(Article-1): Mauryan Empire (324 BC to 186 BC): A historical study

Alexander abandoned his eastern campaign in India, leaving the region between the Jhelum
and Bipasha rivers to Puruke and the region between the Indus and Jhelum rivers to Ambi, and
Alexander returned to Persia. After that Chandragupta (Maurya ) was able to dominate a large
area of North India. He was able to expand his kingdom from the Persian border to Mysore in
South India and from Saurashtra to Bangladesh.

Many believe that Gangaridai was a kingdom under

Nandaraja. After the fall of Nandaraja, this
kingdom came under Chandragupta . From the Brahmi inscription
found at Mahasthangarh , North Bengal i.e. Pundravardhana came
under Chandragupta 's possession around 323-324 BC . It
gradually came under the rule of the Mauryan dynasty.

Chandragupta was the founder of Maurya

dynasty. Chandragupta's lineage is disputed. According to ancient
Hindu legend, he was the son of Nandavansh. According to
others, his mother (or maternal grandmother) was Mura, a Kingdom of Chandragupta
Shudrani. According to this, Nandaraja's concubine Mura's child
is called Maurya. This evidence is not available from Hindu mythology. According to the
Puranas, the Shudra dynasty started after the fall of the Nanda dynasty. Mauryan kings are
referred to as Kshatriyas in Buddhist texts.

List of Mauryan kings:

 Chandragupta (324-300 BC)

 Bindusara (300-273 BC)
 Ashoka (273-232 BC)

After the death of Ashoka no notable kings came to the Mauryan dynasty. After Ashoka the
names of Tibar, Mahendra, Jaloki and Kunal are found. It is suspected that the king of Tiber was
inside it. Mahendra was the son or brother of Ashoka. According to Kalhana's book
'Rajatarangini', Ashoka's son Jaloki was the king of Kashmir. According to the Tibetan author
Taranath, the king of Gandhara was Ashoka's successor Birasena. According to the Vishnu
Purana, Kunal was the son of Ashoka. He reigned for 8 years. The names of the next kings are
Bandhupalita, Indrapalita, Devavarman and Brihadratha. According to the Buddhist text
'Divyavadana', Ashoka's heirs included recently, Brihaspati, Pushyadharma and
Pushyamitra. According to the Gargi-samhita, Ashoka's grandson Dasharatha Maurya sat on the
throne. Sampreeti sat on the throne after Dasaratha. The Pataliputrakalpa treatise mentions the
latter as the Adhiswara of India. Again in the Jain texts the latter is mentioned as the lord of
Pataliputra and Ujjjoyini.

It is difficult to sort out the history of the kings after Ashoka with such conflicting information in
various texts. All that is known from it is that there was a notable king after Ashoka named
Hajna. The son of the latter was Brihaspati. The name of another king named Salisuk is
found. Perhaps Salishuka and Brihaspati was the same person. It is known from Puranas and
Harshacharita written by Banabhatta that Brihadratha was the last king of Maurya
dynasty. Brihadratha's general Pushyamitra killed him and usurped the throne in 185 BC. This
ended the rule of the Maurya dynasty and the rule of the Sunga dynasty began through
Pushyamitra. But towards the end of the Mauryan dynasty multiple states emerged. Although
established by the Sunga dynasty of Magadha, the Satavahana dynasty broke away from
Magadha in the Deccan.

(27 BC to 196 AD) established an independent state. Within it is found the brief reign of the
Kanba dynasty (73-28 BC). Due to the conflict of local kings during this period, no single
powerful empire was formed in India. In this opportunity foreigners try to dominate
India. Notable within it were the Bactrian Greeks, the Shakas, the Pahlavas, the Kushans. As a
result of these attacks, the Maurya empire became smaller and smaller. On this occasion, the then
emerging kingdoms occupied various parts of this empire.

Around 566-597 AD, King Kirtivarman II of the Batapi Chalukya dynasty defeated the
Kadambas and the weak Mauryas and captured the Konkan, Bellary and Kurnal
regions. Pulakesi II defeated the Maurya king of Konkan in the north and captured his capital
Puri between 610-642 AD .

Source:
History of Bangladesh(Adiparva) / Rameshchandra Majumdar.

History of India Atul Chandra Roy, Pranavkumar Chatterjee.

(Article-2): Mauryan Empire (324 BC to 186 BC): A historical observation

Learn about Maurya Empire's largest empire, capital, founder, expansion of empire, Kautilya,
Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, Ashoka, expansion of Ashoka's empire, Kalinga war,
adoption and spread of Buddhism and fall of Maurya Empire.

Subject Mauryan Empire

The founder Chandragupta Maurya
The best emperor Ashoka
Previous Nanda family
Next Shunga clan
Introduction: The Maurya Empire was a vast Iron Age empire in ancient India. Ruled by the
Maurya dynasty, this empire lasted from 324 BC to 186 BC.

Capital: Pataliputra was the capital of this empire centered on Magadha, located in the Indus-
Gangetic plain in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent.

The largest empire: The Mauryan Empire was considered one of the largest empires of its time,
not only that, but a larger empire was never created in the history of the Indian subcontinent.
The founder: In 324 BC, Chandragupta Maurya established this empire by overthrowing the
Nanda dynasty and then using his military might to conquer the regional kingdoms of central and
western India to drive the rear of Alexander the Great's army.

Expansion of empire: The Mauryan Empire extended to the Himalayas in the north, Assam in
the east, Baluchistan in the west and the Hindu Kush Mountains in terms of modern
maps. Chandragupta Maurya and Bindusara expanded this empire in South India and Ashoka
conquered the kingdom of Kalinga and established the rule of the Maurya Empire in the whole of
South India.
Kautilya

 Chanakya or Kautilya or Vishnugupta was a Brahmin of Taxila and a worshiper of

Vishnu. With the help of Chanakya, Chandragupta Maurya established a vast
empire. According to legend, Chanakya vowed to destroy the Nanda Empire after being
insulted by Dhanananda, the emperor of the Nanda dynasty that ruled Magadha.
 According to the text Chandragupta Katha, the armies of Chandragupta Maurya and
Chanakya were initially defeated by the Nanda Empire. But Chandragupta then managed
to defeat Dhanananda and his general Bhadrasal in several battles and finally besieged
the city of Patliputra.
 Chandragupta Maurya took over the Nanda Empire in 324 BC when he was only twenty
years old. The Sanskrit drama Mudrarakshasa by Vishakhdatta describes the
establishment of Chandragupta Maurya's rule with the help of Chanakya's diplomatic
acumen.
Chandragupta Maurya

 After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, Chandragupta Maurya turned his
attention to the Macedonian kingdoms on the north-western border of his empire. He is
believed to have clashed with the rulers of West Punjab and the Indus Valley region.
 After Alexander's death, Bactria and the eastern part of his empire up to the Indus came
under the command of Seleucus I Nicator. In 305 BC he clashed with Chandragupta
Maurya. An exact account of this conflict is not available, but Seleucus I was defeated in
battle and forced to surrender several territories and give his daughter in marriage to him.
 After an alliance with Chandragupta Maurya, Seleucus I went to war with Antigonus I in
the west. Chandragupta I assisted Seleucus with 500 war elephants.
 Chandragupta then advanced towards South India. He was able to cross the Vindhya
mountains and occupy the greater part of the Deccan plateau. As a result, the whole of
India, except Kalinga and a small part of the Deccan, came under the Maurya Empire.
Bindusara: After the voluntary retirement of Chandragupta Maurya, his son Bindusara ascended
the throne at the age of twenty-two. Bindusara extended the Maurya empire further southwards
and acquired the whole of North India apart from the entire South India except the Kalinga,
Chera, Pandya and Chola kingdoms.

