DOCSLIB.ORG

The Guptas 7

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Guptas 7 UNIT The Guptas 7 Learning Objectives To learn the importance of Guptas rule in Indian history. To understand the significance of land grants and its impact on agricultural economy of the empire. To acquaint ourselves with the nature of the society and the socio-economic life of the people of the time. To know the development of culture, art and education during the period. Introduction Sources There are three types of sources for After the Mauryan empire, many small reconstructing the history of the Gupta period. kingdoms rose and fell. In the period from c. I. Literary sources 300 to 700 CE, a classical pattern of an imperial rule evolved, paving the way for state formation Narada, Vishnu, Brihaspati and Katyayana smritis. in many regions. During this period, the Kamandaka’s Nitisara, a work on polity Gupta kingdom emerged as a great power and addressed to the king (400 CE) achieved the political unification of a large part Devichandraguptam and Mudrarakshasam of the Indian subcontinent. It featured a strong by Vishakadutta provide details about the central government, bringing many kingdoms rise of the Guptas. under its hegemony. Feudalism as an institution Buddhist and Jaina texts began to take root during this period. With Works of Kalidasa an effective guild system and overseas trade, Accounts of the Chinese traveller Fahien the Gupta economy boomed. Great works in II. Epigraphical Sources Sanskrit were produced during this period and Mehrauli Iron a high level of cultural maturity in fine arts, Pillar inscription sculpture and architecture was achieved. – achievements of The living standards of upper classes Chandragupta I. reached a peak. Education, art and study of Allahabad Pillar science progressed, but the feudal system of inscription – describing governance put people in some form of hardship. Samudragupta’s Although some historians proclaim that Gupta personality and period was a golden age, it is not entirely achievements in accurate. Many scholars would, however, agree 33 lines composed Mehrauli Iron Pillar that it was a period of cultural florescence and a by Harisena and classical age for the arts. engraved in Sanskrit and in Nagari script. 89 XI History - Lesson 7.indd 89 29-02-2020 12:29:15 III. Numismatic Sources lengthy eulogy on him, inscribed on an Ashokan Coins issued by Gupta pillar, suggests that he was claiming the legacy of kings contain legends the Mauryan kingdom. This inscription gives an and figures. These gold impressive list of kings and regions that succumbed coins tell us about to Samudragupta’s march across the country. the titles the Guptas Four northern kings were conquered assumed and the Vedic mainly in the area around Delhi and western rituals they performed. Uttar Pradesh. The kings of the south and the east were forced to pay homage, and from the Origins of the Gupta Dynasty places mentioned, it appears that Samudragupta Evidence on the origin and antecedents of campaigned down the eastern coast as far as the Gupta dynasty is limited. The Gupta kings Kanchipuram. Nine kings of the western half seem to have risen from the modest origins. of the Ganges Plain were violently uprooted. Chandragupta I, who was the third ruler of the The forest kings (tribal chiefs of Central India Gupta dynasty married Kumaradevi, a Lichchavi and the Deccan) were forced to pay tribute. princess. The marriage is mentioned in the records The kings of Assam and Bengal in eastern India of his successors with pride indicating that that and those of small kingdoms in Nepal and the royal connection would have contributed to the Punjab also paid tribute by submission. Nine rise of Guptas. Lichchavi was an old, established Republics in Rajasthan, including the Malavas gana-sangha and its territory lay between the and Yaudheyas, were forced to accept Gupta’s Ganges and the Nepal Terai. According to suzerainty. In addition, foreign kings, such Allahabad pillar inscription Samudragupta, the as the Daivaputra Shahanushahi (a Kushana illustrious son of Chandragupta I, had conquered title), the Sakas and the king of Lanka also paid the whole fertile plains west of Prayag to Mathura tribute, as mentioned in the eulogy. and launched a spectacular raid through Kalinga into the south as far as Kanchipuram, the Pallava capital. The Puranas mention Magadha, Allahabad and Oudh as the Gupta dominions. 