THE GUPTA EMPIRE

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History

The Guptas are most likely Vaishyas in origin who were ruling from Pataliputra. Gupta period is often
considered as the ‘golden age’ of India’s past as it is often remembered for certain key classical
features, such as the political unification of a large part of the subcontinent under a mostly centralized
government, the production of exceptional Sanskrit literary works, sophisticated stone sculpture and
architecture, and innovative developments in the field of science and technology. It is said that
Shrigupta/Mahagupta founded the Gupta Empire in 319. He was succeeded by his grandson
Chandragupta I, son of Ghatotkach.

Chandragupta-I (319–335/336): He is the first important king of the Gupta Dynasty who laid the
foundations of the Gupta Empire and claimed the title of maharajadhiraja (king of kings). He started
the Gupta era in 319−20. He enhanced his power and prestige by marrying Kumaradevi, princess of
Lichchhavi clan of Nepal. Coins were struck in the joint names of the emperor. In fact, Samudragupta
was referred to as Lichchhavi-dauhitra (grandson of the Lichchhavis) in the famous Allahabad
prashasti.

Samudragupta (335/336–375): He was a son of Chandragupta I who followed a policy of war and
conquest and enormously enlarged his kingdom. His rule was one of the expansions marked first by
the conquest of his immediate neighbours and then by campaigns to the east and the south, where
chiefdoms and kingdoms were subdued and forced to pay tribute to him. Due to this policy of his, the
historian V. A. Smith has called him the ‘Napoleon’ of India. His achievements are recorded in a long
inscription engraved on the Allahabad pillar (Prayaga prashasti), whose surface also contains
inscriptions of Ashoka and later, the Mughal emperor Jahangir. It was composed in pure Sanskrit by
Harisena (court poet and kumar amatya) who described himself by different titles such as sandhi
vigrahika (minister for peace and war) and maha dandanayaka (judicial/military officer).

He celebrated his conquests by performing an ashvamedha and by issuing ashvamedha coins marking
the occasion. He was called Anukampavan (full of compassion) as he granted permission to the
Buddhist king of Ceylon, Meghavarman, to build a monastery and rest house for pilgrims from
Ceylon at Bodh Gaya. He was a great patron of art and adopted the title of Kaviraja (king among
poets). His love for music is attested by his coins that represent him playing on the veena (lyre) on
occasion. Though Hindu by practice, he extended his patronage to other religions, and one of his
ministers was the great Buddhist philosopher Vasubandhu. Samudragupta is remembered for his
patronage of art and literature.

Chandragupta II (376 – 413/15): According to some legends, Samudragupta was succeeded by his
elder son Ramagupta, but Chandragupta II killed him. It is also believed that during Ramagupta’s
tenure, the Gupta empire was invaded by a powerful Shaka king. Ramagupta lost the battle and signed
a humiliating treaty that allowed his wife to be sent to the enemy camp. It is said that Chandragupta II
had to kill his brother and marry his wife, Dhruvadevi,
to safeguard the honour of the Gupta dynasty.

The peak of the territorial expansion of the Gupta empire was reached during Chandragupta II’s reign
(also known as Chandragupta Vikramaditya), who extended the limits of his empire by conquests and
marital alliances with other royal dynasties of the period. He married Kubera naga, the Naga princess,

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and had a daughter, Prabhavati, with her. Prabhavati was married to Rudrasena II of the ruling
Vakataka dynasty in Deccan. After the death of her husband, Prabhavati ruled the territory as regent to
her minor sons with the help of her father. During this twenty year period, the Vakataka realm was
practically a part of the Gupta empire.

Chandragupta exercised indirect control over the Vakataka kingdom. With his great influence in this
central Indian region, he was able to target his other enemies better. Thus, he conquered western
Malwa and Gujarat from the Shaka satraps. This conquest took the expanse of the Gupta empire to the
western sea coast. This contributed to the prosperity of Malwa and its chief city Ujjain, which was
also Chandragupta II’s second capital.

An iron pillar inscription at Mehrauli in Delhi indicates that his empire included even northwestern
India and Bengal. He took the title of Vikramaditya, that is, the one who is as powerful as the sun, and
Simhavikrama. He was the first ruler to issue silver coins. He also issued copper coins and is referred
to as Chandra on his coins. He also issued gold coins called dinara. The Udaigiri cave inscriptions
refer to his digvijaya, that is, his conquest of the whole world. Fa Hien/Faxian, the famous Chinese
traveller, visited India during his reign. His court at Ujjain was adorned by nine famous scholars
known as the Navaratnas (‘nine gems’), i.e., Kalidasa, Amarasimha, Varahamihira, Dhanvantri,
Ghatakarapara, Shanku, Kahapanaka, Vararuchi, and Vetala Bhatta.

