________________
138
THE SANGAM AGE. definite knowledge of the Early Guptas. But. they mixed it up with matters which were probably more familiar to them. They evidently identified the Early Gupta king Chandragupta I., or his grandson of the same name, with the far more well known Maurya king, Chandragupta." Thus it is plain that there was a strong tradition in the tenth century A.D. that the Guttas,' and theBefore the Guptas, were connected in some manner with the ancient Mauryas. A similar tradition must have existed in a stronger form during the time of Senguttuvan and the Sangam poets. Hence, probably to distinguish the later Mauryas' from the ancient ones, Māmūlanār calls the Guptas, Vamba Moriar', i.e., new Mauryar, as opposed to the old Mauryar.
It has been pointed out that the Guptas themselves never thought that they were descended from the Mauryas. It is true that the Gupta refords do not mention anything about their relationship with the Mauryas. It may also be a fact that the Guptas were not related to the Mautyas. at all. It is enough for our purposes to note the existence of a tradition connecting theGuptas and the Mauryas, ill-founded though it be. Moreover in Asia, rulers of independent states always took pride in claiming descent from some ancient. powerful sovereign, as that lent considerable prestige to their rulers. Thus Baber claimed descent from the great Timur and Chengizkhan. Bombay Gazetteer, Vo
? According to Dr. Fleet, the
word Gutta is a" well established Part II, pp. 579 and 580. corruption of Gupta."
An objection answered.
