Ancient Indian History
🔒 Log in to trackGupta Age & Harshavardhana
🔒 Log in to trackThe Guptas ruled north India from about 320 CE and their age is called the classical or golden age. Harshavardhana was the last great northern king before the early medieval age. Exams ask about each ruler's title, scholars, books, Chinese pilgrims and Harsha's reign.
The Gupta line
| Ruler | Facts |
|---|---|
| Sri Gupta, Ghatotkacha | First two rulers |
| Chandragupta I | First Maharajadhiraja; married Licchavi princess Kumaradevi; Gupta era 319 to 320 CE |
| Samudragupta (c. 335 to 375) | Prayag Prashasti by Harishena; "Napoleon of India"; Kaviraja (veena on coins) |
| Chandragupta II "Vikramaditya" (c. 375 to 415) | Beat the Western Kshatrapas; Navaratnas; visited by Fa-Hien; Mehrauli Iron Pillar |
| Kumaragupta I | Founded Nalanda |
| Skandagupta | Stopped the Hunas; repaired Sudarshana lake |
The Prayag Prashasti is on the Allahabad pillar. It says Samudragupta uprooted nine kings of Aryavarta. It says he defeated but reinstated twelve rulers of Dakshinapatha.
Chandragupta II's daughter Prabhavatigupta married the Vakataka Rudrasena II. The Huns Toramana and Mihirakula came later. Yashodharman of Malwa defeated Mihirakula.
Gupta gold coins were called dinaras.
Why it is called a golden age
Science
| Scholar | Work |
|---|---|
| Aryabhata | Aryabhatiya (499 CE): the earth rotates; eclipses come from shadows; place value |
| Varahamihira | Brihat Samhita, Pancha Siddhantika |
| Brahmagupta | Brahmasphuta Siddhanta (628 CE): rules for zero |
| Vagbhata | Ashtanga Hridaya (medicine) |
Literature
- Kalidasa: Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta, Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhava, Malavikagnimitram.
- Vishnu Sharma: Panchatantra. Amarasimha: Amarakosha.
- Dandin: Dashakumaracharita. Bharavi: Kiratarjuniya.
Art
- Dashavatara temple, Deogarh shows an early shikhara.
- Bhitargaon brick temple, near Kanpur.
- Udayagiri caves near Vidisha have a Varaha panel.
- Ajanta murals reached their peak.
Watch: Fa-Hien noted untouchability. The Eran inscription (510 CE) gives the first proof of sati.
Chinese pilgrims
| Pilgrim | Years | Ruler | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fa-Hien | 399 to 414 CE | Chandragupta II | Fo-kwo-ki |
| Hiuen Tsang | c. 630 to 645 CE | Harsha | Si-Yu-Ki |
| I-Tsing | 671 to 695 CE | After Harsha | Studied at Nalanda |
Tip: F-H-I: Fa-Hien, Hiuen Tsang, I-Tsing. This is alphabetical and also the order in time.
Harshavardhana
Harsha ruled from 606 to 647 CE. He belonged to the Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) house of Thanesar. He moved his capital to Kannauj. The Harsha era starts in 606 CE.
- Banabhatta wrote Harshacharita and Kadambari.
- Harsha wrote three plays: Nagananda, Ratnavali, Priyadarshika.
- Pulakeshin II stopped him on the Narmada. The Aihole inscription by Ravikirti records this.
- He held an assembly at Kannauj in 643 CE to honour Hiuen Tsang.
- Every five years he held the Prayag assembly (Mahamoksha Parishad).
Hiuen Tsang studied at Nalanda and was called the "Prince of Pilgrims".
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Gupta ruler and achievement or title
"Napoleon of India", who defeated the Shakas or Huns, Prashasti facts, founder of Nalanda.
Samudragupta: Prayag Prashasti, Kaviraja, Napoleon of India.
Chandragupta II: Vikramaditya, beat the Western Shakas, Navaratnas.
Kumaragupta I: Nalanda. Skandagupta: Huns and Sudarshana lake.
Each ruler has one clear title or deed.
Which Gupta ruler took the title Vikramaditya after destroying the Western Shakas?
Show solutionHide solution
Fa-Hien visited during his reign.
He was the son of Samudragupta.
Chandragupta II
Science and literature of the Gupta age
"The Aryabhatiya was written by", "which work is by Kalidasa", author pairs.
Science: Aryabhata (Aryabhatiya), Varahamihira (Brihat Samhita).
Kalidasa: Shakuntalam, Meghaduta, Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhava, Malavikagnimitram.
