Gupta Dynasty

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• The Gupta dynasty was kept north India politically united for more than a century.
• The original kingdom of the Gupta empire comprised Uttar Pradesh and Bihar at the end of the 3rd century A.D.
• They could exploit the iron ores of central India and south Bihar.
• Gupta dynasty took advantage of the north Indian silk trade with the Eastern Roman empire (Byzantine empire).
• With those favorable factors they set up their rule over Anuganga (the middle Gangetic basin), Prayag, Saketa (modern Ayodhya) and Magadha.
• Gupta dynasty period is called the Golden Age of India.

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Origin of Gupta Dynasty 

• The original homeland of the Guptas is not known for certain.
• Gupta dynasty might have originated from Bengal or Prayag.
• They are thought to be either Brahmins or Vaishyas.
• The founder of the Gupta dynasty is Sri Gupta (240 to 280 AD).
• He was succeeded by his son Ghatotkacha (280 to 319 AD).
• Both Sri Gupta and Ghatotkacha are mentioned as Maharaja in inscriptions.
• Pataliputra was the capital of the Gupta dynasty.

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Chandragupta I  (320-35)

• Chandragupta I was the son of Ghatotkacha.
• He enhanced his power and prestige by marrying Kumaradevi, princess of Lichchhavi clan of Nepal.
• Chandragupta I issued coins in the joint names of his queen and himself.
• He assumed the title of Maharajadhiraja (great king of kings).
• He was successful in building a small principality into a great kingdom.
• Chandragupta I is considered the first great king of the Gupta Empire.

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Samudragupta   (335-80)

• Samudragupta was son of Chandragupta I and Licchavi princess Kumaradevi.
• As per his inscription, Samudragupta defeated nine kings of the Ganges Valley, twelve kings from the southern region and eighteen forest tribes.
• According to Allahabad pillar inscription, Samudragupta received tributes from many kings of south-east Asia.
• He was a follower of Vaishnavite Hinduism but was tolerant of other faiths.
• Buddhist philosopher Vasubandhu was one of his ministers.
• Samudragupta gave permission to the king of Sri Lanka, Meghavarna to build a monastery in Bodh Gaya.
• He was also called “Indian Napoleon” by art historian Vincent Smith.
• Samudragupta performed Ashvamedha sacrifice.
• Hence, one of his coins refers to him as “the restorer of Ashvamedha.”
• Samudraguptae was also called “Kaviraja” since he composed verses.
• His love for music can be seen by his coins that represent him playing on the veena.
• Inscriptions of Samudragupta
  • Allahabad stone pillar
  • Eran stone pillar
  • Nalanda copper plate
  • Gaya copper plate

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Allahabad Pillar Inscription

• Allahabad pillar inscription is one of the pillars of Ashoka.
• 2nd inscriptions done in the time of Samudragupta.
• It was scripted by Harisena court poet of Samudragupta.
• Allahabad Prasasti is in Sanskrit written in Gupta script (Brahmi).
• 3rd inscription done in the time of Jahangir.
• It is in Persian and carved by Mir Abdullah Mushkin Qalam.
• Jahangir’s inscription overwrites Ashoka inscription.

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Chandragupta II (380 – 415 AD)

• Chandragupta II was the son of Samudragupta and his queen Dattadevi.
• He was also known as ‘Vikramaditya’.
• He further annexed territories including Saurashtra which gave him the western coastline.
• Gupta empire’s prosperity grew through trade links with Roman Empires.
• Chandragupta II used matrimonial alliances to expand his kingdom.
• He also annexed three Satrapa kingdoms and assumed the title Sakari (destroyer of the Sakas).
• He defeated the Saka king Rudrasimha III thus acquiring Saurashtra and Kathiawar.
• After East and West India, Chandragupta II defeated northern rulers also like the Hunas, Kambojas, Kiratas, etc.
• Greatest territorial expansion of the Gupta empire was reached during Chandragupta II reign.
• Chandragupta II also exercised indirect control over the Vakataka kingdom.
• He was a brilliant conqueror and an able administrator as well.
• Like his father, he was a Vaishnavite but was tolerant of other religions.
• His other names (as mentioned in coins) include Vikrama, Devagupta, Devaraja, Simhavikrama, Vikramaditya Sakari, etc.
• Chandragupta II was the first ruler to issue silver coins.
• He also issued copper and gold (dinara) coins .
• His court had nine jewels or Navaratnas.
  • Kalidasa – Classical Sanskrit poet, wrote Abhijananashakuntalam, Meghaduta.
  • Varahamihira –  Mathematician, author of Brihat Samhita.
  • Amarasimha – Sanskrit lexicographer, wrote Amarakosha, vocabulary of Sanskrit
  • Dhanvantri – Physician, the father of Ayurveda
  • Ghatakarapara – Sculpture
  • Shanku – Architect
  • Kahapanaka – An astrologer, wrote the Jyothisyashastra.
  • Vararuchi – Grammarian, author of the Prakrit Prakasha, first grammar of the Prakrit language.
  • Vetala Bhatta – A magician, wrote Mantrashastra
• Fa-Hien, a Buddhist from China visited India during his reign.
• He records the prosperity of the Gupta Empire.
• Inscriptions of Chandragupta II
  • Mehrauli Iron Pillar inscription in Delhi
  • Udayagiri Cave Inscription in MP

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Kumaragupta I  (415-55)

• Kumaragupta was the son and successor of Chandragupta II.
• He was the founder of the Nalanda University.
• Kumaragupta was a worshipper of lord Karttikeya.
• He was also called Shakraditya.

