Vishnugopa I


Vishnugopa I was a ruler of the Pallava dynasty based in Kanchipuram during the 4th century. He was the son and successor of Buddhavarman.

Conflict with Samudragupta

Vishnugopa I is historically significant for his encounter with the Gupta Emperor Samudragupta during the latter's southern expedition.
According to the Allahabad stone pillar inscription, Vishnugopa was one of the twelve southern kings defeated by Samudragupta but was subsequently released and reinstated as a tributary ruler, a policy known as grahana-moksha-anugraha.
The inscription mentions:

Rise of the Kadambas

During Vishnugopa's reign, the Pallava power began to weaken in certain regions. This decline allowed Mayurasharma, a Brahmin scholar-turned-warrior, to lead a successful rebellion and establish the Kadamba dynasty in the Konkan and North Karnataka regions, territories that were previously under Pallava influence.