GUPTAS’ POLITY - Democratic States

ORIGIN - The Samant States

• Imperial family – sway over – large part of Northern India - King – accepted – suzerainty of the
– 4th and 5th centuries AD Gupta king

• Origins – shrouded in obscurity - great deal of controversy - Frontier States – paid tribute to – kings

• Dr. Ray Chaudhry, R. C. Tripathi – Guptas were Brahmins - Friendly states

• Dr. Vasudeva Upadhyaya, Pt . Gauri Shankar, Hira Chand NATURE

Ojha viewed – Kshatriyas • Gupta polity – a synthesis of the centralised bureaucracy of
• According to Allen, Ayangar, Altekar – they were Vaishyas the Mauryas

• K.P. Jayawal suggests – Guptas - Kraskara Jat (Gotra) of • Concept of divinity of kingship – adopted by Gupta
Punjab monarchs

• Dr. R. C. Majumdar – they belonged to – Iksvaku race • In central administration – King – fountain head – final
authority on all matters
• Inscription of Prabhavati Gupta – belonged to – Dharma
gotra • Kings – adopted – title of ‘Maharajadhiraj’, Param Bhavat,
Chakravartin
POLITY
• King shared power with ministers and high officers
- Not possible for – Gupta rulers - to rule directly over the
whole area CoM

- Administrative convenience – empire divided into • Ministers – appointed by kings

- Region directly under monarch – • Looked after – respective departments

divided into Provinces and districts • Kanchuki or Chamberlain – acted – agent between – king
and Council – says Kalidas
 • Three kind of ministers Sarvadhyaksha - Chief Officer of the central department of the state

• Incharge of foreign policy, finance and justice

Qualifications for C o M JUDICIAL SYSTEM

• Sound physique capable of – • Provide – landmark in – history of the administration of law

over reaching – foes and justice in Ancient India

• Balanced mind and judgment • Produced – rich corpus of legal literature which reflect –
advance in – legal system
• Pure and honest at heart
• First time – law givers of the period clearly demarcated
• Learned and versatile in genious between civil and criminal law
• Firm and enthusiastic • Narada Smriti viewed… Four kind of courts
• Possessing detecting skill and • Guka
• Diplomatic and native of soil • Shreni
DEPARTMENT UNDER CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION • Gaja and
Maha Senapati - Head of the Military
• Rajakiya (Government)
Maha Dandanayak - Combined duties of judge and a general
• First three – dealt with public – fourth was for government
Rana Bhandagarika - Collected – provisions for army
purpose
Mahabaladhikrata - Head of the military strategy
• Fahien states – king governed without decapitation
Dandapashik - Highest officer of the police
(beheading) or other corporal punishment
Mahasandhi vigrihika - Minister of war and peace or the Head of INR
• Law books of Narada, Brihaspati, Katayayana, Sukraniti
Bhandagaradhikrat - Head – department of religion
and other reveals various types of cases – punishments
Mahakakshapatalika - Great keeper of the records (modern CAG)
• Fahien – observed – people need not attend to courts and • Women of royal and well to do families enjoy – privilege of
magistrates selecting their husbands – through Svayamvara ceremony
• A standing testimony to the high standards achieved during • Ownership of family property–vested in the father
the Gupta period
• Rights of different sons and brothers – duly recognized by
SOCIAL LIFE UNDER GUPTAS the law digests
• The Puranas, Dharam Sastras, the Niti Sastras of Narada, • According – Law of Inheritance – son had the right by birth
Brihaspati, Yajna Valkya, to the share of his father’s property
• The Dramas of Kalidas (Raghuvamsa and Shakuntala) • Law digests of the period conflict with one another – the
right of a widow to inherit the share of her husband in –
• Vishakadatta’s Mudrarakshasa and Kaumudi’s Mahotsava –
family property
supply – good deal of information
• The amount – to be spent on the marriage of a daughter was
• Chinese traveler – made observations about – Indian
to be an equivalent of one-fourth of the share of a son in the
society – existed in 5th century AD
property of his father
• People – attracted – urban life
• Purdah system does not seem to exist – ladies of pedigree
• Specific changes in outlook, habits and manners – who – (noble) used to cover their face – when journey
settle in towns
• Caste system among Hindus – prevalent
• Varna system practiced
• There were no rigid rules in inter-marriages
• Freedom and place of honour enjoyed by women
• Some – women rose to the status of outstanding literary
figures by virtue of their scholarship
LITERATURE  Aryabhatta, Varahamihira and Brahma Gupta lived during
 Mahabharatha and Ramayana were finally compiled in the Gupta period.
4th century AD.  Devised decimal system and zero were introduced.
 Puranas were compiled and reached its final shape.  Nalanda became a very important centre of learning
 Various smritis were compiled during this period. The  Mathematics was the only common subject of guilds and
Parashara, Pitamaha, Katyayana, Pulastya, Vyasa and other education institutions.
Harita Smritis belonged to this period.  Aryabhatta explained the cause of the eclipse
 Sanskrit gained additional momentum during the Gupta
period.
 Shakunthala, Vikramorvasiya, Raghuvamsa, FAMOUS UNIVERSITIES
Kumarasambhava, Meghadutam etc. written by Kalidasa
were considered the best works not only in sanksrit but of NALANDA UNIVERSITY
whole world.
 Five mahakavyas produced during Gupta period are: Situated near Rajagriha in Bihar
Raghuvamsa and Kumarasmbhava(Kalidasa) The highest centre of Buddhist learning
Kiratarjuniyam(Bharavi), Established as a Buddhist monastery during the period of
Sishupalva dh (Magh) and Kumara Gupta I
Naisadhiya charita (Sri Harsa) A residential university
Shilabhadra known as the “Treasure of Right Law” had
EDUCATION once been the head of the university.
 High prosperity in different fields of education including Specialized in Mahayana Buddhism.
mathematics, astronomy, astrology, medicine, science etc. Destroyed at the end of 12th century by Mohammad Bin
 Formal education was available both in Brahmanical Baktiar Khilji, a general of Muhammad Gori
institutions and Buddhist monasteries.
 Learned Brahmin teachers are called as Bhattas. VIKRAMASHILA UNIVERSITY
 Established by Dharmapala (780- 815)
  Situated at Magadha
 A Buddhist seat of learning
 Destroyed by Bhaktiar Khilji
 It was responsible for spreading of Buddhism in Nepal &
Tibet

VALABHI UNIVERSITY

 Valabhi University was established in Saurashtra of

modern Gujarat at around 6th century and it flourished for
600 years till 12th century
 Chinese traveler Itsing who visited this university during
the 7th century describes it as a great center of learning
 Gunamati and Sthiramati, the two famous Buddhist
scholars are said to have graduated from this University
 This University was popular for its training in secular
subjects and students from all over the country came to
study in this University