Ashoka

 After the death of Bindusara, the war of succession started in the Mauryan
Empire. Bindusar wanted his other son Susim as his successor, but considering Susim as
 a man of fierce and arrogant character, Bindusar's ministers supported his other son
Ashoka.
 A minister named Radhagupta became a major supporter of Ashoka's accession to the
throne and later served as his prime minister. Ashoka brutally kills Suseem by throwing
her into a pit full of burning coals.
 According to Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa, Ashoka killed ninety-nine brothers except one
brother named Beatashoka, but no historical evidence of this incident has been found so
far. He ascended the throne of the Mauryan Empire three years after his father's death in
269 BC.
Expansion of Ashoka's empire: Ascending the throne, Ashoka spent the next eight years
concentrating on expanding his empire. From the Hindu Kush Mountains in the north, the whole
of India except parts of the Deccan was under his control.

Ashoka's Kalinga War: Ashoka attacked Kalinga in the eighth year of his reign. About 100,000
people were killed and 150,000 people were exiled in this terrible war.

Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism: Ashoka's Thirteenth Inscription states that Ashoka was
overcome with grief and remorse after witnessing the death of so many people and the immense
suffering of their relatives in the Kalinga War. Seeing the evils of this terrible war, the warlike
Ashoka became a peace-loving and tolerant emperor and a patron of Buddhism.

Ashoka's propagation of Buddhism: Under the patronage of Emperor Ashoka, Buddhism

spread not only in the Maurya Empire but also in various Asian states. His son Mahendra and
daughter Sanghamitra preached Buddhism in Sinhalese.

Petni: Fifty years after Ashoka's death, the Mauryan Empire began to weaken during the reigns
of six emperors: Dasaratha, more recently, Shalisuka, Devavarman, Satadhanavan and
Brihadratha. After the last emperor Brihadratha was killed by his army chief Pushyamitra Sunga,
the Maurya Empire fell and the Sunga Empire began.

Conclusion: Within fifty years of Ashoka's death in 185 BC, the Mauryan Empire fell and the
Sunga dynasty rose in Magadha.

Questions about the Mauryan Empire?

1. Who is the founder of Maurya Empire? Chandragupta Maurya.

2. Who is the best emperor of the Maurya Empire? Ashoka.
3. When is the Kalinga war? 260 or 261 BC.
4. Which religion did Chandragupta Maurya follow? Jainism
5. Emperor Ashoka patronized which religion? Buddhism
(Article-3): The Gupta Empire of Ancient India: A Brief Review

The Gupta Empire is one of the ancient civilizations of India. The empire extended from Comilla
(Samatat) in Bangladesh to Gujarat in western India. The empire lasted from 320 to 550 AD. The
Gupta Empire is called the 'Classical Civilization'. Because, for the first time, India's upper class
came close to a better way of life. The Gupta era is also known as the 'Golden Age of India' due
to its high economic and cultural standards. Poet Kalidasa (fourth century); Mathematician
Aryabhata (476-550 AD); Vishnusharma, the author of Panchatantra (3rd century) and
Vatsayana (4th century), the author of Kamasutra, were unique talents of the Gupta period. Apart
from this, Jyotish Barahamihir (505-587) was one of the Navratnas of the Gupta emperor
Chandragupta II. It was during the Gupta period that Indian epics and Puranas reached maturity
and thus marked the break with the Vedic period.

Map of the Gupta Empire. The capital of the Gupta empire was Patliputra, which is the city of
Patna in present-day Bihar state. The state language was Sanskrit. The language around which
Hindu Brahmanism arose. But Buddhism was equally popular in the Guptas. However, as the
patrons of Buddhism were non-Indians (Kushanas), Brahmanism developed in response to the
rise of Hindu nationalism. Its impact was far-reaching. When the British said in the 19th century:
'India has no history.' Nineteenth-century Indian historians then cited the example of the
Guptas. One of them was the Bengali historian Rakhaldash Banerjee.

After the fall of the Maurya Empire (322-185 BC), there was a vacuum in India for centuries of
unicentric rule. Many aspiring heroes have attempted to fill that void. But they all
failed. Eventually the Gupta family succeeded in establishing a monarchy in Magadha (present-
day Indian state of Bihar). But who is this secret? While this inevitable question is raised, it is
with great regret that the roots of the Guptas are shrouded in mist. For this reason historian
Romila Thapar wrote: The origin of the Guptas is somewhat obscure. It is possible that the
family was one of the wealthy landowners who gradually gained political control in the region of
Magadha. (A History of India: Volume 1. page 136) Srigupta (240-280 AD), founder of the
Gupta dynasty. In 690 AD, a Chinese traveler named Yi Tsing came to India. Srigupta was the
landlord of Magadha - such a fact is known in his description. Srigupta thereafter gradually
gained political power. Srigupta's son Ghatotkacha Gupta (280-319) was the second ruler of the
Gupta dynasty. However, the limited Gupta kingdom did not become an empire during the reign
of these two. It was during the reign of Ghatotkacha Gupta's son Chandragupta Gupta I that the
real empire arose.

Rani Kumardevi and King Chandragupta I on coins obtained during Samudragupta's reign
between 335 and 380 AD.

Chandragupta I (320-335) was the first ruler of the Gupta Empire. A historian wrote in this
context: The Gupta dynasty first seems to be in eminence with the accession of Chandra Gupta I,
son of Ghatotkacha to the throne of the ancestral Gupta kingdom. The Gupta Empire began on
February 26, 320 AD. Chandragupta I assumed the title of Maharajadhiraja . The Licchavi clan
was powerful in Magadha. The first Chandragupta married into the Lichchavi tribe. His wife's
name is Kumardevi. So the purpose of marriage was purely political. Chandragupta I ruled the
townships of Prayag (Allahabad), Satek (Ayodhya) and Magadha (Bihar).
Gold coins of Samudragupta. Note that the Gupta rule in Bangladesh started during
Samudragupta's rule. Kalighat Hooghly Tamluk in Bengal and Jessore have found many Gupta
coins.

Chandragupta I's son Samudragupta took over the rulership of Magadha in 335 AD. He ruled for
a total of 45 years. During this period he conquered twenty kingdoms and annexed to the Gupta
Empire a vast tract of land between the Himalayas and the Narmada River in the south and the
Brahmaputra to the Yamuna. Samudragupta is called Indian Napoleon due to his unique military
talent . He performed Ashwamedha Yajna ... was a worshiper of Vishnu (ie
Vaishnava). Samudragupta, however, was tolerant in religious matters. During his time the
Buddhist king Sirimeghvanna of Sri LankaWho gave permission to build a Buddhist monastery
in Gaya. Samudragupta was not only a skilled warrior or a liberal ruler, but also a patron of art
and literature. He used to write poetry. He practiced music. The poet prince Harishena, the
Buddhist monk Vasubandhu and the Buddhist yogi Asanga enlightened his royal court.

The Gupta rule in Bangladesh started during the rule of that Samudragupta. Samudragupta
conquered Bengal (present-day Bangladesh and West Bengal). At this time, Bangladesh entered
a new chapter. Because, the internal conflicts between the independent states that were going on
in Bengal came to an end. Not only that, Bangladesh was associated with the political and
cultural activities of the Gupta Empire for about a century and a half. Later, when Bangladesh
established its own empire, that experience came in handy.

