The Allahabad Pillar inscription is associated with which one of the following?

Answer: (d) Samudragupta

The Allahabad Pillar inscription (Prayaga Prashasti) was composed by Harishena, court poet of the Gupta king Samudragupta, to praise his conquests. The pillar also carries Ashoka's edicts, which is the trap in option c.

• ✓ (d) Harishena composed the Prayaga Prashasti for Samudragupta.
• ✗ (c) The pillar carries Ashoka's edicts as well, but the Allahabad Pillar inscription in question is the Gupta praise-poem.

Remember · Allahabad Pillar inscription = Prayaga Prashasti of Harishena praising Samudragupta.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 Themes in Indian History, Part I, Ch 2 (practise this chapter)

Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2006, General Studies paper. UPSC did not publish an answer key for 2006: the answer shown is the one the sources above support. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 24 Oct 2026 (how we verify). · Report an error