Origin of the Gupta dynasty

2021-08-13T21:36:14Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}}
There are conflicting theories regarding the original homeland and ancestry of the [[Gupta dynasty]] that ruled northern India between 4th and 6th centuries. Modern historians variously theorize that it originated in present-day [[Uttar Pradesh]] or [[Bihar]] having ethnic background from Banga region, based on epigraphic, numismatic and literary evidence. The [[varna in Hinduism|social group]] of the dynasty is also a matter of debate, with scholars variously placing them in [[Vaishya]], [[Brahmin|Brahmana]], or other categories.

== Homeland ==
Nothing definitive is known about the Guptas' place of origin.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=79}} The capital of the early rulers of the dynasty is uncertain: various cities, including [[Prayaga]], [[Pataliputra]], [[Ayodhya]], [[Kosambi]], [[Ujjayini]], [[Mathura]], and [[Eran]] have been proposed as possible candidates.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=40}}

=== Eastern Uttar Pradesh ===
According to one theory, the Guptas originated in present-day eastern [[Uttar Pradesh]], and expanded their empire to [[Pataliputra]] and [[Bengal]] later.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=38}}

Proponents of this theory, such as S. R. Goyal, cite the [[provenance]] of the Gupta inscriptions and coins in their support.{{sfn|R. C. Majumdar|1981|p=9}} For example:
* Of the 15 inscriptions issued during the first 150 years of the Gupta rule, 8 have been found in eastern Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand, only 2 of these inscriptions have been found in Bihar (historical Magadha), and only 5 have been found in Bengal.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=14}}{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=39}}
* Fourteen hoards of Gupta gold coins have been found in eastern Uttar Pradesh: these hoards generally include the coins of the early Gupta kings. On the other hand, only two hoards each have been found in Bihar and Bengal: these hoards mostly include the coins issued by the later Gupta kings.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=14}}{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=39}}
* The [[Kosambi|Kaushambi]] style is prominent in the [[Gupta script]].{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=14}}
* The popularity of the Ganga-Yamuna motif in the Gupta art suggests that the Prayaga (where these two rivers meet) was the centre of the original Gupta kingdom.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=14}}

Critics of this theory argue that:
* The Gupta coins discovered in eastern Uttar Pradesh date from the reign of the dynasty's third ruler [[Chandragupta I]], and were part of hoards that included the coins of Samudragupta. Thus, these coins could not have been buried before the reign of Samudragupta, and thus, are not a conclusive proof of the location of the territory of his ancestors.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|pp=14-15}}
* Historian [[R. C. Majumdar]] similarly dismisses the epigraphic evidence cited in support of this theory, pointing out that the earlier [[Maurya Empire|Maurya]] kings ruled in present-day [[Bihar]], but most of [[Edicts of Ashoka|their inscriptions]] have been found outside this area.{{sfn|R. C. Majumdar|1981|p=9}} Historian D. K. Ganguly similarly points out that the [[Varendra]] region in present-day Bengal was the homeland of the [[Pala Empire|Pala kings]], but most of the early Pala inscriptions have been discovered in present-day [[Bihar]].{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=15}}
* The prevalence of the so-called Kaushambi style is not conclusive evidence either: this style was also used by the king [[Chandravarman]], who ruled in present-day Bengal, and whose territory did not include eastern Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, so-called [[Malwa]], [[Mathura]] and other 'eastern' styles were also prevalent alongside the Kaushambi style in the Gupta period.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|pp=16-17}}
* There is no evidence that the Ganga-Yamuna motif originated in Prayaga, and there is no evidence that the basin of these two rivers formed the heartland of the Gupta empire.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=17}}

==== Puranic evidence ====
Another argument cited in favour of this theory is the Puranic descriptions of the Gupta territory:

