6TH THE AGE OF EMPIRES GUPTAS AND VARDHANAS

6TH THE AGE OF EMPIRES GUPTAS AND VARDHANAS

• The period when the Kushana Empire lost its strength in North India = Third century AD.
• The period when the Satavahana Empire lost its strength in the south = Third century AD.
• The Gupta Dynasty ruled for about 200 years.
• Period of Harsha’s rule in India = AD 606 – 647.

Archaeological Sources

• Gold, silver and copper coins issued by Gupta rulers.
• Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta.
• The Mehrauli Iron Pillar Inscription.
• Udayagiri Cave Inscription, Mathura Stone Inscription and Sanchi Stone Inscription of Chandragupta II.
• Bhitari Pillar Inscription of Skandagupta.
• The Gadhwa Stone Inscription.
• Madubhan Copper Plate Inscription (Punjab)
• Sonpat Copper Plate
• Nalanda Inscription on clay seal

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Literary Sources

• Vishnu, Matsya, Vayu and Bhagavata Puranas and Niti Sastras of Narada
• Visakhadatta’s Devichandraguptam and Mudrarakshasa
• Bana’s Harshacharita
• Dramas of Kalidasa
• Accounts of Chinese Buddhist monk Fahien who visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II.
• Harsha’s Ratnavali, Nagananda, Priyadharshika
• Hiuen-Tsang’s Si-Yu-Ki

Gupta dynasty

• Founder of Gupta dynasty = Sri Gupta.
• Sri Gupta who was the first Gupta ruler to be featured on coins.
• Son of Sri Gupta = Ghatotkacha.
• Gupta kings mentioned as “Maharaja” in inscriptions = Sri Gupta, Ghatotkacha.

Chandragupta I

• Period of Chandragupta I = AD 319 – 335.
• He married “Kumaradevi” from “Lichchhavi” royal family.
• Coins issued by Chandragupta were engraved with the image of both “Chandragupta, Kumaradevi” with the words “Lichavaiya”.

Lichchhavi

• One of the oldest tribal communities = Lichavi.
• Licchavi kingdom = area between river Ganges and Nepal.

History of Samudragupta

• Reign of Samudragupta = AD 335 – 380.
• Son of Chandragupta I = Samudragupta.
• Greatest king of Gupta dynasty = Samudragupta.
• Samudragupta’s court poet = Harisena.
• Inscription engraved by Harisena = Allahabad Pillar.
• Most important evidence of Samudragupta rule = Allahabad Pillar Inscription.
• Gupta king who invaded South India = Samudragupta.
• Samudragupta invaded South India and defeated which Pallava king = Vishnu Gopan.
• How many kingdoms did Samudragupta conquer in North India = 9 kingdoms.
• How many kings of South India did he defeat and make him pay tribute = 12 kingdoms.
• Samudragupta was a devotee of Vishnu.
• Accepting Samudragupta’s sovereignity, the kings performed the “Aswamedha Yaga” of horse sacrifice.
• Issuer of gold coins engraved with image of himself with playing Veena = Samudragupta.
• The best Gupta king in Veena playing = Samutragupta.
• The Gupta king who received the title “Kaviraja” = Samudragupta.
• A contemporary of Samudragupta = Buddhist king Sri Meghavarman of Sri Lanka (Ceylon).

Chandragupta II

• Son of Samudragupta = Chandragupta II.
• Reign of Samudragupta II = 380 – 415 AD.
• Gupta king known as “Vikramaditya” = Chandragupta II.
• The Gupta king who defeated the Saga kings = Chandragupta II.
• Builder of “Iron Pillar” near Qutub Minar = Chandragupta II Vikramaditya.
• During whose reign the Chinese traveler “Fahien” came to India = Chandragupta Vikramaditya II.
• Chandragupta II Vikramaditya had nine scholars in his court. They are called “Navaratnams” (Nine Jewels).

