Gupta empire

LESSON 9
GUPTA EMPIRE
Learning Objectives
Students will acquire knowledge about
1. The sources for the study of Guptas.
2. Samudragupta’s achievements.
3. The achievements of Chandragupta II.
4. The importance of Fahien’s visit to India.
5. Gupta administration, society and economy.
6. Literature, art, architecture and scientific development
during the Gupta period.
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achievements. This inscription is engraved on an Asokan pillar. It is
written in classical Sanskrit, using the Nagari script. It consists of
33 lines composed by Harisena. It
describes the circumstances of
Samudragupta’s accession, his military
campaigns in north India and the
Deccan, his relationship with other
contemporary rulers, and his
accomplishments as a poet and
scholar.
The coins issued by Gupta kings
contain legends and figures. These coins provide interesting details
about the titles and sacrifices performed by the Gupta monarchs.
Chandragupta I (320 – 330 A.D.)
The founder of the Gupta dynasty was Sri Gupta. He was
succeeded by Ghatotkacha. These two were called Maharajas.
Much information was not available about their rule. The next ruler
was Chandragupta I and he was the first to be called
Maharajadhiraja (the great king of kings). This title indicates his
extensive conquests. He strengthened his position by a matrimonial
alliance with the Licchavis. He married Kumaradevi, a princess of
that family. This added to the power and prestige of the Gupta family.
The Meherauli Iron Pillar inscription mentions his extensive
conquests. Chandragupta I is considered to be the founder of the
Gupta era which starts with his accession in A.D. 320.
Samudragupta (330-380 A.D.)
Samudragupta was the greatest of the rulers of the Gupta
dynasty. The Allahabad Pillar inscription provides a detailed account
of his reign. It refers to three stages in his military campaign:
Allahabad Pillar
Inscription
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1. Against some rulers of North India
2. His famous Dakshinapatha expedition against South Indian
rulers
3. A second campaign against some other rulers of North India.
In the first campaign Samudragupta defeated Achyuta and
Nagasena. Achyuta was probably a Naga ruler. Nagasena belonged
to the Kota family which was ruling over the upper Gangetic valley.
They were defeated and their states were annexed. As a result of
this short campaign, Samudragupta had gained complete mastery
over the upper Gangetic valley.
Then Samudragupta marched against the South Indian
monarchs. The Allahabad Pillar inscription mentions that
Samudragupta defeated twelve rulers in his South Indian Expedition.
They were Mahendra of Kosala, Vyaghraraja of Mahakanthara,
Mantaraja of Kaurala, Mahendragiri of Pishtapura, Swamidatta of
Kottura, Damana of Erandapalla, Vishnugupta of Kanchi, Nilaraja
of Avamukta, Hastivarman of Vengi, Ugrasena of Palakka, Kubera
of Devarashtra and Dhananjaya of Kushtalapura. Samudragupta’s
policy in South India was different. He did not destroy and annex
those kingdoms. Instead, he defeated the rulers but gave them back
their kingdoms. He only insisted on them to acknowledge his
suzerainty.
The third stage of Samudragupta’s campaign was to eliminate
his remaining north Indian rivals. He fought against nine kings,
uprooted them and annexed their territories. They were Rudradeva,
Matila, Nagadatta, Chandravarman, Ganapathinaga, Nagasena,
Achyuta, Nandin and Balavarman. Most of these rulers were
members of the Naga family, then ruling over different parts of north
India.
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After these military victories,
Samudragupta performed the
asvamedha sacrifice. He issued gold
and silver coins with the legend
‘restorer of the asvamedha’. It is
because of his military achievements
Samudragupta was hailed as ‘Indian Napoleon’.
Extant of Samudragupta’s Empire
After these conquests, Samudragupta’s rule extended over
the upper Gangetic valley, the greater part of modern U.P., a portion
of central India and the southwestern part of Bengal. These territories were directly administered by him. In the south there were
tributary states. The Saka and Kushana principalities on the west
and northwest were within the sphere of his influence. The kingdoms
on the east coast of the Deccan, as far as the Pallava Kingdom,
acknowledged his suzerainty.
