{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Use Indian English|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox royalty | title = [[Maharajadhiraja]]<br> Sarva-rajocchetta | image = Kachagupta of the Gupta Empire circa AD 335.jpg | image_size = 300 | caption = Gold coin of Kacha. Chakradhvaja type.<br>'''''Obverse:''''' Kacha, nimbate, standing left, sacrificing at altar and holding filleted ''chakradhvaja'' (wheel-standard); legend ''Kā-cha'' [[File:Gupta ashoka kaa.svg|14px]][[File:Gupta allahabad c.svg|12px]] in [[Gupta script]] vertically below left arm, circular Brahmi legend around ''Kacho gamavajitya divam karmabhir-uttamair-jayati'' ("Having conquered the earth, Kacha wins the heaven by excellent deeds").{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=52}}.<br>'''''Reverse:''''' Goddess (possibly [[Lakshmi]]) standing left, holding flower and cornucopia, Brāhmī legend at right: ''Sarvarājochchhettā'' ("Exterminator of all kings").{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=53}} | succession = Possible [[List of Gupta emperors|Gupta emperor]] | reign = 4th century CE | predecessor = Possibly [[Chandragupta I]] | successor = Possibly [[Samudragupta]] | spouse = | issue = | house = [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] | father = [[Chandragupta I]] | mother = | religion = [[Vaishnavism]] }} '''Kacha''' ([[Gupta script]]: [[File:Gupta ashoka kaa.svg|14px]][[File:Gupta allahabad c.svg|12px]] ''Kā-cha'', [[IAST]]: Kāca, c. 4th century) was a king of India, possibly a member of the [[Gupta dynasty]]. He is known only from his gold coins, which are similar to those of the Gupta king [[Samudragupta]].
Kacha's identity is a matter of debate among modern historians: two popular theories are that he was either Samudragupta himself, or that he was a brother of Samudragupta. According to the first theory, Kacha may have assumed the regnal name "Samudra-gupta" after extending his empire's borders up to the ocean ("''samudra''"). According to the second theory, Kacha probably contested Samudragupta's claim to the throne, and ruled for a brief period. Alternative theories identify him with other Gupta rulers, or as a non-Gupta usurper.
== Coinage == <mapframe text="Find spots of Kacha's coins" width="300" height="400" zoom="4" longitude="78" latitude="25.35"> { "type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [ { "type": "Feature", "properties": { "marker-symbol": "circle", "title": "Sakour" }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [79.7231612, 24.2055759] } }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": { "marker-symbol": "circle", "title": "[[Tanda, Ambedkar Nagar|Tanda]]" }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [82.6645469, 26.5432647] } }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": { "marker-symbol": "circle", "title": "Kasarva (or Kaserwa), [[Ballia district]]" }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [84.0894043, 25.8076852] } }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": { "marker-symbol": "circle", "title": "Kumarkhan" }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [72.0223717, 22.9067231] } }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": { "marker-symbol": "circle", "title": "[[Bayana]]" }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [77.2893606, 26.9158088] } }, { "type": "Feature", "properties": { "marker-symbol": "circle", "title": "[[Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh|Jaunpur]]" }, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [82.6987002, 25.7490034] } } ] } </mapframe> {{Gupta Empire}}
Kacha is known from some gold coins dated to the early Gupta period: these coins bear the legend "Kacha" under the king's image. However, he is not mentioned in the Gupta genealogies or any other source.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=135}}
The obverse of these coins depicts the king dressed in a way similar to the standard type coins of [[Samudragupta]]. The king is seen holding a ''chakra-dhvaja'' (wheel-standard) in his left hand, and offering incense on an altar with his right hand. One variety of Kacha's coins also depict a ''Garuda-dhvaja'' ([[Garuda]] flag) in front of him. The circular legend (in ''Upagati'' [[Sanskrit prosody|metre]]) on this side reads ''Kacho gamavajitya divam karmabhir-uttamair-jayati'' ("Having conquered the earth, Kacha wins the heaven by excellent deeds").{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=52}}
The reverse side depicts a goddess (possibly [[Lakshmi]]) with a [[halo (religious iconography)|halo]]. She is seen wearing a [[sari]], a bodice, an upper garment, ear-rings, a necklace and armlets. She stands on a carpet, and holds a [[cornucopia]] in her left hand.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=52}} In most coins of this style, she holds a flower in her right hand; in a few coins, she holds a noose in her right hand.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|pp=52-53}} The legend on this side reads ''Sarva-rajochchhetta'' ("exterminator of all kings").{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=53}}
Kacha's coins have been unearthed at [[Tanda, Ambedkar Nagar|Tanda]], Kasarva (or Kaserwa) in [[Ballia district]], Kumarkhan in [[Ahmedabad district]], Sakour (or Sakori) in [[Damoh district]], [[Bayana]], and [[Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh|Jaunpur]].{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=53}}
== Identification ==
