Transcript Chapter 7 - WordPress.com

Ch. 7 Evolution of Classical
Pattern
1. Political History
2. Society
3. Art and Literature
4. Religion
Introduction
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Referred to as the classical period.
‘Golden age’
Origin of Guptas is obscure
Significance from the ruler Chandragupta I
M. Lichchavi princess-Kumaradevi: increased
the prestige of Guptas- Historians think this
marriage has added to the rise Guptas
• Ruled over Magadha and surrounding areas
• First king to take the title Rajadhiraja- King of
Kings
Samudragupta
• Most significant king
• Campaign in North and South India
• Establishment of large centralized kingdom in North
India
• All the details recorded in Samudragupta’s eulogy
(prasasti) recorded in Allahabad pillar inscription
• His conquest broke the tribal republics, but others merely
paid tribute and remained independent- not totally
subsidiary
• As a person known to be a lover of music and art
Chandragupta II (375-415 C.E)
• Mysterious beginning: A play “Devi
Chandraguptam” indicates that he killed
his brother, Rama, to acquire the throne.
• Shaka conquest (388-409): Extends the
kingdom to Western India.
• Chandragupta’s daugter m. Vakataka king
• Prabhavathi gupta m. Rudrasena
Vakataka
• Alliance of political strength
Kumaragupta 415-54 C.E
• Successful in stopping the Hun invasion
from North West.
• Huns diverted towards the Europe and
destroyed the Roman empire.
• Kumaragupta kept the kingdom peaceful,
but his successors were not as successful.
• Hunas slowly entered India and Gupta
power declined gradually.
Pushyabhuthi dynasty
• Acquired importance and developed a kindom after 600
C.E. by Prabhakara Vardhana
• Their successful conquests established them as strong
kingdom.
• Harshavardhana successfully united the north India and
began his rule in 606 C.E.
• Buddhist pilgrim, Hsuan Tsang, visited India during
Harsha’s reign.
• Harsha was not able to extend his kingdom into the
south, and was defeated by a southern king Pulakesin II.
• Chinese envoys: Tang king Tai Tsung sent two envoys-
Administration
• King took exalted titles: The great king of kings
(Maharajadhiraja)
• Administrative heirarchy- similar to Mauryas
• King was at the center of administration helped by his
son- governor
• Various ministers and advisors advised king
• Kingdom is divided into provinces (Desha/Bhukti)
• Province is further subdivided into pradesh/vishaya
• Local administration was independent for administrative
purposes.
Local administration
• The villages are administered individually
by local chiefs. (Headman and village
elders)
• Head of Pradesha/Vishaya is Ayukta.
• Head of Desha/Bhukti is Kumaramatya.
• These had acted as link between local and
central government.
• City/Urban administration: Council with local
representatives.
• Harsha maintained contact with public through
his tours and his officers.
• He acted as a royal inspector and looked into
the collection of taxes, listened complaints and
inspected general workings of administration.
• Pay to the officials was not in cash but in land
• Land grants are hereditary but king had the right
to confiscate
Revenue
• Land tax
• Trade: declined after central asia is
occupied by Huns
• Guilds (trade groups) had their own pactsand independent in administration. Acted
as bankers and administered their trade.
• The Buddhist sangha was rich enough to
lend money and acted as bankers.
• Cloth and silk weaving is domestic
industry,: silk declined after this period
• Ivory, sculpture and metal working are
common
• Bronze, silver and gold were common
• Pearl became common
• Communication and roads throughout
India
• Sea trade and ships were common
SOCIETY
• People had a comfortable living
• Houses were excavated and showed
considerable metal and China pots- shows
comfortable and prosperous living.
• Villages similarly prosperous as described by
foreign travellers- Hsuan Tsang.
• Kamasutra describes the daily life of well-off
citizen.
• Music, pinting, dance and drama were common
pastimes
Women
• Courtesan- similar to geisha or hetaera of
Greece- cultured companion.
• Distinctly subordinate position in society.
• Limited education to upper class women.
• Rare references to women teachers and
philosophers.
• Widow burning or sati begins. Upper classes of
Central India, then east and Nepal.
• Various religious and secular festivals are held.
• Caste system stronger.
• Occupation tied to the caste.
• Mibility among subcastes was still less
rigid.
• A number of legal texts written nowDharmasastras- becoming a patriarchal
and centralized society
Education
• Monastic institutions offered higher education
• Nalanda, Taxila institutions attracted people from other
countries- China, Srilanka etc.
• Subjects included were, language, grammer, rhetoric,
prose and verse composition, logic, metaphysics and
medicine. Veterinary science attracted attention at this
time.
• Professional training however was through families and
guilds.
• Metal working very efficient: Mehrauli iron pillar- hardly
rusted (23 ft tall)
• Life size Buddha image
• Copper and silver punch marked coins.
• Mathematics- intensive study- these
numerals were later introduced into
Europe through Arabs.
• Astronomy- Aryabhata- measured
astronomical distances- sun centered
universe
• Calculated pi (3.1416)
• Believed that earth was a sphere and
rotated on its axis
Literature
• Kalidasa: Shakuntala, Meghaduta- popular
lyric poems
• Sudraka: Mricchakatika
• Panchatantra- fables
• Sanskrit and local languages used for
composition of poems as well as verse
literature.
Architecture
• Temples: one elevated platforms in open
court yards- three rooms
• Garbha griha (where the god is placed)
• Antharala (where people will stand or sit to
worship)
• Mandapa (where people sit to listen to
philosophical discourse or classical
theological debates
• Classical sculpture
Religion
• Buddhism and Hinduism are supported.
• South patronized Jainism.
• Syrian Christianity introduced in India- South Goa and Konkan
coast.
• New Buddhist sect develops- Vajrayana – introduced into Tibet.
• Bhakti – devotional Hinduism becomes the commonly practiced
religion. Worship of personal gods and goddesses becomes
common.
• Four ashramas or four stages of life begins to take root in Indian
culture:
• Four goals of life: Dharma (religion and social law)
• Artha (economic well being) Kama (pleasure) Moksa (Salvation)
Six schools of philosophy
• Nyaya (analysis) logic: used in debates
with Buddhists.
• Vaisheshika (particular characteristics):
material and soul different characteristicsdifferent universe for material and soul.
• Sankhya: athiest philosophy- 25 principles
from which creation rose.
• Yoga (application): control of the body and
senses- led to knowledge
• Mimamsa (Inquiry): grew out of Vedas
• Vedanta: philosophy based on vedic ideas of
soul.
• Puranas: religious texts- contains allegorical
stories, mythology of deities and universe,
cosmology
• Society a mixture of aryan and non-aryan
elements- although the patriarchy and caste
system aryan, numerous gods and goddesses
and later practices- non-aryan and represent
local practices.