Gupta

Art

Dashavatara Temple in Deogarh UP

is one of the earliest surviving
Hindu temples. It is a fine example
of Gupta architecture.

Mural paintings of Ajanta depicting

the life of the Buddha as told in the
Jataka tales were created in this
period. Places like Ajanta, Ellora,
Mathura, Sarnath; and
Anuradhapura and Sigiriya in Sri
Lanka bear examples of Gupta art
and architecture.

The Bronze Buddha which is 7.5

feet high and found at Sultanganj is
a product of the Gupta age.

The iron pillar at Mehrauli, Delhi is a

marvellous creation of this period. It
is a 7 m long pillar and it is made
up of a composition of metals such
that it is rust-free

Occult practices like tantrism also

emerged during this time.

The game of chess is said to have

originated from this time. It was
called Chaturanga meaning the four
divisions (of the military such as
infantry (pawn), cavalry (knight),
elephantry (bishop), and chariots
(rook).

Sanskrit was the court language of

the Guptas. Needless to say, Classic
Sanskrit literature saw tremendous
development under their patronage.

Two great epics(Mahakayva), the

Ramayana and the Mahabharata
were compiled around 4AD

The Gupta art is famous for ‘Rupam‘

or concept of beauty.

Works

Allahabad Prasasti Harisena An

inscription. The Allahabad Pillar also
has inscriptions by Ashoka and
Mughal Emperor Jahangir Eulogy
on the conquests of Samudragupta.
Inscribed on the Allahabad Pillar
Samudragupta

Kalidasa

Kumarasambhava

An epic poem depicting birth of

Kartikeya, son of shiva and Parvati

Raghuvamsa

Geneology of Lord Rama. The

Ikshvakus are also known as
Raghuvanshis hence the name.

Malavikagnimitra

Story of love between Agnimitra,

the Sunga Prince and the hand-
maiden of his chief queen, Mālavikā.
Also gives an account of his father
Pushyamitra Sunga’s Rajasuya
Yagna.

Vikramorvasiya

It’s a Sanskrit drama depicting the

love story of Puruvas, a Vedic King
and Urvashi. Puruvas is chosen to
reflect the qualities of Chandragupt
Vikramaditya.

Abhigyana Shakuntala

A sanskrit play which depicts the

story of Dushyanta, king of
Hastinapur, and Shakuntala,
daughter of the sage Vishwamitra
and the apsara Menaka.

Ritusamhara

A mini epic poem on six seasons

(Ritu). Considered to be the earliest
work of Kalidasa.

Meghaduta

Cloud is a messenger. An exiled

yaksha who is pining for his beloved
on a lonely mountain peak

Sudraka

Mricchakatika

Mrichhakatika means a “little clay

cart’. Traces the love story of
Charudatta with Vasantsena. There
is a hindi movie on the same work
starring Rekha and Shekhar Suman.

Vinavasavadatta

padmaprabhritaka

Bhana (short one-act monologue)

Vishakhadatta

Mudrārākṣasa

Mudrarakshasha means “Ring of the

Demon”. It narrates the ascent of
Chandragupta Maurya to throne.

Bhasa

Swapnavasavadatta

tya King Udayan and his queen

Vasavadatta.

Bhartṛhari

Vakyapadiya

treatise on Sanskrit Grammar

Amarasimha

Amarakosha

Sanskrit Grammar

Aryabhatta

Aryabhatiyam

Also mentions Suryasiddhanta.

Aryabhatta is credited with the
discovery of algebra. He formulated
the area of triangle which led to the
origin of Trigonometry. He *did not*
invent zero.

Varahamihira

Panchasiddhanta

Astrology

Gives a summary of 5 schools of

astrology – Surya Siddhanta,
Romaka Siddhanta, Paulisa
Siddhanta, Vasishtha Siddhanta and
Paitamaha Siddhanta. Also
discusses concepts of Trigonometry.

Varahamihira

Brihatsamhita

Astrology

Dhamekh Stupa

Originally built in 249 BCE during

the reign of King Ashoka of the
Maurya Dynasty, this massive and
prominent structure has over time
gone through several expansions
and additions.

Caves

ritual sculptures were placed such

as a Shiva linga and the walls were
richly decorated with more carvings
showing scenes from mythology.

Udayagiri Caves

The Udayagiri caves belonging to

the Gupta period are located in
Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh.

Junagarh Caves

Bagh Caves:

Located on the bank of Baghani

river in the Dhar district of Madhya
Pradesh.

Nasik Caves

A group of 23 caves, also called as

‘Pandav-Leni’.

These caves belong to the Hinayana

Buddhism (have no images of
Buddhas)

they have nothing to do with the

characters of Mahabharata (the
Pandavas).

Temples

Temple 17, Sanchi & Kankali

Temple, Tigwa.

Parvati Temple, Nachnakuthara, MP

Dashavatara Temple, Deogargh &

Durga Temple Aihole, Karnataka

Introduction of Panchayatan style of

temple making

Bhitargaon Temple, Kanpur, Uttar

Pradesh

Ahichhatra Temple (Shiva Temple)

Sculpture

Mathura school also witnessed some

development during the Gupta
period. A prominent sculpture is
Standing Buddha at Matura

Red sandstone image of the Buddha

dated to 500AD

Right hand in abhayamudra,

assuring protection, and the left
holding the hem of the garment

The Sarnath School of Sculpture

The art of Bharhut, Amravati,

Sanchi and Mathura came closer
and closer; melting into one – The
Sarnath School.