Kumaragupta I (415 – 455): He adopted the title of Shakraditya and Mahendraditya and performed
the ashavmedha sacrifice. He founded the Nalanda University. He was a worshipper of lord
Karttikeya. During the last years of his reign, peace was disturbed on the northwest frontier due to the
invasion of the Huns of Central Asia. In the mid-5th century, the ye-tha, known as White Huns
(Hepthalites), became powerful in the Oxus valley. After occupying Bactria, the Huns crossed the
Hindukush mountains and entered India by occupying Gandhara. Their first attack during his reign
was repulsed by Prince Skandagupta. Kumaragupta I also struggled against Pushyamitra, an uncertain
chieftain.

The Bilsad inscription is the oldest record of his reign and dates to Gupta year 96, which
corresponds to 415. Other inscriptions of Kumaragupta’s reign are the Karandanda, Mandsor, and
Damodar Copper plate inscriptions.

Skandagupta (455 – 467): He first defeated Pushyamitra and then faced and repulsed the Huns
successfully. Junagarh/Girnar's inscription of his reign tells that his governor Parnadatta got the
Sudarshan Lake repaired. He adopted the title Vikramaditya. The Gupta empire continued to exist but
central control weakened and local governors became feudatory kings with hereditary rights.
Following Skandagupta’s death, the empire was clearly in decline and the later Gupta coinage
indicates their loss of control over much of western India after 467–469. Skandagupta was followed
by:
1. Purugupta (467–473)
2. Kumaragupta II (473–476),
3. Budhagupta (476-495),
4. Narasimhagupta (495–530)
5. Kumaragupta III (530–540)
6. Vishnugupta (540–550)
7. Vainyagupta and Bhanugupta

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The first epigraphic evidence of Sati has been found in the Eran Pillar Inscription of Bhanugupta,
Madhya Pradesh. Some records suggest that the first example of Sati appears in the Gupta Period in
510 AD. After about this time, instances of Sati began to be marked by inscribed memorial stones.

Decline of the Guptas

Though their rule lasted till the middle of the sixth century A.D. the imperial glory had ended a
century earlier. There are several reasons for the decline of the Guptas, i.e., (i) invasion by the Hunas,
(ii) rise in feudalism, (iii) weak successors, (iv) financial difficulties, (v) decline of foreign trade, and
(vi) absence of large professional army to maintain vast empire.

Revenue & Trade

There were of eighteen types of taxes in which land revenue and Bhaga were the chief source of
income. The inscription of Pallavas and Vakatakas show that taxes were enforced on buffalo milk,
curd and also on fruits and flowers. The forests, meadows and salt mines, added to the income of the
state. During this period, the ship-building industry was at peak. Tamralipti, a port in Bengal, was an
important trade centre and from there trade was carried on with the eastern countries like China,
Ceylon, Java and Sumatra. In Andhra, there were many ports on the banks of the rivers, Godavari and
Krishna; Tondai was a famous port of Chola state. Kalyana, Chol, Broach and Cambay were the
important ports of the South.

Administration
The Gupta kings adopted pompous titles such as parameshvara, maharajadhiraja and
paramabhattaraka which signify that they ruled over kings in their empire. Kingship was hereditary,
but royal power was limited by absence of a firm practice of primogeniture. The throne did not always
go to the eldest son. The most important officers in the Gupta empire were the kumaramatyas. The
Guptas organized a system of rovincial and local administration. The empire was divided into
divisions (bhuktis) and each bhukti was placed under the charge of an uparika. The bhuktis were
divided into districts (vishayas), which were placed under the charge of vishyapati. Land taxes
increased while those on trade and commerce decreased; land tax was between 1/4 to 1/6 of the
produce. Visthi (Forced labour) prevailed. Religious functionaries were granted land called Agrahara.

Literature
During the period of the Gupta dynasty, Sanskrit literature greatly flourished. It would not be unfair to
say that there was never such a literary outburst in India especially in the sphere of Sanskrit language.
Prose and poetry both were written during this period. The Allahabad Pillar Inscription shows that
Harisena was a poet of great eminence. The manner in which, he has described the achievement of
Samudragupta by Chandragupta signifies he was a poet of great calibre. Poetry, verse and drama of a
very high class were composed and written in this age. The name of Kalidasa shines like a glittering
star in the period. It is very difficult to say which of his work is the best but Shakuntalam is the most
popular of his plays. Before the Shakuntalam, Kalidasa had already composed two plays, the
Malavikagnimitra and the Vikramorvasiya. His two Mahakavyas, Raghuvamsa and Kamarasambhava
and the lyrical poem Meghaduta are universally regarded as gems of Sanskrit poetry. Philosophical
literature was also written during this period. The Hindus, Buddhists and Jains all wrote on the
principles of their respective religions. A commentary was written on Sankhya philosophy and also on
Mimansa Sutra. In this perioed Vatsayana wrote a commentary on the philosophy of law, although his
views were contradicted, later on, by Dingnaga Chandra, a great intellect, wrote a book called
‘Dashpadarthastra’.