Gupta Empire

The Gupta Empire rose in Magadha around 4th century AD and covered greater part of
the Northern India.
It is worth noting, the Gupta Dynasty ruled for more than about 200 years.
The Gupta Period is popularly known as the ‘Golden Age of India’.
The Sources for study of Gupta Period
I. Literary Sources:
 Vishakadutta had written Devichandraguptam and Mudrarakshasam, which provides
details about rise of Guptas.
 Social, economic and religious accounts left by the Chinese traveller Fa-hien, who had
visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II.
II. Epigraphical Sources :
 Meherauli Iron Pillar Inscription – achievements of Chandragupta I.
 Allahabad Pillar inscription – About the reign of Samundragupta describing his
personality and achievements. It is engraved on an Ashokan pillar, written in Sanskrit in
Nagari script composed of 33 lines written by Harisena.
III. Numismatic Sources:
 The coins issued by Gupta kings contain legends and figures.
 These gold coins give insights about the titles and sacrifices that were performed by the
Guptas.
 Gupta Dynasty Kings
Gupta Dynasty Kings Facts about Gupta Kings
Sri Gupta •Founder of Gupta Dynasty
•Reign from 240 AD to 280 AD
•Used the title of ‘Maharaja‘
Ghatotkacha •Son of Sri Gupta
•Took the title of ‘Maharaja‘
Chandragupta I •Reigned from 319 AD to 334 AD
•Started the Gupta Era
•He assumed the title of
‘Maharajadhiraja‘
•Married Lichchavi princess
Kumaradevi
Samudragupta •Reigned from 335 AD to 380 AD
•Called ‘Napolean of India’ by V.A.
Smith (Irish Indologist and Art
Historian)
•His campaigns are mentioned
in Eran inscription (Madhya Pradesh)
Chandragupta II •Reigned from 380-412 AD
•Navratnas (9 Gems in his Court)
•Took the title ‘Vikramaditya’
Kumaragupta I •Reigned from 413 AD to 455 AD
•Founded Nalanda University
•He was also called Shakraditya

Skandagupta •Reigned from 455 AD – 467 AD

•Was a ‘Vaishnavite‘
•Son of Kumaragupta
•Repulsed an attack by the Hunas but
this strained his empire’s coffers

Vishnugupta •Last known ruler of the Gupta Dynasty

(540 AD – 550 AD)
Sri Gupta
 The founder of the Gupta dynasty was Sri Gupta.
 He was succeeded by Ghatotkacha.
 These two were called Maharajas.
Chandragupta I (320 – 335 AD)
 Was the son of Ghatotkacha.
 Acquired the strategically important Magadha kingdom on marriage to a Lichchhavi
princess Kumaradevi.
 He extended his kingdom through conquests. His territory extended from the Ganges
River to Prayaga by 321 AD.
 He 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.
 He is considered the first great king of the Gupta Empire.
Samudragupta (335 – 380 AD)
 Son of Chandragupta I and Kumaradevi.
 Was a military genius and was successful in adding many territories into the Gupta
Empire.
 The Allahabad inscription describes his bravery as composed by his court poet,
Harisena. There it is said that he defeated nine kings of the Ganges Valley, twelve kings
from the southern region, and eighteen forest tribes.
 His region extended from the Himalayas in the north to the Krishna and Godavari Rivers
in the south; and from Balkh (Afghanistan) in the west to Brahmaputra River in the east.
 He was a follower of Vaishnavite Hinduism but was tolerant of other faiths. He 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.
 He also performed Ashvamedha sacrifice. Hence, one of his coins refers to him as “the
restorer of Ashvamedha.”
 He was also called “Kaviraja” since he composed verses.
Chandragupta II (Reign: 380 – 418 AD)
 Son of Samudragupta and his queen Dattadevi.
 He used matrimonial alliances to expand his kingdom. He established matrimonial
alliances with the Nagas and the Vakatakas. He gave his daughter Prabhapavatigupta in
marriage to Vakataka ruler of Maharashtra Rudrasena II.
 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.
 Through the western ports, the kingdom’s prosperity grew through trade links with Roman
Empires.
 After East and West India, Chandragupta II defeated northern rulers also like the Hunas,
Kambojas, Kiratas, etc.
 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.
 His court had nine jewels or Navaratnas, nine people eminent in various fields of art,
literature and science. This included the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa, Harisena,
Amarasimha (lexicographer) and Dhanvantari (physician).
 Fa-Hien, a Buddhist from China visited India during his reign. He records the prosperity of
the Gupta Empire.
Skandagupta
 A branch of the Huns from Central Asia made attempts to cross the Hindukush mountains
and invade India.
 Skandagupta who really faced the Hun invasion.
 He fought successfully against the Huns and saved the empire.
Literature

