Maha-kshtrapa
Encyclopedia
Maha-kshtrapa was a title meaning "Great Satrap" in early medieval Gujarat. As satrap
s (kshtrapas) of the failing Scythian Empire, some leaders in western India
elevated their titles to Great Satrap when they became increasingly independent of imperial rule.
The Maha-kshtrapa Rudradaman I
oversaw extensive canal
repairs in Gujarat which led to double cropping. He also led battles against his neighbors which increased his property. In his propaganda, Rudradaman was praised as an upholder of dharma
, a fine swordsman and boxer, an excellent horseman and elephant rider, a charioteer, a famous scholar of grammar and music, a logical thinker, and a generous king. The memorial praising Rudradaman is the earliest known classical Sanskrit
inscription of any extent.
Satrap
Satrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
s (kshtrapas) of the failing Scythian Empire, some leaders in western India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
elevated their titles to Great Satrap when they became increasingly independent of imperial rule.
The Maha-kshtrapa Rudradaman I
Rudradaman I
Rudradaman I was a Saka ruler from the Western Kshatrapas dynasty. He was the grandson of the celebrated Sah king Chastana. Rudradaman I was instrumental in the decline of the Satavahana Empire.- Mahakshatrapa :...
oversaw extensive canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
repairs in Gujarat which led to double cropping. He also led battles against his neighbors which increased his property. In his propaganda, Rudradaman was praised as an upholder of dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
, a fine swordsman and boxer, an excellent horseman and elephant rider, a charioteer, a famous scholar of grammar and music, a logical thinker, and a generous king. The memorial praising Rudradaman is the earliest known classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
inscription of any extent.