Kangavarma () or Kangavarman was the second ruler of the Kadamba dynasty in

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

. His name is sometimes also read as Skandavarman. Kangavarma succeeded his father

Mayurasharma Mayurasharma or Mayuravarma (reigned 345–365 C.E.), a native of Talagunda (in modern Shimoga district), was the founder of the Kadamba Kingdom of Banavasi, the earliest native kingdom to rule over what is today the modern state of Karnataka, ...

, the founder of the Kadamba kingdom. The Talagunda pillar inscription indicates that Kangavarma's reign was a turbulent one with many bitter wars. Although we lack details of the wars which Kangavarma had to face, it is likely that the Vakatakas were among his foremost enemies. In particular, Kangavarman's contemporary to the north was the Vakataka king

Vindhyasena Vindhyasena (), also known as Vindhyashakti II, was a ruler of the Vatsagulma branch of the Vakataka dynasty. He was the son and successor of Sarvasena I. Vindhyasena seems to have enjoyed quite a long reign, as he issued a charter from his ca ...

of Vatsagulma, who is credited with a victory against the Kadambas. While some scholars agree that Kangavarma suffered defeat at the hands of the Vakatakas, other scholars believe that Kangavarma was mostly successful in resisting the Vakataka invasion and preserving the independence of the Kadamba kingdom. Kangavarma assumed the title ''Dharmamahārājadhirāja'', which continued to be used by his successors. Similar titles were used by other dynasties of South India including the

Pallavas The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of South India, the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahanas, Satavahana dynasty, with whom they ...

and the later Chalukyas of Badami, as well as by the Vakataka rivals of the Kadambas.Singh (2016), pp. 481-482 Kangavarma also used the surname of '' varma'' (which was historically associated with the

Kshatriya Kshatriya ( hi, क्षत्रिय) (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority") is one of the four varna (social orders) of Hindu society, associated with warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...

caste) instead of ''sharma'', a convention which many later Kadamba kings followed. Kangavarma was succeeded on the Kadamba throne by his son

Bhageerath Bhageerath (reigned c. 385 – 410 CE) was a king of the Kadamba dynasty in South India. He succeeded his father Kangavarma on the Kadamba throne. Bhageerath is praised as a "king loved by his kingdom just as a husband is held dear by his brid ...

References

{{reflist Kadambas 4th-century Indian monarchs