Sasanka was the ruler of

The correct answer is Option 3. Key Points Śaśāṅka (c. 590–625/26 CE) was the powerful early-7th-century ruler of Gauda (Gaur) in Bengal, with his capital at Karnasuvarna near modern Murshidabad. A staunch Śaivite who styled himself Maharajadhiraja , he expanded Gauda into parts of present-day Bengal, Bihar, and northern Odisha, minted distinctive coins with Śiva symbols, and sponsored temples. Politically, he was a key rival of Harshavardhana of Thanesar/Kannauj and Bhaskaravarman of Kamarupa (Assam). Sources note his alliance with the Malava king Devagupta during the turmoil at Kannauj, which helped trigger Harsha’s rise. Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang accuses Śaśāṅka of persecuting Buddhists and damaging the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya —claims modern historians treat cautiously as partisan. After Śaśāṅka’s death, Gauda fragmented and was contested by Harsha and Bhaskaravarman; the region later stabilized under the Pālas in the 8th century.