 Sanskrit literature flourished under the Guptas. Kalidasa, the great poet and playwright
was in the court of Chandragupta Vikramaditya. He composed great epics such as
Abhijnanashaakuntalam, Kumarasambhavam, Malavikagnimitram, Ritusamharam,
Meghadootam, Vikramorvashiyam and Raghuvamsham.
 The celebrated Sanskrit drama Mṛcchakatika was composed during this time. It is
attributed to Shudraka.
 Poet Harisena also adorned the court of Chandragupta Vikramaditya. He wrote the
Allahabad Prashasti (inscription).
 Vishnusharma of Panchatantra fame lived during this era.
 Amarasimha (grammarian and poet) composed a lexicon of Sanskrit, Amarakosha.
 Vishakhadatta composed Mudrarakshasa. Other grammarians who contributed to the
Sanskrit language include Vararuchi and Bhartrihari.
 Kalidas
 Kalidas has written the best works in poetry, drama as well as in prose.
 His kavyas such as Meghaduta, Raghuvamsa, and Kumarasambhava, and dramas
such as Abhijnashakuntalam are the best literary works of this time and it is
considered as the best even today. These works have been translated into many
languages.
 Kalidas adorned the court of Chandragupta-II, the king of Ujjayini, who was
popular as Vikramaditya.
Fa-Hien
 Fa-Hien came to India through land route via central Asia and Kashmir and traveled across north
India.
 Fa-Hien stayed three years at Patliputra and here he learned the Sanskrit language.
Hiuen Tsang
 Fa-Hien was interested only in Buddhism; however, he gave an idea of general peace and
welfare during Gupta’s court.
 Hiuen-Tsang, another Chinese traveler, visited India during Harsha’s reign. He spent thirteen
years in India, in which eight years, he stayed in Harsha’s kingdom.
 Hiuen-Tsang had studied at Nalanda University. He visited various Indian kingdoms and
mentioned about their condition. His book “Si-yu-ki” is a precious source of ancient Indian
history.
 Hiuen-Tsang was honoured by Harshavardhana of Kanauj and Bhaskarvarma of Assam.
I-tsing
 I-tsing stayed at Nalanda for ten years and studied and translated Buddhist texts.
 I-tsing compiled a Sanskrit Chinese dictionary and translated a number of Sanskrit texts.
 I-tsing mentioned about Buddhist Religion as Practised in India. He gave a detailed account of
Buddhism and general condition of India and Malaya.
Science

• Aryabhatta, the great Indian mathematician and astronomer wrote Surya Siddhanta and
Aryabhattiya. Aryabhatta is believed to have conceptualised ‘zero’. He also gave the
value of Pi. He postulated that the earth is not flat and it rotated around its own axis and
also that it revolved around the sun. He also gave the distance between earth and sun
which is remarkably close to the actual value. He wrote on geometry, astronomy,
mathematics and trigonometry.