7.1 Chandragupata I and Empire Building The first ruler of the Gupta Empire was Sri Gupta (240–280 CE) who was succeeded by his son Ghatotkacha (280–319 CE). Both Sri Gupta and Ghatotkacha are mentioned as Maharajas in inscriptions. Chandragupta I, the son of Ghatotkacha, ruled from 319 to 335 CE and is considered to be the first great king of the Gupta Empire. Chandragupta held the title of maharaja- adhiraja (great king over other kings). His imperial Allahabad Pillar position is inferred from the records of others. No Historians call Samudragupta the inscriptions or coins have survived from his reign. Napoleon of India. This statement is undeniable. The southern kings paid tribute, 7.2 Samudragupta while the northern kingdoms were annexed to Chandragupta I appointed his son the Gupta Empire under Samudragupta. His Samudragupta to succeed him in 335 CE. A direct control was confined to the Ganges valley, 90 The Guptas XI History - Lesson 7.indd 90 29-02-2020 12:29:15 EMPIRE OF GUPTAS N WE Empire of Guptas S Ancient towns Temples Buddhist temple Stupas Cave temple YAUDHEYAS Indraprastha KOSALA Mathura Kapilavastjhu a ARJUNAYANAS ahmaputr MALAVAS Kushinagar Br Mandasaur Ayodhya Prayaga Nalanda Kashi Rajgriha Ujjayini Gaya Bharut Valabhi Sanchi Tamralipti Girnar MAHAKOSALA BAY OF Ajanta Goda NGA BENGAL Ellora v a LI VAKATAKAS ri KA Puri ARABIAN Krishna Nagarjunakonda SEA Vengi Srisailam Amaravati AS AV LL A A P Kanchi n d a m L a CHOLAS a k CHERA n s h a a n ( d d I w Tanjore ( N I n e N D i e S c D I p o A I b ) i Madurai A s a ) l r a n S i A s d Y l s a ND n PA d SRI s LANKA INDIAN OCEAN Map not to scale The Guptas 91 XI History - Lesson 7.indd 91 29-02-2020 12:29:15 since the Sakas remained unconquered in alliances. He married off his daughter western India. The tribes of Rajasthan paid Prabhavati to a Vakataka prince, who ruled the tribute, but the Punjab was outside the limits strategic lands of Deccan. This alliance was of his authority. Samudragupta’s campaign highly useful when he proceeded against the broke the power of the tribal republics in those Saka rulers of western India. Chandragupta regions that led to repeated invasions from the II conquered western Malwa and Gujarat by Huns. defeating the Saka rulers who had reigned for The relationship with Kushanas is not about four centuries in the region. certain, but with regard to Lanka, its ruler The kingdom’s prosperity grew out of Meghavarman sent presents and requested its trade links with Roman Empire. After permission from Samudragupta to build a establishing himself in eastern and western Buddhist monastery at Gaya. Samudragupta’s India, Chandragupta II defeated northern reign lasted for about 40 years, which must have rulers like the Huns, Kambojas and Kiratas. given him ample time to plan and organise these He was a great conqueror and an able campaigns. He performed the horse-sacrifice administrator as well. His other names ritual to proclaim his military conquests. (as mentioned in coins) include Vikrama, Devagupta, Devaraja, Simhavikrama, Fahien’s account on Mathura and Pataliputra At Mathura, the people are numerous and happy; they do not Samudragupta playing the vina have to register Samudragupta patronised scholars their household. and poets like Harisena and thus promoted Only those who Sanskrit literature. Though an ardent follower cultivate the of Vaishnavism, he also patronised the great royal land have Buddhist scholar Vasubandhu. As a lover to pay a portion of poetry and music, he was given the title of the grain from it. Criminals are “Kaviraja”. His coins bear the insignia of him fined both lightly playing the vina (lute). and heavily depending on the 7.3 Chandragupta II circumstances. Named after In the case of repeated rebellion, their his grandfather, right hands are cut off. Throughout the Chandragupta II was whole country, the people do not kill any a capable ruler, who living creatures or drink any intoxicant. ruled for 40 years from The inhabitants of Pataliputra are rich c. 375 to 415 CE. He and prosperous and vie with one another came to power after a in the practice of benevolence. In the cities, Chandragupta II the Vaisya families establish houses for succession struggle with dispensing charity and medicines. All the his brother Rama Gupta. He is also known as poor and destitute, orphans, widows and Vikramaditya. With the capital at Pataliputra, childless, maimed