A Buddhist Mahayana Text Manjusri Molakalpa records the existence of Gauda Kingdom in Bengal before it was replaced by Gupta Empire in the 4th century. King Loka who was born in Vardhamana is mentioned who must have ruled in the early 4th century CE. King Shashanka is often attributed with creating the first separate political entity in a unified Bengal called Gauda. He reigned in 7th century, and some historians place his rule approximately between 590 and 625. His capital was at Karnasubarna, south-west of Baharampur, headquarters of Murshidabad district. The Chinese monk, Xuanzang travelled from the country of Karnasubarna to a region in the present-day state of Orissa ruled by Shashanka. There is mention of Pundravardhana being part of Gauda in certain ancient records. According to some sources the city of Gauda was founded by King Shankaladeva. He, originally, was a native of either Pragjyotisapura or Kannauj. Raibahadur Padmanath Gohain Baruah, in his book Asamar Buranji, mentioned that a king from Pragjyotisapura, named Shankaladeva, established the city of Gauda. In another book, History of Hindostan, it has been stated that Shankaladeva was a native of Kannauj and established the city of Gauda during the 8th century BC. Evidence seems to be discrepant regarding links of Gauda with the Rarh region. While Krishna Mishra, in his Prabodha-chandrodaya, mentions that Gauda Rashtra includes Rarh and Bhurishreshthika, identified with Bhurshut, in Hooghly and Howrah districts, but the Managoli inscription of the Yadava king Jaitugi I distinguishes Lala from Gaula. According to Jain writers of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Gauda included Lakshmanavati in present-day Malda district. Following his death, Shashanka was succeeded by his son, Manava, who ruled the kingdom for eight months. However Gauda was soon divided amongst Harshavardhana and Bhaskarvarmana of Kamarupa, the latter even managing to conquer Karnasuvarna. The Pala emperors were referred to as Vangapati and Gaudesvara. Sena kings also called themselves Gaudesvara. From then Gauda and Vanga seem to be interchangeable names for the whole of Bengal.
