Gupta Empire
- Gupta dynasty emerged around 230 AD.
- Its initial ruler was Shree Gupta but Guptas were not very powerful in the 3rd century AD.
- In the second decade of the 4th century AD, Chandra Gupta I filled the void created due to the demise of the Kushanas in North India.
- With his effort Chandra Gupta brought North, East and Central India under one central authority.
Chandra Gupta I (319-335 AD)
- Chandra Gupta I followed the policy of matrimonial alliance also whereby he married Kumar Devi of Lichchavi.
- To celebrate this marriage, special type of Kumar Devi coins were released. On the obverse side of the coin, Image of king and queen was created and on the reverse side of the coin either of the three goddess Lakshmi, Sarasvati or Parvati was created.
Samudra Gupta (335-375 AD)
- He was the most powerful Gupta ruler.
- He is known as the Napoleon of India.
- He is also known as the 2nd Chakravarti Samrat of India after Ashoka.
- His court poet Harisen wrote 'Prayag Prashasti (language - Sanskrit & Script - Brahmi)' which was eulogization of Samudra Gupta.
- In this Harisen has mentioned that Samudra Gupta won more than 100 battles and never faced a single defeat in his lifetime.
- Samudra Gupta was an ardent believer of Hinduism.
- He performed Ashwamedha Yajna also (Shunga ruler Pushyamitra Shunga also performed it).
- He also gave permission to the Srilankan ruler Meghavarman to create a Buddhist monastery at Bodhgaya (this shows his religious tolerant behaviour).
- Samudra Gupta was also an accomplished poet and musician. In one of his coins, he has been depicted playing musical instrument veena.
Chandra Gupta II (385-415 AD)
(After Samudra Gupta, Ram Gupta became the next ruler. He married to a very beautiful lady, Dhruva Swamini. She was considered as divine beauty of that time.
Shakas fought with Ram Gupta and took him as prisoners and as a price of release, he would have to submit his wife Dhruv Swamini. Ram Gupta accepted the proposal but his younger brother Chandra Gupta II saw it as an insult to Guptas and prepared an army fought with Shakas, defeated them and after that he also killed his brother and married Dhruv Swamini and became the next ruler)
- Chandra Gupta II after coming to power took the title of 'Vikramaditya'.
- He created Ujjain as the second capital of the Guptas (1st Capital - Prayag).
- He is considered as the most enlightened ruler of the Guptas.
- There was a holistic development during his tenure in the field of temple architecture, Sanskrit literature, Hindu religious literature, mathematics, astrology, astronomy, metallurgy, medicine & surgery, etc.
- He maintained several luminaries known as Nine gems or Navratnas in his court which includes -
- Amarsimha (who wrote Amarkosha)
- Dhanvantri (who was a great physician)
- Harisena (who wrote Prayag Prashasti)
- Kalidas (who was the greatest Sanskrit literate and poet)
- Kahapanaka (who was an astrologer)
- Sanku (who was an architect)
- Varahamihira (who wrote Panchasiddhantika, Brihat Samhita, and Brihat Jataka)
- Vararuchi (who was a Sanskrit scholar)
- Vetalbhatta (who was a magician)
- He married his daughter Prabhavati to the Vakataka ruler Rudra Sena. After the death of Rudra Sena, Prabhavati administered the area under the guidance of Chandragupta II.
- During the tenure of Chandragupta II, a Chinese Buddhist traveler Fa-Hien visited Gupta's court. He wrote a book Fu-Kuo-Ki which is one of the important book which gives details about the socio-economic political condition during the Guptas.
Kumar Gupta (415-445AD)
- He founded Nalanda University under the influence of Fa-Hien. The university had dedicated physical infrastructure like classroom, hostels, library, etc. In fact , it is said that Nalanda library was the largest library in the world. It regularly conduct exams on the basis of pre-defined syllabus and promotion to the next grade was done on the basis of outcome of the exam.