and cripples are provided Chandragupta II extended the limits of the with every kind of help. Gupta Empire by conquest and matrimonial 92 The Guptas XI History - Lesson 7.indd 92 29-02-2020 12:29:16 Vikramaditya and Sakari. His court had nine 7.4 Gupta’s Administrative jewels or navaratnas, that is, nine eminent System people in various fields of art, literature and science. This included the great Sanskrit poet The King Kalidasa, the Sanskrit scholar Harisena, the lexicographer Amarasimha, and the physician During the Gupta age, political hierarchies can Dhanvantari. Fahien, the Buddhist scholar be identified by the titles adopted. Kings assumed from China, visited India during his reign. He titles such as maharajadhiraja, parama-bhattaraka records the prosperity of the Gupta Empire. and parameshvara.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Succession After Kumaragupta I
    Copyright Notice This paper has been accepted for publication by the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, which is published by Cambridge University Press. A final version of the article will be appearing in the JRAS in 2014. 1 The Succession after Kumāragupta I Pankaj Tandon1 Most dynastic lists of the Gupta kings state that Kumāragupta I was succeeded by Skandagupta. However, it is widely accepted that Skandagupta did not accede to the throne peacefully. Nor is it certain that the succession was immediate, since there is a gap between the known dates of Kumāragupta’s and Skandagupta’s reigns. This paper is concerned with the events following the death of Kumāragupta, using numismatic evidence as the primary source, and inscriptional and other epigraphic evidence as further support. Some of the numismatic evidence is new, and even the evidence that is not new has so far received little attention in the literature on the succession after Kumāragupta. Questions are raised about one particular theory that is presently enjoying some currency, that Skandagupta was challenged primarily by his uncle Ghaṭotkacagupta. Some other possible scenarios for the political events in the period after the death of Kumāragupta I will then be proposed and analyzed. Most authors agree that Skandagupta was not the rightful heir to the throne. While he does announce himself on his inscriptions as the son of Kumāragupta I, his mother is not identified by name in any known text or inscription,2 suggesting that he was, at best, the son of a minor queen of Kumāragupta, or more probably the son of a woman who was not a queen at all.
    [Show full text]
  • Shiva's Waterfront Temples
    Shiva’s Waterfront Temples: Reimagining the Sacred Architecture of India’s Deccan Region Subhashini Kaligotla Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2015 © 2015 Subhashini Kaligotla All rights reserved ABSTRACT Shiva’s Waterfront Temples: Reimagining the Sacred Architecture of India’s Deccan Region Subhashini Kaligotla This dissertation examines Deccan India’s earliest surviving stone constructions, which were founded during the 6th through the 8th centuries and are known for their unparalleled formal eclecticism. Whereas past scholarship explains their heterogeneous formal character as an organic outcome of the Deccan’s “borderland” location between north India and south India, my study challenges the very conceptualization of the Deccan temple within a binary taxonomy that recognizes only northern and southern temple types. Rejecting the passivity implied by the borderland metaphor, I emphasize the role of human agents—particularly architects and makers—in establishing a dialectic between the north Indian and the south Indian architectural systems in the Deccan’s built worlds and built spaces. Secondly, by adopting the Deccan temple cluster as an analytical category in its own right, the present work contributes to the still developing field of landscape studies of the premodern Deccan. I read traditional art-historical evidence—the built environment, sculpture, and stone and copperplate inscriptions—alongside discursive treatments of landscape cultures and phenomenological and experiential perspectives. As a result, I am able to present hitherto unexamined aspects of the cluster’s spatial arrangement: the interrelationships between structures and the ways those relationships influence ritual and processional movements, as well as the symbolic, locative, and organizing role played by water bodies.