Comparison of Kacha's coins with those issued by other Gupta kings suggests that he ruled sometime in the 4th century CE or first quarter of the 5th century. For example, Kacha's coins weigh between 111 and 118 [[grain (unit)|grains]]. The coins of the early Gupta kings are closer in weight to Kacha's coins: for example, over 80% of the coins issued by [[Samudragupta]] and [[Chandragupta II]], who ruled in the 4th century, weigh 121 [[grain (unit)|grains]].{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=58, 68}} On the other hand, the coins issued by the 5th century Gupta kings weigh more: 75% of [[Kumaragupta I]]'s coins weight 127 grains, while [[Skandagupta]]'s coins weigh as much as 144 grains.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=68}} Moreover, most of Kacha's coins have been found in hoards containing the coins of [[Chandragupta I]], Samudragupta, and Chandragupta II.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=69}}
There are two popular theories about Kacha's identity:{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=71}}
# Kacha was another name for Samudragupta # Kacha was an elder brother of Samudragupta, and a rival claimant to the Gupta throne
Several other theories have also been put forward, including that Kacha may have been a foreign invader.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=135}}
=== Samudragupta ===
According to one theory, Kacha was another name of Samudragupta: it is possible that he was earlier known as Kacha, and acquired the regnal name "Samudra" (literally "ocean") after extending his territory up to the ocean.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=71}}
Arguments cited in favour of this theory include:
* The legend on the obverse of Kacha's coins boasts that he conquered the earth, and then won the heaven by his excellent deeds. This suggests that he became a sovereign ruler, and then performed religious and charitable deeds. A similar legend also occurs on the coins of [[Samudragupta]]: it does not occur on the coin legends of any other earlier king.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=105}} * The above-mentioned legend indicates that Kacha had a long reign: thus, he could not have been someone who seized the throne for a short period, such as during a brief interval between Chandragupta I's death and Samudragupta's ascension.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=57}} * The reverse of Kacha's coins is similar to that of Samudragupta's tiger-slayer and ashvamedha type coins.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=144}} * The legend on the reverse of Kacha's coins describes him as the "exterminator of all kings", an epithet applied to Samudragupta in the Gupta records.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=57}} This legend does not appear on the coins of any other Gupta ruler.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=105}} * The above-mentioned legend fits in with the description of Samudragupta's extensive conquests in the [[Allahabad Pillar]] inscription.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=57}} Kacha could not have preceded Samudragupta, because if Kacha had "exterminated" all these kings, there was no need for Samudragupta to subdue them. Similarly, if Kacha had succeeded Samudragupta, there was no need for Kacha to subjugate these kings, because Samudragupta had already defeated them.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=105}}
Critics of this theory argue that:
* Kacha's coins vary from Samudragupta's coins in several ways. For example: ** Over 80% of Samudragupta's coins weigh 121 [[grain (unit)|grains]], while Kacha's coins weigh between 111 and 118 grains.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=58}} ** The female figure depicted on Kacha's coins is shown wearing an upper garment besides a bodice, while the female figures displayed on Samudragupta's tiger-slayer and ashvamedha type coins are shown wearing only a bodice. The objects in the hands of these female figures are also different.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=60}} ** Kacha's coins feature a symbol either at the top-left or the centre-left: this symbol is not found on Samudragupta's tiger-slayer and ashvamedha type coins.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=60}} * The Gupta kings, without exception, used only one name on their coins. Samudragupta is known to have issued coins under the name "Samudragupta", therefore, the coins with the legend Kacha are not likely to have been issued by him.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=62}} * Mere similarity of coin legends cannot be used to identify two kings as identical: similar legends appear on coins of kings known to be different persons.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|pp=58-59}} * Samudragupta's own coins do not describe him as the "exterminator of all kings".{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=144}} The Nalanda and Gaya inscriptions attributed to him mention this epithet, but the authenticity of these inscriptions is doubtful.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=72}} * Grandiloquent titles are quite common in Indian history, and grand claims such as that of having conquered the earth should not be taken at face value. These titles and claims cannot be used to make conclusions about Kacha's actual military achievements or the length of his reign.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=61}}
<gallery mode="packed"> Dinar of Kacha LACMA M.77.55.18 (2 of 2).jpg | A coin of Kacha Dinar of Samudragupta LACMA M.77.55.17 (2 of 2).jpg | A coin of Samudragupta </gallery>
=== Rival brother of Samudragupta ===
