GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

• The first king of the Gupta dynasty? = Srigupta
• The so-called “Golden Age of Ancient India” = The Gupta period
• The person called the “Indian Napoleon” = Samudragupta.
• Who was the first to adopt the title “Parambhagavatan”? = Samudragupta (The second Chandragupta also adopted this title)
• who started the “Gupta Era” = Chandragupta I
• The Gupta king known as “Devagupta” was? = Chandragupta II.
• The first Gupta king to issue coins? = Chandragupta I
• Name of the coin issued during the Gupta period? = Dinar
• Name of the silver coin issued during the Gupta period = Rubaka
• Susrudhar, known as the “Father of Indian Surgery”
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA
• The place where there are references to Samudragupta’s military campaigns and victories = Allahabad Inscription (Prayak Prakasti)
• According to the Allahabad inscription , Samudragupta destroyed 9 kings in the north and 12 kings in the south , and made all the Attavika states his vassals.
• Creator of Allahabad Pillar Inscription = Harisena, minister of Samudragupta

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• The one who called Samudragupta “the hero of 100 battles” and “Kaviraja” = Harisena
• The king who performed the “Aswamedha Yagya” after King Pushyamitra Sunga = Samudragupta
• Samudragupta is depicted playing the veena on his coins.
• Samudragupta granted permission to the Sri Lankan king Meghavarman to build a monastery in Bodhgaya.
• The creator of the “Iron Pillar of Delhi” = Chandragupta II (Chandragupta Vikramaditya)
• The king who formed the “Navaratna Council” = Chandragupta II.
• A large number of silver coins were issued during the reign of Kumaragupta.
• A large number of gold coins were issued during the reign of Skandagupta.
• The founder of “Nalanda University” = Kumaragupta.
• During whose reign did the Chinese traveler Bagian come to India? = Chandragupta II
• The first mention of “Sathi” (conspiracy) is found in the = Eran inscription
• Famous astronomers during the Gupta period = Varahamira, Aryabhatta
• In the book “Devi Chandragupta” written by Vishakadatta, it is stated that Chandragupta II killed his brother Ramagupta and married his wife Devi.
• The best example of Gupta painting is the Ajanta Cave Paintings.
• The last Gupta king = Vishnu Gupta.
• The king who was given the title “Shahari” = Chandragupta II (for defeating the Sagaras)
• During whose reign did the Hunas invade India = During the reign of Skandagupta (Skandagupta defeated the Hunas)
• Where is the “Gupta Dynasty” mentioned as “Gadotgaja Dynasty” = It is mentioned in the Supiya inscription in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh.
• The Meghuli Iron Pillar Inscription describes the invasions of Chandragupta II.
• Chandragupta II built the city of Ujjain as the second capital..
• The Junagarh inscription mentions that Skandagupta’s general Parnadatta renovated the Sudarsana Lake.
• Land revenue was collected at a rate of 1/6.
• “Smriti” appeared during the Gupta period.
• The present form of India was formed during the Gupta period.
• The Three Great Gods method is popular.
• Vaishnavism particularly flourished during the Gupta period.
• The author of the books “Svapanvasvatattam, Pratiyogyogandaryangam, Charudattam” = Bhasha
• The author of the books “Mudrarakshasam and Devichandraguptam” is Visakhadatta.
• The Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, and Smriti were compiled during the Gupta period.
• Indian temple architecture dates back to the Gupta period.
• “ Panchacindantaka, Pragatsamkithai” is Varahamir .
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Gupta Dynasty

• The founder of the Gupta dynasty was Sri Gupta.
• The first Gupta king whose image was engraved on coins was Sri Gupta.
• The son of Srigupta = Ghatotgajar.
• Gupta kings referred to as “Maharaja” in inscriptions = Srigupta, Ghatotgajar.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Chandragupta I

• The reign of Chandragupta I = AD 319 – 335.
• He married “Kumaradevi” from the “Licchavi” royal family.
• The coins issued by Chandragupta bore the images of both “Chandragupta and Kumaradevi” and the inscription “Licchavaiya”.