• At the end of his reign, a powerful wealthy tribe called the ‘Pushyamitras’ defeated the Gupta army.
• Successive waves of Hun invasion made the Gupta empire very weak.
• Inscriptions of Kumaragupta
  • Bilsad inscription
  • Damodar Copper plate inscriptions

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Skandagupta  (455-67)

• He was the son of Kumaragupta I.

• Skandagupta fought successfully against the Huns and saved the empire.

• He adopted the title Vikramaditya.
• In his region, the central control weakened and local governors became feudatory kings with hereditary rights.
• Inscriptions of Skandagupta
  • Junagarh Rock inscription
  • Bhitari Pillar
  • Indore Stone Pillar

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Other Gupta Rulers

• The Gupta Empire declined after the death of Skandagupta.
• Many of his successors like Purugupta, Narasimhagupta, Buddhagupta and Baladitya could not save the Gupta empire from the Huns.
• The last recognised king of the Gupta dynasty was Vishnugupta who reigned from 540 to 550 AD.
• By the beginning of the sixth century, the empire had disintegrated and was ruled by many regional chieftains.

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Reasons for Decline of Gupta Empire

• Successive Hun Invasions
  • Hun chief Toramana was able to conquer large parts of western India.
  • Banabhatta in his Harshcharitra refers to the Huns invasion.
• Rise of Feudatories
  • The power of Gupta dynasty was curbed by the rise of feudatories.
• Gradual Decline in Economic Prosperity
  • Loss of western Indian ports and foreign trade

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Administration of Gupta Dynasty

• The Gupta administration was decentralized in nature and contained many feudatories like local kings and smaller chiefs.
• Feudatories post was hereditary in nature.
• Provinces in Gupta’s period were known as Bhuktis & provincial governors Uparikas.
• King maintained close contacts with provincial administration through a class of officials called “Kumaramatyas” & “Ayuktas”.
• Provinces were divided into districts Vishayas under charge of Vishayapati.
• All foreign affairs were looked after by foreign affair minister known as “Sandivigraha”.
• Villagers were subjected to forced labour called Vishti for serving royal army & officials.

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Religion & Social Culture

• Brahamans formed the top ladder & receive numerous gifts.
• Brahamanism reigned supreme during Gupta period & had 2 branches mainly, Vaishnavism & Shaivism.
• Vaishnavism was more prevalent (Bhagavatism).
• The Chandalas were untouchables.
• They lived outside the village and had to maintain distance from the upper castes.
• Fahien accounts shows a decline of Budhhism in Gangetic valley but a few Buddhist monks like Vasubandhu were patronised by Gupta kings.
• The status of women deteriorated further in the Gupta period.

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Literature, Art and Architecture

• The literature was written in Sanskrit in this period .
• The two epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, were compiled in the 4th century.
• The Vishnu Purana, Vayu Purana, and the Matsya Purana were also compiled in Gupta period.
• Some great writers were
  • Shudraka – Writer of the play Mrichchhkatikam
  • Vishakhadatta – Author of Mudrarakshasa
  • Bhasa – Writer of Charudatta
  • Vishnusharman – Author of the Panchatantra
• Art of Gupta period was greatly influenced by Buddhism.
• The paintings of Ajanta caves are the finest examples of Buddhist art during Gupta period.
• Indian temple architecture started in the time of Gupta dynasty.
• These temples were made in the Nagara architectural style.
• The sculptures pertaining show a continuation of the Mathura and the Gandhara schools.
• New styles of art also introduced.
• The Bamiyan Buddha sculptures also belonged to this period.
• The Gupta coins are also pieces of art.
• Coins are well designed and meticulously crafted.

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Science and Technology

• The Gupta period is unparalleled for its achievements in mathematics and astronomy.
• Varahamihira’s Panchsiddhanta, is the earliest dateable text to use zero both as a symbol and a number.
• Aryabhatta
  • Father of Algebra and the earliest known astronomer of India.
  • The Suryasiddhanta, was also written by Aryabhatta, contains sine tables.
  • He was the first to invent zero and to recommend the use of the decimal system.
  • He was first to discover that the earth rotates on its axis and estimated of the length of a year.
  • Aryabhatta gave scientific explanation of eclipses.
  • He laid foundations of trigonometry.
  • He gave a very accurate value of pi (π)
• Brahmagupta
  • He wrote the Brahmasputasiddhanta (628 CE).
  • In this book he hinted at the Law of Gravitation.
• Sushruta
  • The famous author of the Sushruta Samhita.
  • It deals with surgery.
• Metallurgy also saw technological advancement in Gupta period.
• The iron pillar at Mehrauli, Delhi, standing in the open, and not gathered rust even after 15 centuries.

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Fa Hien Visit to India

• The famous Chinese pilgrim, Fahien (399-414) visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II.
• He elaborate account of the life of its people in his book ‘Fo–Kyo–Ki’.
• Fa Hien came to India by the land route through Khotan, Kashgar, Gandhara and Punjab.
• He visited Peshawar, Mathura, Kanauj, Sravasti, Kapilavastu, Kusinagara, Pataliputra, Kasi and Gaya among other places.
• He returned by the sea route, visiting on the way Ceylon and Java.
• The main purpose of his visit was to see the land of the Buddha and to collect Buddhist manuscripts from India.
• He stayed in Pataliputra years studying Sanskrit and copying Buddhist texts.
• He refers to the Gangetic valley as the land of Brahmanism.
• Fa Hien mentions the unsatisfactory state of some of the Buddhist holy places like Kapilavastu and Kusinagara.
• He did not mention the name of Chandragupta II.
• Fa Hien was not interested in political affairs and his interest was primarily religion.

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