumental architecture. Notable examples include the colossal Śiva Śūlapāṇi stele in Daśapura, possibly installed by Bhagavaddosa under King Prakāśadharman's orders in the Prakāśeśvara Temple, described in the Rīsthal Inscription as "the ornament of Bhāratavarṣa (India)." This stele, approximately 3 meters tall rivaled its Vaiṣṇava counterpart, the Varāha statue of Eran, erected by Dhanyaviṣṇu during Toramāṇa’s conquest and similarly hailed as "the pillar of the universe."

Aulikara-Hunnic conflicts

Main article: Aulikara−Hunnic War

Prakāśadharman, By whom the title ‘Overlord’ (adhirāja) of the Hūna commander (adhipa) was nullified in battle, (though it) had been firmly established on earth by the time of King Toramāna, whose footstool had glittered with the sparkling jewels in the crowns of kings (that had bowed at his feet).

— Rīsthal inscription

The events of 515 CE, recorded in the Rīsthal Inscription, were considered a pivotal moment in Indian history. The inscription celebrates Prakāśadharman for nullifying the title of "Overlord" (adhirāja) held by the Hūṇa commander, which had been firmly established during the reign of Toramāṇa, a ruler whose dominance had previously forced other kings to bow at his feet.

See also

• First battle of Eran
• Mihirakula
• Battle of Sondani
• Bhanugupta
• Aulikara−Hunnic War

Bibliography

• Bakker, Hans T. (12 March 2020). The Alkhan: A Hunnic People in South Asia. Barkhuis. ISBN 978-94-93194-00-7.
• S. R. Goyal (1967). A history of the Imperial Guptas. With a Foreword by R. C. Majumdar.
• Bakker, Hans (29 June 2015). The World of the Skandapurāṇa. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-27714-4.
• Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226742210.
• Agrawal, Ashvini (1989). Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-208-0592-7.

Further reading

• Kim, Hyun Jin (19 November 2015). The Huns. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-34091-1.

External links

• Gupta empire in the face of the Hunnic threat. Parallels to the late Roman empire? in De Gruyter