    [Show full text]
  • Selected Bibliography
    432 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Abbott, Terry Rae. Vasubandhu's Commentary to the 'SaddharmapuŸÖarîka-sûtra': A Study of its History and Significance. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms, 1986. Ahmed, Nisar. "A Re-examination of the Genealogy and Chronology of the Vâkâ¡akas," Indian Antiquary. ser. 3. 4 (1970): 149-164. Alexander, James Edward. "Notice of a Visit to the Cavern Temples of Adjunta in the East Indies," Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 2 (1830): 362-70. Allen, John. "A Note on the Inscriptions of Cave II." Appendix to Ghulam Yazdani. Ajanta. vol. 2. London: Oxford University Press, 1933. Apte, Vaman Shivram. The Student's Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1970. AsaÝga. Bodhisattvabhûmi. Ed. by Nalinaksha Dutt. Patna: Kashi Prasad Jayaswal Research Institute, 1978. _____. Mahâyâna Sûtralaœkâra. Ed. by Dwarika Das Shastri. Varanasi: Bauddha Bharati, 1985. AÑvagho§a. AÑvagho§a's Buddhacarita, or, Acts of the Buddha. Ed. and trans. by E. H. Johnston. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1984. _____. The Saundarananda of AÑvagho§a. Ed. and trans. by E. H. Johnston. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975. Auboyer, Jeannine. Le Trône et son symbolisme dans l'Inde ancienne. Annales de Musée Guimet, Bibl. d'étdudes 55. Paris: Presses universitaires de France, 1949. _____. "Un aspect du symbolisme de la souveraineté dans l'Inde d'après l'iconographie des trônes," Revue des arts asiatiques. XI (1937): 88-101. Bagchi P. C. "The Eight Great Caityas and their Cult," Indian Historical Quarterly 2 (1941): 223-235. Bailey, Harold. The Culture of the Sakas in Ancient Iranian Khotan. Delmar, NY: Caravan Publishers, 1982.
    [Show full text]
  • Gupta Empire and Their Rulers – History Notes
    Gupta Empire and Their Rulers – History Notes Posted On April 28, 2020 By Cgpsc.Info Home » CGPSC Notes » History Notes » Gupta Empire and Their Rulers Gupta Empire and Their Rulers – The Gupta period marks the important phase in the history of ancient India. The long and e¸cient rule of the Guptas made a huge impact on the political, social and cultural sphere. Though the Gupta dynasty was not widespread as the Maurya Empire, but it was successful in creating an empire that is signiÛcant in the history of India. The Gupta period is also known as the “classical age” or “golden age” because of progress in literature and culture. After the downfall of Kushans, Guptas emerged and kept North India politically united for more than a century. Early Rulers of Gupta dynasty (Gupta Empire) :- Srigupta – I (270 – 300 C.E.): He was the Ûrst ruler of Magadha (modern Bihar) who established Gupta dynasty (Gupta Empire) with Pataliputra as its capital. Ghatotkacha Gupta (300 – 319 C.E): Both were not sovereign, they were subordinates of Kushana Rulers Chandragupta I (319 C.E. to 335 C.E.): Laid the foundation of Gupta rule in India. He assumed the title “Maharajadhiraja”. He issued gold coins for the Ûrst time. One of the important events in his period was his marriage with a Lichchavi (Kshatriyas) Princess. The marriage alliance with Kshatriyas gave social prestige to the Guptas who were Vaishyas. He started the Gupta Era in 319-320C.E. Chandragupta I was able to establish his authority over Magadha, Prayaga,and Saketa. Calendars in India 58 B.C.
    [Show full text]
  • The Gupta Empire: an Indian Golden Age the Gupta Empire, Which Ruled
    The Gupta Empire: An Indian Golden Age The Gupta Empire, which ruled the Indian subcontinent from 320 to 550 AD, ushered in a golden age of Indian civilization. It will forever be remembered as the period during which literature, science, and the arts flourished in India as never before. Beginnings of the Guptas Since the fall of the Mauryan Empire in the second century BC, India had remained divided. For 500 years, India was a patchwork of independent kingdoms. During the late third century, the powerful Gupta family gained control of the local kingship of Magadha (modern-day eastern India and Bengal). The Gupta Empire is generally held to have begun in 320 AD, when Chandragupta I (not to be confused with Chandragupta Maurya, who founded the Mauryan Empire), the third king of the dynasty, ascended the throne. He soon began conquering neighboring regions. His son, Samudragupta (often called Samudragupta the Great) founded a new capital city, Pataliputra, and began a conquest of the entire subcontinent. Samudragupta conquered most of India, though in the more distant regions he reinstalled local kings in exchange for their loyalty. Samudragupta was also a great patron of the arts. He was a poet and a musician, and he brought great writers, philosophers, and artists to his court. Unlike the Mauryan kings after Ashoka, who were Buddhists, Samudragupta was a devoted worshipper of the Hindu gods. Nonetheless, he did not reject Buddhism, but invited Buddhists to be part of his court and allowed the religion to spread in his realm. Chandragupta II and the Flourishing of Culture Samudragupta was briefly succeeded by his eldest son Ramagupta, whose reign was short.
