He ruled the territories which had initially been the western part of the erstwhile Later Guptas prior to the conquest of its eastern part by the Kingdom of Kannauj.
He was the eldest son of Mahasenagupta and a member of the Later Gupta dynasty.
The Gupta Empire had greatly reduced in power in the sixth century.
Devagupta was warry of the new Thanesar–Kannauj alliance to the north of kingdom and sought to destroy it.
Harsha succeeded him and repelled the invasion by Gauda, finally winning the war.