After the death of Samudragupta, his eldest son Ramagupta sat on the throne of Magadha, but
after a surprising incident, Chandragupta II got the power of Magadha. Ramagupta was a weak
ruler. He was defeated by Sakaraja Rudrasena II. Originally the Saka were a tribe along the
shores of the Caspian Sea. They are called Scythian. A tribe of them migrated to Rajasthan in
India. and encountered the Guptas. The weak-minded ruler Ramagupta attempted to hand over
his wife Dhruvadevi to Shaka king Rudrasena II in exchange for her life. However,
Chandragupta II could not accept such a base decision. Chandragupta II disguised himself as a
woman and reached the Shaka camp and killed Sakaraja Rudrasena II. He then killed Ramagupta
and married Dhruvadevi. (How did Shahrukh Khan miss such a great plot for making films, busy
with games and robots? Aishwarya Rai will inevitably fit the role of Dhruvadevi, wife of the
coward Ramagupta ... Poet Kalidasa was the 2nd Chandragupta's sitting poet ...so ... .)...
Anyway. Chandragupta II 'Vikramaditya'Received the title. and ruled for about forty years from
380 to 413 AD. During this time he expanded the Gupta empire from the west coast of India to
the Bay of Bengal. As the empire grew in size, he established a second capital at Ujjain. Trade
with the Mediterranean was facilitated by the presence of ports on the west coast of
India. Chandragupta II strengthened political ties with South India through diplomatic
moves. Before that he completely expelled the Shakas from West-India. During his reign there
was rebellion in Bangladesh. So he conquered Bengal again and again. Emperor Chandragupta
II's reign is notable for many reasons. I have already mentioned poet Kalidasa. Moreover, the
Chinese traveler Fahien visited India during his time.

Iron pillar of the first Kumaragupta period. It is currently located in Delhi's Qutub
Complex. Although the iron pillar was first in Mathura. On top of the pillar was Garuda. It is
said about this iron pillar: The iron pillar is one of the world's foremost metallurgical curiosities.
Kumaragupta I was the son of Chandragupta II. Its period is 415-455 AD. He was also an able
ruler. From Bengal to Gujarat and from the Himalayas to the Narmada, the internal unity of the
Gupta empire remained intact. Kumaragupta I ruled for forty years. However, the last chapter of
his reign did not go well due to the threat of the Pushyamitra dynasty in the south and the
invasion of the last Huns in the west. Kumaragupta I, however, suppressed the Sakras. and
performed horse sacrifice.

Skandhgupta was the last notable emperor of the Gupta dynasty. His period was 455-467
AD. Historians postulate that a civil war broke out in Magadha at that time i.e. after the death of
Kumaragupta I. An inscription mentions a civil war. Whatever Kumaragupta I suppressed the
threat of the Pushyamitra dynasty in the south and the last Huns in the west, but Skandhagupta
was attacked by them. Even today, the Gupta era buildings can be seen on the roads of India

Now let's talk about the fall of the Gupta empire. The Gupta empire was huge. So the center was
losing its kingdom due to local revolts. The Hun invasion from the west began in 500 AD, like a
sharp blow on Mora. The western part of the Gupta Empire was disrupted by the invasion of two
Hun rulers, Toramana and Mihirakula. However, in 455 AD, Skandhgupta was able to suppress
the Huns. However, the state had to bear huge costs. ) Now let us look at the internal causes of
the decline of the empire. The generous Gupta emperors used to grant large villages to
Brahmins. Although this is not rare in Indian history, they gave the Brahmins the power to
collect taxes. Hence it formed a small Kshadra (unproductive) economic zone. Which in turn
made the empire economically weak. The Gupta kings used to donate a lot of money to Nalanda
and Vikramsila Mahaviharas (Buddhist universities) in Bihar. It was also an unproductive
sector. Moreover, the Gupta kings were Vaishnavas. However, Emperor Kumaragupta I was
inclined towards asceticism. A coin shows him dressed as a monk. He introduced a type of
currency called Moreover, the Gupta kings were Vaishnavas. However, Emperor Kumaragupta I
was inclined towards asceticism. A coin shows him dressed as a monk. He introduced a type of
currency called Moreover, the Gupta kings were Vaishnavas. However, Emperor Kumaragupta I
was inclined towards asceticism. A coin shows him dressed as a monk. He introduced a type of
currency calledCalled "unrepentant type" . The word Prathiga means anger. So Apatigha means
anger. Therefore, it is not possible for a non-violent emperor to rule or expand the kingdom with
a hard hand.

Due to these reasons the Gupta society flourished.

Ajanta Caves Wonderful creations of Gupta era artists. Which is actually a bright sign of Gupta
emperors love for art. Ajanta Caves are located in the western part of present day Maharashtra,
India. At that time where the Bakatak kingdom was ruling. They had matrimonial relations with
the Guptas. So the rich and sensuous life at Vakataka court and of Gupta India in general is
realistically displayed in these murals. Tantra was also practiced in the Gupta period. Even
today, the erotic architecture of Ajanta still bears witness to these buildings with the memory of a
gray era...

I mentioned earlier that Gupta Age is called Classical Civilization and Golden Age in Indian
history. Because, that was the first time India's upper class got a taste of a better
lifestyle. However, the fate of common people did not change much in 'classical
civilization'. Gupta Empire was standing on their shoulders. As even today modern India is
standing on the chest of the poor downtrodden people of the society. It is the upper class that has
benefited. Those who still have a free license for corruption...hence the rise of non-violent Anna
Hazare and violent Maoist movements across India today is easily conceivable. Even the slap of
a corrupt minister at the hands of a brave Sikh youth can be traced back to the divisions and
disparities of Indian history...

Source:

Sunil Chatterjee: History of Ancient India (Volume I & II)

Majumdar, RC, Raychaudhuri, HC, Datta, Kalikinkar; AN ADVANCED HISTORY OF INDIA

Romila Thapar A History of India: Volume 1

(Article-4): History of the Rise and fall of the Gupta Empire

After the Mauryan period, the Gupta period became very important in the history of ancient India
for various reasons. In the 4th century AD, India became divided and chaotic. By putting an end
to this chaotic situation, the Gupta dynasty once again established political unity in India. The
Gupta Empire was smaller in terms of geographical size than the Mauryan Empire but was
relatively long-lived. The Gupta period saw an unprecedented development in art, literature and
science.

border
 North: Himalayas
 South: Narmada
 East: Brahmaputra river
 West: Yamuna and Chambal rivers/Punjab
 Beyond this were the autonomous and allied states.

History of establishment in the Gupta Empire

After the fall of the Mauryan Empire, Indian politics began to experience isolation, regionalism
and intrusion of foreign powers. The rise of the Gupta Empire was an active protest against
him. The post-Kushana era saw the emergence of petty kingdoms in the political history of
India. The Gupta empire arose based on the power vacuum in the Gangetic valley and the fertile
lands of the Ganga-Yamuna valley.

More posts in this category:

According to inscriptional evidence, the name of the founder of the Gupta dynasty was
Srigupta. Srigupta ruled Varendra or its neighboring provinces. His capital was at Magadha. He
only used the title 'Maharaj'. After the death of King Srigupta, his son Ghatotkacha became the
king of this small kingdom. Neither father nor son was a great king; But Ghatokach's son
Chandragupta I (320-340 AD) emerged as a mighty king after ascending the throne.
It was during the reign of Chandragupta I that the Gupta empire expanded and the development
of the Guptas as an imperial power can be seen. Chandragupta I married 'Lichchhavi'
princess. This matrimonial relationship multiplied the status of the Guptas. Before his death,
Chandragupta I nominated his son Samudragupta as his successor.
Order of Kings
Maharaja Srigupta
Maharaja Ghatotkacha Gupta
Maharajadhiraja I Chandragupta
Samudragupta
Ramagupta
Chandragupta (II)
Kumaragupta
Skandagupta
Purugupta Buddhagupta
Narasimha
Gupta
III Kumaragupta
Vishnugupta

India's Napoleon Samudragupta

After the fall of the Maurya Empire, Samudragupta established a sovereign power over the
whole of India. Smith called him the 'Napoleon of India', noting the scale of his military
campaigns and the extent of his state dominance. Samudragupta was born to Chandragupta I's
concubine Kumaradevi.
Some time after 320 AD he declared himself the successor of his father and ascended the
throne. He was a Brahmin. His empire extended to the Himalayas in the north, the Narmada in
the south, the Yamuna and Chambal rivers in the west and the Brahmaputra river in the
east. Samudragupta was not only a warrior or an expanding emperor, but he was also an
engineer, a suave, a skilled ruler and a musician. He was the first to issue fully Indian coins. His
artful gold coins are the glory of the Gupta period. Samudragupta was succeeded by his first son
Ramagupta.