    [Show full text]
  • Component-I (A) – Personal Details
    Component-I (A) – Personal details: Component-I (B) – Description of module: Subject Name Indian Culture Paper Name Outlines of Indian History Module Name/Title Mahajanapadas- Rise of Magadha – Nandas – Invasion of Alexander Module Id I C/ OIH/ 08 Pre requisites Early History of India Objectives To study the Political institutions of Ancient India from earliest to 3rd Century BCE. Mahajanapadas , Rise of Magadha under the Haryanka, Sisunaga Dynasties, Nanda Dynasty, Persian Invasions, Alexander’s Invasion of India and its Effects Keywords Janapadas, Magadha, Haryanka, Sisunaga, Nanda, Alexander E-text (Quadrant-I) 1. Sources Political and cultural history of the period from C 600 to 300 BCE is known for the first time by a possibility of comparing evidence from different kinds of literary sources. Buddhist and Jaina texts form an authentic source of the political history of ancient India. The first four books of Sutta pitaka -- the Digha, Majjhima, Samyutta and Anguttara nikayas -- and the entire Vinaya pitaka were composed between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. The Sutta nipata also belongs to this period. The Jaina texts Bhagavati sutra and Parisisthaparvan represent the tradition that can be used as historical source material for this period. The Puranas also provide useful information on dynastic history. A comparison of Buddhist, Puranic and Jaina texts on the details of dynastic history reveals more disagreement. This may be due to the fact that they were compiled at different times. Apart from indigenous literary sources, there are number of Greek and Latin narratives of Alexander’s military achievements. They describe the political situation prevailing in northwest on the eve of Alexander’s invasion.
    [Show full text]
  • The Guptas 7
    www.tntextbooks.in SPLIT BY - SIS ACADEMY https://t.me/SISACADEMYENGLISHMEDIUM Lesson The Guptas 7 Learning Objectives To learn the importance of Gupta rule in Indian history. To understand the significance of land grants and its impact on agricultural economy of the empire. To acquaint ourselves with the nature of the society and the socio-economic life of the people of the time. To know the development of culture, art and education during the period. Introduction a golden age, it is not entirely accurate. After the Mauryan empire, many small Many scholars would, however, agree that kingdoms rose and fell. In the period from it was a period of cultural florescence and c. 300 to 700 CE, a classical pattern of an a classical age for the arts. imperial rule evolved, paving the way for state formation in many regions. During Sources this period, the Gupta kingdom emerged There are three types of sources for as a great power and achieved the political reconstructing the history of the Gupta unification of a large part of the Indian period. subcontinent. It featured a strong central government, bringing many kingdoms I. Literary sources under its hegemony. Feudalism as an Narada, Vishnu, Brihaspati and institution began to take root during this Katyayana smritis. period. With an effective guild system and overseas trade, the Gupta economy Kamandaka’s Nitisara, a work on boomed. Great works in Sanskrit were polity addressed to the king (400 CE) produced during this period and a high Devichandraguptam and level of cultural maturity in fine arts, Mudrarakshasam by Vishakadutta sculpture and architecture was achieved.
    [Show full text]
  • Issues in Indian Philosophy and Its History
    4 ISSUESININDIAN PHILOSOPHY AND ITS HISTORY 4.1 DOXOGRAPHY AND CATEGORIZATION Gerdi Gerschheimer Les Six doctrines de spéculation (ṣaṭtarkī) Sur la catégorisation variable des systèmes philosophiques dans lInde classique* ayam eva tarkasyālaņkāro yad apratişţhitatvaņ nāma (Śaģkaraad Brahmasūtra II.1.11, cité par W. Halbfass, India and Europe, p. 280) Les sixaines de darśana During the last centuries, the six-fold group of Vaiśeşika, Nyāya, Sāņkhya, Yoga, Mīmāņ- sā, and Vedānta ( ) hasgained increasing recognition in presentations of Indian philosophy, and this scheme of the systems is generally accepted today.1 Cest en effet cette liste de sys- tèmes philosophiques (darśana) quévoque le plus souvent, pour lindianiste, le terme şađ- darśana. Il est cependant bien connu, également, que le regroupement sous cette étiquette de ces six systèmes brahmaniques orthodoxes est relativement récent, sans doute postérieur au XIIe siècle;2 un survol de la littérature doxographique sanskrite fait apparaître quil nest du reste pas le plus fréquent parmi les configurations censées comprendre lensemble des sys- tèmes.3 La plupart des doxographies incluent en effet des descriptions des trois grands sys- tèmes non brahmaniques, cest-à-dire le matérialisme,4 le bouddhisme et le jaïnisme. Le Yoga en tant que tel et le Vedānta,par contre, sont souvent absents de la liste des systèmes, en particulier avant les XIIIe-XIVe siècles. Il nen reste pas moins que les darśana sont souvent considérés comme étant au nombre de six, quelle quen soit la liste. La prégnance de cette association, qui apparaît dès la première doxographie, le fameux Şađdarśanasamuccaya (Compendium des six systèmes) du jaina Haribhadra (VIIIe s.