Estimate of Samudragupta
Samudragupta’s military achievements remain remarkable in
the annals of history. He was equally great in his other personal
accomplishments. The Allahabad Pillar inscription speaks of his
magnanimity to his foes, his polished intellect, his poetic skill and
his proficiency in music. It calls him Kaviraja because of his ability
in composing verses. His image depicting him with Veena is found
in the coins issued by him. It is the proof of his proficiency and
interest in music. He was also a patron of many poets and scholars,
one of whom was Harisena. Thus he must be credited with a share
in the promotion of Sanskrit literature and learning, characteristic of
his dynasty. He was an ardent follower of Vaishnavism but was
tolerant of other creeds. He evinced keen interest in Buddhism and
was the patron of the great Buddhist scholar Vasubandu.
GOLD COINS OF SAMUDRAGUPTA
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Chandragupta II (380-415 A.D.)
Samudragupta was succeeded by his son Chandragupta II
Vikramaditya. But according to some scholars, the immediate
successor of Samudragupta was Ramagupta, the elder brother of
Chandragupta II. But there is little historical proof for this.
Chandragupta II inherited the military genius of his father and
extended the Gupta Empire by his own conquests.
He achieved this by a judicious combination of the policy of
diplomacy and warfare. Through matrimonial alliances he
strengthened his political power. He married Kuberanaga, a Naga
princess of central India. He gave his daughter Prabhavati in marriage
to the Vakataka prince Rudrasena II. The political importance of
this marriage lies in the fact that the Vakatakas occupied a
geographically strategic position in the Deccan. This alliance served
a useful purpose when Chandragupta-II undertook his campaign in
western India against the Sakas.
Conquest of Western India
The greatest of the military achievements of Chandragupta II
was his war against the Saka satraps of western India. Rudrasimha
III, the last ruler of the Saka satrap was defeated, dethroned and
killed. His territories in western Malwa and the Kathiawar Peninsula
were annexed into the Gupta Empire. After this victory he performed
the horse sacrifice and assumed the title Sakari, meaning, ‘destroyer
of Sakas’. He also called himself Vikramaditya
As a result of the conquest of western India, the western
boundary of the Empire reached to the Arabian Sea gaining access
to Broach, Sopara, Cambay and other sea ports. This enabled the
Gupta empire to control trade with the western countries. Ujjain
became an important commercial city and soon became the
alternative capital of the Guptas. The fine cotton clothes of Bengal,
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Indigo from Bihar, silk from Banares, the scents of the Himalayas
and the sandal and species from the south were brought to these
ports without any interference. The western traders poured Roman
gold into India in return for Indian products. The great wealth of the
Gupta Empire was manifest in the variety of gold coins issued by
Chandragupta II.
Other Conquests
Chandragupta II defeated a confederacy of enemy chiefs in
Vanga. He also crossed the river Sindh and conquered Bactria. The
Kushanas ruling in this region were subdued by him. With these
conquests, the Gupta empire extended in the west as far as western
Malwa, Gujarat and Kathiawar. In the northwest it extended beyond
the Hindukush up to Bactria. In the east, it included even eastern
Bengal and in the south the Narmada river formed the boundary.
Fahien’s Visit
The famous Chinese pilgrim, Fahien visited India during the
reign of Chandragupta II. Out of his nine years stay in India, he
spent six years in the Gupta empire. He came to India by the land
route through Khotan, Kashgar, Gandhara and Punjab. He visited
Peshawar, Mathura, Kanauj, Sravasti, Kapilavastu, Kusinagara,
Pataliputra, Kasi and Bodh 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 for three
years studying Sanskrit and copying Buddhist texts.
Fahien provides valuable information on the religious, social
and economic condition of the Gupta empire. According to him,
Buddhism was in a flourishing condition in the northwestern India
but in the Gangetic valley it was in a state of neglect. He refers to
the Gangetic valley as the ‘land of Brahmanism’. Fahien mentions
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the unsatisfactory state of some of the Buddhist holy places like
Kapilavastu and Kusinagara. According to him the economic
condition of the empire was prosperous.