Ex- Standing Buddha at Sarnath

Terms

Mahabaladhikrita
Commander-in-Chief

Mahadandanayak
Chief Justice

Mahadandanayak
Chief Justice

Mahasandhivigrahak
Post-war conciliation

Dandapashika
Police department head

Bhandagaradhikreta
Head of Royal treasury

Mahapaksha-patalik
Head of account department

Vinayasthitisansathapak
Head of education department

Sarvadhyaksha
Inspector for all central department

Mahashwapati
Controller of cavalry

Mahamahipilapati
Controller & executor of elephantry

Vinayapura
Official to present different guests
at the King’s court

Yuktapurusha
Office to keep account of war booty

Ranabhandagarika
Officer in charge of Army Stores

Mahanarpati
Head of infantry

9 Gems of ChandraGupta II

Amarasimha
Lexicography
Amarkosa

Dhanvantri
Medicine
Ayurveda

Harisena
Poetry
Allahabad inscriptions (Prayag
Prasasti)

Kalidasa
Drama & poetry
Abhijnasakuntalam, Meghadoota
etc.

Kahapanaka
Astrology
Jyotishyashastra

Sanku
Architecture
Shilpashastra

Varahamihira
Astrology
Brihadsamhita

Vararuchi
Grammar
Vyakarana

Vetalabhatta
Magic
Mantrashastra

Uparika- He was directly appointed

by the king as a provincial governor.

Kumaramatyas- A link between the

central and the provincial
administration under the Guptas
was provided by the officers called
Kumaramatyas and Ayuktas.
Kumaramatyas was a body of top-
ranking officials attached not only to
the king but also to the crown-
prince and sometimes placed in
charge of district.

Gopasramin- In Samudraguptas
period an officer working as
akshapataladhikrita. Their function
was to enter numerous matters in
the accounts register, recover royal
dues and to check embezzlement
and recover fines.

Sandhivigrahika-The foreign
minister, minister of war and peace.
First appeared under the rule of
Samudragupta.

Mahabaldikarta-Commander-in-
Chief.

Mahapratihara- Chief of palace

guards.

Pustapala- Record-keeper.
Maintained record of land
transactions in a district. They were
also known as Karanika.

Vishaya- Vishayas were divided into

smaller parts called Vithis which
were the villages and consisted of
the lowest unit of administration.

Mahattama,Mahattaka and
Mahattara- Elder who assisted the
Gramika in the village
administration.

Agharikas- During the reign of

Harsha, Agharikas looked after the
land given in charity.

Samantas- Feudal chiefs.

Gaulamika- Administration of the

villages was placed under them in
the Satvahana period.

The kingdom (Rajya) was divided

into a number of provinces and they
were known as ‘Bhukti’ in the north
and ‘Mandala’ or ‘Mandalam’ in the
south.

The provinces were sub-divided as

‘Vishaya’ or ‘Bhoga’ in the north
(India) and ‘Kottams’ or ‘Valanadu’
in the south (India)

Some other units of administration

were the districts, which were called
as ‘Adhis,’ ‘Thana,’ or ‘Pattana’ in
the north (India) and ‘Nadu’ in the
south (India)

The group of villages (i.e. modern

tehsil) was known as ‘Vithis’ in the
north (India) and ‘Pattala’ and
‘Kurram’ in the south (India)

The Sarthavaha also repres ented

the trading communities. The
Prathamakulika represented the
crafting communities (artisans) and
Prathamakayastha represented
Government ocial
community.Pustapala were
junior (district level) record ocers

The terms Nivartana, Kulyavapa and

Dronavapa, Adhavapa were used for
Land measurements.

The Araghatta or Ghati Yantras were

the instruments of irrigation which
were known earlier and now
became more popular in Gupta Era.

The governor of ‘Bhukti’ was

appointed by the king and known as
‘Uparika.’

The administrative work was

undertaken by a Board of Advisors,
consisting of four members
representing the various important
sections,
namely

The ‘Nagarsresthis,’ were the chief

of the guild of traders and bankers.
They represented the guilds in
particular and the urban population
in general

The ‘Sarthavaha,’ were the head of

guild of traders and represented the
various trading communities.

The ‘Prathamakulika’ (the chief of

artisan) represented various artisan
classes.

The ‘Prathamakayastha’ might have

represented the government ocial
like the Chief Secretary of the
present day. This body was known
as ‘Adhisthanadhikarana.’

Two New classes of officers were

introduced by the Guptas, namely

Sandhivigrahika, he was the

minister of peace and war i.e.
modern foreign minister

Kumaramatyas, he was a body of

top ranking ocials attached not only
to the king, but also to the crown-
prince, and sometimes placed
as in charge of districts

During the Gupta period, many

known ocials – such as
Mahapratihara, Mahabaladhikrita,
and Mahadandanayaka, etc. used
their title
prefixed with ‘Maha.’ The powers of
all these ocials and ocers emanated
from the king.

Gupta rulers assumed several titles

such as ‘Maharajadhiraja,’
‘Parambhattaraka,’ ‘Parmesvara,’ etc

In Allahabad pillar inscription,

Samudragupta is described as equal
to the Gods Indra, Varuna, Kuvera,
and Varna and also as a ‘God
dwelling
on the earth’. Such titles were used
by the rulers of foreign origin such
as the Greeks, or the Kushanas, but
never by a king of an Indian
origin

The Brihaspatismriti enumerates

eighteen titles of land and adds that
fourteen of these have their origin
in property (Dhanamula) and four in
injury (Himsamula)

Seed weighing units– Kulya, Drona,

Adhaka,Puskala, Kunci and Mushti.