Navaratna in the court of Vikramaditya

1. Kalidasa = Sanskrit poet.
2. Harisena = Sanskrit poet.
3. Amarasimha = Lexicographer.
4. Dhanvantri = Physician.
5. Kahapanaka = Astrologer.
6. Sanku = Architect.
7. Varahamihira = Astronomer.
8. Varauchi = Grammarian and Sanskrit scholar.
9. Vittalbhatta = Magician.

Titles of Chandragupta II

• Titles of Chandragupta II = Vikramaditya, Narendrachandra, Simhachandra, Narendrasimha, Vikrama Devaraja, Devagupta and Devasri.

Kumaragupta I

• Son of Chandragupta II = Kumaragupta I
• Founder of “Nalanda University” = Kumaragupta I.

Other Gupta Kings

• Successor to Kumaragupta = Skanda Gupta.
• The Gupta king who faced the invasion of Huns = Skandagupta.
• The Gupta king who defeated the Hunars = Skandagupta.
• After how many years Skandagupta again faced Huns invasion = 12 years.
• After 12 years the Huns invaded again and defeated Skandagupta.
• Last Emperor of the Gupta Empire = Baladitya (Narasimhama Gupta I).
• A Gupta king who converted to Buddhism = Baladitya (Narasimhama Gupta I).
• To whom Baladitya pay tribute = Mihirakula.
• The last recognized king of the Gupta Empire = Vishnugupta Chandraditya.
• The last king of the Gupta dynasty = Vishnu Gupta Chandraditya.

The Gupta system of government

• Gupta rulers follows the divine theory of kingship.
• A group of ministers who assisted the Gupta kings in administration.
• High-ranking officials were called = dandanayakas and mahadandanayakas.
• The provinces of Gupta Empire was divided into = deshas or bhuktis.
• The provinces were administered by the governors called as = uparikas..
• The provinces were divided into = vishyas (district).
• Vishyas (districts) were controlled by the officers = vishyapatis
• How the village governing officers were called during the Gupta rule = gramika and gramadhyaksha.
• “Baladhikrita” = commander of infantry.
• “Mahabaladhikrita” = Commander of the Cavalry.
• Dutakas = The system of espionage included spies is known as “dutakas”.

Society and Economy under the Guptas

• The author of “Nidhisara” = Kamandaka.
• In which book the importance of government treasury and various sources of income are mentioned = “Nidhisara” written by Kamandaka.
• Main revenue of Gupta government = land tax.
• During the Gupta period, the condition of the farmers was pathetic.
• They were required to pay various taxes. They were reduced to the position of serfs.

Classification of land during Gupta period

1. Kshetra = cultivable land.
2. Khila = waste land.
3. Aprahata = jungle or forest land.
4. Vasti = habitable land.
5. Gapata Saraha = pastoral land.

Trade and Commerce in Gupta Period

• During the Gupta era there was a system of Lending money at a high rate of interest was in practice.
• There were two types of merchants under the Gupta dynasty. They are,

1. 1. 1. 1. Sresti
         2. Sarthavaha

• What is Sresti = Sresti traders usually settled at a standard place.
• What is Sarthavaha = Sarthavaha traders were caravan traders who carried their goods to different places.
• Important trading cities during Gupta era = Pataliputra, Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura.
• The port of “Tamralipti” of Bengal was an important commercial center.
• Metallurgy and mining flourished during the Gupta period.

Social system of the Gupta period

• During the Gupta period “Varnasrama system” was followed.
• The Gupta society is a patriarchal society.
• Polygamy was practiced.
• Queens of Chandragupta II mentioned in the inscription = Kubernaga, Dhrubaswamini .
• Sati was practiced during the Gupta rule.

Slavery

• Evidence suggests that many forms of slavery were practiced during the Gupta period.

Religion

• Religion followed by Guptas = Vedic religion.
• Two Gupta kings who performed Ashwamedha Yagna = Samudragupta and Kumaragupta I.

Beginning of Image worship

• The beginning of image worship and the emergence of two sects, namely Vaishnavism and Saivism, during the Gupta period.
• Saivism and Vaishnavism emerged during the reign of Guptas.