Although his account is valuable in many respects, he did not
mention the name of Chandragupta II. He was not interested in
political affairs. His interest was primarily religion. He assessed
everything from the Buddhist angle. His observations on social
conditions are found to be exaggerated. Yet, his accounts are useful
to know the general condition of the country.
Estimate of Chandragupta II
The power and glory of Gupta empire reached its peak under
the rule Chandragupta II Vikramaditya. He also contributed to the
general cultural progress of the age and patronized great literary
figures like Kalidasa. He promoted artistic activity. Because of the
high level of cultural progress that was achieved during this period,
the Gupta period is generally referred to as a golden age. A detailed
account of the cultural progress in the Gupta age is given below.
Successors of Chandragupta II
Kumaragupta was the son and successor of Chandragupta
II. His reign was marked by general peace and prosperity. He issued
a number of coins and his inscriptions are found all over the Gupta
empire. He also performed an asvamedha sacrifice. Most
importantly, he laid the foundation of the Nalanda University which
emerged an institution of international reputation. At the end of his
reign, a powerful wealthy tribe called the ‘Pushyamitras’ defeated
the Gupta army. A branch of the Huns from Central Asia made
attempts to cross the Hindukush mountains and invade India.
But it was his successor Skandagupta who really faced the
Hun invasion. He fought successfully against the Huns and saved
the empire. This war must have been a great strain on the
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government’s resources. After Skandagupta’s death, many of his
successors like Purugupta, Narasimhagupta, Buddhagupta and
Baladitya could not save the Gupta empire from the Huns. Ultimately,
the Gupta power totally disappeared due to the Hun invasions and
later by the rise of Yasodharman in Malwa.
Gupta Administration
According inscriptions, the Gupta kings assumed titles like
Paramabhattaraka, Maharajadhiraja, Parameswara, Samrat
and Chakravartin. The king was assisted in his administration by
a council consisting of a chief minister, a Senapati or commanderin-chief of the army and other important officials. A high official
called Sandivigraha was mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions, most
probably minister for foreign affairs.
The king maintained a close contact with the provincial
administration through a class of officials called Kumaramatyas
and Ayuktas. Provinces in the Gupta Empire were known as Bhuktis
and provincial governors as Uparikas. They were mostly chosen
from among the princes. Bhuktis were subdivided into Vishyas or
districts. They were governed by Vishyapatis. Nagara Sreshtis
were the officers looking after the city administration. The villages
in the district were under the control of Gramikas.
Fahien’s account on the Gupta administration provides useful
information. He characterises the Gupta administration as mild and
benevolent. There were no restrictions on people’s movements and
they enjoyed a large degree of personal freedom. There was no
state interference in the individual’s life. Punishments were not severe.
Imposing a fine was a common punishment. There was no spy system.
The administration was so efficient that the roads were kept safe
for travelers, and there was no fear of thieves. He mentioned that
people were generally prosperous and the crimes were negligible.
Fahien had also appreciated the efficiency of the Gupta
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administration as he was able to travel without any fear throughout
the Gangetic valley. On the whole the administration was more liberal
than that of the Mauryas.
Social Life
The pre-Gupta period in India witnessed a series of foreign
invasions. Indian society had given way to those foreigners who
had become permanent residents here. But during the Gupta period,
the caste system became rigid. The Brahmins occupied the top ladder
of the society. They were given enormous gifts by the rulers as well
as other wealthy people. The practice of untouchability had slowly
begun during this period. Fahien mentions that Chandalas were
segregated from the society. Their miserable condition was
elaborated by the Chinese traveler.
The position of women had also become miserable during the
Gupta period. They were prohibited from studying the religious texts
like the Puranas. The subjection of women to men was thoroughly
regularized. But it was insisted that they should be protected and
generously treated by men. The practice of Swyamvara was given
up and the Manusmriti suggested the early marriage for girls.
