GUPTA Empire, Period, Administration, Literature, Arts

GUPTA Empire, Period, Administration, Literature, Arts

 

Gupta Age

• Gupta age regard as “golden period ” of HINDUISM
• According to vishupuran gupta belongs to “Vaishya”.
• Founder –Shree Gupta (Adhiraj).
• SriGupta (240-280 AD) was ruling a small Hindu kingdom called Magadha from Vaishya community near Ganga river, a prayag based feudatory of Kushanas.
• His son Ghatotkacha (280 – 319 AD) became the successor of Sri Gupta.

Chandragupta-I (319-335 A.D.)

• Son of Ghatotkacha
• He started the Guptan era i.e. 320 A.D.
• He strengthened his kingdom by matrimonial alliance with the powerful family of Lichchhavis who were the rulers of Mithila.
• His marriage to Lichchhvi princess Kumaradevi, brought an enormous power, resources and prestige. He took advantage of the situation and occupied the whole of fertile Gangetic Valley.
• After the marriage he issued the special type of coins called ―Chandragupta I-kumaradevi type‖.
• He acquired the title of Maharajadhiraj
• Chandragupta-I was able to establish his authority over Magadha, Prayaga & Saketa.

 

Samudragupta (335-375 A.D.)

• Also called “Indian-Nepolain”
• Samudragupta was the greatest king of Gupta dynasty
• In Allahabad inscription Samudragupta describes him as the “hero of hundred battles”.
• The Allahabad pillar inscription composed by Harisena, his court poet.
• He was a great patron of art, adopted the title of ‘Kaviraja’.

 

Chandragupta II (380-413 A.D.)

• He was also called “Vikramaditya” & made Ujjain as its second capital.
• First ruler issued silver coin in the memory of victory over Sakas.
• He was also a man of art and culture, his court at Ujjain was adorned by ‘Navratna’-

1. Kalidas – poet
2. Amarsinha – lexicographer
3. Dhanvantari- Doctor
4. Vetal batt – magician
5. Vaharmihir-Astronomer
6. Varachi –grammerian
7. Shanka –Architect
8. Harisena – court poet
9. Kshapank- Astrologer

• Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien visited India during his regime.

Kumargupta-I 415-455 AD

• He assumed the title of Mahendraditya.
• Founded the Nalanda University.
• He was a worshipper of Lord Kartikeya (son of Lord Shiva.)
• Towards the end of his reign, the Gupta Empire was threatened from the North by the Huns, which was temporarily checked by his son Skandagupta

Skandagupta : 455-467 AD

• He restored the Sudarshana Lake.
• Skandagupta repulsed the ferocious Hunas twice,this heroic feat entitled him to assume the title of Vikramaditya.

 

Administration

• Contrast to the Mauryans
• Council of minister existed
• Several post become hereditary
• The empire was divided into

1. Bhukti= provinces headed by Uparika(viceroy)
2. Vishayas=District headed by Vishpati
3. Peth =sub district
4. Gramika or Mahattar =village.

• Not maintain vast bureaucracy
• Kumaramatyas was important post appointed by the King.
• A large part of kingdom was administered by Feudatories.
• Important development of feudal development in administration was the grant of fiscal and administrative concession to the priests and administrators.
• First time civil and criminal laws were defined and demarcated.
• Divinity in kinship
• Large number of silver coin = Rupayaka and Gold coin= Dinnar were issued.

 

Social condition

• Aryans pattern of society @varna system
• Tax free land granted to the Brahmans
• Land granted for religious function called Agarhara(free of tax)
• Mother goddess were worshiped but postion of women was lower
• The first example of sati came from Eran(MP) of 510 AD
• Untouchability was increased

 

Religion

• Bhagvat geeta written during this time
• Decline in Buddhism
• Idol worshiped became common
• Vishnu temple at Deogarh(near Jhansi)
• Brick temple Bhitragaon (Kanpur) belongs to Gupta period

 

Art

• A number of temples, sculpture etc. were developed in this period.
• Samudragupta were present on his coins playing veena(lute)
• Mathura school was developed during the period of Gupta
• Buddha sitting in his dharma chakra mudra at Sarnath belongs to gupta period
• Buddha image of bamiyan belongs to this age (destroyed by the Tabliban)
• Ajanta and Bagh painting are belongs to tis age related to the Buddhist art
• Image of vishu ,shiva and other hindu gods featured for the first time in this period.

 

Literature

• Number of literature works were written in this period
• Kalidas–

1. ABhigyanam Shakuntalam
2. Ritusamhar
3. Meghdutam
4. Kumar sambhavam
5. Malvikagnimitram
6. Raghuvansh

• Sudrak-

1. Mirchkatikam
2. Bharavi
3. Dandin

• Bhasa- written 11 plays most famous among them was= Charudatta (Rekha wali utsav movie lolz)
• Vishakdatt-

1. Mudra rakshas
2. Devi Chandragupta

• Vishnu sharma

1. Panchtantra
2. Hitobdesh

• Development of Sanskrit based on Panini and Patanjali
• Most important was AMARAKOSH written by Amarsimha
• Ramayana and Mahabharata also completed by the 4^th century

 

Science and technology

• Highly developed
• Science of transplantation of internal organs was known to the Gupta period
• Sushutra is known as father of the surgery .highly specialized instruments were used
• Danvantri was famous Aurvedacharya
• Arya bhatta was famous Mathematician wrote “Arybhatiya” and “Surya Samhita”.
• He also calculated the value of pie use of algebra and sine angle
• He discovered the cause of solar and lunar eclipse
• Vaharmihir written “panchsidhantika” and “Brihatsamhita”
• Bramhagupta was famous mathemacian
• Vagabhatta was famous physicaian

Note– Court language was Sanskrit