Gupta Dynasty

I

Introduction

Gupta Dynasty, Indian dynasty ruling from ad 320 to c. 540, a period traditionally regarded as a golden age of classical culture in India.

II

Gupta History and Politics

The origin of the Guptas is somewhat obscure. On the basis of the provenance of the early Gupta coin hoards and the distribution of important Gupta inscriptions, historians have now come to accept the Gangetic plain in the south of modern Uttar Pradesh as the original home of the Guptas. The Gupta regime was based on the old kingdom of Magadha.

The Gupta era dates from the accession of Chandragupta I (reigned c. 320-c. 330), who laid the foundation of the empire around 319-320. A lengthy eulogy to Samudragupta (reigned c. 330-c. 380), the son and successor of Chandragupta I, inscribed on a pillar in Allahabad, provides detailed descriptions of his impressive military achievements. In real terms, however, Samudragupta’s direct political control was confined to the Ganges valley, since the kings of southern India and the Deccan Plateau, as well as the tribes in the regions of the Punjab and modern Rajasthan, were not under his suzerainty, but merely paid him tribute.

Gupta power reached its apogee under Chandragupta II (reigned c. 380-415). In the east the frontiers of his empire stretched to the coast of Bengal, and in the west they reached beyond the main channel of the Brahmaputra. During his reign the republican states to the west of Mathura were finally integrated with the Gupta kingdom, western India was added to it, and the Deccan was brought under its orbit of direct influence. The reign of Kumaragupta I (reigned c. 415-454) was one of peace and relative inactivity. Towards the end of this period, however, peace was disturbed by the invasion of an enemy whose identity has not been definitely established. Far more serious was the threat of invasion by the Huns, and Skandagupta (reigned c. 454-467) had to concentrate on defending the kingdom against external threats throughout his reign.

After Skandagupta’s death, the Guptas were unable to resist the repeated waves of Hun invasions and central authority declined rapidly. The succession of the kings that followed him is uncertain. A number of administrative seals have been discovered with the names of the same kings, but in a varied order of succession, which points to a confused close of the dynasty. A major blow came at the end of the 5th century, when the Huns successfully broke through into northern India, and by the mid-6th century much of northern and central India was under Hunnish rule.

III

Gupta Religion

The rise of the Guptas was paralleled by the emergence of the canonical Hinduism of the Puranas. All the major aspects of Brahminical religion, with which Puranic Hinduism came to be identified in later centuries, crystallized in this period. The image of the deity emerged as the centre of worship, and worship superseded sacrifice as the main form of devotion, although a sacrificial offering to the image remained central to the ritual. This in turn encouraged bhakti devotionalism, which consisted of an intense personal attachment to the object of worship. Brahminical reaction against Buddhism and Jainism also became stronger. As a result, social stratification based on caste and the supremacy of the Brahmins received much greater emphasis.

IV

Gupta Society and Economy

The social supremacy of the Brahmins is also reflected in the economy of the Gupta period, as attested by the frequency of tax-free land grants made to them. Villages, along with their inhabitants, revenue due to the king, and even administrative and judicial rights, were transferred to the religious beneficiaries. With the emergence of a localized self-sufficient economy, characterized by the decline of trade and urban centres, land grants to secular officials (either in lieu of salary or as a reward for services) also became popular. As a result, the freedom of the peasantry was curtailed and their mobility was restricted.