According to another theory, Kacha was a rival claimant to the throne, possibly a brother of Samudragupta. He probably occupied the throne for a brief period, before being dethroned by Samudragupta.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=61}} A variation of this theory is that Kacha outlived Samudragupta, and took control of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] after his death, while the authority of Samudragupta's son [[Ramagupta]] was confined to [[Malwa]].{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=144}}
Arguments cited in favour of this theory include:
* A verse in the Allahabad Pillar inscription of Samudragupta depicts a court scene where Chandragupta I nominates Samudragupta as his successor, leading to a "melancholy look" on some faces.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|pp=104-105}} This suggests that there were rival claimants to the throne,{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=71}} and may be considered as an indirect reference to Kacha.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=62}} * The king's dress and the device of the king offering an incense on Kacha's coins seem to be inspired by the coins of the [[Kushan Empire]], which ruled northern India in the preceding centuries.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=55}} On the other hand, Samudragupta's coins are Indian in character.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=63}} Thus, Kacha's coins are less original than those of Samudragupta, and therefore, Kacha must have preceded Samudragupta.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=62}} * The 8th-9th century work ''[[Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa|Arya-manju-shri-mula-kalpa]]'' mentions a king called Bhasma, who was the younger brother of king Samudra.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=137}} Samudra may be identified with Samudragupta, and Bhasma can be identified with Kacha, because the Sanskrit words "kacha" and "bhasma" both literally mean "alkaline ashes".{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=72}} Based on this identification, L. P. Pandey credits Kacha with expanding the Gupta kingdom up to Kashmir.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=138}} * The ''Kaliyuga-raja-vrttanta'' section of the ''Bhavishyottara Purana'' mentions that Kacha was a son of Chandragupta I from a [[Licchavi (tribe)|Licchavi]] princess. It states that he helped his father supplant the [[Andhra dynasty|Andhras]] on the throne of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]].{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|pp=62-63}} It describes Kacha as jointly ruling with his father, and states that Samudragupta killed their father.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=65}} * Kacha was seen as a usurper by Samudragupta's descendants, because of which the inscriptions of the subsequent Gupta kings must have omitted his name from the genealogical lists.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=72}}
Criticism of this theory includes:
* The Allahabad Pillar inscription does not state that the people disappointed at Samudragupta's ascension were his brothers: it only mentions that they were from families of equal rank. The inscription does not state that these people revolted against him.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=64}} * The Samudra and Bhasma of ''Arya-manju-shri-mula-kalpa'' cannot be identified as Samudragupta and Kacha. The text states that Bhasma's elder brother Samudra was an evil person, who obtained the kingdom for three days. Bhasma, too, was a cruel and evil ruler, and his kingdom was full of wretched [[Brahmins|Brahmanas]].{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=136}} He obtained riches of various kinds, and marched westwards to the doorstep of [[Kashmir]]. There, he won a battle, and ruled for 12 years and 15 {{sic}} months. Towards the end of his life, he suffered from a disease, which caused him to faint repeatedly.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=137}} ** Samudra ruled for three days (or perhaps, three years), while Samudragupta ruled for over three decades.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=137}} ** Kacha's coins describe him as a performer of "excellent deeds", while ''Arya-manju-shri-mula-kalpa'' describes Bhasma as an evil king. Such a glaring discrepancy cannot simply be explained as the negative attitude of the text's Buddhist writer towards a non-Buddhist king.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=141}} ** There is no evidence that Samudragupta had a brother named Bhasma, who ruled for over 12 years.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=137}} ** The text does not state that Bhasma rebelled against Samudra.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=138}} ** The list of succeeding kings mentioned in the text does not tally with the Gupta genealogy.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|pp=140-141}} * The portion of ''Kaliyuga-raja-vrttanta'' that describes the early Gupta history is clearly a modern forgery.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=66}}{{sfn|S. R. Goyal|1994|p=57}} * There is no concrete evidence that Kacha's coins precede those of Samudragupta: their similarity to the Kushan archetype does not necessarily mean that Kacha preceded Samudragupta.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=65}}
=== Another person depicted on Samudragupta's coins ===
==== Kacha of Ajanta inscription ====
The [[Ajanta Caves|Ajanta Cave]] XVII inscription mentions a ruler named Kacha, who was the son and successor of Upendragupta. Historian M. J. Sharma speculated that this Kacha was related to Samudragupta through his wife [[Dattadevi]], and helped Samudragupta in a war of succession following the death of Chandragupta I. According to Sharma's theory, the coins that depict Kacha were issued by Samudragupta as a mark of respect towards Kacha: one side of these coins mentions Kacha, the other side describes Samudragupta. The Gupta emperor appointed Kacha as his governor of [[Eran|Airikina]] (modern Eran).{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=53}}
