77 A1 Chandragupta 9 Mar

Qts 1 Explain Chandragupta-I (319-335 AD)

1.Chandragupta-I started the Gupta era in 319-320 AD 

2 Enhanced his power and prestige by marrying Kumara Devi, princess of the Lichchavi clan of Nepal.

3.Gold Coins (Dinaras) was struck coins in the joint names of Chandragupta-I and his queen Kumara Devi.

Qts 2  Explain Samudragupta (335-380 AD)

1. Samudragupta enlarged his kingdom

2 Samudragupta name appears in Javanese text Tantrikamandaka and Wang-Hiuen-Tse (Chinese writer)

3.  King Meghvarma of Sri Lanka sent  ambassador to Samudra Gupta kingdom

4   King Meghvarma asked Samudra Gupta  permission to build a Buddhist monastry at Bodh Gaya for the monks travelling from Sri Lanka.

5.Samudragupta believed in the policy of war and conquest and because of his bravery and generalship, he is called the Napoleon of India by Vincent A. Smith.

6 His court poet Harisena wrote a glowing account of the military exploits of his patron.

7. In a long inscription at the Prayag Prashasti pillar (at Allahabad), the Harisena  enumerated about the people and countries that were conquered by Samudra Gupta.

8. Samudragupta is said to have composed numerous poems of high merit. He assumed the titles of Kaviraj and Vikram, Some of his coins represent him playing veena.

Qts 3 Who was  Chandragupta-II (380-414 AD)

1. Chandragupta-II entered into a matrimonial alliance with the Nagas by marrying princess Kubernaga, whose daughter Prabhavati was married to Rudrasena II of the Vakataka family.

2 Mehrauli Iron Pillar Insciption says that the king defeated the confederacy of Vangas and Vihilkas (Bulkh). He made Ujjain his second capital.

3.Veerasen Sava was the court poet and minister of Chandragupta II. Amarkhardava was his army general.

4. Fahein, the Chinese traveller came during the time of Chandragupta II

Qts 4 Who was Kumaragupta-1 (415-455AD)

1. Kumaragupta-1adopted the title of Mahendraditya.

2 Kumaragupta-1  was the worshipper of Lord Kartikeya (son of Lord Shiva).

3. Kumaragupta-1  founded Nalanda University (a renowned university of ancient India, now World Heritage).

4. In the last years of his reign, the peace and prosperity of the empire was disturbed due to the invasion of Turko-Mongol tribe, Hunas. During the war with the Hunas, Kumaragupta died.

.Qts 5 What are the sources that tell us about the Gupta period

1 Allahabad Pillar inscriptions

2 Inscriptions on temples, coins and paintings

3 Literary works of Kalidas, Fa Hien and It-sing

Qts 6  What is a prashasti?

1 Prasashti was a written account of a king and his rule. 

2 These written accounts were later engraved on pillars for the common man to read. 

3 Prasashtis were usually written by court poets to glorify the rule of the king.

4 The term Prasashti, meaning in praise of, proves that these accounts were rather biased or exaggerated accounts of a king's rule.

5  Samudragupta's prashasti is the finest example of such an historical source.

Qts 7 What were the main sources of revenue?

1.Agriculture was the prime source of revenue.

2.Land tax was also one of the source.

3.Merchants and traders paid taxes too

4. Craftsmen also paid tax.

Qts 8  List the conquests of Samudragupta as mentioned in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription.

1.In the north, Samudragupta annexed four major kingdoms. All these kingdoms were directly administered by him.

2 In the south, he defeated 12 rulers but he did not annex them. They were asked to pay annual tribute. They accepted the overlordship of Samudragupta.

3. Samudragupta annexed many kingdoms in the East such as Nepal, Assam and Bengal. They were also asked to pay annual tribute.

4.He defeated forest tribes of Vindhayas and they offered him gifts and tributes.

Qts 9 What were the new development in administrations during this period? 

1 Firstly, the administration became decentralised. Local officers were appointed who took their decisions independently.

2 Secondly, these officers were paid through land grants and not cash. They were supposed to collect revenue and submit a part of it to the ruler.

3 Thirdly, these positions became hereditary where son succeeded his father

Qts 10  Why did Samudragupta decide not to annex the kingdoms of 'Dakshinapatha'

1.Since iron age, the term Dakshinapath was used to describe the southern highway connecting Pataliputra to southern Godavari kingdom.

2. Samudragupta was a powerful king who wanted to expand his glory and power by making a powerful kingdom.

3. Samudragupta attacked the rulers of Dakshinapath but later he restored them to their kingdoms after they accepted his suzerainty and overlordship. 

4.Samudragupta's decision was driven not only by generosity but also by strategic motives. 

5.Samudragupta estimated that in the absence of proper transportation link between the north and south India, governing such a wide kingdom would be impossible.

6. From his centre of power in the north, efficiently managing the far flung Dakshinapath would have been really difficult.

7 That is why  Samudragupta gave up his idea of directly controlling the Dakshinapath.

Qts 11 Explain Administration of Gupta rule

1.Administration was highly decentralised and as patrimonial bureaucracy.

2. It comprised a network of self governing tribes and tributary kingdoms and their chiefs often served as representatives of imperial powers.

3.The Gupta king took titles like the Mahadhiraja, Samrat, Ekadhiraja, Chakravartin.

