भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

century-and-a-half or two, the Indian sword ultimately cut asunder the very root of the Kushan power in India. The Kushan problem was finally disposed of, here and now! 254. But the Saka kings from Malava to Sindh who, as has been told in paragraphs 236 and 248, had thrown off the yoke of Andhra domination when the latter was engaged in a life and death struggle with Kanishka and later on, after the death of Kanishka, declared themselved free, did not on their own initiative talk of any submission. Samrat Samudragupta’s Death and After 255. While he was just preparing to march upon the Mlenchcha power of these Sakas, this powerful Emperor Samudragupta breathed his last in 375 A.D. He had expressed his wish that after him, his younger but valiant and virile son, Chandragputa II, should be crowned emperor. But discarding this dying wish of his, the elder son, Ramgupta, ascended the throne on the strength of his seniority in age. But he was so weak that almost all efficient officials in his military and civil service and his ministers too began to hate him secretly. Just at this juncture, a strange thing happened, which galvanized the popular feeling against Ramgupta’s feebleness. Although some historians consider this to be a hearsay anecdote, still ancient writers like Vishakhadatta and Banabhatta have credited it with truth, and a reference to it is to be found in the copperplate grant of King Amoghvarsha. Again as in the comparatively recent times, the Rajput warriors had faced a similar situation against Alla-ud-din in respect of Padmini, the opinion of some other historians that this anecdote about Ramgupta must be substantially true is more acceptable. The incident in question may be summarised in the following manner: 256. Emperor Samudragupta having died and a weakling Ramgupta having ascended the throne after him, the Saka kings became fearless and began to behave insolently with the Magadhan empire, which was at inimical terms with them. An impertinent and mean-minded Mlenchcha king of these Sakas commanded Ramgupta, in order to humiliate him, that he should send his young and beautiful wife, Grahdevi, to him or else be prepared for war. This insolent and wicked message convulsed the whole political atmosphere of the Magadhan empire with shame and indignation. But Emperor Ramgupta had become so utterly imbecile and shameless, as to start preparations to send his queen, Grahdevi, to that Saka Satrap with the sole intention of avoiding a conflict. This infuriated his younger brother,