Gupta period architecture

• Guptas were the first to construct temples in India.
• The Guptas were the first to construct temples, which evolved from the earlier tradition of rock-cut shrines.
• The next stage of development of the rock cut cave temple = construction temples.
• Constructive temples were built for all the Hindu deities.
• Major Gupta period rock-cut cave temples located = Ajanta and Ellora (Maharashtra), Bagh (Madhya Pradesh) and Udaygiri (Odisha).
• A fine example of Gupta metal sculpture,

1. 1. 1. 1. 18 feet tall copper statue of Buddha at Nalanda.
         2. Seven and a half feet high metal statue of Buddha at Sultan Ganj.

• Finest example of Gupta painting = Ajanta cave paintings, Gwalior Bagh cave paintings.

Literature of the Gupta period

• Spoken language of people during Gupta period = Prakrit.
• Official language of government during Gupta period = Sanskrit.
• Book written by Panini = Ashtadhyayi.
• Book written by Patanjali = Mahabhashya.
• Buddhist scholar from Bengal = Chandrogomia.
• A book written by Chandrogomia = Chandra Vyakaranam.
• Books composed by Kalidasa = Sakunthala, Malavikagnimitra and Vikramaoorvashiyam, Meghaduta, Raghuvamsa, Kumarasambava and Ritusamhara.

Mathematics, Astronomy and Medicine in Gupta period

• Discoverer of zero = Aryabhatta.
• The people who introduced decimal number system to the world = Guptas.
• Great Astronomers, Mathematicians of Guptas Period = Aryabhatta, Varahamihira and Brahmagupta.
• Book written by Aryabhatta = Surya Siddhanta.
• Aryabhata was the first one to explain the true causes of solar and lunar eclipses.
• Aryabhata has explained about lunar and solar eclipses in his book “Surya Sindanta”.
• Aryabhata was the first scholar in the world to announce the fact that the earth rotates on its own axis.
• Aryabhata was the first Indian astronomer to announce the fact that the earth rotates on its own axis.
• A famous Ayurvedic specialist during the Gupta period = Dhanvantri.
• The first Indian to explain about surgery = Susruthar.

Mehrauli Iron Pillar

• The most important evidence of development in metallurgy was the Mehrauli Iron Pillar installed by King Chandragupta in Delhi.
• This monolithic iron pillar has lasted through the centuries without rusting.

Gupta monetary system

• Introducer of Gupta coinage system = Samudragupta.
• whose coins provide inspiration to Samudragupta = coins of Kushanas.
• Gold coins of the Guptas were called as = Dinara.
• The Guptas issued small amounts of silver and copper coins.
• Issuers of most gold coins = Guptas.
• Guptas issued many gold coins but comparatively fewer silver and copper coins.

Metals used by the Guptas

• Metals used by the Guptas = iron, gold, copper, tin, lead, brass, bronze, bell- metal, mica, manganese and red chalk.

Theory of kingship

• The concept that king is the representative of God on earth and so he is answerable only to God and not to anyone else.

What is Prashasti

• Prashasti is a Sanskrit word.
• The meaning of the word “Prashasti” = in praise of.
• Court poets flattered their kings listing out their achievements.
• These accounts were later engraved on pillars so that the people could read them.

Fahien

• A Chinese traveler who came to the court of Chandragupta II = Fahien.
• Fahien’s travel accounts gives the detailed history of the Gupta period.
• Fahie mentioned in his book that the people of Magadha lived happily and prosperously.
• Fahien mentioned that there were no severe punishments and no death sentences were given.
• According to Fahien, Gaya was desolated. Kapilavasthu had become a jungle, but at Pataliputra people were rich and prosperous.

Nalanda University

• Founder of Nalanda University = Kumaragupta.
• Main subject in Nalanda University = Buddhist philosophy.
• In Nalanda University famous Chinese traveler “Hiuen Tsang” stayed for many years and studied Buddhist philosophy.
• How many Mahapatashalas were there in Nalanda University = Eight.
• How many large libraries were there in Nalanda University = Three.
• Nalanda University had eight Mahapatashalas and three large libraries.
• Nalanda University was destroyed by = Mamluks (Turkish Muslims) under Bhaktiyar Khalji.
• Nalanda is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Huns

• The Hunas are a nomadic tribe.
• Great leader of the Huns = Attila.
• Leader of the Hunas who settled in the Indian region = Toromana.
• Son of Toromana = Mihirakula.
• The Indian king who defeated the Huns = Yasodharman (ruler of Malwa).

