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BeforetheGuptas
WhenthelastoftheMauryankingswasassassinatedin184BC,Indiaonceagainbecameacollectionofunfederatedkingdoms.During
thisperiod,themostpowerfulkingdomswerenotinthenorth,butintheDeccantothesouth,particularlyinthewest.Thenorth,
however,remainedculturallythemostactive,whereBuddhismwasspreadingandwhereHinduismwasbeinggraduallyremadebythe
Upanishadicmovements,whicharediscussedinmoredetailinthesectiononreligioushistory.Thedream,however,ofauniversal
empirehadnotdisappeared.ItwouldberealizedbyanorthernkingdomandwouldusherinoneofthemostcreativeperiodsinIndian
history.
TheGuptaDynasty(320550)
UnderChandraguptaI(320335),empirewasrevivedinthenorth.LikeChandraguptaMaurya,hefirstconqueredMagadha,setup
hiscapitalwheretheMauryancapitalhadstood(Patna),andfromthisbaseconsolidatedakingdomovertheeasternportionofnorthern
India.Inaddition,ChandraguptarevivedmanyofAsoka'sprinciplesofgovernment.Itwashisson,however,Samudragupta(335
376),andlaterhisgrandson,ChandraguptaII(376415),whoextendedthekingdomintoanempireoverthewholeofthenorthand
thewesternDeccan.ChandraguptaIIwasthegreatestoftheGuptakingscalledVikramaditya(TheSunofPower),hepresidedover
thegreatestculturalageinIndia.
ThisperiodisregardedasthegoldenageofIndianculture.Thehighpointsofthisculturalcreativityaremagnificentandcreative
architecture,sculpture,andpainting.ThewallpaintingsofAjantaCaveinthecentralDeccanareconsideredamongthegreatestand
mostpowerfulworksofIndianart.ThepaintingsinthecaverepresentthevariouslivesoftheBuddha,butalsoarethebestsourcewe
haveofthedailylifeinIndiaatthetime.TherearefortyeightcavesmakingupAjanta,mostofwhichwerecarvedoutoftherock
between460and480,andtheyarefilledwithBuddhistsculptures.TherocktempleatElephanta(nearBombay)containsapowerful,
eighteenfootstatueofthethreeheadedShiva,oneoftheprincipleHindugods.EachheadrepresentsoneofShiva'sroles:Thatof
creating,thatofpreserving,andthatofdestroying.TheperiodalsosawdynamicbuildingofHindutemples.Allofthesetemples
containahallandatower.
ThegreatestwriterofthetimewasKalidasa.PoetryintheGuptaagetendedtowardsafewgenres:Religiousandmeditativepoetry,
lyricpoetry,narrativehistories(themostpopularofthesecularliteratures),anddrama.Kalidasaexcelledatlyricpoetry,butheisbest
knownforhisdramas.Wehavethreeofhisplaysallofthemaresuffusedwithepicheroism,withcomedy,andwitherotics.Theplays
allinvolvemisunderstandingandconflict,buttheyallendwithunity,order,andresolution.
TheGuptastendedtoallowkingstoremainasvassalkingsunliketheMauryas,theydidnotconsolidateeverykingdomintoasingle
administrativeunit.ThiswouldbethemodelforlaterMughalruleandBritishrulebuiltoffoftheMughalparadigm.
TheGuptasfellprey,however,toawaveofmigrationsbytheHuns,apeoplewhooriginallylivednorthofChina.TheHunmigrations
wouldpushallthewaytothedoorsofRome.Beginninginthe400's,theHunsbegantoputpressureontheGuptas.In480they
conqueredtheGuptasandtookovernorthernIndia.WesternIndiawasoverrunby500,andthelastoftheGuptakings,presidingover
avastlydimishedkingdom,perishedin550.AstrangethinghappenedtotheHunsinIndiaaswellasinEurope.Overthedecadesthey
graduallyassimilatedintotheindigenouspopulationandtheirstateweakened.
Harsha,whowasadescendantoftheGuptas,quicklymovedtoreestablishanIndianempire.From606647,heruledoveranempire
innorthernIndia.HarshawasperhapsoneofthegreatestconquerorsofIndianhistory,andunlikeallofhisconqueringpredecessors,he
wasabrilliantadministrator.Hewasalsoagreatpatronofculture.Hiscapitalcity,Kanauj,extendedforfourorfivemilesalongthe
GangesRiverandwasfilledwithmagnificentbuildings.Onlyonefourthofthetaxeshecollectedwenttoadministrationofthe
government.Theremainderwenttocharity,rewards,andespeciallytoculture:Art,literature,music,andreligion.