History of Samudragupta

• Reign of Samudragupta = AD 335 – 380.
• Son of Chandragupta I = Samudragupta.
• The greatest king of the Gupta dynasty = Samudragupta.
• The court poet of Samudragupta = Harisena.
• Composed by Harisenar = Prayagai Meikkeerthi (Prasasthi).
• Where is the true glory of Prayag inscribed = In the Allahabad pillar inscription.
• The most important evidence of Samudragupta rule = Allahabad Pillar Inscription.
• The Gupta king who invaded South India was Samudragupta.
• Samudragupta invaded South India and defeated which Pallava king = Vishnu Gopan.
• How many kingdoms in North India did Samudragupta conquer = 9 kingdoms.
• How many kings of South India did he defeat and make them pay tribute to him = 12 kingdoms.
• Samudragupta was a devotee of Vishnu.
• The countries that accepted Samudragupta’s supremacy re-introduced the “Aswamedha Yagya” of horse sacrifice.
• Samudragupta issued gold coins with the image of himself playing the veena engraved on them.
• The best Gupta king in playing the veena = Samudragupta.
• The Gupta king who received the title “Kaviraja” = Samudragupta.
• Samudragupta’s contemporary was Sri Meghavarman, a Buddhist king from Sri Lanka.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Chandragupta II

• Samudragupta’s son = Chandragupta II.
• Reign of Samudragupta II = AD 380 – 415.
• The Gupta king called “Vikramaditya” = Chandragupta II.
• The Gupta king who defeated the Sakya kings = Chandragupta II.
• The creator of the “Iron Pillar” near Qutub Minar = Chandragupta Vikramaditya II.
• During whose reign did the Chinese traveler “Bhakiyaan” come to India = Chandragupta Vikramaditya II.
• There were nine scholars in the court of Chandragupta II, Vikramaditya. They are called the “Navaratnams”.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Titles of Chandragupta II

• Titles of Chandragupta II = Vikramaditya , Narendra Chandra , Simma Chandra , Narendra Simma , Vikrama Devaraja , Devagupta.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Kumaragupta I

• Son of Chandragupta II = Kumaragupta I.
• The founder of “Nalanda University” was Kumaragupta I.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Other Gupta kings

• The person who succeeded Kumaragupta = Skandagupta.
• The Gupta king who faced the invasion of the Huns = Skandagupta.
• The Gupta king who defeated the Hunas = Skandagupta.
• After how many years did Skandagupta face the invasion of the Huns again = 12 years.
• After 12 years, the Huns invaded again and defeated Skandagupta.
• The last emperor of the Gupta Empire = Paladitya (first Narasimha Gupta).
• Gupta king who converted to Buddhism = Paladitya (I. Narasimha Gupta).
• To whom did Paladitya pay tribute = Migrakuls.
• The last recognized king of the Gupta Empire = Vishnugupta Chandraditya.
• The last king of the Gupta dynasty = Vishnugupta Chandraditya.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Gupta system of government

• The doctrine of the Gupta kings = the doctrine of divine right.
• The group that assisted the Gupta kings in administration = Council of Ministers.
• How were the officers appointed to high positions called = Danda Nayaka and Mahadanda Nayaka.
• How were the regions divided in the Gupta Empire = Desam or Bukti.
• How were the governors who administered the regions in the Gupta Empire called = Uparika.
• The regions were divided into districts called “Vishva”.
• Officers who manage the district administration = Vishyapatis.
• How were the officials who administered the village during the Gupta rule called = Gramika, Gramatiyakasha.
• “Paladhikritha” means the commander of the infantry.
• “Mahabaladhikritha” means the commander of the cavalry.
• The name of the spy force comprising the spies of the Gupta government = Dudaka.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Society and Economy under the Guptas

• The author of the book “Nithisaram” = Kamanthakar.
• In which book is the importance of the government treasury and the many ways of earning income mentioned = In the book “Nithisaram” written by Kamanthagar.
• The main revenue of the Gupta government was land tax.
• The condition of the farmers was poor during the Gupta period. Various types of taxes were imposed.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Types of lands during the Gupta period

1. Setra = lands suitable for agriculture.
2. Kila = wastelands
3. Abrakata = forest or wild lands.
4. Vasti = lands suitable for habitation.
5. Kapada Saraka = Pasture lands