Chandragupta II or Vikramaditya
Ramagupta was an incompetent ruler. Then Chandragupta II or Vikramaditya ascended the
throne in 380 AD and passed away in 413 AD. Vikramaditya was a warrior and an efficient
ruler. He conquered Punjab, Mathura and later the Shaka kingdom of Malab and Gurjars. The
Chinese traveler Fa-hien raved about his regime. His regime was liberal and philanthropic. After
his death, his son Kumaragupta ascended the throne.

Caused the fall of the Gupta Empire

 The great empire built around Magadha by the untiring efforts and military genius of
Samudragupta and Chandragupta II began to decline from the end of the fifth century AD and
ended completely in the middle of the sixth century.
 Skandagupta is said to be the last major emperor of the Gupta Empire. He died in 467
AD. The weakness and incompetence of his successors in governance was one of the main
reasons for the downfall of the Gupta Empire.
 Samudragupta used to give back their kingdoms to defeated kings in return for regular tribute
and obedience. Later, due to the weakness of the Gupta kings, when these provincial rulers
rebelled, they could not be suppressed.
 An important contemporary power of the Guptas were the Batakas. They help the
Pushyamitra or Hun invaders due to a rift in their relationship. The Gupta Empire fell at the
hands of these Huns.
 What was the Gupta regime like?
 The Gupta regime was well regulated, orderly and well organised. The judicial system of this
era was liberal and humane. The Gupta regime offers a wonderful glimpse of monarchy,
democracy and alliance. For a long time the Gupta emperors protected India from foreign
invasions. Because the regime was liberal, the people lived freely and comfortably. In this
era, science, literature, and art had an extraordinary speed. Ancient Indian poets like Kalidasa,
Bharvi, Shatraka, Visakhdatta etc. were cultural representatives of the Gupta period.
 Amar Simha's poetic Sanskrit dictionary, Bhagavat's treatise on medicine, Varaha Mihir's
Panchasiddhanta, Aryabhata's theory of instantaneous and annual motion introduce Gupta
Manisha.
 The Gupta period was extremely creative in art ie architecture, sculpture and
painting. Mathura, Varanasi and Pataliputra were major centers of art during this period.

Bengal during Gupta rule

After the fall of the Maurya Empire, there was no unified state system in Bengal for a long
time. The Gupta emperor Samudragupta Pushkaran defeated Chandravarma, the ruler of the
kingdom, and occupied West and South Bengal. Later most of Bengal came under Gupta
Empire. Gupta emperors ruled different regions of Bengal from 4th to 7th century AD. Many
Gupta gold coins have been discovered from different archaeological sites of Bengal. The Gupta
emperors were divided into several divisions for the convenience of ruling Bengal. do Bhukti,
Bhaya, Mool, Beethi and Village had these administrative divisions. The role of the Guptas in
the introduction of administrative and land system is particularly significant in the history of
Bengal. The economic condition of Bengal was good during the Gupta period. But in the 6th
century, when the Gupta Empire was weakened by internal rebellions and repeated invasions by
Injati, two independent states named Gaud and Banga emerged in Bengal.

Nalanda Vihar
Nalanda Mahavihara was a famous Buddhist educational and cultural center located in the
ancient Indian state of Magadha (present-day Bihar). Nalanda Mahavihara was founded in 427
AD. It is believed that Gupta emperors were the builders of Nalanda Mahavihara and Sat first
Kumaragupta took the first initiative in this regard. Around the seventh century, Nalanda became
famous as a center of learning. At that time Nalanda had 10,000 students and 2,000
teachers. Many of them came from Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Iran and
Turkey. Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang spent several years here to study.

The mystics of the Gupta period

Kalidasa
 The most famous Sanskrit poet after Valmiki, Vyasa, a distinguished literary, dramatist of the
Gupta period.
 Dramas written by him like Shakuntala, Meghdoot, Kumar Bishka, Ritu-Sanghar,
Malvikagnimitram etc. are invaluable assets of world literature.
 He is on par with the world's best poets and writers such as Homer, Shakespeare, Milton,
Dante for his extraordinary poetic talent.
 He was one of the Navaratnas of Chandragupta II or Vikramaditya.

Fa-Hien
 Real name Kung, after his initiation into Buddhism he was named Fa-hien, meaning the
epitome of humility.
 Came to India in 401 AD. He traveled to different parts of India for 10 consecutive years.
 The purpose of his arrival was to collect Buddhist scriptures.
 Fa-hien's travelogue is known as 'Fo-kwae-ki'. It is a prominent and authentic document of
Indian history.
 Fa-Hien died in southern China at the age of 86.

Aryabhata
 Aryabhata was the greatest scientist and mathematician of the Gupta period.
 In his book 'Surya-siddhanta' there is a delightful description of the causes of solar and lunar
eclipses.
 His other famous treatise on Arithmetic, Algebra, Trigonometry and Astronomy is
'Aryabhattiya'.
 He determined the value of pi to be 3.1416, the most accurate value of any mathematician up
to that time.
 India's first artificial satellite was named 'Aryabhata' after him.

Important information
 Mahakabi Kalidasa was the poet of the era of the Gupta era (he was the court poet of
Chandragupta II).
 Another name of Chandragupta II was Vikramaditya. Rabi (A-3): 11-12.
 Samudragupta is called the Napoleon of India. Rabi (A-3) 10-11).
 The Chinese sage Fa-Hien stayed in India from 401-410 AD. Police Station Assistant
Education Officer and 99)
 Meghdoot Kavya was written by Mahakabi Kalidas. Sirkari Secondary School Assistant
Teacher : 06).
 Chinese traveler Fa-Hien arrived in Bengal during the reign of Chandragupta II. DU 'B' Unit
2015-16.
 The titles of Chandragupta II were — Vikramaditya, Narendra Chandra, Simhachandra,
Devaraja, Devashri, Shakari etc.
 'Tramshasana' is a copperplate script/registered deed of donation of land by the king or any
other person primarily for religious purposes.
 'Amrakosh' is the national text- dictionary. Assistant Director of Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat:
06/ DU 'B' : 04-05).

History of the Gupta Empire Q&A Gupta Empire Questions Answers.

