Prabhavati Gupta Tells of Her Arranged Marriage and as Ruler in India After Her Husband Died

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My name is Prabhavati Gupta, and I lived over 1,600 years ago in ancient India. I was born into one of the most powerful families of the time—my father was Chandragupta II, one of the greatest emperors of the Gupta Empire. That meant I was raised in a world of scholars, poets, and politics. But unlike many women of my time, my life wasn’t just about royal ceremonies—I actually ruled a kingdom.

When I was a young woman, I was married off—as was common in those days—to a prince named Rudrasena II, from the Vakataka dynasty. This marriage wasn’t just about love; it was also a political alliance meant to strengthen bonds between two powerful families. But just a few years after our marriage, my husband died unexpectedly. I was left a widow, but I wasn’t left powerless.

Because my sons were still too young to take the throne, I stepped in to rule as regent. That’s right—for years, I governed the Vakataka kingdom in central India. I signed royal orders, issued land grants, and made decisions that shaped the lives of thousands. In fact, we’ve discovered inscriptions with my name on them, proving just how active and important I was in ruling the empire. I wasn’t a queen who just sat in the background—I was a leader.

Even while ruling a kingdom that followed different religious traditions, I remained a devoted follower of Vaishnavism, the worship of Lord Vishnu, as my Gupta family taught me. I respected local traditions, but I also stayed true to my roots. That balance between honoring the past and guiding the future was something I tried to uphold throughout my time in power.

What archaeologists and historians admire about me today is how rare it was for a woman in that era to hold real political power. Yet, there I was—signing edicts, leading meetings, making choices not just as a wife or mother, but as a ruler. And I did it with dignity, intelligence, and a deep sense of responsibility.

So, if you ever feel like your voice might not matter, or that history is just a list of kings and generals—remember me. I may have lived centuries ago, but I proved that a woman’s wisdom could guide a kingdom. And if I could do that then, imagine what you can do now.

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