Gupta Period

Gupta Period  (319 AD-540 AD)

The Guptas arose in Magadha and established a large , kingdom over the greater part of Northern India. Their rule lasted for more than 200 years.

The founder of the dynasty was a person named Gupta. He used the simple title of Maharaja.

Gupta was succeeded by his son Chatotkach, who also inherited the title of Maharaja.

Chandragupta 1: 319-334 AD : first Gupta ruler to assume the title of Maharajadhiraja.

• His marriage to Lichchhvi princess Kumaradevi, brought to him enormous power, resources and prestige.
• establish his authority over Magadha, Prayaga and Saketa.

Samudragupta: 335-380 AD : the greatest king of Gupta dynasty.

• most detailed and authentic record of his reign is preserved in the Prayaga Prasasti or Allahabad pillar inscription composed by his court poet Harisena.
• Samudragupta's military compaigns justify description of him as the ‘Nepoleon of India' by V.A. Smith.
• Samudragupta was a Vaishnavite
• According to the Chinese writer Wang-Hiuen-Tse, Meghavarma, king of Sri Lanka, sent an embassy to Samudragupta for his permission to build a monastery for Buddhist pilgrims at Bodh Gaya.

Chandragupta II 'Vikramaditya': 380-414 AD

• According to 'Devi Chandragupta' (Vishakhadatta), Samudragupta was succeeded by Ramgupta
• He was 'the first Gupta ruler to issue silver coins' and adopted the titles Sakari and Vikramaditya
• Mehrauli (near Kutub Minar, Delhi) Iron Pillar inscription says that the king defeated the confederacy of Vangas and Vahilkas (Bulkh).
• the Chinese pilgrim Fahien visited India.
• Navaratna (i.e. nine gems) of Chandragupta II :
    1. Kalidasa (Poetry- Ritusamhar, Meghadutam, Kumarsambhavam, Raghuvamshama; Dramas- Malvikagnimitra, Vikramorvashiyam, Abhijnan-Shakuntalam)
    2. Amarsinh (Amarsinhkosha)
    3. Dhanavantri(Navanitakam – medicine text)
    4. Varahmihira (Panch Sidhantaka, Vrihatsamhita, Vrihat Jataka, Laghu Jataka)
    5. Vararuchi (Vartika-a comment on Ashtadhyayi)
    6. Ghatakarna
    7. Kshapranak
    8. Velabhatt
    9. Shanku

Kumaragupta I; 415-455 AD

• founded the Nalanda Mahavihara which developed into a great centre of learning.
• was the worshipper of god Kartikeya.

Skandagupta : 455-467 AD

•             the last great ruler of the Gupta dynasty.
•             empire was invaded by the Huns. He succeeded in defeating the Huns.
•             The decline of the empire began soon after his death.

Important notes:

• v  empire was highly decentralized
• v  comprised a network of self governing tribes and tributary kingdoms and their chiefs often served as representatives of imperial powers.
• v  king took exalted titles like the Mahadhiraja, Samrat, Ekadhiraja, Chakravartin
• v  kings were assisted by a council of ministers (Mantriparishad or Mantrimandalam).The existence of such a council is implied in the Prayaga / Allahabad Pillar Inscription, which speaks of the delight of the ‘Sabyas’ (members) at the selection for Samudragupta for the throne.
• v  The Kumaramatyas formed the chief cadre for recruiting high officials under the Guptas.
• v  among the Mantris, Senapati, Mahadanda-nayaka (Minister of Justice) and Sandhivigrahika (Minister of peace and war) we generally chosen.
• v  The office of Sandhivigrahika first appears under Samudragupta, whose amatya Harisena held this title.
• v  Other Important officials: Mahapratihari (the Chelf usher of the Royal Palace), Dandapashika (Chief officer of Polcie Department), VinayaHinitisthapak (Chief Officer of Religious affairs), Mahapilupati (chief of Elephant corps), Mahashvapati (Chief of Cavalry) etc.
• v  The important Bhuktis (i.e provinces) of Gupta period were : Magadha, Barddhaman, Pundra Vardhana, Teerbhukti (Northen Bihar) Eastern Malwa, Western Malwa and Saurashtra.
• v  for the first time civil and criminal law were clearly defined and demarcated.
• v  depended primarily on land revenue, varying from 1 /4 to 1 /6 of the produce.
• v  Senabhakta - the army was to be fed by the people whenever it passed through the countryside.
• v  villagers were also subjected to forced labour called vishti for serving royal army and officials.
• v  The Gupta period also experienced an excess of land grants. (Agarhara grants, Devagrahara grants).
• v  The varna system begins to get modified owing to the proliferation of castes.
• v  Katyayana, a smriti writer of the Gupta periods, was the first to use the expression asprasya to denote the untouchable.
• v  Polygamy was common.
• v  The first example of Sati appears in Gupta time in 510 AD in Eran in Madhya Pradesh. (Bhanugupta's Eran Inscription - 510 AD)
• v  Vaishnavism became very popular.
• v  this period was of evolution of Vajrayanism and Buddhist tantric cults.
• v  the exclusive state ownership of land is in the Pahadpur Copper Plate inscription of Buddhagupta.
• v  land survey is evident from the Poona plates of Prabhavati Gupta and many other inscriptions.
• v  Pustapala: officer who maintained records of all land transactions in the district.
• v  Gupta period witnessed decline in long distance trade.
• v  The art of architecture attained great heights. By evolving the Nagara Style (Shikhar style), the Gupta art ushers in the history of Indian architecture.
• v  Rock-cut caves : Ajanta and Ellora Group (Maharashtra) and Bagh (MP).
• v  Structural Temples : Dasavatara temple of Deogarh (Jhansi district, UP)- the oldest and the best, Siva temple of Bhumra (Nagod, MP), Vishnu and Kankali temple (Tigawa, MP), Parvati temple of Nanchana-Kuthwa (Parma district, MP) Shiva temple of Khoh (Satna, Panna, MP), Krishna brick temple of Bhittargaon (Kanpur, UP), Laxman temple of Sirpur (Raipur, MP), Vishnu temple and Varah temple of Eran (MP).
• v  Stupas : Mirpur khas (Sindh), Dhammekh (Saranath) and Ratnagiri (Orissa).
• v  The painting of this period are found in Bagh (Dhar district, MP), and Ajanta (Aurangabad district, Maharashtra).
• v  Ramgupta ruled for a very short period(after samudragupta). He was the only Gupta ruler to issue copper coins'.