1. Which era in Indian history is called 'Suborn era'? Answer: The Gupta era
2. Gupta Empire arose after the fall of which empire? Answer: After the fall of Satavahana
Empire
3. Who was the founder of the Gupta Empire? Answer: Srigupta
4. From which Chinese traveler's account is known about Srigupta? Answer: It Singh
5. Who was the first independent and sovereign king of the Gupta Empire? Answer: First
Chandragupta
6. Where was the first Chandragupta's capital? Answer: Patliputra
7. What was the title of Gupta Emperor Chandragupta I? Answer: Maharajadhiraj
8. Which Gupta emperor introduced 'Guptabda'? Answer: Chandragupta I (320 AD)
9. Who became the emperor of the Gupta Empire after the death of Chandragupta I? Answer:
Samudragupta
10. Who was the best ruler or king of the Gupta dynasty? Answer: Samudragupta
11. 'Napoleon of India' - who is called? Answer: Samudragupta
12. 'Kaviraj', 'Parakramanka', 'Ekrat', 'Sarvarajchetta' - whose titles are these? Answer:
Samudragupta
13. Who wrote Allahabad Prasthi? Answer: Samudragupta's exploits are described in
Harishen's Allahabad Prasthi.
14. What is Samudragupta's poet's name? Answer: Harishen
15. 'Precursor of Ancient Indian Golden Age' - Who is called? Answer: Samudragupta
16. What is Samudragupta's son's name? Answer: Chandragupta II
17. Fa-hien came to India during the reign of which Gupta emperor? Answer: During the
period of Chandragupta II
18. Who is known as 'Legendary Vikramaditya'? Answer: Chandragupta II
19. 'Shakari' - who had the title? Answer: Chandragupta II
20. 'Records of Buddhist Kingdom' - written by a Chinese tourist? Answer: Fa-Hien
21. Who became the emperor of the Gupta Empire after the death of Chandragupta II?
Answer: First Kumaragupta

Some more important questions and answers:-

1. In which Mahajanapada Buddha left his body? Answer: stool
2. Where did Alexander take his last breath? Answer: Babylon
3. Who founded the Nanda clan? Answer: Mahapadma Nanda
4. Who was the greatest ruler of Kalinga kingdom in ancient times? Answer: Carabella
5. Shishu Nagavansa started after the destruction of which Mahajanapada? Answer: Avanti
6. Which empire was not included in ancient India? Answer: Hampi.
7. Bimbisar had enmity with which kingdom? Answer: Anga
8. Which ruler was a contemporary of Alexander? Answer: Chandragupta Maurya
9. What is mentioned in Arthasastra? Answer: Politics
10. How far did Chandragupta Maurya's empire spread in North-West India? Answer:
Hindkush
11. Ashoka's empire expanded in which century? Answer: In the third century BC
12. Which ancient Mahajanapada spread on the banks of Yamuna river? Answer: Batsa.
13. Which ruler was known as an enemy slayer or amitragatha? Answer: Bindusar
14. Kautilya was the prime minister of which Indian ruler? Answer: Chandragupta Maurya
15. Who occupied the throne of Magadha in 322 BC? Answer: Chandragupta Maurya
16. Who made the first foreign expedition to India? Answer: First Darius
17. Where was the capital of Magadha in ancient India? Answer: Rajgir
18. Which ruler shifted his capital from Rajgir to Pataliputra? Answer: Udayin
19. Who was the first ruler of Magadha in the sixth century BC? Answer: Bimbisar
20. Which ruler shifted his capital from Pataliputra to Vaishali? Answer: Shishunag
21. What battle did Puru lose to Alexander? Answer: Hydaspas
22. What was the largest city in ancient India? Answer: Patliputra
23. Who was called Parashuram II among all the Kshatriya clans? Answer: Mahapadma
24. Who was the king of Nanda dynasty during Alexander's India campaign? Answer:
Dhanananda
25. Which Indian king claimed to have sovereign power in ancient India? Answer: Udayin
(Article-5): Discuss the rise of Gowda under the leadership of Shashank Credit to
Shashank

Introduction:
During the fall of the Gupta Empire in the early part of the 6th century, several independent
kingdoms emerged in Bangladesh. The most important of these kingdoms in the early part of the
7th century AD was the Gauda kingdom. The contribution of Goudadhipati Shashanka was
undeniable at the root of this fame and establishment of the Gauda kingdom.

Original identity:
According to Dr. Rameshchandra Majumdar, "Shashanka was the first sovereign malefactor
among the Bengali kings." No information about his early life or his genealogy is available as
such. According to many he was of Gupta descent and his other name was
Narendragupta. Although there is considerable debate in historical circles about this view. Many
historians speculate that he was a vassal under the later Gupta dynasty Magadha king
Mahasengupta. After the death of Mahasengupta, he established an independent kingdom in
Gauda before 606 AD.

Extent of Empire:
At this time Gaur meant North and West Bengal. His capital was Karnasubarna. After
establishing himself as an independent ruler of Gaur, he turned his attention to state
expansion. Before sending an expedition outside Bengal, his supremacy was definitely
established over the whole of Bengal. He conquered Dandabhukti (Datan in Medinipur), Utkal
and Kongod (Ganjam district in Odisha) in the south. In the west Magadha also came under his
empire.

Alliance:
After conquering the whole of Bengal and parts of Bihar and Orissa, Shashanka marched against
the Moukhari king Grahavarman of Kanauj, an enemy of Gauda. Grahavarman married
Rajyashri, daughter of King Prabhakarvardhan of Pushyabhutivansha of Thaneswar. This
matrimonial relationship between Moukhari and the Pushyabhutivansa was uncomfortable for
Malavaraja Devagupta, because of the hereditary enmity of the Malava dynasty with the
Pushyabhutis. Due to this, Devagupta entered into alliance with Shashanka.

Shashank-Harshvardhan Relationship:
Devagupta and Shashanka jointly attacked Kanauj. Grahavarman was defeated and killed and
Rajyashri was imprisoned. After the death of the Thaneswar king Prabhakarvardhan,
Rajyavardhan, a young prince of Thaneswar, went on a campaign against Devagupta. Devagupta
was defeated and killed in this battle, but Rajyavardhan was again killed by
Shashanka. Banbhatta and Hiuen Tsang say that Shashank betrayed Rajyavardhan and killed
him. There is considerable debate about this among modern historians.
On Rajyavardhana's death, his younger brother Harshavardhana ascended the throne of
Thaneswar and waged war against Shashanka. Kamarupa-raja Bhaskaravarman, frightened by
Shashanka's reinforcements, joined Harsha. Needless to say, the combined power of Harsha and
Vaskavarman could do no harm to Shashanka and he ruled Gauda, Magadha, Dandabhukti,
Utkala and Kongos till his death in 637 AD.

Religion:
Shashank was a worshiper of Shiva. Banabatta, Hiuen Sad and various Buddhist scriptures call
him anti-Buddhism. Banabhatta calls Shashanka 'Gaudadham' and 'Gaudbhujanga'. Dr.
Rameshchandra Majumdar and Dr. Ramaprasad Chand disagreed to accept the above
views. According to them Hiuen Sun and Banbhatta, who were loyal to Harsha, were anti-
Shashank. Hiuen Tsang's writings show that during Shashanka's reign, Buddhism spread
considerably in Bangladesh and enjoyed considerable prestige in the capital
Karnasubarna. Shashank holds a prominent place in the history of Bengal. In all India politics

Achievements:
He was the first to establish Bengal in a seat of distinguished status. He was the first Bengali
politician to dream of establishing a Bengali empire in Aryavarta and partially realized it. The
shrewd strategist Shashanka thwarted all attempts of the mighty Harshvardhan and maintained
his supremacy in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Following the principles he inculcated through his
Rajyajoya, later Palarajas established a vast empire.