Vardhana Dynasty

• Vardhana dynasty is also called as = Pushyabhuti dynasty.
• Capital of Vardhana or Pushyabhuti dynasty rulers = Thaneswar.
• Pushyabhuti was serving as the army commander under the = Guptas.
• After the fall of the Gupta Empire, Pushyabhuti took over the ruling power.
• The founder of the Vardhana dynasty = Prabakaravardhana.
• Son of Prabhakara Vardhana = Rajavardhana.
• Rajavardhana’s sister = Rajyashri.
• Rajyashri’s husband is the king of Kanauj.
• The king of Kanauj was killed by the Gauda king “Sasanka” of Bengal.
• Sasankar also killed Rajavarthan in the battle and imprisioned Rajyashri.
• Rajavardhana’s younger brother, Harsha, took over as the king of Thaneswara and the king of Kanauj.
• Harsha shifted his capital from Thaneswa to Kanauj.
• Harsha was the greatest king of the Vardhana dynasty.
• Total period of Harsha’s reign = 41 years.
• Harshar, who had conquered the North Indian regions, could not conquer the South Indian regions.
• Stopper of Harsha’s invasion on South India = Chalukya king Pulikesin II.
• Year of death of Harsha = AD 648.

Harsha’s Administration

• What are the taxes collected during Harsha’s period = Bhaga, Hiranya and Bali.
• Punishments were severe during Harsha’s rule.
• Those who broke the laws and conspired against the king were given the death penalty.
• Harshara worshiped Shiva in the beginning.
• Who converted Harsha to Buddhism = Harsha’s sister Rajyashri, Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang.
• Sect of Buddhism followed by Harsha = Mahayana Buddhism.
• Harshar treated Hindu monks and Buddhist monks alike and distributed charities equally to them.
• Harsha was the last king of India to follow Buddhism.
• The last Buddhist sovereign in India = Harsha.
• Harsha prohibited the killing of animals for food.
• Harsha was known for his religious tolerance.
• Harsha worshiped “Buddha, Shiva and Sun” simultaneously.
• Harsha summoned two Buddhist assemblies. They are,

1. 1. 1. One at Kanauj
      2. And another at Prayag.

• Texts written by Harsha = Ratnavali, Nagananda and Priyadharshika.

Kanauj and Prayag Assemblies

• The assembly at Kanauj was attended by 20 kings.
• A golden statue of Buddha was consecrated in a monastery and a small statue of Buddha (three feet) was carried in a procession.
• In the assembly at Prayag, Harsha distributed his wealth among the Buddhists, Vedic scholars and poor people.

Prince of pilgrims

• Harsha met the Chinese traveller, Hiuen Tsang, at Kajangala near Rajmahal (Jharkhand) for the first time.
• Who was called as “prince of pilgrims” = Hiuen Tsang.
• Hiuen Tsang came to India during whose reign = Harsha reign.
• Hiuen Tsang wrote = “Si-Yu-Ki”.
• The book which provides detailed information about the social, economic, religious and cultural conditions of India during Harsha’s time is = Hiuen Tsang’s “Si-Yu-Ki”.
• Hiuen Tsang tells us how Harsha, though a Buddhist, went to participate in the great kumbhamela held at Prayag.

Additional information

• King associated with “Allahabad Pillar Inscription” = Samudragupta I.
• King associated with Udayagiri Cave Inscription = Chandragupta II.
• King associated with Mathura Rock Inscription = Chandragupta II.
• King associated with Bhitari Pillar Inscription = Skandagupta.
• A Chinese traveler who visited during the reign of Chandragupta II = Fahien.
• Chinese traveler who visited Harsha temple = Hiuen-Tsang.

 

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• 6TH THE AGE OF EMPIRES GUPTAS AND VARDHANAS
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