Becauseofextensivetrade,thecultureofIndiabecamethedominantculturearoundtheBayofBengal,profoundlyanddeeply
influencingtheculturesofBurma,Cambodia,andSriLanka.Inmanyways,theperiodduringandfollowingtheGuptadynastywasthe
periodofGreaterIndia,aperiodofculturalactivityinIndiaandsurroundingcountriesbuildingoffofthebaseofIndianculture.This
medievalfloweringofIndianculturewouldradicallychangecourseintheIndianMiddleAges.FromthenorthcameMuslimconquerors
outofAfghanistan,andtheageofMuslimrulebeganin1100.

DeclineOfTheGuptaEmpire
ThelastgreatkingoftheGuptawasSkandaGuptawasascendedthethroneabout455A.D.EvenduringthelateryearsofKumar
Gupta'sreign,theempirewasattackedbyatribecalledPushyamitrabutitwasrepulsed,Andimmediatelyaftertheaccessionof
SkandaGupta,Hunasmadeinroads,buttheytoowererepelled.
However,freshwavesofInvadersarrivedandshatteredthefabricoftheGuptaEmpire.AlthoughinthebeginningtheGuptaking
SkandaGuptatriedeffectivelytostemthemarchoftheHunasintoIndia,hissuccessorsprovedtobeweakandcouldnotcopewiththe
Hunainvaders,whoexcelledinhorsemanshipandwhopossiblyusedstirrupsmadeofmetal,AlthoughtheHunapowerwassoon
overthrownbyYasodharmanofMalwa,theMalwaprincesuccessfullychallengedtheauthorityoftheGuptasandsetupPillarsofvictory
commoratinghisconquest(AD532)ofalmostthewholeofnorthernIndia.IndeedYasodharman'srulewasshortlived,buthedealta
severeblowtotheGuptaempire.
TheGuptaempirewasfurtherunderminedbytheriseofthefeudatories.ThegovernorsappointedbytheGuptakingsinnorthBengal
andtheirfeudatoriesinSamatataorsoutheastBengalbrokeawayfromtheGuptacontrol.ThelaterGutpasofMagadhaestablished
theirpowerinBihar.Besides,theMaukharisrosetopowerinBiharandUttarPradeshandhadtheircapitalatKanauj.ProabablybyAD
550BiharandUttarPradeshandpassedoutofguptahands.AndtherulersofValabhiestablishedtheirauthorityinGuajaratand
WesternMalw
AnotherCause
AfterthereignofSkandaGupta(467AD)anyGuptacoinorinscriptionhasbeenfoundinwesternMalwaandSaurashtra.The
migrationofguildofSilkweaversfromGujaratatoMalwainAD473andtheiradoptionofnonproductiveprofessionsshowthatthere
wasnotmuchdemandforclothproducedbythem.TheadvantagesfromGujarattradegraduallydisappeared.Afterthemiddleofthe
fifthcenturytheGuptakingsmadedesperateattemptstomaintaintheirgoldcurrencybyreducingthecontentofpuregoldinit.The
lossofwesternIndiacompletebytheendofthefifthcentury,musthavedeprivedtheGutpasoftherichrevenuesfromtradeand
commerceandcrippledthemeconomically,andtheprincesofThaneswarestablishedtheirpowerinHaryanaandthengraduallymoved
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ontoKanauj.
ThecausesofthedownfallofdisappearenceoftheGuptaswerebasicallynotdifferentfromthosethatbroughttheendmanyancient
andmedievaldynasties.Overandabovetheusualcausesofadministrativeinefficiency,weaksuccessorsandstagnantthefallofthe
Guptas:Dynasticdissensions,foreigninassionsandsomeinternalrebellions.
DynasticDissensionsAndWeakRulers
ThereisevidencetoshowthatfollowingthedeathofKumaraguptaandSkandagupta,therewerecivilwarsandstrugglesforthe
throne.Forinstance,wehavethesuccessorsofBuddhagupta,highlightingtheruleofmorethanjustoneking.ThosewereVinayagupta
inBengalandBhanuguptainIran.