(Article-6): Evaluating Shashanka's achievements as the first Bengali king

After the fall of the Gupta Empire in the early 6th century, small local kingdoms re-
emerged all over northern India. The effect of this situation fell in Bengal as well.
Two independent empires were established in Bengal at the time due to contemporary
conditions.
One was the ancient kingdom of Bengal and the other was the Gaur kingdom. In the southern
part of Southeast Bengal and West Bengal was the independent state of Bengal and across West
and North Bengal was the independent
state of Gaur. Shashanka was the ruler of this Gaur kingdom.
Information about the independent state of Bengal is available from seven copperplate records.
Three kings known as Gopachandra, Dharmaditya and Samacharadeva ruled between 525 AD
and 600 AD.
Kotalipara in Faridpur district, Mallasarul in Burdwan district and Jairampur in Baleshwar
district.
Copperplates have been found. The kings of Bengal bore the title of 'Maharajadhiraj' which was
indicative of their sovereign power. However, the influence, prestige and prosperity of the
mentioned three kings and their kingdoms can be found from the copperplates
found.
It is not known how this kingdom of Bengal was destroyed or fell .
The political power of Bengal could be undermined by the invasion of outside powers or the
strengthening of an independent Gaur state .
After Bengal let's talk about Gaur state. After the fall of the Gupta empire, Gupta-titled kings,
known as the 'Later Gupta dynasty',
expanded their power in North Bengal, northern parts of West Bengal and Magadha.
It was in this region of Bengal that the independent Gaur kingdom was formed. The 'Moukhari'
dynasty of Northern India and the later Guptas
There was a hereditary feud between the dynastic kings for almost half a century.
Shashank took advantage of this situation . He seized power in the Gauda region in the late 6th
or early 7th century
and established the independent sovereign state of Gauda.
Sources of Shashanka's history
We have some material that gives information about Shashanka. These include Shashanka's
copperplates, coins, seal molds found in the Rohtasgarh gorge; Books titled
'Aryamanjushrimulkalpa' and 'Harshacharita' by Banabhatta
and the accounts of the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang are noteworthy.
Some caution should be exercised in drawing information from the 'Harshacharita' and Hiuen
Tsang's sources for the history of Shashanka.
Because, in these two sources, Shashank is portrayed as the 'opponent' or 'enemy'.
It is not possible to say precisely when the rise of Shashanka and the rise of Rajyasima
Shashanka took place. However, various evidences suggest that
Shashanka rose in the last decade of the 6th century. In the overall picture of India at this time,
we see the presence of numerous petty kingdoms and kings and occasional conflicts between
them.
After the fall of the Guptas in the attack of the Huns, this scene has been incarnated. However,
according to the Banabhattasutra, Harshavardhana took the oath in the early seventh century (606
AD) and Rajyavardhana died at the
hands of Shashanka before Harshavardhana took the oath . Meanwhile, the Ganjam copperplate
mentions the presence of
'Gowradhipati' Shashanka in Orissa till 619 AD .
When the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang traveled to Bengal after 630 AD
When Shashank came, he was no longer alive. That is why Hiuen Tsang's account
refers to the 'story' of Shashanka's death. Reviewing these facts, it is not difficult to infer that
Shashanka was an established artist even before 606 AD. He must have reigned till 619 AD
and probably died sometime before 630 AD.
Later Guptas were ruling in the west (Malab) at the time of Shashanka's rise . The Moukhari
dynasty centered on Kanauj in North India and the
Pushyabhati dynasty centered on Thaneswar in the border of Uttar Pradesh i.e. East Punjab.
It is clear that Shashanka came to power in the Gauda kingdom sometime in the early seventh
century. His capital was Karnasubarna. Presently situated six miles south-west of Baharampur in
Murshidabad district 'Rangamati'. The northern and northwestern parts of Bengal were under
Shashanka's rule. Whether South-East Bengal was part of his empire
is not precisely known. Because of this, Shashank was the ruler of entire Bengal, such a
comment is not logical. From the beginning of Shashanka's reign, the region of Magadha or
South Bihar was in his possession.
The Ganjam copper reign of 619 AD shows that Shashanka's kingdom extended
as far south as the Chilka Lake in Orissa.
Shashanka's Intervention in
North Indian Politics a significant chapter in Shashanka's reign was his strong action in North
Indian politics. Shashanka's main rival in North
India was Harshavardhana, the powerful emperor of India at that time. However, Shashank's
The main feature of North Indian politics before the rise is that the 'Moukhari' dynasty indulged
in aggressive ambitions of imperial expansion in the east and west .
They formed an 'alliance' through matrimonial ties with another contemporary power, the
'Pusyabhati' dynasty.
Meanwhile, Shashank intervened mainly in North Indian politics to firmly preserve Swaraj
against this coalition.
The Moukhrirajas had hereditary enmity with the later Gupta kings of Gauda-Magadha.
Shashanka, ruler of Gauda-Magadha, had to bear the brunt of this enmity
. Moreover, Moukhari King
Grahavarman of Kanauj of the contemporary period established friendship by marrying
Rajyashri, daughter of King Prabhakarvardhan of Pushyabhati. Shashank thinks that this
friendship can bring danger for him. As a result, he is also friendly with Malvraj Devagupta in
diplomatic strategy.
Create a relationship. Shashank then proceeded to show Bengal's strength against the 'all-India'
forces.
There are roughly two reasons for Shashank's involvement in North Indian politics.
First, the Gaudra lord Shashanka also became involved in the Moukhari conflict with the later
Gupta kings.
Because many think that Shashanka was a feudal lord or representative of the Gupta kings. So
he may have been an enemy of the Moukharis by inheritance.
Secondly, the politics of North India became quite complicated due to the formation of two
opposing alliances. As an aspiring representative of one of these coalitions,
Shashank found himself embroiled in an 'all-India' political fray.
This is how Shashanka formed an alliance with Devagupta of Malava against the alliance of
Moukhari and Pushyabhatids.
Before the attack of Pushyabhati and Moukhari allies, taking advantage of the illness of
Thaneswara Raja Prabhakarvardhan,
Malvraj Devagupta attacked Moukhari Raja Grahavarman and imprisoned his wife Rajyashri in
Kanauj.
Motivated by his success in defeating Grahavarman in this battle, Devagupta, without waiting for
Shashanka's attack,
proceeded to prepare to attack the kingdom of Thaneswar in the next phase. Meanwhile,
Rajyavardhan ascended the Thaneswar throne after the death of
Prabhakarvardhan. Rajyavardhan was distraught at the news of Grahavarman's defeat
and marched towards Kanauj in an army to rescue his sister Rajyashri. The subsequent course
of events is quite unclear. However, it appears from the available sources that Rajyavardhana
Devagupta -
Defeated and killed. But he probably failed to establish his dominion over Kanauj and was
not very successful in rescuing his sister Rajyashri. Shashanka had probably already reached
Kanauj
in Sasai to help Devagupta.
It is not known whether there was any direct battle between Shashanka and Rajyavardhan . But
there are some indications that Rajyavardhan was killed by Shashanka.
Various incidents are mentioned in contemporary sources about this.
Both Banbhatta and Hiuen Tsang in their writings
indicate that Shashank's conspiracy and treachery were active in the assassination of
Rajyavardhan. In fact, the matter is quite murky. Banabhatta
writes in Harshachari that 'Unarmed Rajyavardhana alone of Gauda, convinced by the Gauda
king's false supremacy.
went to the king's house and was instantly killed.' Why Rajyavardhan went to the enemy without
ensuring his own safety is not
available from Banabhata. However, Shankara, the fourteenth-century commentator on the
Harshacharita, tried to explain this by
referring to Shashanka's temptation to marry his daughter to Rajyavardhan .
But the question comes, after about seven hundred years,
where did Shankar get this kind of temptation? At one point in Hiuen Tsang's account,
Shashanka's
ministers invited Rajyavardhan to a meeting and killed him. Elsewhere he wrote, Rajyavardhan
was killed by the enemy because of the fault of Rajyavardhan's ministers.
A third source may be taken from an inscription of Harshavardhana. It says, 'Satyanurodhe'
(Establishment of truth
Rajyavardhan sacrificed his life in Shatrubhaban. Based on these three
facts, many people try to say that Shashank is a 'traitor'. But it must be remembered that
neither Banbhatta nor Hiuen Tsang are in favor of Shashank. So their statement is not acceptable
at all. Moreover
, there is ambiguity in the statements.
Modern historians speculate that Rajyavardhan may have been defeated in a face-to-face battle
with Shashanka on his way to Kanauj.
Or it may be assumed that he died at the hands of his ministers. This 'defeat' and 'death' of
Rajyavardhan
may have been cleverly avoided by his pro-writers. But whatever the case may be,
there is no doubt that Shashank was somehow involved in the events surrounding Rajyavardhan's
death. From this
It can be assumed that Shashank was quite intelligent and powerful as a warrior of ancient
Bengal.
Shashanka against Harshavardhana
Harshavardhana is said to be the third imperial man in ancient India. Even against this powerful
emperor
, the independent existence of Bengal was intact under the leadership of Shashanka. This is
probably the biggest event in the history of Shashank.
However, there is no way to know for sure whether Harshvardhan had any battle with
Shashanka.
There is little mention of this in the book 'Aryamanjushrimulkalpa'. The book is not recognized
as a historical book.
It is just a compilation of some legends about Buddhism and its followers. Moreover, there are
problems with initials in this book. That is, all the names mentioned in it are either by the first
letter of the name or by synonyms
writing For example, King 'Soma' is probably Shashanka and his enemy King 'H' and his elder
brother King 'R' are probably
Harshavardhana and Rajyavardhana respectively. The defeat of Shashanka by Harshavardhana is
indicated in this book. But
the description of 'Aryamanjushrimulkalpa' is not acceptable because if Shashanka was really
defeated, Banabhata or
Hiuen Tsang would have mentioned it. The most important thing is that the Ganjam script of 619
AD
proves that Shashank was intact in his own state till then. So Harshavardhana
may have achieved some success by invading Shashanka's kingdom; But he had to return. And
from the account of Hiuen Tsang,
it seems that Shashanka was present in his own kingdom even before 630 AD. That is Harsh
Vardhan
built a vast empire across northern India;
who vowed to 'empty the earth' in revenge against his fratricide Shashanka ;
who sought to overthrow Shashanka by forming an alliance with Bhaskara Varman of Kamarupa
; That Harshvardhan
probably did not do anything remarkable during Shashanka's lifetime. Despite being surrounded
by enemies on both sides,
Shashank was able to keep the independent state of Gaudara and Bengal intact forever. For we
see that
Bhaskaravarman and Hiuen Tsang were able to enter Bengal only after the death of Shashanka.
Shashank's religion
was Shashank Shaivism. Shiva's image was engraved on his coins. Hiuen Tsang Shashanka's
anti-Buddhism and
He has recorded many stories of persecution of Buddhists. Banabhatta called Shashanka as
'Gaudadham', 'Gaudbhujanga'
etc. Shashanka was the patron saint of Shaivism.
This may have prevented the spread of Buddhism to some extent . So many people think that
there is an exaggeration in the story of Shashanka's persecution of Buddhists.
Because Hiuen Tsang gives a detailed account of Buddhist culture in Bengal, it is difficult to
prove
that Shashanka massacred Buddhists on a large scale. Regarding Shashanka's death, Hiuen Tsang
says, '
Shortly before AD 630, Shashanka cut down the Bodhi tree at Gaya and
removed the Buddha image from a nearby temple. As a result, Shashank suffered wounds all
over his body, the flesh rotted and he died.' This is the description
'Hateful' seems to be the case and on this basis
it would not be reasonable to regard Sashanka as completely anti-Buddhist or sectarian.
Shashank's achievements.
Many modern historians want to call Shashank as the 'first important actor' of Bengal.
Sufficient arguments can be given in favor of this. Dr. Ramesh Chandra Majumdar says, '
Following the principles laid down by Shashanka by his conquest of the kingdom, the Pala kings
established a vast empire.' In fact, Shashank was the first royal person who spread the news of
Bengal's glorious existence all over India.The achievement of Bengal's independent sovereign
existence against the all- India powers and the preservation of Bengal's independent existence
took place under Shashanka's leadership. Evidence obtained so far shows that Shashank is the
first actor of Bengal'. It had the power to make pledges and to issue coins. He intervened in the
politics of North India with the power of Bengal and achieved some success. In this way,
Shashank spread the light of achievement in the history of Bengal in the seventh century; it can
be said quite suddenly. On the whole, therefore, he can be considered the 'first important artist' of
Bengal.