* The ''[[Vishnu Purana]]'' states that the Guptas and the Magadhas (that is, the people of [[Magadha]]) will enjoy "the territory along the Ganges (up to) Prayaga".{{sfn|Shankar Goyal|2001|p=150}} Some manuscripts of the Vishnu Purana add Magadha to this list of territories. Alternative translations read that the Guptas and Magadhas will enjoy "Prayaga on the Ganges and Magadha" or "territory along the Ganges, Prayaga, and Magadha". {{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|pp=1-2}} The text clearly mentions the Guptas and the Magadhas as two different groups of people, and does not imply that the Guptas were one of the Magadhas.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=2}}
* The corresponding ''[[Vayu Purana]]'' verse states that the Gupta kings will enjoy "Prayaga on the Ganges, Saketa, and Magadha". Alternatively, the verse has been translated to state that the Guptas will enjoy "along the Ganges, Prayaga, Saketa, and Magadha".{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=2}}
* The ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' also states that "the Guptas will enjoy the earth up to Prayaga on the Ganges".{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=2}}
* The Puranic passages refer to the territory of the early Gupta kings: they cannot be a reference to the Gupta territories during the empire's period of decline, as they do not mention Bengal, which formed a part of the Gupta kingdom during this period.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=96}}

Critics argue that:
* The Puranic passages do not refer to the reign of a specific king, and may not refer to the territory of the dynasty's earliest kings. For example, historian S. R. Goyal identifies the Magadhas with the [[Licchavi (clan)|Lichchhavis]] (the clan of the queen of [[Chandragupta I]]), and thus, theorizes that the ''Vishnu Purana'' alludes to an early phase of Gupta expansion. Chandragupta I was the third ruler of the dynasty, and the territory ruled by him was not same as the one ruled by his ancestors.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|pp=2-3}}
* The Puranic evidence is problematic, because the various Puranas differ in their lists of the Gupta territories: for example, the Vishnu Purana omits Saketa from the list. Historian Dasharatha Sharma argues that the Gupta power was concentrated in a narrow corridor running along the Ganges: this corridor includes Saketa, therefore, the Vishnu Purana description implies that Saketa was a part of the Gupta kingdom.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=2}} However, historian Dilip Kumar Ganguly notes that the Puranic descriptions are quite vague, and scholars have variously interpreted these verses to mean the Guptas ruled "Prayaga on the Ganges", or Prayaga and "the territory along the Ganges".{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|pp=3-4}}
* The corresponding passage in the various manuscripts of ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'' either does not mention the word "Gupta", or uses it as a common noun meaning "protected" instead of using it as the name of a specific dynasty. Even some manuscripts of the ''Vayu Purana'' use the words "Guhya", "sapta" or "Manidhanyaka" instead of "Gupta".{{sfn|R. C. Majumdar|1981|p=13}} Supporters of the theory dismiss these as scribal mistakes.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=96}}

=== Bengal ===
According to another theory, the original capital of the territory was located in the present-day [[Bengal]] region. According to the proponents of this theory, the dynasty's founder Gupta probably ruled a small territory in the Bengal region, and his descendants captured a larger territory in the Ganges basin, which is described in the Puranas. Alternatively, they propose that Gupta's kingdom extended from Prayaga in the west to northern Bengal in the east.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=12}}

Much of the debate on this view hinges around the identity of [[Mṛgaśikhāvana|Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no]], a place mentioned by the 7th century Chinese Buddhist monk [[Yijing (monk)|Yijing]].{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=37}} According to Yijing, king Che-li-ki-to (identified with the dynasty's founder ''Shri'' [[Gupta (king)|Gupta]]) built a temple for Chinese pilgrims near Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=7}} This temple was located more than 40 ''[[yojana]]''s east of [[Nalanda]], along the [[Ganges river]].{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=79}}

Historian D. C. Ganguly located Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no in [[Murshidabad district]] of [[West Bengal]] state of India, by taking 1 ''yojana'' as 5.71 miles, and concluded that the Guptas originated in this area.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=79}} According to [[R. C. Majumdar]], Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no was located either in the [[Malda district]] of [[West Bengal]] or [[Rajshahi District]] of Bangladesh.{{sfn|R. C. Majumdar|1976|p=78}} However, unlike Ganguly, Majumdar does not consider this as evidence of Bengal being the Gupta homeland. According to Majumdar, this only proves that the Bengal region was a part of the territory ruled by the dynasty's founder; it may be possible that the Guptas originally ruled in [[Magadha]], and extended their rule to Bengal, or vice versa.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|pp=79-80}}{{sfn|R. C. Majumdar|1981|pp=8-9}}