Absenceoflawofprimogeniturealongwithstrongcentralizedauthorityinancientandmedievalperiodsledtochaos.Thusweseethat
theresourcesoftheempirewerefritteredawayinpettysquabblesandwarsforthethrone.
BesidescircumstancesweakeningtheGuptamonarchy,theverypersonalitiesofthelaterGuptaKingscontributedtotheultimatefallof
thisdynasty.Theywerenotonlymenofweakcharacterbutalsosomeofthemfollowedpacifiesthataffectedotherspheresof
administration,particularlythatofmilitaryefficiency.
ForeignInvasions
ForeigninvasionswasthesecondmajorfactorinthedeclineanddisappearanceoftheGutpas.Theinvasionofbarbarictribe
Pushyamitrawasnotthedecisive.AfarmoreimportantinvasionwasthatoftheWhiteHuns,who,aftersettlingintheOxusvally,
invadedIndia.FirstappearedduringthereignofBudhagupta.AgaintheyreappearedunderthecommandofToramanawhoannexeda
largeportionofthenorthwesternregionincludingpartsofModerUPHefollowedbyhisson,Mihirakula,whobecametheoverlordof
northIndia.IndeedhewasdefeatedbyYashodharmanofMalwabuttherepercussionsoftheseinvasionsweredisastrousfortheGupta
Empire.
InternalRebellions
AsaresultoftheweakningofCentralAuthoriyanumberoffeudalchieftans,principallythoseofthenorthwesternregion,assumedthe
statusofindependentrulersmightmoresomenamesinthisregardsuchasMaitrakas(ofKathiawar),Panivarajaks(ofBudndhelkhand),
Unchkalpas,LaxmaninAllahabad.Etc.
AfterthereignofBuddhagupta,thestatusofcertain,governorsofNorthBengalandYamunaNarmadaareaaroundMagadhtoo
assumedindependenceandbecametobeknownasthelaterGuptas.
ByfatoneofthemostimportantrebellionswasthatofYashodharmanofwesternMalwawhobecameindependentandestablishedhis
kingdom.HedefeatedMihirakulaandsesmstohavemadeextensiveconquestsfromtheHimalayastoBrahamputra.However,his
empiredidnotlastverylong.Nevertheless,itsetapatternforotherfeudalcheiftans,whoinduecourse,brokeawayfromCentral
authority.
Lastbutnotthelest,wemightnotethatthechangeintheGuptapolityfromoneofmilitancytothatofpacifismgreatlyaffectedthe
compositionoftheempire.WedohaveinstancesomeofthelaterGuptakingswhochangedfromHinduismtoBuddhismandthiswas
reflectedinmatetotalmilitaryinefficiencyofthelaterGuptas.
Apartfromthesethreemajorgroupsofcauses,thatledtothefinaldisappearanceoftheGuptaempire,itistobebornemindthatno
empireaftertheMauryaswasareality.Veroftentheyweretotalfictions.WiththedisappearanceoftheMauryanempirenoempirein
itsfullconnotationcameintoexistenceinIndiasincewehadnotraditionlikethatoftheGreekswhereitisheldthattheStatecomes
intoexistenceforthenecessitiesoflifebutcontinuestoexistforthegoodoflife,andman,bynature,isapoliticalanimal.Somehow,
aftertheMauryanerathethinkingofIndiabecameapolitical.ThefirstfactorthatcontributedforthisoutlookofIndianswasthe
emergenceoffeudalismaboutwhichevidenceistherefromthedaysoftheSatavahanas.ThistendencygrewintheChristianaraand
wasfirmlyestablishedbytheseventhcenturyAD.
AlongwiththisdevelopmentonemoresaboteurofpoliticalconsciousnesswasthereligiousperceptionofancientIndians.Beginning
beforetheChristianareitcametobegraduallyestablishedthatthekingshiphasitsowndharmaknownasrajyadhrmawhilethe
peoplehadahandulofdharmaslikevarnashramadharmaandthegrihadharma.Allthesedharmasledtheindividualloyaltyor
perceptiontowardsanonpoliticalentity.Thisthinkingisgivenreligioussanctionbythepriestlyorder.Thisthinkingisgivenreligious
sanctionbythepriestlyorderoftheday.ThustheStateneverwasthearchitectonicfactorinthelifeofancientIndianexceptduring
theMauryanera.ItisthisperceptionofancientIndiathatmadetheemergenceanddisappearanceofhundredsofStatesmerenon
events.

