Gupta Dynasty :: In Indian history we get the description of many dynasties. Almost all the dynasties of India have ruled in northern India. We get to see the origin of one such empire in India in the 3rd and 4th centuries. We know this empire by the name of Gupta dynasty.
In this article you will be told about this Gupta dynasty and Gupta dynasty. Therefore, you must read this article till the end so that you can get complete information regarding it.
History of Gupta Dynasty | Gupta Dynasty
Origin of Gupta Dynasty
The origin of the Gupta Empire is considered to be in the 3rd century. This dynasty has ruled for about 300 years and in these 300 years many brave warriors have originated in this dynasty. Srigupta is considered as the founder of the Gupta dynasty, it is believed that he laid the foundation of the Gupta dynasty. In the Poona inscription of Prabhavati Gupta, a ruler of the Gupta dynasty, Shrigupta is addressed as “Adiraj”.
It is said that in ancient times, Shrigupta had also built a temple for all the Chinese travelers who come to visit India. These incidents have been mentioned by a Chinese traveler Itsing himself in his travelogue. Itsing also came to India during the time of the Gupta Empire and he had described the incident of his journey in his travelogue.
Gupta Empire
It is believed that the writing of prashasti was first developed during the period of the kings of Gupta dynasty. Prashasti is known as writing style. At that time these prashastis were composed to praise the kings. Along with the praise of the kings, we also get information about the Gupta dynasty from those praises. Some of the main prashasti writers of ancient times were Harisena, Vatsabhatti, Vasul etc., who used to do the work of writing prashasti at that time.
Due to his writing style, we get many types of information about the Gupta Empire. From his writing style, we get information about Harshacharita and Kadambari Harshavardhana etc.
Genealogy of the Gupta Empire
Many inscriptions and copper plates of the Gupta period have been found by historians, from which information about their empire and great rulers in their dynasties is available. The description of all those kings is as follows, some prominent kings of the Gupta dynasty:
Chandragupta I
It is said that in the Kushan period, with the end of the power of Magadha state and the importance of that state, Chandragupta I had restored this state. Chandragupta extended his empire to Saket and present-day Prayagraj. At that time this kingdom was known as Magadha. It is also believed that Chandragupta I married a princess of the Lichchavi dynasty. Chandragupta I was also addressed by the title of Maharajadhiraj.
Samudragupta
Samudragupta is considered the son of Chandragupta I and Samudragupta was considered the greatest of all the Gupta dynasty rulers. Samudragupta was a great ruler who was himself a poet, musician, scholar and a great warrior. Samudragupta was also considered a skilled ruler who was a follower of Hinduism and at the same time he respected religions like Buddhism and Jainism.
He was a secular type king who respected all religions and he followed a policy of religious tolerance in relation to religion. Samudragupta was a great ruler and we get information about his victories from the Allahabad Prashasti. If you have heard the name of Eran inscription, then you will know that we get information about Samudragupta from Eranpura inscription and coins as well.
It has also been told in a prashasti written in Sanskrit language by the poet Harishena that Samudragupta had defeated nine states around him, including Delhi, western Uttar Pradesh and its surrounding areas. Along with this, it is also said that Samudragupta had conquered about 12 states and subjugated them, including the states of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Pallava etc.
Vikrama II
Vikramadviya is also known as Chandragupta II. We also get information about other names of Chandragupta II in different prashasti, which includes Devraj and Devgupta etc. Many inscriptions have been found at different places in the country like Udayagiri, Sanchi, Mathura, Mehrauli etc. The sources of information about Chandrarupta II are found in the praises.
From all these inscriptions we get evidence of Chandragupta’s bravery, in which it is told that Chandragupta II had defeated Gujarat and states like Malwa and Saurashtra under him. Chandragupta II had made Ujjayini i.e. Ujjain his capital.
Kumaragupta I
It is also known as a great ruler in Gupta dynasty history. We get sources of information about Kumarpal I from many Bhitari inscriptions, Bhilsad inscriptions, Garhwa inscriptions and Mankuwar idol inscriptions.
skandagupta
Skandagupta, the son of Kumarapala, was also such a ruler who defeated the Shakas and Hunas and after defeating them, Skandagupta also assumed the title of Shankar II. At the time when Kumar Pal’s son Skandagupta had defeated the Shakas and the Hunas, the Shakas attacked several times in the north-west parts of India.
Above you have been told about some rulers of Gupta dynasty, who have done many great things during the rule of Gupta dynasty.
Some other rulers of the Gupta dynasty who belonged to the Gupta dynasty are as follows:
srigupta
Ghatotkach
Chandragupta I
samudragupta
Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya)
kumaragupta/mahendraditya
skandagupta
purugupt
Narasimhagupta (Baladitya)
Kumaragupta II, Budhgupta, Bhanugupta
Vainyagupta, Kumaragupta II
Vishnugupta III
Important facts related to Gupta dynasty
The Gupta dynasty was such an empire, during whose reign only decentralized tendencies have increased.
It was the three rulers of the Gupta dynasty who assumed the title of Vikrama II, which includes Samudragupta, Chandragupta and Skandagupta.
The condition of women also deteriorated during this rule. The tenure of this regime was very bad for women. During this period, many practices like child marriage, sati system, devadasi system and purdah system started increasing for women.
Bharatpur is the only district of Rajasthan where maximum Gupta coins have been found.
The emblem of the kings of the Gupta dynasty was the Garuna and only the Garuna type of coins were inscribed with the royal decree. His coins always had the symbol of Garuda.
When the Mahabharata and Ramayana period ended, then the beginning of the Gupta dynasty is considered.
We must have seen many ancient temples around us, among them the temple of Devgarh and Dashavatar is also built during the period of this Gupta dynasty. This temple is built in Panchayatan style.
The ancient temple of Udayagiri has been built during the period of Gupta dynasty, in which the huge idol of 12 incarnations of Vishnu is very famous.
The caves of Ajanta are also very famous, among them caves 16, 17 and 19 were also built during this period.
Mathematics and astrology have developed a lot during the period of Gupta dynasty. Some of the kings of this dynasty were mathematicians and experts themselves.
The composition of the astrology book “Panchsiddhantika” and the Ayurveda text named Ashtangasangraha by Nagarjuna have also been composed in the Gupta period.
The Puranas that we talk about have also been composed in the Gupta period.
The development of surgery also took place in the Gupta period.
fall of the Gupta dynasty
It is believed that Skandagupta died in the year 467, but even after this, this dynasty continued for a further 100 years and became weak with time. The last ruler of the Gupta dynasty was Vishnugupta III.
Who founded the Gupta dynasty?
The Gupta dynasty was founded by Shrigupta.
To what extent was the empire expansion of the Gupta dynasty?
The empire expansion of the Gupta dynasty extended to North India as well as Central India and South India.
Who is considered the greatest ruler of the Gupta dynasty?
Although all the rulers of the Gupta dynasty were great, but we can call Samudragupta great. Because many of his information is found in the sources of history, which makes him great.
Where was the capital of the Gupta Empire?
The capital of the Gupta Empire is considered to be Pataliputra.
What were the main languages of the Gupta Empire?
Sanskrit and Prakrit languages were mainly spoken in the Gupta Empire.