Pairs: Panchatantra-Vishnu Sharma, Amarakosha-Amarasimha, Dashakumaracharita-Dandin, Kiratarjuniya-Bharavi.
Setters use only these author and book pairs.
The Panchatantra, a collection of animal fables, is attributed to:
Show solutionHide solution
It is a Sanskrit fable book.
Its author's name begins with Vishnu.
Vishnu Sharma
Harsha: capital, assemblies and court
Kannauj, Banabhatta, Harsha's plays, the Kannauj and Prayag assemblies, defeat on the Narmada.
Harsha of Thanesar ruled from Kannauj; title Siladitya.
Banabhatta wrote Harshacharita and Kadambari. Harsha wrote Nagananda, Ratnavali, Priyadarshika.
Assemblies at Kannauj and Prayag. Pulakeshin II checked him on the Narmada.
Harsha's facts come in small sets of two or three.
Harshavardhana shifted his capital from Thanesar to:
Show solutionHide solution
The new capital became the prize of later struggles.
It is Kannauj.
Kannauj
Visitors and the rulers they met
Match Megasthenes, Fa-Hien, Hiuen Tsang, I-Tsing (and Deimachus, Dionysius) to the courts they saw.
Megasthenes with Chandragupta Maurya. Deimachus with Bindusara. Dionysius with Ashoka.
Fa-Hien with Chandragupta II. Hiuen Tsang with Harsha. I-Tsing after Harsha.
Books: Indica (Megasthenes), Si-Yu-Ki (Hiuen Tsang).
One list of visitor and ruler pairs answers every match question.
Which Chinese pilgrim visited India after Harsha's death and studied in its monasteries from 671 to 695?
Show solutionHide solution
Fa-Hien came in the Gupta age.
Hiuen Tsang came in Harsha's reign.
I-Tsing
Gupta art, coins and temples
"Dashavatara temple", "dinara", "Udayagiri", "Bhitargaon", "Ajanta".
Dashavatara temple is at Deogarh. Bhitargaon is a brick temple.
Udayagiri caves (Vidisha) have the Varaha panel.
Gupta gold coins were dinaras.
Each site has one signature feature.
Gupta gold coins were known as:
Show solutionHide solution
The name is like the Roman denarius.
The Gupta term is dinara.
Dinaras
Dark side of the golden age
"First epigraphic proof of sati", "untouchability noted by", "status of women".
Eran inscription, 510 CE: first proof of sati.
Fa-Hien noted untouchability.
Women's status fell in this age.
Setters use the golden-age label to trap you with the negatives.
The first epigraphic proof of sati comes from which Gupta-age inscription?
Show solutionHide solution
The site is in central India.
The year is 510 CE.
The Eran inscription (510 CE)
Shortcuts that save time
Sri Gupta, Ghatotkacha, then Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, Chandragupta II, Kumaragupta I, Skandagupta.
Harishena wrote the Prayag Prashasti of Samudragupta. Ravikirti wrote the Aihole inscription of Pulakeshin II. Banabhatta wrote Harsha's biography.
Who composed the Aihole inscription?
Show solutionHide solution
Aihole belongs to Pulakeshin II.
Its poet was Ravikirti.
Ravikirti
Fa-Hien (Chandragupta II), then Hiuen Tsang (Harsha), then I-Tsing.
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
Saying Fa-Hien came in Harsha's time.
Fa-Hien came under Chandragupta II. Hiuen Tsang came under Harsha.
Saying Harishena praised Chandragupta II.
Harishena praised Samudragupta.
Calling the Mehrauli Iron Pillar a Sultanate work.
It is Gupta. It bears the name of king Chandra.
Giving Aryabhata's birth year for the Aryabhatiya.
Aryabhata was born in 476 CE. The Aryabhatiya is of 499 CE.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
Chain: Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, Chandragupta II, Kumaragupta I, Skandagupta.
Samudragupta: Prayag Prashasti by Harishena, Napoleon of India, Kaviraja.
Chandragupta II: Vikramaditya, beat the Shakas, Navaratnas with Kalidasa, Fa-Hien.
Kumaragupta I founded Nalanda. Skandagupta stopped the Huns and repaired Sudarshana lake.
Aryabhata wrote the Aryabhatiya. Varahamihira wrote the Brihat Samhita.
Harsha: Thanesar, then Kannauj; Banabhatta; three plays; stopped by Pulakeshin II.
Practice: 13 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 13 questions
Suggested time 5 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.