PostGuptaPeriod(500750A.D.)
ThepoliticalsceneinIndiafromthedeclineoftheGuptasuntiltheriseofHarshawasbewildering.Largescaledisplacementofpeoples
continuedforsometime.SmallkingdomsviedwitheachotherfortheheritageofGuptas.NorthernIndiawasdividedintofour
kingdomsoflaterGuptasofMagadha,theMaukharis,thePushabhutisandtheMaitrakas.TheMaukharisfirstheldtheregionof
westernUParoundKanauj.GraduallytheyoustedthelaterGuptasandmadethemmovetoMalwa.Thepushyabhutisruledto
ThaneswarnorthofDelhi.TheyhadamarriagealliancewiththeMaukharis.AfterthedeathofthelastMaukhariking,probablythe
Maukharikingdomandthatofpusyabhutiwereunitedintoonekingdom.ProbablytheMaitrakaswereofIranianoriginandruledin
Gujarat.TheydevelopedVallabhiastheircapitalwhichbecameanimportantcenteroflearning.Ontheperipheryofthesefour
kingdomsanumberofsmallprincipalitieswerecontinuouslyfightingwitheachother.Allthekingdomscameintoprominenceafterthe
HuninvasionsinceitleftapoliticalvacuuminnorthernIndia.
Althoughthepoliticalpicturewasdiscouraging,therewereafewformativestrendsinthisperiod.TheGuptaimperialtraditionseemsto
havecontinued.NumerousinscriptionsofkingsrevealthatthekingsclaimeddescentfromtheGuptaVakatakadynasties.Inthesame
periodeventhecharacteroftheHuninvadersunderwentchange.TormanawasnosavagebutaHinduisedfrontierkingattackinga
decayingempire.Heceasedtobeaforeigner.Hissuccessor,Mihirakula,wasundoubtedlyoneoftheknowntyrantsofhistory.Letby
BaladityaGupta,thelastgreatmonarchoftheimperialdynasty,therulersofnorthIndiacombinedtoattackhimandoverthrowhis
powerinagreatbattleof528A.D.Thehundynastyendedwithit.
Afterthiseventthekingdomsoftheagecarriedonthetraditionsoftheempire.InandaroundtheVindhyastheVakatakasruleswith
effectiveauthority.IntheGangeticvalleytheMaukharikingsconsolidatedtheirrule.True,theimperialtraditionwasundereclipse,but
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thecountry,asawholewaspeacefulandprosperousanditwasnotsubjecttoanarchicaldisruption.
TheuniversityofNalandaflourishedinthesixthcentury.SaintlySthiramatiwasitsheadinthemiddleofthesixthcentury.
Dharmapala,whoextendedhispatronagetotheuniversityinthelatterhalfofthecenturywasaneminentscholar.Asamatteroffact,
Nalandawitnesseditsgoldenperiodinthisperiod.
ItisalsotobekeptinmindthatclassicalSanskritreacheditsperfectioninthesixthcentury.Bharavi,KumaradasaandDandinamong
thepoetsandVishkhadattaamongthedramatistslivedinthesixthcenturyA.D.SomehistoriansascribethedevelopmentofIndian
mathematicsandastronomytothesixthcentury.Varahamiraissaidtohavediedin587A.D.Aryabhatawasbornin476.
Itcanequallybesaidthatphilosophy,logicandmimamsamaturedduringthisperiod.BuddhistandHindusystemsoflogicwitnessed
theirgoldenage.Itisalsonoteworthythatvernacularliteraturesbegantogrow.Prakritevolvedintoaliterarylanguagepossessingits
owngrammars.ItwasthisdevelopmentthatenabledRajasekharaandothertocreateclassicalliteratureofPrakritinthenextcentury.
ThustheoldviewthatthesixthcenturywasaperiodofanarchyandtheageofHarshathatfolloweditwasthelastglowofancient
period,cannotbesustained.Ontheotherhandthesixthcenturywasagerminalperiodwhichsowedtheseedsoflaterdevelopments.

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