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The Gupta Age - Short Trick

Kings, administration, taxes, ports, literature, science and temples — one sentence each

1 trick sentences6 pairs6 parts
0 / 2 learned · 0%
How to read
  • Guru Ram Each coloured word = one name in the list, shown below in the same colour
  • Panda Two colours in one word = two names
  • ➜ Order the numbered order matters · ⇄ Any order no order
1

The Gupta Kings

Srigupta to Skandagupta in order, how to identify each king, and the Huna king Mihirakula.

Trick 1

The Gupta kings

➜ earliest to latest

Srinu had ghee chapati with sambar chutney and kulfi before skating.

  1. 1Srigupta3rd century AD · founder · Maharaja
  2. 2GhatotkachaMaharaja
  3. 3Chandragupta Ic. AD 319/320–335 · Maharajadhiraja
  4. 4Samudraguptac. AD 335–375
  5. 5Chandragupta IIc. AD 380–412 · Vikramaditya
  6. 6Kumaragupta Ic. AD 415–455
  7. 7Skandaguptac. AD 455–467

After Skandagupta — Purugupta, Budhagupta (AD 477–495), Narasimhagupta Baladitya, Kumaragupta III, Vishnugupta; the line ended by about AD 550 · Ramagupta appears only in the Devichandraguptam, not in official Gupta records.

Pairs

Gupta kings — how to identify them

6 sentences

Chanda took lychees to marry Kumari.

Chandragupta I=Married the Licchavi princess Kumaradevi · king-and-queen gold coins · Gupta era from AD 319–320

Sameer played the veena and read a poem at Prayag.

Samudragupta=Lyrist coins · Prayag Prashasti (Harisena) · title Kaviraja · “Napoleon of India” (V.A. Smith)

Chand beat the Sakas and made silver coins.

Chandragupta II=Defeated the western Sakas — Vikramaditya, Shakari · first Gupta king to issue silver coins · Fa-Hien came in his reign

Kumar went to Nalanda with Mahendra.

Kumaragupta I=Credited with founding Nalanda · title Mahendraditya · Ashvamedha · first Huna threat in his last years

Skater pushed back the Hunas.

Skandagupta=Drove back the Hunas — Bhitari pillar inscription · Junagadh inscription — Sudarshana lake repaired · Vikramaditya

Mihir lost to Yash and Bala.

Mihirakula (Huna)=Defeated by Yashodharman of Malwa (Mandsaur inscription) and Narasimhagupta Baladitya · father Toramana

Chandragupta II’s marriage alliances: married the Naga princess Kuberanaga · gave his daughter Prabhavati to the Vakataka Rudrasena II · Samudragupta allowed Meghavarman of Sri Lanka to build a monastery at Bodh Gaya.

2

Administration

The central officials, the units from province to village, and the members of the town council.

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3

Taxes and Land

The names of Gupta taxes and the kinds of land.

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4

Ports, Coins and Society

The ports of the west and east coasts, and the four kinds of forest life (vanaprastha).

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5

Literature and Science

Kalidasa’s seven works, other works and their authors, and science and mathematics.

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6

Temples, Caves and Sources

Where the Gupta temples stand, the two surviving examples of Gupta cave painting, and key sources.

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Read the full chapter for the complete notes — a trick helps you remember the list; understanding comes from the notes.