• The Indian number system with a base of 10 which is the present numeral system
evolved from scholars of this era.
• Varahamihira wrote Brihatsamhita. He was an astronomer and an astrologer.
• Dhanvantari, the great physician is supposed to have lived during this time.
• Sushruta, composed the Sushrutasamhita around 600 AD. He has detailed surgical
procedures in this work.
• The Nalanda University, a centre of Buddhist and other learning attracted students from
abroad. The Guptas patronised this ancient seat of learning.
Art and architecture
 Many magnificent temples, palaces, paintings and sculptures were created.
 Dashavatara Temple in Deogarh, UP is one of the earliest surviving Hindu temples. It is a
fine example of Gupta architecture.
 Mural paintings of Ajanta depicting the life of the Buddha as told in the Jataka tales were
created in this period. Places like Ajanta, Ellora, Mathura, Sarnath; and Anuradhapura
and Sigiriya in Sri Lanka bear examples of Gupta art and architecture.
 Classical Indian music and dance took shape in this time.
 The Gupta legacy in arts can be seen in Southeast Asia also today.
 The Bronze Buddha which is 7.5 feet high and found at Sultanganj is a product of the
Gupta age.
 The iron pillar at Mehrauli, Delhi is a marvellous creation of this period. It is a 7 m long
pillar and it is made up of a composition of metals such that it is rust-free. This is a
testimony to the metallurgical skills of Indians of that time.
Social culture and religion
 The Hindu epics were given their final touches during this time. The Hindu religion also
received an impetus under the Guptas and it flourished and expanded throughout India.
 Although the Gupta kings were Vaishnavas they were tolerant of Buddhism and Jainism.
They patronised Buddhist art.
 The Shakti cult rose up around this time.
 Sacrifice was being replaced by Bhakti and Pooja.
 Occult practices like tantrism also emerged during this time.
 The game of chess is said to have originated from this time. It was called Chaturanga
meaning the four divisions (of the military such as infantry (pawn), cavalry (knight),
elephantry (bishop) and chariotry (rook).
 The title ‘Indian Napolean’ has
 been attached to
 (1) Chandra Gupta Maurya
 (2) Samudragupta
 (3) Chandragupta-I
 (4) Harshavardhana
 59. Who was the first known Gupta
 ruler ?
 (1) Sri Gupta
 (2) Chandragupta I
 (3) Ghatotkacha
 (4) Kumaragupta I
77. Whose achievements are recorded
 in the Allahabad Pillar inscription
?
 (1) Chandra Gupta Maurya
 (2) Samudra Gupta
 (3) Vikramaditya
 (4) Skand Gupta
88. During which Gupta King’s reign did the Chinese traveller Fa-hien visit India ?
 (1) Chandra Gupta I
 (2) Samudra Gupta
 (3) Chandra Gupta II
 (4) Kumara Gupta
127 Who is called as the ‘Second Ashoka’?
 (1) Samudra Gupta
 (2) Chandra Gupta Maurya
 (3) Kanishka
 (4) Harshavardhana
•Who is the founder of ‘Gupta Period’?

a) Chandragupta
b) Chandragupta Maurya
c) Samudragupta
d) Srigupta
Chandragupta-I started the Gupta era in
a) 319 AD
b) 309 AD
c) 339 AD
d) 327 AD
 5. What was the name of gold coin during Gupta period?
 Tanka
 Dinars
 Rupyakas
 Niska

 Correct Answer: (B) Dinars

 What was the name of silver coin during Gupta period?
 Pana
 Dinars
 Ruyakas
 Tanka

 Correct Answer: (C) Ruyakas

Who is the court poet of Samudragupta?

a) Kalidasa
b) Harisena
c) Varahmihir
d) Fahien
165. Gupta Dynasty was famous for
 (1) art and architecture
 (2) imperialism
 (3) revenue and land reform
 (4) None of these
The capital of Gupta period was
 Ujjain
 Nalanda
 Patliputra
 Prayaga

 Correct Answer: (C) Patliputra

 Gupta administration was –
 anarchical
 Monarchical
 Republican
 Communist

 Correct Answer: Monarchic

 Who was ‘Dhanvantari‘ in Gupta era?
 Famous General
 famous Physician
 Great Musician
 Great Mathematician

 Correct Answer: Famous Physician in the court of Vikramaditya

 Which book provide the information of economical condition of Gupta
period?
 Arthashastra
 Ramayana
 Indica
 Mudrarakshas
 Correct Answer: Arthahastra