To support his identification of Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no as a place in Bengal, Majumdar read interpreted the word as a transcription of Mriga-sthapana rather than Mriga-shikha-vana.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=79}} According to a 1015 CE manuscript, Mṛgasthāpana was the name of a [[stupa]] located in the historical [[Varendra]] region, which is now a part of Bengal.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=11}} Other scholars have disputed this interpretation, as "Mi-li-kia-si-kia-po-no" is closer to the word "Mriga-shikha-vana".{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|pp=81-82}}{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=37}}

Critics of this theory argue out that there is no epigraphic or numismatic evidence connecting the early Guptas to the Bengal region.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=39}} Critics such as [[Bindeshwari Prasad Sinha|B. P. Sinha]] identify Mriga-shikha-vana with the deer park of [[Sarnath]] in present-day Uttar Pradesh, theorizing that Hwui-lun erroneously mentioned its location as east of Nalanda.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=38}}{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=80}}

=== Other theories ===
; Mathura
: Historian [[Bindeshwari Prasad Sinha|B. P. Sinha]] theorized that the Guptas originated in the [[Mathura]]-[[Ayodhya]] region in present-day Uttar Pradesh. He interpreted a phrase in the ''[[Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa|Arya-manjushri-mula-kalpa]]'' to argue that the Guptas belonged to Mathura. In support of this theory, Sinha stated that Samudragupta's coins were influenced by the coinage of the [[Kushan Empire]], of which Mathura was an important centre.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=18}}
: However, Sinha's interpretation of the ''Arya-manjushri-mula-kalpa'' passage is doubtful, and the phrase has been alternatively read as "''Mathurayam-Jato-vamshadyah''", referring to the birth ("''jāto''") of a person at Mathura. Moreover, Samudragupta's coins show the influence of the later Kushan coins of Punjab, not the coins of Mathura. Finally, it is generally accepted by modern scholars that Mathura first came under the Gupta rule, when Samudragupta defeated the [[Nagas of Padmavati|Naga]] king Ganapati-naga, and annexed his territory to the Gupta empire.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=18}}

; Prayaga
: Prayaga (modern [[Allahabad]]) has also been proposed as the original headquarters of the Guptas, as Samudragupta's [[Allahabad Pillar]] inscription is the dynasty's earliest extant information. However, archaeological evidence proves that Bhita, which is located less than 20 km from Prayaga, was under the control of the Magha dynasty. Therefore, it is likely that the Guptas conquered Prayaga at a later time.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=82}}

== Ancestry ==
The Pune and Riddhapur inscriptions of the Gupta princess [[Prabhavatigupta|Prabhavati-gupta]], the daughter of [[Chandragupta II]], state that she belonged to the Dharana ''[[gotra]]'' (clan). Her husband [[Rudrasena II]] belonged to the Vishnu-vriddha ''gotra'', as attested by the [[Chamak copper plates]]) of his son [[Pravarasena II]]. Therefore, it is likely that Dharana was the name of her paternal ''gotra'', that is, the ''gotra'' of the Gupta family.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=18}}{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=43}}

