The Age of the Guptas

Which of the following is true according to the Chinese traveller, Fa-hien?

1. Though people were prosperous, they led simple lives
2. Though people were poor, they led extravagant lives
3. People were rich and extravagant
4. Though the cities were flourishing, people were poor

Answer

Though people were prosperous, they led simple lives

Reason — Fa-hien observed that although the people of the Gupta empire were wealthy, they led simple lives, generally following the Buddhist rules of conduct.

According to Fa-hien which of the following was a major city in the Gupta empire?

1. Rajagriha
2. Vaishali
3. Patliputra
4. Mathura

Answer

Patliputra

Reason — Fa-hien described Pataliputra as a flourishing city with numerous charitable institutions, including a hospital endowed by benevolent citizens.

The Prayaga Prashasti was composed by ............... in honour of ............... .

1. Fa-hien, Chandragupta II
2. Harisena, Samudragupta
3. Harisena, Chandragupta II
4. Fa-hien, Chandragupta I

Answer

Harisena, Samudragupta

Reason — The Allahabad Pillar Inscription, also known as the Prayaga Prashasti, was composed by Harisena, the court poet of Samudragupta, in his praise.

Who was the first independent king with the title of 'Maharajadhiraja' or 'the king of kings'?

1. Chandragupta I
2. Chandragupta II
3. Samudragupta
4. Srigupta

Answer

Chandragupta I

Reason — Chandragupta I was the first independent king of the Gupta dynasty to assume the title Maharajadhiraja, meaning 'the king of kings'.

How did Samudragupta or the Napoleon of India rule the southern kingdoms?

1. He kept the kingdoms under his direct control.
2. He allowed the defeated rulers to rule again over their kingdoms.
3. The defeated rulers paid tribute and attended Samudragupta's court.
4. All of the above

Answer

He allowed the defeated rulers to rule again over their kingdoms.

Reason — Samudragupta defeated the southern rulers but liberated them and, after making them accept his authority, allowed them to rule again over their kingdoms.

Which of the following is incorrect?

1. Vikramaditya : Sakari
2. Chandragupta II : Vikramaditya
3. Chandragupta I : Maharajadhiraja
4. Samudragupta : Sakari

Answer

Samudragupta : Sakari

Reason — The title Sakari, meaning conqueror of the Sakas, belonged to Chandragupta II, not Samudragupta, who was known as the 'Napoleon of India'.

Who is represented as slaying a lion on some coins with the legend Simha-Vikrama?

1. Chandragupta I
2. Chandragupta II
3. Samudragupta
4. Rudrasena II

Answer

Chandragupta II

Reason — Chandragupta II is represented as slaying a lion with the legend Simha-Vikrama, whereas Samudragupta is shown slaying a tiger.

Which of the following is incorrect?

1. Bhukti : Uparika
2. Vishaya: Vishayapati
3. Vithis : Vithipala
4. Janapadas: Purapala

Answer

Vithis : Vithipala

Reason — Vithis were small towns or villages managed by the village headman; there was no officer called Vithipala, whereas the other pairings of unit and officer are correct.

(A) Fa-hein made careful unbiased observations about conditions during the Gupta period.

(R) According to him, the Gupta Empire was prosperous and governed by enlightened principles.

1. (R) contradicts (A)
2. (R) is the reason for (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false.
4. (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

Answer

(R) is the reason for (A)

Explanation — The Gupta Empire was indeed prosperous and governed by enlightened principles. Fa-hein’s unbiased observations about the Gupta period could have been influenced by the prosperity and enlightened principles of the Gupta Empire.

(A) Samudragupta uprooted the nine rulers of Aryavarta and made their kingdoms a part of his empire.

(R) Samudragupta defeated the twelve rulers of Dakshinapatha and annexed their kingdoms.

1. (R) contradicts (A)
2. (R) is the reason for (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false.
4. (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

Answer

(A) is true but (R) is false.

Explanation — Samudragupta defeated the twelve rulers of Dakshinapatha but did not annex their kingdoms. When they surrendered, they were liberated and allowed to rule again over their kingdoms.

