Rudrasena I (Vakataka king)


Rudrasena was a ruler of the Pravarapura-Nandivardhana branch of the Vakataka dynasty. Not much is known about Rudrasena I. He was the son of Gautamiputra, who ruled from Nandivardhana near Ramtek hill.
There is a mention of Rudradeva in the Allahabad pillar inscription, bundled along with the other rulers of Aryavarta. A number of scholars, like A.S. Altekar do not agree that Rudradeva is Rudrasena I, since if Rudrasena I had been exterminated by Samudragupta, it is extremely unlikely that his son Prthivishena I would accept a Gupta princess as his daughter-in-law. Secondly, no inscription of Rudrasena I has been found north of the Narmada. The only stone inscription of Rudrasena I’s reign discovered so far was found at Deotek in the present-day Chandrapur district, so he can not be equated with Rudradeva of the Allahabad pillar inscription, who belonged to the Aryavarta.