In the sphere of religion, Brahmanism reigned supreme during
the Gupta period. It had two branches – Vaishnavism and Saivism.
Most of the Gupta kings were Vaishnavaites. They performed
Aswamedha sacrifices. The worship of images and celebration of
religious festivals with elaborate rituals made these two religions
popular. Religious literature like the Puranas was composed during
this period. The progress of Brahmanism led to the neglect of
Buddhism and Jainism. Fahien refers to the decline of Buddhism in
the Gangetic valley. But a few Buddhist scholars like Vasubandhu
were patronized by Gupta kings. In western and southern India
Jainism flourished. The great Jain Council was held at Valabhi during
this period and the Jain Canon of the Swetambras was written.
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Art and Culture
The Gupta period witnessed a tremendous progress in the
field of art, science and literature and on account of this it has been
called “a golden age”. A few scholars even call this period a period
of renaissance. But it should be remembered that there was no dark
period before the Gupta rule. Therefore the cultural progress
witnessed during the Gupta period may be called the culmination of
Indian intellectual activities.
Art and Architecture
In the history of Indian art and architecture, the Gupta period
occupies an important place. Both the Nagara and Dravidian styles
of art evolved during this period. But most of the architecture of this
period had been lost due to foreign invasions
like that of Huns. Yet, the remaining temples,
sculptures and cave paintings provide an
idea about the grandeur of the Gupta art.
The temple at Deogarh near Jhansi
and the sculptures in the temple at Garhwas
near Allahabad remain important specimen
of the Gupta art. There was no influence of
Gandhara style. But the beautiful statue of
standing Buddha at Mathura reveals a little
Greek style. The Buddha statue unearthed
at Saranath was unique piece of Gupta art.
The Bhitari monolithic pillar of Skandagupta
is also remarkable.
Metallurgy had also made a wonderful
progress during the Gupta period. The
craftsmen were efficient in the art of casting
metal statues and pillars. The gigantic copper
TEMPLE AT DEOGARH
A PAINTING AT BAGH CAVE
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statue of Buddha, originally found at Sultanganj now kept at
Birmingham museum, was about seven and a half feet height and
nearly a ton weight. The Delhi Iron pillar of the Gupta period is still
free from rust though completely exposed to sun and rain for so
many centuries.
The paintings of the Gupta period are seen at Bagh caves
near Gwalior. The mural paintings of Ajantha mostly illustrate the
life of the Buddha as depicted in the Jataka stories. The paintings at
Sigiriya in Sri Lanka were highly influenced by the Ajantha style.
The Gupta coinage was also remarkable. Samudragupta
issued eight types of gold coins. The legends on them throw much
light on the achievements of that marvelous king. The figures inscribed
on them are illustrative of the skill and greatness of Gupta numismatic
art. Chandragupta II and his successors had also issued gold, silver
and copper coins of different varieties.
Literature
The Sanskrit language became prominent during the Gupta
period. Nagari script had evolved from the Brahmi script. Numerous
works in classical Sanskrit came to be written in the forms of epic,
lyrics, drama and prose. The best of the Sanskrit literature belonged
to the Gupta age.
Himself a great poet, Samudragupta patronized a number of
scholars including Harisena. The court of Chandragupta II was
adorned by the celebrated Navratnas. Kalidasa remain the foremost
among them. His master-piece was the Sanskrit drama Shakuntala.
It is considered one among the ‘hundred best books of the world’.
He wrote two other plays – the Malavikagnimitra and
Vikramorvasiya. His two well-known epics are Raghuvamsa and
Kumarasambhava. Ritusamhara and Meghaduta are his two
lyrics.
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Visakadatta was another celebrated author of this period. He
was the author of two Sanskrit dramas, Mudrarakshasa and
Devichandraguptam. Sudraka was a renowned poet of this age
and his book Mrichchakatika is rich in humour and pathos.
