Mod 1: Origins and Sources of the Imperial Guptas โ Sri Gupta, Ghatotkacha, the Homeland Debate and How We Know
Concept
13.1 The rise of the Guptas
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
Sri Gupta, Ghatotkacha and the homeland
The Guptas rose in the early 4th century CE in the middle Ganga valley โ Magadha (Bihar) and eastern Uttar Pradesh (Prayaga, Saketa). They built the largest empire since the Mauryas and ruled from Pataliputra. Their age (c. 320โ550 CE) is often called the โGolden Ageโ of ancient India.
| Ruler | Title | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Gupta (c. 240โ280 CE) | Maharaja | Founder; Chinese pilgrim Yijing (7th c.) says โChe-li-ki-toโ built a temple for Chinese monks near Mrigashikhavana |
| Ghatotkacha (c. 280โ319 CE) | Maharaja | Son of Sri Gupta |
| Chandragupta I (c. 319โ335 CE) | Maharajadhiraja | First great Gupta king โ next module |
- Magadha (Bihar) โ the Puranas say the Guptas ruled โalong the Ganga, Prayaga, Saketa and Magadhaโ.
- Eastern UP โ many early Gupta coins and inscriptions come from there.
- Bengal โ based on Yijingโs location of Sri Guptaโs temple (now less favoured).
- Varna: many scholars think they were Vaishyas; Prabhavatiguptaโs inscription gives their gotra as Dharana.
- Sri Gupta (Maharaja) โ Ghatotkacha (Maharaja) โ Chandragupta I (Maharajadhiraja).
- Homeland: Magadha / eastern UP / Bengal; gotra Dharana.
- Question: Who founded the Gupta dynasty? Answer: Sri Gupta.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[School] The Gupta empire was ruled from:
[BPSC level] The founder of the Gupta dynasty, with the title Maharaja, was:
[BPSC level] Sri Gupta was succeeded by his son:
[UPSC level] The Chinese pilgrim who says Sri Gupta built a temple for Chinese monks is:
[UPSC level] The Puranas place early Gupta rule along the Ganga in Prayaga, Saketa and:
[BSSC pattern] The Gupta age is often called the:
[UPSC level] Prabhavatiguptaโs inscription gives the Gupta gotra as:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
Who founded the Gupta dynasty?
Sri Gupta.Concept
13.2 How do we know about the Guptas?
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
Inscriptions, seals, coins and travellers
| Inscription | King | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Prayag (Allahabad) prashasti | Samudragupta | His conquests, by Harishena |
| Eran | Samudragupta | Central India (MP) |
| Mehrauli iron pillar | โChandraโ (Chandragupta II) | Victories over Vangas and Vahlikas |
| Udayagiri (Vidisha) | Chandragupta II | Cave temples; Varaha |
| Bhitari pillar (Ghazipur) | Skandagupta | War with Pushyamitras and Hunas |
| Junagadh rock | Skandagupta | Repair of the Sudarshana lake |
| Damodarpur copper plates (Bengal) | Kumaragupta I onwards | Land sale and district administration |
Vaishali (Basarh) excavations (T. Bloch 1903โ04; D. B. Spooner 1913โ14) yielded hundreds of Gupta-period clay seals of officials (kumaramatya, uparika) and of guilds of bankers, traders and artisans โ a unique Bihar source for Gupta administration and economy.
- Inscriptions: Prayag, Eran, Mehrauli, Udayagiri, Bhitari, Junagadh, Damodarpur.
- Vaishali (Basarh) seals of officials and guilds.
- Question: Whose inscription is at Bhitari? Answer: Skandagupta.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[BPSC level] Hundreds of Gupta clay seals of officials and guilds were found at:
[UPSC level] The Damodarpur copper plates are an important source for:
[BPSC level] The Bhitari pillar inscription belongs to:
[BSSC pattern] The Eran inscription (MP) is of:
[UPSC level] The Udayagiri caves near Vidisha, with the great Varaha relief, date from the reign of:
[BPSC level] The Vaishali seals were excavated by:
[School] Which Chinese traveller visited India during the Gupta period?
One-liners
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Whose inscription is at Bhitari?
Skandagupta.Concept
๐ฏ UPSC ยท BPSC ยท BSSC ยท State PSC level: PYQs and traps
| Exam | What it asks from this module |
|---|---|
| UPSC | Sources; homeland debate; seals |
| BPSC | Founder Sri Gupta; Vaishali seals; inscriptions |
| BSSC / SSC | Founder and titles |
The founder of the Gupta dynasty was: (a) Chandragupta I (b) Sri Gupta (c) Ghatotkacha (d) Samudragupta
- Sri Gupta founded the line with the title Maharaja; Chandragupta I was the first great king (Maharajadhiraja).
- Founder = Sri Gupta; first great king / Gupta era = Chandragupta I.
- Faxian visited under Chandragupta II; Xuanzang and Yijing came later (7th century).
- Faxian = Gupta age; Xuanzang, Yijing = 7th century.
- Question: What was Sri Guptaโs title? Answer: Maharaja.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[BPSC level] Which pair is correctly matched?
[UPSC level] Which of these is NOT a Gupta-period inscription?
[BSSC pattern] The Gupta period is dated roughly to:
[UPSC level] Gupta-period guild seals at Vaishali show the importance of:
[BPSC level] Which state has the Gupta-age seal site Basarh?
[School] Ghatotkacha was the father of:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
What was Sri Guptaโs title?
Maharaja.