was a

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

and a feudatory of the

Gupta Empire The Gupta Empire was an Indian empire during the classical period of the Indian subcontinent which existed from the mid 3rd century to mid 6th century CE. At its zenith, the dynasty ruled over an empire that spanned much of the northern Indian ...

. He is mentioned in several inscriptions of

Eran Eran is an ancient town and archaeological site in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh, India. It was one of the ancient mints for Indian dynasties as evidenced by the diverse coins excavated here. The site has 5th and 6th-century Gupta era ...

Central India Central India refers to a geographical region of India that generally includes the states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. The Central Zonal Council, established by the Government of India, includes these states as well as Uttar Prades ...

, who fought along with the emperor

Bhanugupta Bhanugupta was one of the lesser known kings of the Gupta dynasty. He is only known from an inscription in Eran, and a mention in the Manjushri-mula-kalpa. Only mentioned in the Eran inscription as a "Raja" and not a "Maharaja" or a "Mahara ...

in the First Battle of Eran in which he was martyred. In 484 CE, he is described as being a

maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...

and the (district officer) of Eran under the reign of Maharaja Surasmichandra, who governed the region between the

Yamuna The Yamuna (; ) is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Low ...

and the

Narmada River The Narmada River, previously also known as ''Narbada'' or anglicised as ''Nerbudda'', is the 5th longest river in India and overall the longest west-flowing river in the country. It is also the largest flowing river in the state of Madhya Prade ...

. He comes from a family of pious Brahmins; his grandfather was and his forefather was , both known for their participation in studies of scripture and enactment of sacrificial rites.

Etymology

Mātṛviṣṇu is mentioned in the Eran Stone Boar Inscription from the reign of Toramana (500–515 CE), and in the Eran Stone Pillar Inscription of Budhagupta. may signify one of the seven or possibly, Vedic Mātariśvan (read

Agni Agni ( ) is the Deva (Hinduism), Hindu god of fire. As the Guardians of the directions#Aṣṭa-Dikpāla ("Guardians of Eight Directions"), guardian deity of the southeast direction, he is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu temples. ...

) and its concatenation with ''

Viṣṇu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation (sattva). Vish ...

'' underlines a unique theological or cultural synthesis pertinent of the

Gupta period The Gupta Empire was an Indian empire during the classical period of the Indian subcontinent which existed from the mid 3rd century to mid 6th century CE. At its zenith, the dynasty ruled over an empire that spanned much of the northern Indian ...

Religious activities

20150712 im Keshava-Tempel - Krishna als Janardhana

The stone pillar in

was installed by Mātṛviṣṇu and is called the Column of Janārdana (

Kṛṣṇa Krishna (; Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is wi ...

) - a thin, 13-metre-high column. He established, with his younger brother Dhanyaviṣṇu, a twin temple complex dedicated to Viṣṇu on the southern banks of the Bina River. Janārdana's emblem (

Garuda Garuda (; ; Vedic Sanskrit: , ) is a Hindu deity who is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. This divine creature is mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain faiths. Garuda is also the half-brother of the D ...

) stands out on the pillar. This complex grew during Budhagupta's reign, reflecting the imperial standard and the pride of

Military achievements

Testimonials

Mātṛviṣṇu is described in the

Stone Pillar Inscription of Budhagupta as a mighty and triumphal king, whose renown spread "to the frontiers of the four oceans". He also claimed to have been chosen by the “goddess of sovereignty” as her consort — language that echoed the epithets used for

Gupta Gupta () is a common surname of Indian origin, meaning "guardian" or "protector". Origins and distribution The name is based on the Sanskrit word गोप्तृ ''goptṛ'', which means "guardian" or "protector". According to historian ...

emperors such as

Samudragupta Samudragupta (Gupta script: ''Sa-mu-dra-gu-pta'', ( 335–375 CE) was the second emperor of the Gupta Empire of ancient India. A military genius and a patron of arts, he is regarded among the greatest rulers in Indian history. As a son of th ...

and

Skandagupta Skandagupta (Gupta script: ''Ska-nda-gu-pta'', r. –467) was a Gupta Empire, Gupta Emperor of India. His Bhitari pillar inscription of Skandagupta, Bhitari pillar inscription suggests that he restored the Gupta power by defeating his enemies, ...

. His self-titled

Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...

, while demonstrating his subordination to it within the Gupta administrative system, shows that he asserted some measure of authority.

First Battle of Eran

Mātṛviṣṇu perished during the First Battle of Eran ( Betwa Valley). His brother Dhanyaviṣṇu commissioned a Varāhamūrti (boar idol) at

and supervised the building of a temple in memory of his brother. The acts are etched to stone 'deeds' from the first year of the reign of

Toramana Toramana also called Toramana Shahi Jauvla ( Gupta script: 𑀢𑁄𑀭𑀫𑀸𑀡 ''To-ra-mā-ṇa'', ruled circa 493-515 CE) was a king of the Alchon Huns who ruled in northern India in the late 5th and the early 6th century CE. Toramana co ...

, signifying a shift of allegiance to the marauding Huna forces.{ The inscriptions reveal that in these regions, the

administration was fragmented, and the feudal system (mamsa) prevalent then enabled local chiefs to change their loyalty when it suited them. The defection of Dhanyaviṣṇu to the

Hunas Hunas or Huna (Middle Brahmi script: ''Hūṇā'') was the name given by the ancient Indians to a group of Central Asian tribes who, via the Khyber Pass, entered the Indian subcontinent at the end of the 5th or early 6th century. The Hunas occu ...

after the death of Mātṛviṣṇu demonstrates how local feudatories supported the conquest of the

. This transition took place not long after 484 CE, probably within a generation.

Legacy

Mātṛviṣṇu’s contributions to religious architecture, monuments, sculptures, and his royal pretensions are facets of the networks of loyalty and power that characterized politics in distinctly

-era

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. The surviving inscriptions of Mātṛviṣṇu and his family aid in reconstructing the cultural, religious, and administrative world of an emperor.

References

{{Reflist People from the Gupta Empire Indian maharajas 5th-century Indian people Vassal rulers of the Gupta Empire 5th-century deaths Indian warriors 5th-century births Ancient Indian people Indian military leaders 498 deaths Alchon Huns