Bharavi’s Kritarjuniya is the story of the conflict between Arjuna
and Siva. Dandin was the author of Kavyadarsa and
Dasakumaracharita. Another important work of this period was
Vasavadatta written by Subhandhu. The Panchatantra stories
were composed by Vishnusarma during the Gupta period. The
Buddhist author Amarasimha compiled a lexicon called Amarakosa.
The Puranas in their present form were composed during this
period. There are eighteen Puranas. The most important among them
are the Bhagavatha, Vishnu, Vayu and Matsya Puranas. The
Mahabharatha and the Ramayana were given final touches and
written in the present form during this period.
Science
The Gupta period witnessed a brilliant activity in the sphere
of mathematics, astronomy, astrology and medicine. Aryabhatta was
a great mathematician and astronomer. He wrote the book
Aryabhatiya in 499 A.D. It deals with mathematics and astronomy.
It explains scientifically the occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses.
Aryabhatta was the first to declare that the earth was spherical in
shape and that it rotates on its own axis. However, these views
were rejected by later astronomers like Varahamihira and
Brahmagupta.
Varahamihira composed Pancha Siddhantika, the five
astronomical systems. He was also a great authority on astrology.
His work Brihadsamhita is a great work in Sanskrit literature. It
deals with a variety of subjects like astronomy, astrology, geography,
architecture, weather, animals, marriage and omens. His
Brihadjataka is considered to be a standard work on astrology.
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In the field of medicine, Vagbhata lived during this period. He
was the last of the great medical trio of ancient India. The other two
scholars Charaka and Susruta lived before the Gupta age. Vagbhata
was the author Ashtangasamgraha (Summary of the eight branches
of medicine).
Learning Outcome
After learning this lesson the students will be able to explain
1. The sources for the history of Guptas like the Allahabad
Pillar inscription and their importance.
2. Samudragupta’s military achievements as well as his
personal accomplishments.
3. The conquests of Chandragupta II and his other qualities
including patron of art and literature.
4. Gupta administration, society and economic progress as
described by Fahien, who visited India during this period.
5. The growth of Sanskrit literature and the contribution of
scholars like Kalidasa and Visakadatta.
6. The art and architecture of the Gupta period as well as
the progress in science including the contribution of
Aryabhatta and others.
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MODEL QUESTIONS
I. Choose the correct answer.
1. The Gupta era starts from the year

1. The founder of the Gupta dynasty was …….
2. The Buddhist scholar Vasubandhu was patronized by …….
3. The title ‘Sakari’ was assumed by …..
4. The epics written by Kalidasa are ……. and …….
5. The author of Brihatsamhita was …..
III. Match the following.
1. Meghaduta a) Dandin
2. Devichandraguptam b) Sudraka
3. Dasakumaracharita c) Kalidasa
4. Mrichchakatika d) Visakadatta
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IV. Find out the correct statement. One statement alone is
right.
a) Samudragupta annexed all his conquered territories of South
India.
b) The Dakshinapatha expedition of Samudragupta was
mentioned by Fahien.
c) Samudragupta defeated the South Indian kings but gave them
back their kingdoms.
d) The North Indian conquests of Samudragupta did not result
in the expansion of the Gupta empire.
V. State whether the following statements are true or False.
1. The scholars known as Navratnas lived during the reign of
Samudragupta.
2. The Gupta empire declined due to the invasion of the Huns.
3. The Gupta art adopted both the Nagara and Dravidian styles.
4. The Guptas patronized the Sanskrit language.
VI. Write short notes (Any three points).
1. Allahabad Pillar Inscription.
2. Dakshinapatha expedition of Samudragupta.
3. Aryabhatta.
4. Metal artifacts under the Guptas.
VII. Answer briefly (100 words).
1. Evaluate the impact of the conquest of western India by
Chandragupta II.
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2. Write a brief account of Fahien’s visit to India and his
observation on India.
3. Examine the salient features of the Gupta administration.
VIII. Answer in detail (200 words).
1. Give an account of the achievements of Samudragupta.
2. Describe the socio-economic life under the rule of Guptas.
3. Examine the cultural contributions of the Guptas.