Arun Kumar

(SSC CGL-2023 AIR -5)

HISTORY NOTES
 The Gupta Empire
Time Period-319-500 AD

 The Gupta Period is also known as the Classical age of ancient

Sri Gupta

India and Golden Age of India because of its high level of

excellence in the field of literature, architecture and fine arts.
 The Gupta empire rose on the ruins of the Kushan Empire in the Ghatotkacha

second half of the third century AD. It comprised eastern UP and

Bihar with Prayag probably being the seat of power.
 They had advantage oof closeness to iron ores in central India Chandragupta 1

and South Bihar, fertile land and proximity to the areas carrying
silk trade with Byzantine empire (Eastern Roman Empire)
Samudragupta

Sri Gupta
 Sri Gupta was the founder of the Gupta Dynasty. Chandra Gupta-
II
 Itsing, Who visited India During 671 to 695 AD, refers to Sri
Gupta as the Builder of a Temple for Chinese Pilgrims (Chini
Mandir) at Gaya. Kumar Gupta-I

 Sri Gupta’s Son Ghatotkacha succeeded him.

 No Coins were issued by the first two Gupta rulers.
Skand Gupta

Chandra Gupta-I
 The Gupta dynasty came into power with the accession of Chandragupta-I.
 The Gupta era is assumed to have begun from his accession in about 3119-20 AD.
 King-Queen coins were issued.
 He married Kumaradevi of the Lichchhavi Clan.
 He was the first Gupta king to adopt the title of Maharajadhiraja

Samudragupta
 He was known as Kaviraja.
  Samudragupta succeeded his father in about 335 AD. He is called the Napolean of India
by Vincent Smith.
 He was called Dharmavijay in the south.
 He was a patron of Vishnu.
 The Allahabad pillar inscription gives detailed information about Samudragupta. The
Allahabad pillar inscription was composed by his court poet Harisena. It contains
about Nine kings of Ganga, Twelve Kings of South India and 18 forest tribes-
Samundragupta defeated all
 He issued Archer type of coins.
 He gave permission to Srilankan Kings to establish a temple in Bodhgaya.
 Samudragupta performed Ashwamedha Yajna.
 He was a lover of music and he used to play Veena (Source Gold Coin).
 It is believed that Samudragupta’s empire stretched from the Ravi to the Brahmaputra
and from the foothills of the Himalayas to the Vindhyas.
 Vasubandhu (a Buddhist Scholar) received Samudragupta’s Patronage
 He died in 380 AD. He was succeeded by his son Chandragupta-II.

Chandragupta-II
 Under his reign, the Gupta empire reached his highest glory.
 Dattadevi was his mother.
 He extended the limits of the empire by marriage alliances and conquests. He married
Kubernaga the princess of Naga Dynasty and married his daughter Prabhavati with the
Vakataka Prince Rudrasena-II.
 After the victory over Sakas, he adopted the title of Vikramaditya and Sakari. After this
conquest, Ujjain became the second capital of Gupta Empire.
 During his reign, Fa-Hien visited India (between 405 AD- 411 AD).
 Kalidasa was the member of his royal court.
 Famous Gems during the reign of Chadragupta II were (Kalidasa-The Shakespeare of
India), (Varahamihira-, Astrologer), (Amarsimha- Sanskrit grammarian and Poet) and
(Dhanvantari-Doctor).
 Devichandraguptam Play was written by Vishakhadatta.
 He was the first ruler to launch Silver Coins.
Kumargupta
 He Succeeded his father Chandragupta II
 He adopted the title of Mahendraditya.
 He introduced the worship of God Kartikeya.
 Kalidasa flourished during the reign of both Chandragupta II and Kumargupta I.
 He founded Nalanda University.

Skandgupta
 He succeeded his father Kumargupta I.
 He restored and repaired the dam of Sudarshana Lake.
 His greatest enemies were the Hunas, a ferocious barbarian tribal which lived in
Central Asia.
 He assumed the titles Vikramaditya, Devraj and Sakapan.

Bhanugupta
 An inscription Aran was found about sati system.

Vishnugupta
 Huns destroyed the Gupta Completely and he was the last ruler of the Gupta empire

Administration
 The kingdom was divided into a number of provinces called Bhukti in the North and
Mandala or Mandalam in the South. The governor of the Bhukti was called Uparika.
 Danda-pasika, the chief of police, headed a force consisting of chats and bhatas.
 Gramikas were in charge of the villages and were assisted by Mahattaras.

Classification of lands
 Kshetra- The land under cultivation
 Amarakosa- On which all kinds of crops could be grown
 Khila - A land which was not fertile
 Aparhatha - Uncultivated Forest land
 Vasti -the land to be used for residence
Art and Arhitechture
 The Gupta Sculpture is the logical outcome of the fairly classical sculpture of Amravati
and Mathura
 The Vishnu Temple/Dashavatar Temple built in the Gupta period is located at Deogarh
(U.P.)
 The Kankali Devi Temple often refered to as the Tigawa Temple is located in Jabalpur
District.
 Number 16 and 17 cave paintings of the Ajanta belong to this period.
 -Varahadeva, the minister of Vakataka king Harisena (AD 475-500), dedicated Cave 16
to the Buddhist Sangha while Cave 17 was the gift of a prince (who subjugated
Asmaka) feudatory to the same king.
 Note Vakatakas were the contemporaries of the imperial Guptas.

Literature
 Vishnu Sharama wrote Panchatantra in the Gupta period.
 The Mahabharat was finally compiled and edicted
 In the Dharmashastra literature, the Yajnavalkya Smriti is usually regarded as the
official Law book of the Guptas.
 Kalidas’s Meghadutam is a lyric of delicate beauty.
 Abhijnashakuntlam Kumarasambhavam and Malavikagnimitram were written by
Kalidas during this period.
 Kiratarjuniyam by Bharavi and Mudrarakshasa by Vishakadatta were also written
during this period.
 Varaha Mihira wrote brihat Samhita.
 The smritis of Yajnavalkya, Narada, Katyayana and Brihaspati were written during this
period.

MISC and PYQ One Liners

 Official court language of Gupta- Sanskrit.
 Rupyaka coin was issued.
 Largest number of gold coin were issued and gold coins were known as Dinaras.
 Aryabhatt invented Zero and calculated the value of pi was during the Gupta period.
 God of medicine – Dhanwantri