 4 The practice of appointing the crown prince (Kumara) came in vogue.

Qts 12 Official Function

 Mahabaledhikrita (Commander- in-Chief); 

Mahadandnayaka (Maintainance of Royal Palaces);

 Mahasandhingrahika or Sandhivigrahaka (War and Peace);

 Dandpashika (Head of Police department); 

Bhadagaradhikreta (Royal Treasury); 

Vinaysthitisansthapaka (Education Department); 

Sarvadhyaksha (Inspector of all central Department); 

Mahamahipalapati (Cavalry);

Mahashwapati (Elephants);

Vinayapura (One who represented guests to King's court); 

Yuktapurusha (Accounts of war booty); 

Khadyapakika (Royal Kitchen); 

Ranbhandagasika (Arms and ammunitions stores).

Qts 13 Explain Society in Gupta rule

1.Varnasamkara was the intermarriage between various varnas.

2.The Asprasya or untouchables were considered impure and even their touch was considered impure

3. The Shudras seems to have improved in this period. They were permitted to listen to the epics and Puranas and also worshipped a new god called Krishna.

4.The condition of women deteriorated. 

5.The first example of sati came from Eran inscription in  Madhya Pradesh (Bhanugupta's Eran Inscription - 510 A.D.)

Qts 14 Explain Religion in Gupta rule

1.Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara/emerged as the Supreme deities. 

2.Durga, Kali, Amba, Chandi, etc. came to less be regarded as mother goddesses.

3.Bhagvatism became more popular and centred on the worship of Vishnu or Bhawata. 

4.Idol worship in temples became a common feature.

5.Concept of Avatars or incarnations of Vishnu was preached.

6.Four ends of life were enumerated as (i) Dharma, (ii) Artha, (iii) Kama and (iv) Moksha

7. First three were called Trivarga.

Qts 15 Trade and Commerce of Gupta rule 

1.The gold coins during his reign were called Dinaras. 

2.The Guptas also issued good number of silver coins for local exchange.

4.The Gupta also  issued copper coins

4.Gupta period witnessed decline in long distance trade.

5. Trade with the Roman Empire declined after the third century AD.

  Qts 16 Explain Art of Gupta rule 

1. The Gupta period marks the beginning of Indian temple architecture.

2. Temple  at Sanchi; Kankali Devi Temple at Tigawa; and Vishnu and Varsha temple at Eran are flat roofed, square temples with a shallow pillared porch in the front.

Qts 17 Science and Technology

1.Gupta Gupta period unparalleled for its achievements in the field of mathematics and astronomy

2 Aryabhatta was the first to use the decimal system, formulated the rule for finding out the area of triangle and calculated the value of pie and laid down the foundation of algebra in book Aryabhattiyam

3 The most famous work of this time was Suryasidhanta. Aryabhatta found the causes of lunar and solar eclipse.

4 Aryabhatta also calculated the circumference of the Earth which is still almost correct

5.Aryabhatta was the first to reveal that the sun is stationary and the earth revolves around the sun.

6.Brahmagupta in the 7th Century A.D. developed rules for operating with zero and negative quantities; he began to apply algebra to astronomical problems.

Qts 18 Explain Navaratnas (i.e. nine gems) of Chadragupta II: 

1. Kalidasa; 

2. Amarsinh;

3. Dhanavantri; 

4.Varahmihira; 

5. Vararuchi; 

6.Ghatakarna; 

7. Kshapranak; 

8.Velebhatt 

9. Shanku.

Qts 19 Write inscriptions of Samudragupta   

 Prayaga/      Allahabad Stone Pillar;

 Eran Stone Pillar;

Nalanda Copper Plate

Qts 20 Explain inscriptions of Chandragupta-II  

 Mehrauli Iron Pillar

Qts 21 Explain inscriptions of Skandagupta   

Junagarh Rock; 

Bhitari Pillar;

Indore Stone Pillar

Qts 22 Explain inscriptions of Buddhagupta    

 Paharpur Copper Plate

Paharpur is located in Bangladesh & may show the eastern limits of Buddha Gupta’s Empire.

Qts 23 Explain literature of Kalidasa   

 Abhigyan Shakuntalam,

 Ritusanhara,

 Meghadutam, 

Kumarasambhavam,

Malavikagnimitram, 

Raghuvansham,

Vikramaurvashi

Qts 24 Explain literature of Shudraka   

 Mrichhakatikam

Qts25 Explain literature Bhairavi 

     Kirtarjuniya

Qts 26 Explain literature of Dandin

     Kavyadarshana,

 Dasakumaracharita

Qts27 Explain literature of Bhasa

 Charudatta

Qts28 Explain literature of Vishakhadatta

 Mudrarakshasa,

 Debichandraguptam

Qts29 Explain literature of Vishnu Sharma

 Panchtantra, 

Hitopdesh

Qts30 Expalin literaure of Amarshimha 

  Amarkosha

Qts31 Explain literaure of Aryabhatta 

 Aryabhattiyam, 

Suryasiddhanta

Qts 32 Explain literature of Varahmihira 

Panchsiddhantika,

Brihatsamhita

Qts33 Explain literature of Brahmagupta 

Brahma-sphutic Siddhanta

Qts34 Explain literature of Palakapya 

Hastyagarveda (a treatise on the disease of elephants)