    [Show full text]
  • ANALYSIS / APPROACH / SOURCE / STRATEGY: GENERAL STUDIES PRE 2020 PAPER - TEAM VISION IAS Observations on CSP 2020
    ... Inspiring Innovation VISION IAS™ www.visionias.in www.visionias.wordpress.com “The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." - Albert Einstein ANALYSIS / APPROACH / SOURCE / STRATEGY: GENERAL STUDIES PRE 2020 PAPER - TEAM VISION IAS Observations on CSP 2020 • This year the paper appeared to be on the tougher side and the options framed were confusing. • The static portions like History, Polity, Geography, Economics, etc. as expected were given due weightage. • Questions in almost all the subjects ranged from easy to medium to difficult level. Few unconventional questions were also seen. This year many questions were agriculture related which were asked from geography, environment and economics perspective. • Few questions asked by UPSC, although inspired by current affairs, required overall general awareness. For instance the questions on Indian elephants, cyber insurance, G-20, Siachen glacier, etc. • Polity questions demanded deeper understanding of the Constitution and its provisions. The options in polity questions were close but very easy basic fundamental questions like DPSP, Right to Equality, etc were asked from regular sources like Laxmikanth. Few Questions covering the governance aspect like Aadhar, Legal Services, etc were also given weightage. • In the History section, Ancient India questions were given more weightage unlike in the previous years, and their difficulty level was also high. Art & Culture and Medieval Indian history also had tough questions. However, the modern history section was of moderate level difficulty overall. • Environment questions unlike previous years did not focus on International climate initiatives and bodies. This year focus lay on environmental issues, application of technology and related concepts like benzene pollution, steel slag, biochar, etc.
    [Show full text]
  • Wbcs Prelims 2020 (Feb-Nov 2019)
    ANCIENT HISTORY for WBCS PRELIMS 2020 (FEB-NOV 2019) JITIN YADAV, IAS ANCIENT HISTORY NOTES FOR WBCS PRELIMS 2020 BY JITIN YADAV, IAS 1 CONTENTS S. No. TOPIC PAGE 1. Sources of India History 3 2. Pre-Historic Period 6 3. Indus Valley Civilization 6 4. Vedic Civilization 9 5. Later Vedic Period 12 6. Jainism 14 7. Buddhism 15 8. Pre-Mauryan Period 17 9. Mauryan Period 18 10. Pre-Gupta Period 20 11. Gupta Dynasty 21 12. Sangam Age 24 13. Ruling Kingdoms of South 27 14. Bengal – Palas and Senas 30 ANCIENT HISTORY NOTES FOR WBCS PRELIMS 2020 BY JITIN YADAV, IAS 2 ANCIENT HISTORY FOR WBCS PRELIMS 2020 SOURCES OF INDIAN HISTORY 1. LITERARY SOURCE • PROTO HISTORIC PERIOD (betWeen pre history and history) o Harrapan script o Vedic literature o Mathematics books § Salva Satra – earliest text of geometry § Aryabhatta – describe decimal system and about zero § Bhaskaracharya – wrote Lilavati o Architecture books § Shilpa Sastra – manual of architecture § Visnudharmattara Purana – information about painting & iconometry o Biographical Literature Author Book Banabhatta Harshacharita Vilhan Vikramanakdev charitram Ananda Bhatta Ballal Charita Sandhyakarnandi Rampal charita Jayanak Prithavi Raj Charita Hemchandra Kumarpal Charitra o Classical Sanskrit Author Book Bhasa Wrote 14 plays Asvaghosh i)Buddha Charitam ii)Sutralankar -philosophy Sudraka Mrichcha Katikam- 1st realistic Sanskrit play Visakhadutta i) Mudrarakshasa –about Kautilya ii) Devi Chandraguptam – about Chandra Gupta Vikramaditya o Statecraft § Arthashastra • Polity book by Kautilya • Book discovered by Sham Ji Shastri ANCIENT HISTORY NOTES FOR WBCS PRELIMS 2020 BY JITIN YADAV, IAS 3 • It has 15 Adhikarnas • Provide details about administration during Mauryan period o Histography – Kalhan Wrote Rajtarangini (history of Kashmir) o Buddhist Literature § Tripitaka • Sutra Pitak – teaching & preaching of Lord Buddha • Vinay Pitak – Monastical rules & regulations • Abhidharma Pitak – Metaphysical & esoteric ideas 2.