Summary
The first important Nripati of Bengal was Shashanka, a ruler of the first half of the 7th
century. After the Gupta rule,
he became the ruler of the Gaud kingdom of Bengal. His kingdom extended as far south as the
Chilka Lake in Orissa
. He was able to keep the independence of Bengal intact against the 'Moukhari' and 'Pushyabhati'
clans
. He even achieved some success for Bengal by interfering in North Indian politics
achieved He established an alliance with Malvraj Devgupta and
strengthened his position with diplomatic skills. Shashank was the first artist of Bengal
who had the independent power to mint and issue coins.
There is some circumstantial evidence of his involvement in Rajyavardhan's murder, which
points to Shashanka's credit.
Shashank is honored with the glory of spreading the news of the good political existence of
Bengal all over India.
Post-Learning Evaluation Impersonal

(Article-5): Shashank was a ruler of ancient Bengal.

Shashanka was a ruler of ancient Bengal. He united various small kingdoms of Bengal
and formed a town calledGaur . He is believed to
have ruled in the 7th century AD.
According to some he reigned between 590 and 625 AD
. His capital was calledKarnasubarnaor Kansona. He occupies a prominent place in the history
of Bengal. Shashanka
is believed to have ruled roughly between 590 and 625 AD.
Two scripts published in his 8th and
10th Rajyangs have been found from Medinipur and
another undated script has been discovered from Egra near Kharagpur.
Besides, Ganjam under Shashanka (Orissa) known about him from
King Madhavvarma copper plate (619 AD), Banskhera and
Madhuban copper plate of Harshvardhan and Nidhanpur copper plate of king Bhaskara Varman
of Kamrup
. Inscribed gold and silver coins of Shashanka have also been found
. Between the fall of the Guptas and the rise of Shashanka, several
independent rulers emerged in Bengal. Their existence is known on the basis of few
inscriptions and gold coins.
'Sri Mahasamanta Sashanka' written on a seal found at Rohtasgarh, contemporary literary
materials of Banabhatta,
accounts of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-Tsang and the Buddhist treatise Aryamanjusrimulakalpa
An important source of Shashanka's history.
Early life