(A) Unlike the Mauryan Empire, the Gupta administration was decentralised in nature.

(R) Local kings and smaller chiefs ruled a large part of the Gupta empire.

1. (R) contradicts (A)
2. (R) is the reason for (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false.
4. (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

Answer

(R) is the reason for (A)

Explanation — The Gupta administration was decentralised in nature, which is explained by the fact that local kings and smaller chiefs ruled a large part of the Gupta empire.

(A) Unlike the earlier phase in history, the Gupta temples were not made of perishable material.

(R) The Gupta period marked the beginning of writing of important works like the Puranas.

1. (R) contradicts (A)
2. (R) is the reason for (A)
3. (A) is true but (R) is false.
4. (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

Answer

(A) and (R) are independent of each other.

Explanation — The temples in Gupta period were built of solid materials like bricks and stone. The Gupta period marks the beginning of the writing of the literature known as Puranas. These texts refer to the stories about the Hindu gods.

Who was Fa-hien? What did he say about India?

Answer

During the reign of Chandragupta II, the Chinese pilgrim Fa-hien observed a prosperous Magadha and a flourishing Pataliputra, which featured charitable institutions and a hospital. He noted that the wealthy population lived simply, adhered to Buddhist conduct, and harmoniously coexisted across Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Furthermore, Hindu deities were widely depicted in art and coinage, while the state maintained social order through a mild penal code where offenses were primarily penalized by fines.

Who was the ruler when Fa-hien visited India? Name the three places of pilgrimage that Fa-hien visited in India.

Answer

Chandragupta II was the ruler when Fa-hien visited India.

The three places of pilgrimage that Fa-hien visited in India were:

1. Mathura
2. Kannauj
3. Kapilavastu

Name two dramas written by Kalidasa.

Answer

Two dramas written by Kalidasa were:

1. Abhijnanashakuntalam
2. Malavikagnimitram

Why is the Gupta period known as the Golden Age of Indian culture?

Answer

The Gupta period is known as the Golden Age of Indian culture because of the high level of civilisation and culture of this period. Along with the revival of Hinduism, the power of creativity was unleashed in the fields of education, literature, arts, architecture and science. This period also saw the extension of this influence beyond India's frontiers.

How was Samudragupta a bold and great conqueror?

Answer

Samudragupta was a bold and great conqueror as he defeated all the rulers of his time and extended his empire from Brahmaputra in east to rivers Yamuna and Chambal in the west and from Himalayas in the north to Narmada in south. It is because of his bravery and generalship that he is known as 'Napoleon of India'. During his famous Deccan campaign he covered more than 3000 miles through dense forests. Though he defeated many powerful rulers, he did not annex southern territories. He made the southern kings accept his authority and allowed them to rule.

Name the famous university that existed during the Gupta period. In which present day state is it situated?

Answer

The famous university that existed during the Gupta period was Nalanda University.

It is presently located at Nalanda in Rajagriha in Bihar.

Name any two titles adopted by the Gupta rulers.

Answer

Two titles adopted by the Gupta rulers were:

1. Sakari
2. Maharajadhiraja

During the Gupta period name the officer who (i) collected toll tax; and (ii) the one who was in charge of a province or bhukti.

Answer

1. The officer who collected toll taxes was Shaulkika.
2. The officer who was incharge of a province or bhukti was Uparika.

Name any two famous literary figures of the Gupta Age.

Answer

Two literary figures of the Gupta Age were:

1. Kalidasa
2. Harisena

What contribution did Aryabhatta make in the field of science?

Answer

Aryabhatta was a great astronomer and mathematician. The main contributions he made in the field of science are:

1. He said that the earth moves around the sun.
2. He discovered the rule for finding the area of a triangle.
3. He calculated the exact value of pi which was equal to 3.1416. The credit for development of trigonometry should actually go to him.
4. In his work Surya Siddhanta, he explained the exact causes of solar and lunar eclipses.
5. He was well acquainted with the decimal system and use of 'zero'.