Criticism of this theory includes:
* It is unlikely that an emperor issued coins in name of his subordinate.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=53}} * There is no evidence to show that the Kacha of Ajanta Cave inscription was a subordinate of Samudragupta.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=54}} * There is hardly any evidence connecting Kacha with Airikina: Sharma's assertions are based on a flawed reading of the inscription's text.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=54}}
==== Samudragupta's martyred brother ====
Historian [[R. D. Banerji]] speculated that Kacha was a brother of Samudragupta, and died fighting "a war of liberation" against the Kushan Empire during the reign of their father Chandragupta I. According to this theory, the coins attributed to Kacha were actually commemorative [[medal]]s issued by Samudragupta to commemorate his brother.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=66}}
However, there is no proof that Magadha was a part of the Kushan Empire during the first quarter of the 4th century, when the Guptas rose to power. Moreover, there is no concrete proof that Samudragupta had a brother named Kacha, who died fighting against the Kushan forces. Finally, no ancient Indian kings are known to have stuck such commemorative medals.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=66}}
=== Ramagupta ===
Some scholars, such as [[K. P. Jayaswal]] and [[D. R. Bhandarkar]], identified Kacha with [[Ramagupta]], who according to the Sanskrit play ''[[Devichandraguptam]]'', was a brother of [[Chandragupta II]], and thus a son of Samudragupta..{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=54}} The proponents of this theory argued that Kacha's coins are similar to the coins that were issued by Samudragupta during the later part of his reign, such as his Ashvamedha and tiger-slayer coins. However, there is no concrete evidence that Kacha's coins are of a later date than those of Samudragupta.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=55}}
[[A. S. Altekar]] also once supported this identification, theorizing that the name "Kacha" (Kāca) was converted to "Rāma" because of scribal mistakes.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=54}} However, he later withdrew his opinion after the discovery of coins attributed to Ramagupta, in Malwa.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=72}} The discovery of three stone inscriptions referring to Ramagupta also nullified this theory.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=55}}
=== Ghatotkacha ===
[[James Prinsep]] identified Kacha with [[Ghatotkacha (king)|Ghatotkacha]], the grandfather of Samudragupta, based on the similarity of two names. However, Ghatotkacha was a pre-imperial ruler of the dynasty, and it is unlikely that he issued any gold coins.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=56}} The legend "exterminator of all kings" on Kacha's coins does not befit a non-imperial ruler like him.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=57}}
Moreover, the Sanskrit words "Kacha" (Kāca) and "Ghatotkacha" (Ghaṭotkaca) have completely different meanings: there is little scope for contraction of the name "Ghatotkacha" to "Kacha".{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=56}}
=== A non-Gupta usurper ===
B. S. Sitholey theorized that Kacha was a non-Gupta "political adventurer" who usurped the throne, when Samudragupta was busy in his [[Samudragupta#Southern conquests|southern campaigns]], and was defeated by Samudragupta when the latter returned to the capital. Sitholey argues that the absence of Kacha's name in literary and epigraphic sources proves that he was an outsider.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=67}}
However, there is no concrete evidence for this: it is common for princes of collateral branches to be excluded from royal genealogies,{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=67}} which describe the ancestry of the current king, not the succession of the previous kings.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=143}} Also, whenever Kacha's coins have been discovered in a [[hoard]], they have always been found among coins issued by other Gupta kings. For example, the [[Bayana]] hoard contains 1621 gold coins including 16 Kacha coins: all other coins in this hoard were issued by persons known to be Gupta kings. This suggests that Kacha was affiliated with the Gupta dynasty.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=68}}
== References == {{reflist}}
=== Bibliography ===
{{ref begin}} * {{cite book |author=Ashvini Agrawal |title=Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRjC5IaJ2zcC&pg=PA315 |year=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0592-7 |page=315 }} * {{cite book |author=Dilip Kumar Ganguly |title=The Imperial Guptas and Their Times |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hud2_Ie3T94C&pg=PP1 |year=1987 |publisher=Abhinav |isbn=978-81-7017-222-2 }} * {{cite book |author=S. R. Goyal |title=An introduction to Gupta numismatics |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GTZmAAAAMAAJ |year=1994 |publisher=Kusumanjali Prakashan |oclc=32240275 }} * {{cite book |author=Tej Ram Sharma |title=A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fWVZWjNAcAgC |year=1989 |publisher=Concept |isbn=978-81-7022-251-4 }} {{ref end}}
[[Category:Gupta emperors]] [[Category:4th-century Indian monarchs]]