Conquests of Samudragupta in South India according to some historians disclose that he was opposed by a confederacy of kings of the Eastern Deccan near the Colair Lake. This made him abandon his conquests in the coast of Orissa and returned home. The Allahabad record however clearly shows that Samudragupta advanced in the south. The Prasasti of Harisena claims that Samudragupta defeated all the kings of Daksinapatha, the location of the South Indian states.
Since the second century good ports sprang up on the eastern coast of South India and Samudra Gupta wanted to have them under his control. The Vakatakas were under control who was becoming the dominant power in the Maharashtra region realising his power.
Samudragupta evidently got hold over the Ganges Yamuna valley and secured his position thereby turning his attention towards South-India. Mahendra of Kosala was defeated by him. The districts of Bilaspur, Raipur and Sambalpur came under his control. Vyaghraraja of Mahakantara was also overpowered by Samudragupta. Mantaraja of Kurala was also captured. Mahendragiri of Pistapura was defeated by him. Pistapura is the modern Pitliapuram in the Godavari district. This is mentioned in the Aihole inscription of Pulakesin. Svamidatta of Kottura was crushed by him and according to some historians this should be identified with Kothoor in the Ganjam district.
Damana of Erandapalla had to kneel before him and accept his supremacy. Visnugopa of Kanchi, the modern Kanchipuram in the Chingliput district, Madras accepted the defeat in the hands of Samudragupta. Visnugopa was the king of the Pallava dynasty. Nilaraja of Avamukta is another who was defeated by him. Hastivarman of Vengi who was captured by him, may be identified with the region round Vengi, a village in the Ellore taluka of the Godavari district. Hastivarman was certainly the king of the Salankayana dynasty. Ugrasena of Palakka was another king whom Samudragupta had overpowered.
King Dhananjaya of Kusthalapura which is near Polur in North Arcot had also accepted his suzerainty.
Some interesting inferences has been made regarding his Southern campaign : (i) the list of the Southern rulers in the Allahabad record includes the names of kings as well as of District Officers; (b) Samudragupta fought his crucial battle in the Colair Lake region; (c) Southern emperors had been grouped under two chief leaders-Mantaraja of Kurala leading Svami datta and Damana of Erandapalla, while Visnugopa of Kanchi led Nilaraja of Avamukta, Hastivarman of Vengi, Ugrasena of Palakka Kuvera of Devarastra and Dhananjaya of Kusthalapura.