With reference to the sources of information about the Gupta Age, write short notes on the following:

(a) Accounts of Fa-hien

(b) The Allahabad Pillar Inscription

(c) Nalanda University

Answer

(a) Accounts of Fa-hien — Fa-hien was the earliest Chinese pilgrim who visited India on a religious mission during the reign of Chandragupta II. During his stay in India, he went to Mathura, Kannauj, Kapilavastu, Kushinagar, Vaishali, Pataliputra, Kashi and Rajagriha. He gave unbiased details of that period. He gave following accounts:

1. According to him, Magadha was a prosperous country with large towns.
2. Pataliputra was a flourishing city with numerous charitable institutions including a hospital.
3. People were wealthy but led simple lives following the Buddhist rule of conduct.
4. Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Buddhism and Jainism were main religions. People had no ill-will towards other sects.
5. Hindu Gods and Goddesses were depicted on coins and also in sculptures and paintings.
6. The penal code was mild and the offences were ordinarily punished by fines only.

(b) The Allahabad Pillar Inscription — It is one of the important epigraphic evidences of the Imperial Guptas. It is also known as Prayag Prashasti and is written in praise of Samudragupta by his court poet Harisena. It describes the reign of Guptas in ancient India. It provides an impressive list of Kings and Tribal republics that were conquered by Samudragupta. The inscription is also important because of the political geography of India that it indicates by naming the different Kings and people who populated India in the first half of the 4th century AD.

(c) Nalanda University — Located in Rajagriha ,Bihar, Nalanda University was ancient India's most renowned post-graduate institution, featuring imposing buildings, eight colleges, and three great libraries (Ratnasagar, Ratnadadhi, and Ratnaranjak). Enclosed by a brick wall, it hosted over 10,000 students and teachers from across Asia, including China, Japan, and Tibet. Admission was highly selective, with a rigorous entrance exam that only about 20% of the most brilliant students passed. The curriculum comprehensively covered the four Vedas, logic, grammar, medicine, various philosophical schools, and Buddhist works, until the university was ultimately destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji.

With reference to the Age of the Guptas, answer the following questions:

(a) Explain the extent of Samudragupta's Empire based on the information given in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription.

(b) Explain how Chandragupta II expanded his empire.

(c) Briefly mention any four observations of Fa-hien about the reign of Chandragupta II.

Answer

(a) According to The Allahabad inscription, the empire of Samudragupta extended from Brahmaputra in east to rivers Yamuna and Chambal in the west and from Himalayas in the north to Narmada in south. He further extended his empire upto the Chambal river by defeating the Naga kings of Mathura, Gwalior and Ahichhatra.

(b) Chandragupta II expanded his empire by conquering the territories of Sakas of Malwa, Gujarat and Saurashtra. For this he was given the title 'Sakari'. Chandragupta II entered into matrimonial alliance as a part of foreign policy, he married Kuberanaga of the Naga family. The Nagas were a powerful ruling clan and this matrimonial alliance helped the Gupta ruler in expanding his empire. The marriage of Chandragupta's daughter, Prabhavati with Vakataka ruler, Rudrasena II helped him to establish his political influence in the Deccan.

(c) Four observations of Fa-hien about Chandragupta II's reign were:

1. Magadha was a prosperous country with large towns and wealthy population.
2. Pataliputra was a flourishing city with numerous charitable institutions including a charitable hospital.
3. Although people were wealthy yet they led simple lives, observing the Buddhist rules of conduct.
4. Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Buddhism and Jainism were main religions. People had no ill-will towards other sects.

With reference to the administrative system of the Guptas, answer the following questions:

(a) Explain the position and powers of the king during the Gupta Age.

(b) Describe briefly the administration of villages during the Gupta period.

(c) According to the Allahabad Pillar, how many types of rulers existed during Samudragupta's reign? How did Samudragupta deal with them?

Answer

(a) During the Gupta period, the prevailing form of government was a powerful divine monarchy. Kings were compared to protective gods like Vishnu and Yama, claiming a divine right to rule. As supreme leaders, they held absolute political, military, and judicial power,serving as commander-in-chief, appointing all governors and officials, and acting as the final authority on justice. Furthermore, the king owned all land, controlling everything from tax collection and dam construction to awarding titles and claiming all unclaimed property.