    [Show full text]
  • The Vakatakas
    CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM VOL. V INSCRIPTIONS or THE VAKATAKAS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA CORPUS INSCRIPTIONUM INDICARUM VOL. V INSCRIPTIONS OF THE VAKATAKAS EDITED BY Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi, M.A., D.Litt* Hony Piofessor of Ancient Indian History & Culture University of Nagpur GOVERNMENT EPIGRAPHIST FOR INDIA OOTACAMUND 1963 Price: Rs. 40-00 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA PLATES PWNTED By THE MRECTOR; LETTERPRESS P WNTED AT THE JQB PREFACE after the of the publication Inscriptions of the Kalachun-Chedi Era (Corpus Inscrip- tionum Vol in I SOON Indicarum, IV) 1955, thought of preparing a corpus of the inscriptions of the Vakatakas for the Vakataka was the most in , dynasty glorious one the ancient history of where I the best Vidarbha, have spent part of my life, and I had already edited or re-edited more than half the its number of records I soon completed the work and was thinking of it getting published, when Shri A Ghosh, Director General of Archaeology, who then happened to be in Nagpur, came to know of it He offered to publish it as Volume V of the Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Series I was veiy glad to avail myself of the offer and submitted to the work the Archaeological Department in 1957 It was soon approved. The order for it was to the Press Ltd on the printing given Job (Private) , Kanpur, 7th 1958 to various July, Owing difficulties, the work of printing went on very slowly I am glad to find that it is now nearing completion the course of this I During work have received help from several persons, for which I have to record here my grateful thanks For the chapter on Architecture, Sculpture and I found Painting G Yazdam's Ajanta very useful I am grateful to the Department of of Archaeology, Government Andhra Pradesh, for permission to reproduce some plates from that work Dr B Ch Chhabra, Joint Director General of Archaeology, went through and my typescript made some important suggestions The Government Epigraphist for India rendered the necessary help in the preparation of the Skeleton Plates Shri V P.
    [Show full text]
  • History of India
    HISTORY OF INDIA VOLUME - 2 History of India Edited by A. V. Williams Jackson, Ph.D., LL.D., Professor of Indo-Iranian Languages in Columbia University Volume 2 – From the Sixth Century B.C. to the Mohammedan Conquest, Including the Invasion of Alexander the Great By: Vincent A. Smith, M.A., M.R.A.S., F.R.N.S. Late of the Indian Civil Service, Author of “Asoka, the Buddhist Emperor of India” 1906 Reproduced by Sani H. Panhwar (2018) Preface by the Editor This volume covers the interesting period from the century in which Buddha appeared down to the first centuries after the Mohammedans entered India, or, roughly speaking, from 600 B.C. to 1200 A.D. During this long era India, now Aryanized, was brought into closer contact with the outer world. The invasion of Alexander the Great gave her at least a touch of the West; the spread of Buddhism and the growth of trade created new relations with China and Central Asia; and, toward the close of the period, the great movements which had their origin in Arabia brought her under the influences which affected the East historically after the rise of Islam. In no previous work will the reader find so thorough and so comprehensive a description as Mr. Vincent Smith has given of Alexander’s inroad into India and of his exploits which stirred, even if they did not deeply move, the soul of India; nor has there existed hitherto so full an account of the great rulers, Chandragupta, Asoka, and Harsha, each of whom made famous the age in which he lived.
    [Show full text]