Very little is known about Shashank's early life. He is believed to have ruled the kingdom for
some time
under the Gauda Raja of Karnasubarna as Mahasamantha of Rohtasgarh
. The Gauda kings of Karnasubarna were probably
representatives of the Moukhari dynasty. Another king Jainaga of Karnasubarna appears to have
been a contemporary of Shashanka
. Actually Karnasubarna was Shashanka's capital and this famous city was located near Chiruti
railway station near Rajbaridanga (ancient site of Raktamritika Mahavihara or modern
Rangamati)
in present-day Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Shashanka is described as the ruler of
Gauda in Lipimala and literary sources .Gaur in the narrow sense is the region between the
Padma and Bhagirathi rivers. But in course of time a wider area is covered. Shakti Sangam
In the 7th Patala 'Satpanchashaddesavibhaga' of the Tantra texts, it is stated that the
boundary of Gauda extended from Bengal to Bhubanesh (Bhubaneswar in Odisha).
It is not impossible that the writer Shashanka's Rajyaseema, which also
included a part of Orissa, contemplated the extent of the Gauda country. The destruction and fall
of
the Gupta empire coincided with important advances in remote areas.
Many unfamiliar areas, which were probably
ruled by clan chiefs and where the population was sparse, gained historical fame
. These areas are includedWest Bengal, NorthOrissaand adjoining areas ofMadhya Pradesh
( Chotanagpur Plateau ).made up of parts) of Lalmati region, where cultivation and living is quite
difficult. In this context, Shashank took initiatives to expand
his political influence in different parts of India.
His first task was
to free Magadha from the strong control of the Moukharis. Shashanka, along
with his ally Malava king Devagupta, engaged in a war against Moukhari king Grahavarma, son-
in-law of Pushyabhuti king Prabhakarvardhan
. Grahavarma was killed by Devagupta. Then
Prabhakarvardhana's eldest son, the Buddhist Thaneshwar Raja Rajyavardhana
, advanced against Devagupta and defeated and killed Devagupta. But
Rajyavardhan was killed in a clash with Devagupta's ally Shashanka.
Confrontation with Harshvardhan

Most scholars accept the fact of Rajyavardhan's meeting with the Gaur king Shashanka as true,
but avoid
the allegation of Rajyavardhan's death at the hands of Shashanka.
According to Banabhata,Rajyavardhana
completely defeated the Malava army with ease and he was 'slain in the
enemy's camp unarmed and alone, persuaded by the false promises of the king of Gauda'.
The Chinese pilgrimHiuen-tsang
gives a similar description. Detailed information about the actual circumstances of Shashank's
enemy's death is
lacking.
Hence it is impossible to analyze Shashanka's behavior towards Rajyavardhan. Banabhatta was
deeply saddened by the death of his patron's brother and Hiuen-tsang
, a particular devotee of Buddhism and
personally grateful to Harshavardhana.
Both are known for their attitude.
Perhaps that is why they have failed to temper emotions in the accounts of Rajyavardhan's death.
Some scholars think that Rajyavardhan was very likely
ready to negotiate peace with Shashanka and that is why he came to the enemy camp. Sankara,
the fourteenth-century commentator on theHarsharchita, mentions that the Gaur king Shashanka
invited Rajyavardhana to discuss the marriage of his daughter with Rajyavardhana. It is difficult
to say for sure how much of this is true, because nothing is said about the source of this
information given by Shankar. Harshavardhan's script sources The information about
Rajyavardhan's death recorded in the Banskhera copper plate is insufficient. But Banabhatt
And the situation created by Hiuen Tsang's account is alleviated when the
Banskhera copperplate records that Harshavardhana's brother Rajyavardhana
sacrificed his life in the enemy's abode 'in truth'. However, the name of the enemy was
not revealed here either.
From this it seems that Rajyavardhan died because of the unfinished peace talks. But Shashank's
personal
responsibility for this accident cannot be determined with certainty. After this incident,
Rajyavardhan's younger brother Harshavardhana
, who had ascended the throne of Thaneswar, marched to punish Shashanka with a large army
and formed an alliance with Shashanka's.Eastern border neighbor Kamrup Raj Bhaskaravarman
(Kumar mentioned in Banavatta). According to Banabhatta Sutra, Harshvardhan

Assigning the responsibility of the army to Bhandi, he himself

was busy rescuing his sister Rajyashri in the forest of Vindhya Parbat. After rescuing his sister,
he
reunited with his army. Then Harshavardhana
ascended the throne of Kanyakunjar (Kanauj) with the permission of his sister Rajyashri.
Nothing more is known about the progress of Bhandi's army. But there is no doubt that
Shashanka
continued to rule his kingdom with bravery. Shashanka
also annexed northern Orissa and the southern part of the Bengal delta.
Harshavardhana seems to have established dominance in south-eastern Bihar and Orissa towards
the end of his reign in 640-43 AD.
, and around the same time Bhaskaravarman
took possession of the capital city of Karnasuvarna. All these incidents are probably Shashank's
It happened only after his death, for by then Gaur's power had declined and not much was heard
of Shashanka. But the story of
Shashanka's defeat by Harsha in the battle of Pundravardhana in the Buddhist text
Aryamanjushrimulkalpa and Shashanka's reign of 17 years are not supported by any other
contemporary sources. Rather, the more recently discovered Shashanka inscription from South
Midnapore mentions the existence of the town of Dandabhukti , which consisted of parts of
Midnapore and Orissa. Harshavardhana was initially a follower of Shaivism, but gradually he
became a great patron of Buddhism. As an ardent devotee of Buddhism,He convened a large
Sangeet in Kanauj to preach the Mahayana doctrine. Harsh Vardhan
He is said to have suppressed the revolt of the Brahmins with great cruelty.
After Kanauj he also organized a similar grand Buddhist Sangeet at Prayag.
Hiuen-tsang and the kings,
ministers, nobles, etc. of all the border states attended the Buddhist gatherings of Kanauj and
Prayag. Hiuen-tsang specifically mentions that
Harsha was born at the behest of the Bodhisattva to chastise Shashanka, who was hostile to
Buddhism. He also gives examples of some of Shashanka's anti
-Buddhist activities. But significant progress was made in the Buddhist university at Nalanda
( Nalanda Mahavihara), where Hiuen-tsanghimself studied for some time, and the capital city of
Shashanka.
The existence of a number of Buddhist monasteries, including the Raktamritika Mahavihara, on
the outskirts of Karnasuvarna
seems to indicate that the information given by Hiuen-tsang is incorrect. On the other hand
, the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-tsang, who was patronized by Harshavardhana, appears to have
been deeply partial to Harsha when speaking of his patron's enemy Shashanka.
Against Gauradhip (Shashanka's name is not mentioned
; Shashanka means 'Shiva', and probably Banabhatta himself was a Shaivite), Harsvardhana's
sativa poet Banabhatta expresses his hatred for Shashanka by using derogatory
language such as 'gaudbhujanga' or 'gauradham'.
It
It is true that Shashanka was a strong patron of Brahmanism and a great devotee of Shaivism
. The wealthy merchant class and its enemies
He had no sympathy with Buddhism, which was patronized by Harshavardhana
. It is not impossible that the sentiments of the Buddhist community at that time were hurt
by this.
On the other hand, Harshavardhana's fondness for Buddhism and
hostility towards Brahminism (in this context
the brutal suppression of a large number of Brahmins during the Kanauj rally)
discouraged the followers of Hinduism and they migrated to eastern India in large numbers
.
Hiuen-tsang mentions the departure of several learned Brahmins as Kamrup.A number of
Brahmins received land grants fromBhaskaravarmanto live as Kamarupas. The Kulaji text
mentions the migration of several Brahmins from Kanauj to Bengal. Saryu (Uttar Pradesh)
The story of the migration of the Grahabipras from the coastal region to Bengal, perhaps
at the invitation of Shashanka, may be mentioned in this context. Although initially
welcomed by Bengal and Kamrup, this massive immigration ultimately had an
adverse effect on the socio-economic conditions of these two countries. During the reign of the
Buddhist Pala kings, there were not so many social barriers in terms
of association, manners and customs between different classes; But during the time of the Sena
kings, the early supporters of
Brahmanism, these obstacles were strongly present.
As a result, the distance between different
classes of people increases.The rise of lower uncultivated and lower
class in the society became more and more evident. Shashanka was a very good king.
Successor

After Shashanka's death, his son

Manava ruled the Gaur kingdom for eight months. However, Gauda soon
came under the sway of Harshavardhana and Kamarupa's Bhaskaravarman. Even
Bhaskaravarman successfully captured Karnasubarna.