(b) The village administration was managed by the village headman. The small towns or villages were called vithis. Leading local elements participated in the administration of the village. No land transaction could be effected without their consent and this may have been also true of other important affairs. Thus, villages in the Gupta period were managed from grassroot level.

(c) The Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta describes four different kinds of rulers and tells us about Samudragupta's policies towards them:

1. The nine rulers of Aryavarta were uprooted and their kingdoms were made a part of Samudragupta's empire.
2. The twelve rulers of Dakshinapatha (South India), who surrendered to Samudragupta after being defeated, were liberated and allowed to rule again over their kingdoms.
3. The inner circle of neighbouring states, including Assam, Coastal Bengal, Nepal and a number of Gana Sanghas in the north west paid tribute, followed his orders and attended his court.
4. The rulers of the outlying areas submitted to him and offered their daughters in marriage.

With reference to the picture given alongside, answer the following:

(a) Identify the temple given in the picture. Where is it located? To whom is this temple dedicated?

(b) Mention the architectural features of this temple.

(c) Briefly describe the famous educational institution set up during this period.

Answer

(a) The given temple is Dashavatara Temple, also called Vishnu temple. It is located in Deogarh, 125km from Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.
This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the God of preservation, who is shown asleep on the coil of the giant serpent called Sheshnaga.

(b) The architectural features of Dashavatara temple are:

1. It was built of stone and bricks on a 1.5 metre high platform.
2. Four stairways outside the platform provide access to the temple.
3. Its exterior is decorated with scenes from Ramayana. The entrance and pillars were adorned with countless paintings and carvings.
4. It was the first North Indian temple with a Shikhara or tower, although a part of it has disappeared.

(c) The educational institution set up during this period was Nalanda University. Located in Bihar, Nalanda University was ancient India's premier post-graduate institution, featuring eight patron-built colleges and three great libraries (Ratnasagar, Ratnadadhi, and Ratnaranjak). It hosted over 10,000 international students and teachers, offering a vast curriculum including the four Vedas, grammar, logic, medicine, philosophy, and Buddhist works. Admission was highly selective, accepting only the top 20% of applicants through a rigorous entrance exam, before the university was ultimately destroyed by Bakhtiyar Khilji.

Imagine a meeting between Fa-hein and Harisena. Write down the discussion between them about religion in Gupta period. How would they had conversed with each other due to the barrier of language the two had?

Answer

Fa-hien was the earliest chinese pilgrim who visited India on a religious mission. He met Harisena, a poet in the court of Samudragupta. Harisena told him that the Gupta Kings are followers of Hinduism and worship hindu gods like Vishnu, Lakshmi, Narashimha, Vamana. But there is great religious tolerance in the society and the main religions that are flourishing are Buddhism, Jainism, Shaivism. The Gupta kings are great patrons of religion. They built many temples and supported religious institutions of all kinds. They also promoted religious tolerance and did not discriminate against any particular religion. The common people have a great deal of freedom to practice their religion in their own way.
Fa-hien was a translator. He learned Sanskrit and translated a large number of Sanskrit Buddhist texts into Chinese. Hence, he would have conversed with Harisena in Sanskrit overcoming the language barrier.

What role did the Gupta Kings play in promoting religion? Do you think that the religion followed by the rulers gained prominence? Give reasons to support your answer.

Answer

The Gupta king played an important role in promoting Hinduism. They worshipped Lord Vishnu. They built many temples with remarkable details. Dashavatara temple is one of them. They followed the culture of Vedic sacrifices like Ashvamedha Yajna. The Gupta kings remained tolerant towards other religions. Their main aim was development and growth of people and not the religion.

Yes, during the reign of the Gupta Kings, Hinduism gained prominence. The theory of divinity of kings became popular during this period and the Gupta Kings were compared to different Gods such as Yama, Varuna, Indra, Kubera and Vishnu. During Gupta period temples were built with elaborate details which helped in promoting Hinduism. The lack of royal partonage is also cited as one of the reasons for decline of other religions like Buddhism and Jainism.