- On the other hand, Taxila University did not have any dedicated physical infrastructure like Nalanda University and education was imparted in Guru-Shisya parampara. It was one of the oldest university which existed even before the Mauryas. Regular exams were not conducted but students were tested by the gurus on the basis of their knowledge in an informal setup.
- On one hand learning in Nalanda was concentrated around Buddhism whereas on the other hand Taxila was multi-disciplinary in nature.
Skanda Gupta (455-467 AD)
- He was the last important ruler of the Guptas.
- He also repaired Sudarshan Lake which he mentioned in Junagarh inscription.
- During his tenure, a barbaric tribe from Central Asia 'Hunas' started to invade Gupta territory.
- Skanda Gupta effectively repelled them but after the death of Skanda Gupta, Hunas reorganised themselves under the leadership of Taramana and Mihirkula and completely looted the Gupta territory.
- It marked the decline and disintegration of Gupta who disappeared from India by 550 AD.
Economy during Guptas
- Land tax was the most important source of revenue. It was fixed at one-sixth (1/6th) of the produce during normal times. But in case of any emergency, it was altered. It was enhanced during the external war or aggression and was reduced at the time of natural calamity.
- Guptas continued with the practice of land grants. During his time it was not only granted to the priestly classes but was also to the important officers and nobles.
- Agrahar and Bramhadeya were the special land grants given to the Brahmins.
- Important poets of Guptas - Chaul, Kalyan, Bharuch, Cambay (West) & Kadura, Ghantashila, Tamralipti (East).
- Vishti - A type of tax paid in the form of physical labour or forced labour.
Administrative units
- Bhukti (Province) → Bhuktipati/Uparika
- Vishaya (District) → Vishayapati
- Vithi (Block) → Vithipati
- Gram (Village) → Gramani
- By the post Maurya period, the concept of 'Trideva' was also consolidated. In the Gupta period the concept of 'Tridevi' was fully formalised.
- Moreover, the concept of Bhakti (devotion) superseded the practice of sacrifice during Guptas.
- A majority of Hindu literature was written down at this point of time which included many Puranas.
- Another major development in the Gupta period was the beginning of the construction of temple which gave rise to Nagara Style of temple architecture.
Society during Guptas
Status of women - women were started to be compared with the goddess → so, women were expected to behave like goddess.
Also women were considered as 'Honour of the house' → So, many restrictions were imposed on them to protect them.
- Though the Gupta rulers tried to uplift the position of women in society but they were not successful. Many restrictions were imposed on them regarding their movement. Higher class women were not allowed to secure independent source of living but lower class women were allowed to do so. Women were allowed to participate in religious discourse and they were allowed to listen to the religious literature.
- 1st Archeological evidence of Sati has been found in Gupta period. Eran inscription (MP) dated around 510 AD mentioned about Sati tradition.
- The famous law giver of this time 'Katyayana' further clarified the concept of 'Streedhan'. He maintained that the precious articles and jewelleries given to the girl at the time of her marriage is meant for her maintenance and only she has the right over it either to sell it or mortgage it.
Status of Untouchables - by the time of Post Maurya the concept of untouchables was there. But during the period of Guptas the concept of Chandalas got consolidated.
- By the time of Post Maurya, two types of Shudras emerged - Anirwashit Shudras (who were allowed to live inside the village or town) and Nirwashit Shudras (who were not allowed to live inside the village or town).
- During the Gupta period, large number of Chandalas who were category of Nirwashit Sahdra emerged.
- They were living in the graveyards and on the peripheries of town or villages.
- Several disabilities were imposed on them.
- For example - They needed to blow horn or beat drum whenever they entered inside the village. Moreover, they can't enter in the early morning and remain till late evening as their shadow were also considered pollution.
Previous Article - Post Maurya I
Next Article - Sangam Age
Notes on other subjects
Optional Notes
Note - This is my Vision IAS Notes (Vision IAS Class Notes) and Ashutosh Pandey Sir's Public Administration Class notes. I've also added some of the information on my own.
Hope! It will help you to achieve your dream of getting selected in Civil Services Examination 👍
0 Comments