Social system of the Gupta period

• The “Varnasrama system” was followed during the Gupta period.
• The Gupta community is a patrilineal society.
• Polygamy was practiced.
• The queens of Chandragupta II mentioned in the inscription are Kuberanaga and Dhrupaswamini.
• The system of climbing the ladder (sathi) was in practice.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Slavery

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

Gupta religion

• The religion followed by the Guptas = Vedic religion.
• Two Gupta kings who performed the Aswamedha sacrifice = Samudragupta and Kumaragupta I.
• During the reign of which government did idol worship emerge in India = During the reign of the Guptas.
• During which reign did the sects of Saivism and Vaishnavism emerge = During the reign of the Guptas.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Gupta period art and architecture

• The first people to build temples in India were the Guptas.
• The next stage of development of the rock-cut temple = structural temples.
• Structural temples were built for all Hindu deities.
• The major rock-cut temples of the Gupta period are located at Ajanta, Ellora (Maharashtra), Gwalior Bagh (Madhya Pradesh), and Udayagiri (Odisha).
• A fine example of Gupta metal sculptures,
  1. The 18-foot-tall copper statue of Buddha in Nalanda.
  2. A seven and a half foot tall metal statue of Buddha in Sultan Ganj.
• The best examples of Gupta art are the Ajanta Cave Paintings and the Gwalior Bagh Cave Paintings.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Gupta period literature

• The spoken language of the people during the Gupta period was Prakrit.
• The official language of the state during the Gupta period was Sanskrit.
• A book written by Panini = Ashtadhyayi.
• The book written by Patanjali = Mahabhashyam.
• Buddhist scholar from Bengal = Chandragomiyo.
• The book written by Chandragomyo = Chandra Vyakaranam.
• The books written by Kalidasa are = Sakunthalam, Malavikagnimitram, Vikrama Urvasiyam, Meghadootham, Raghuvamsa, Kumarasambhavam, Ritusamkaram.
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Gupta period astronomy and mathematics

• The person who discovered zero = Aryabhatta.
• Those who introduced the decimal number system to the world = Guptas.
• The Guptas were the best astronomers and mathematicians of the time = Aryabhatta, Varahamikira, Brahmagupta.
• The book written by Aryabhatta is Surya Siddhanta.
• Aryabhata was the first to explain the true cause of solar and lunar eclipses.
• Aryabhatta has explained lunar and solar eclipses in his book “Suriya Chindanta”.
• The first scholar in the world to declare the fact that the Earth rotates on its axis = Aryabhatta.
• Aryabhatta was the first Indian astronomer to declare the fact that the Earth rotates on its axis.
• Dhanvantari was a famous Ayurvedic expert during the Gupta period.
• The first Indian to explain the surgical method was Susrudhar.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Mehrauli Iron Pillar

• The person who erected the Iron Pillar of Mehrauli was = Chandragupta I.
• The location of the Mehrauli Iron Pillar = Delhi.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Gupta monetary system

• The person who introduced the Gupta monetary system was Samudragupta.
• Whose coins provided impetus to Samudragupta = Coins of the Kushans.
• How were the gold coins of the Guptas called = Dinara.
• The Guptas issued small quantities of silver and copper coins.
• Those who issued the most gold coins = Guptas.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Fahien Notes

• The Chinese traveler who came to the court of Chandragupta II = Fahien.
• Bhagian’s travelogues are very helpful in understanding the history of the Gupta period.
• Fahien mentions in his book that the people of Magadha lived happily and prosperously.
• Fahien noted that there were no harsh punishments and no death sentences were handed out.
• He said that Bodhgaya was in ruins and Kapilavastu was a forest. But he mentioned that the people of Pataliputra lived in wealth and prosperity.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA

Nalanda University

• The builder of Nalanda University was Kumaragupta.
• Those who developed Nalanda University = Guptas, Harsha.
• The main subject at Nalanda University was Buddhist philosophy.
• The famous Chinese traveler “Yuan Zhuang” stayed for many years at Nalanda University and studied Buddhist philosophies.
• How many Mahapadasalais were there in Nalanda University = eight.
• How many libraries were there in Nalanda University = Three.
• Nalanda University had eight Mahapadasalas and three large libraries.
• Who destroyed Nalanda University = Bakhtiar Khilji (Turkish Islamic slave dynasty).
• Nalanda is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• GUPTA ERA GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA