CULTURAL CONDITIONS IN GUPTA AGE Gupta period florescent age in the history of Indian Culture High quality sanskrit literature was produced Development of science and fine arts Rulers being scholars extended patronage to many poets Contacts with foreigners broadened Indian Outlook Result vast production of literature: poetry, dramas, kavyas, puranas, philosophical treatises,scientific works Sanskrit language and literature:The growing influence of Brahmanical religion gave an impetus to the development of Sanskrit which displaced Prakrit as the popular language Sanskrit reached its zenith Kings were delighted in the company of scholars Samudraguptatitle >> Kaviraja for his excellent composition I am hearing poems from sea Harisena author of Allahabad Prasasthi was a great poet My friend Hari is in Allahabad Chandragupta II was identified with legendary Vikramaditya of Ujjain Chandra and Vikram are friends Navaratnas or 9 gems of literature were in his court >> Kalidasa was the greatest as a poet and playwright : Popular Kavyas Raghuvamsa, Kumara Sambhava, MeghasandesaRaghu and Kumar are writing poems on Meghanas smile Popular dramas Sakuntalam, Malavikagnimitram Sakuntala and Malavika are famous drama artistsSakuntalam considered as one of the 100 best books of the world >> translated into many Indian and foreign languages Kalidasa descriptions and similies were famous Indian Shakespeare Other Imp Scholars : Sudraka Author of MrichchakatikaSudras cultivated Mirchi crop Visakhadutta Author of Mudrarakshasam, DevichandraguptamDevis mudra is in Visakhapatnam Subandhu Author of Vasavadutta Vasu is my relative VirasenasabhaVeeraadorned the court of Chandragupta II was great grammarian and poet Amarasimha composed a lexicon Amarakosha Vishnusharma Panchatantra: house of moral stories Vishnu gave a punch to me Dharmasastras codified and compiled Puranas glorify either Vishnu or Siva Commentaries on philosophical works Sankya, Yoga and Nyaya Sabara wrote his commentaries on Mimamsa sabari is eating muttonNeglected the Upanishadic philosophy Buddhist scholars produced vast Philosophical works Creative thinkers Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dignaga, Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka Dignaga father of Indian Logic Nagarjuna is digging his braind to find the Math Logic Philosphy of these scholars influenced the neighbouring areas and were compared with Greek philosphers: Plato and Aristotle GAP - philosophy Buddhist university at Nalanda @ 5th century BC : earliest structure made out of brick The period is particularly memorable(AMAR RAHE)for the compilation of Amarakosha by Amarsimha, who was a luminary in the court of Chandragupta II DRAMAS Vikramovarshiya Kalidasa Malavikagnimitra Kalidasa Abhigyan Shakuntalam Mrichchakatika Sudaraka Swapnavasavadatta Bhasa Charudatta Bhasa Pratinayaugandharayana bhasa Mudrarakshasa Visakhadutta Devichandraguptam Visakhadutta EULOGY Prayag Prassti : Harisena PHILOSOPHY Sankhyakarika Ishwar Krishna Padartha Acharya Dharmasangraha Prashastipada Vyasa Bhasya Acharya Vyasa Nyaya Bhasya Vatsyayana GRAMMAR Amarakhosa Amarsimha Chandravyakarana Chandragomin Kavyadarshan Dandin NARRATIVE STORY Panchatantra and Hitopadesha Vishnusharma Mathematics & Astronomy Aryabhatta Aryabhatta Brihatsamhitha Varahamihira Panchasidhanthika Varahimihira Suryasidhantha Brahmagupta Miscellanoeus WorksNitisara kamandaka Kamasutra Vatsyayana Kavyalankara Bhamah Imp Literary Works Ramayana Valmiki Mahabharatha Vedavyasa Raghuvansa kalidasa Ritusamhara kalidasa Meghaduta kalidasa Ravanabadha Batsabhatti Kavyadarshana Dandin Dasakumarcharitha Dandin Kiratarjuniyam bharavi Nitishataka - Bhartrihari Development of Scientific Knowledge Many branches of science were studied and developed Famous personalities >> Mathematics and Astronomy Aryabhatta, Brahmagupta, VarahamihiraArya- Brahma - Vara Aryabhatta scientifically explained the lunar and solar eclipses and gave a correct ratio of the diameter to the circumference of the sun and earth Varahamihira Brihatsamhitha Brinjal Colour Hat: encyclopedia of ancient Indian learning Anatomy and Medicine also encouraged Vagbhata8 VEG BATH Astangasara Sangraha: treatise on Indian Medicine Susrutha susrutha samhitha: imp book on medicine Physics: They conceived of the universe as composed of Panchabhutas water, earth, land, fire and either-each a medium of sense perception. They knew the existence of atoms and molecules even before the Greeks. Vaiseshika ATOM school elaborated the atomic theory Brahmagupta anticipated NewtonNew Brahma by declaring that All things fall to Earth by law of nature, for it is the nature of the Earth attract and keet things Mathematics:3 distinct contributions notation system, decimal system, zero usage Indian notation sysytem > adopted by Arabs: numerals Arabic>> found in Ashokan Inscriptions Ashoka is noting in Arabic Indians : 1st to use decimal system Aryabhatta was acquainted with it Deci Arya Zero: Discovered by Indians in 2nd century >> Alberuni says that it was Brahmagupta who gave to Mathematics Knowledge of Geometry > Sulvasutras Geo di Silva Aryabhatta (Surya Siddhantha): formaulated Area of Triangle>> origin of Trigonometry Astronomy:Jyotisha Vedanga earliest source >> contains rules for calculating the position of new and full moon amongst27 nakshitras Aryabhatta explained the true cause of solar and lunar eclipses, stated the sun is Stationary and earth rotates around the sun; gave the value of PI; earth is spherical in shape in his book Aryabhattiya Varahamihira in his book Brihat Samhitha : stated that moon rotates round the earth and the earth rotates around the sun Chemistry: Great development in Metallurgy with large scale production of various metals like gold, silver, iron, brass and other alloys Post Mauryan steel products were expoerted to the west Finest Examples Copper statue of Buddha @ Sultanganj, Iron Pillar of Mehrauli @ Delhi Grammar and Linguistics: Every vedic prayer and every mantra should be recited with meticulous correctness, this led to the production of sanskrit grammar as in Astadhyayi of Panini8 kinds of water in 400 BC and Mahabhasya of Patanjali Maha Anjali in 2nd century BC Art and Architecture: Music, dance, painting, architecture and sculpture attained high point of achievement Samudragupta great musician: one of his coins depicted as seated on a couch playing on the vina Construction of large and small temples in praise of Gods and Goddesses Many temples were destoyed by foreign invaders Few examples of architectural glories 1.Dasavathara temple at Deogarh 2.Vishnu temple at Tigawa in Jabalpur 3.Siva temple at Bhumara 4.Brick temple at Bhitargaon, Bhitari, Deogarh 5.Buddhist shrines at Sanchi and Sarnath Best products of Indian Art stone and bronze images of divinities both Buddhist and Brahmanical were recovered in various places >> display charm, dignity and spiritual expression 2 metre high bronze image of Buddha was recovered from Sultanganj near Bhagalpur 80 ft high copper image of Buddha @ Nalanda Iron pillar of Delhi not gathered any rust during the subsequent centuries 2 imp styles in temple architecture Nagara and Dravida Imp stupas Mirpur Khas, Dhamekh Mirpur ka Dhum Of the tall stupa of Sarnath, now little more than the inner core remains once most imposing structure of beautifully patterned brick-work with a high cylindrical upper dome rising from a lower hemispherical one and with large images of Buddha set in gable ends at the cardinal points Rock cut architecture: 2 conventional types Chaitya and Vihara mostly found at Ajanta, Ellora and Bagh Most characteristic feature of chaitya emphasis on the colossal image of Buddha seated between two standing attendants Vihara was planned in the form of rows of cells round a central court: Most viharas @ Ajantha While retaining the essential features of the past, these caves are remarkable for the variety and beauty of the pillars as well as the fresco paintings with which the walls and ceilings were decorated Acc. to Fahien there was an over 25 metre high image of the Buddha made of copper, but it is not traceable now Painting:In the art Painting, the Gupta Age attained a high degree of proficiency The specimens of Gupta paintings are preserved in the Ajantha caves and the Bagh caves Ajantha caves adorned with best fresco paintings were constructed b/n 1st and 7th centuries The subjects of these paintings are 3 fold: decoration, portraiture and narration Decorative designs include infinite variety of animals, trees and flowers Of the portraits the central figures are those of the various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The narrative scenes mostly portray jataka stories The murals of Ajanta vividly portray a panorama the whole human and natural drama the princes in their palaces, ladies in their harems, coolies carrying burdens over their shoulders, beggars, peasants and ascetics, the flowering trees, beasts and birds. The paintings at Bagh epitomize the Ajanta school Bagh caves had the folk culture as the basic theme The chief characteristics of Gupta Art are refinement, simplicity of expression and religious virtuosity Painting on the walls and ceilings of the Ajanta caves depict the various events in the life of Buddha, including his past lives decribed in Jataka stories Brilliant execution of colours and designs exposed the masterly skills of the painters and acclaimed world admiration Best examples The Dying princess, The mother and child Coins: Not only exposed the wealth of the country but also expressed the beautiful skills of the engravers The ideas, elegance of the design and the assimilation of alien models with natural tradition made the coins as the finest examples of Indian art Guptas issued a large number of coins Each coin contains the portrait of the king concerned on one side and the figure of Lakshmi or Durga or Saraswathi on the other side Chandragupta I Kumari devi type Samudragupta Dhanurdhari Archer, Garud, Axe, Ashvamedha, Vyagnrahanam (Tiger killing type), Veena Vadan (Playing flute) Chandragupta II Ashvarohi, Chhatradari, Chakra Vikram type Kumaragupta Gajarohi, Kadghadhari, Sinh-nihantha, Khang-nihantha (rhinocerous slayer), Kartikeya and Apratighmudra type Skandgupta Archer, Standard, Lion slayer, Swordsman, Horseman