192 / 822
Eternal India
encyclopedia
LURE - THRU THE AGES
kingdoms and republics (Allahabad pillar
inscription).
*
Advance of Chandragupta II to Arabian
Sea and conquest of Saurashtra or Kathia-
war; the conquest of western Satrap, cap-
ture of Vahlika (Balkh or Bactria).
Samudragupta
c.
335-375
A.D.
Samudragupta succeeded Chandragupta I
in 335 A.D. The Allahabad pillar inscription
(inscribed on an Asokan pillar at Prayaga-
Allahabad) is the chief source of information
about his reign, battles, conquests, etc; the in-
scription is undated, it was composed by
Harisena (the court poet of Samudragupta);
the inscription classifies the campaigns of
Samudragupta under 4 heads; campaign di-
rected against the 11 kings of the south, 9
named kings of Aryavarta, chief of the wild
forest tribes and frontier kingdoms and repub-
lics and also his relations with foreign powers.
Samudragupta "violently uprooted" 9 rul-
ers of Aryavarta (the upper Ganges Valley)
(line 13 of the inscription), he extended his
campaigns down the east coast as far as Kan-
chipuram (near Madras) forcing the southern
states to acknowledge his suzerainty and re-
turned their kingdoms (lines 19 and 20); rulers
of the 5 frontier countries (Samatata, Davaka,
Kamarupa, Nepal, Kartripur) paid tribute to
him (line 22). Samudragupta is famous for his
conquests and he has been rightly given the
title
"the Indian Napolean"
(by V.A.Smith)
and his campaigns extended Gupta power in
south and eastern India and virtually elimi-
nated the republics and the minor kings of
central India and the Ganges valley; his con-
quests were of different degrees - there were
kings who were killed, defeated, taken prison-
ers and then liberated and reinstated. Samudra-
gupta was not a ruthless annexationist,
"He
was a magnanimous conqueror who was gen-
erous to the fallen foe. It has rightly been
stated that hisfame which pervades the whole
world, is due to his re-establishing many royal
families whom he had overthrown and de-
prived of their sovereignty
"; maintained good
relations with Ceylon, received two Buddhist
. monks; after his victories he performed the
Ashvamedha Yagna
- the Horse Sacrifice, is-
sued gold coins to commemorate the event, he
inaugurated and Indianised the Gupta coinage.
He was a great patron of art and composed
a large number of poems; he is shown on his
coins as playing on a veena or lute; well versed
in Sastras; had in his court a famous poet,
Harisena, who composed the Allahabad pillar
inscription which is the only available record
of the achievements of Samudragupta. He
was succeeded by his son Ramagupta and
later by Chandragupta II.
Impact
*
Consolidation of Gupta power in northern,
central and southern India.
Strengths
*
Strong personality of Samudragupta.
*
Superb military campaigns of Chandra-
gupta II.
*
Religious toleration.
*
Local autonomy.
*
All - round development.
Achievements
*
Golden and classical age of India.
*
Battles and reforms of Samudragupta and
Chandragupta II.
*
Development of art, architecture, literature
and sculpture.
*
Contributions of Aryabhata and Brahma-
gupta to the science of astronomy.
Administration
*
Gupta kingship was not a crude autocracy;
it had constitutional checks in the form of
council of ministers; the administration
was guided by precedents; the theory of di-
vinity of kings was popular; emperor was
variously called as Paramadevata, Mahara-
jadhiraja, Samrat, Prithivipala etc.; the de-
partment of revenue and police existed -
Uparikas
Dashaparadhiva,
Dandika,
Rajuka etc. The military officers- Senapati,
Mahasenapati, Dandanayaka; punishments
were very lenient (Fahien).
*
The empire was called as
Rajya, Rashtra,
Desha, Mandala,
etc., divided into
Bhukti,
Pradesh, Bhoja\
provincial'administration
was headed by
Vishayapatv,
documents
were maintained by
Karanika
; city was
headed by
Purapala
or
Nagara Rakshaka',
Gramika
was the village head; village
parishad or assembly existed. Land tax -
udranga, uparika, vata, bhuta, dhanya,
hiranya, adeya, bhoga, baga
etc., existed.