The Dharana ''gotra'' has been interpreted in various ways:{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=43}}
* [[K. P. Jayaswal]] connected it to the [[Jat people|Jat]] clans named Dhanri and Dharaniya.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=43}} To support his theory of Jat origin of the Guptas, Jayaswal identified king Chandrasena mentioned in the play ''[[Kaumudi-Mahotsava]]'' with [[Chandragupta I]]: this play mentions Chandrasena as Karaskara, which Jayaswal connected to "Kakkar", the name of a Jat ''gotra''.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=83}} However, the clans called Dharana are also found among other communities,{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=18}} and Jayaswal's identification of Chandrasena as Chandragupta I is wrong: it has now been conclusively proved that the play ''Kaumudi-Mahotsava'' has nothing to do with the early Gupta history.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=83}} Historian [[Bindeshwari Prasad Sinha|B. P. Sinha]] interpreted a phrase in the ''[[Mañjuśrī-mūla-kalpa|Arya-manjushri-mula-kalpa]]'' to argue that the Guptas belonged to the [[Jat people|Jat]] community of [[Mathura]]. However, Sinha's reading is doubtful, and the phrase has been alternatively read as "''Mathurayam-Jato-vamshadyah''", referring to the birth ("''jāto''") of a person at Mathura.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=18}}

* Historian [[Hem Chandra Raychaudhuri|H. C. Raychaudhuri]] theorized that the Guptas may have been related to Dharini, the queen of the [[Shunga]] ruler [[Agnimitra]]. However, this theory has been rejected by other scholars.{{sfn|Dilip Kumar Ganguly|1987|p=18}} Mere similarity of the words "Dharana" and "Dharini" is not sufficient evidence to connect these two dynasties.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=43}}

* Based on evidence from the ''[[Skanda Purana]]'', historian [[Dasharatha Sharma]] theorizes that Dharana was a ''gotra'' of the [[Brahmin|Brahmanas]] of the historical Dharmaranya region in the present-day [[Mirzapur district]]. According to him, the Guptas were not Brahmanas, but "adopted" the ''gotra'' of their Brahmana gurus.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=43}}

An alternative reading of Prabhavati-gupta's inscriptions suggests that Dharana was not her ''gotra'', but the ''gotra'' of her mother Kuberanaga.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=83}}

=== Vaishyas ===
Some historians, such as [[A. S. Altekar]], have theorized that the Guptas were originally [[Vaishya]]s, as some ancient Indian texts (such as the ''[[Vishnu Purana]]'') prescribe the name "Gupta" for the members of the Vaishya [[varna (Hinduism)|varna]].{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=82}}{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=42}}

Critics of this theory argue that:
* The suffix Gupta features in the names of several non-Vaishyas before as well as during the Gupta period, and cannot be considered as concrete evidence of the Gupta kings being Vaishyas.{{sfn|R. C. Majumdar|1981|p=4}}
* The early records of the Gupta dynasty do not describe "Gupta" as their family's name: it is possible that the family came to be known as Gupta simply because the names of their kings bore the suffix "-gupta",{{sfn|R. C. Majumdar|1981|p=5}} or after the dynasty's founder Gupta.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=84}}{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=40}}

=== Brahmanas ===
Some scholars, such as S. R. Goyal, theorize that the Guptas were [[Brahmins|Brahmanas]] because they had matrimonial relations with Brahmanas:{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=84}}{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=43}}
* Prabhavati-gupta, a daughter of [[Chandragupta II]], married the [[Vakataka]] king [[Rudrasena II]], who was a Brahmana.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=43}}
* The [[Kadamba dynasty|Kadamba]] king Kakustha-varman, also a Brahmana, married one of his daughters to a Gupta king.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=43}}
* According to the Buddhist scholar [[Paramartha]], the Gupta king [[Narasimhagupta|Baladitya]] married his sister to Vasurata, who was a Brahman.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=43}}
* According to the [[Mandsaur stone inscription of Yashodharman-Vishnuvardhana|Mandsaur stone inscription of Yashodharman]], the Brahmana Ravikirtti had a wife named "Bhanugupta". This "Bhanugupta" may actually have been a daughter of the Gupta king [[Bhanugupta]].{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|pp=43-44}}

Supporters of this theory also point out that there are several instances of Brahmana names ending in "-gupta", such as [[Chanakya|Vishnugupta]] and [[Brahmagupta]].{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=82}}

Critics of this theory argue that:
* If the Guptas were indeed Brahmanas, they would have proudly mentioned this in their inscriptions, as the Brahmanas hold the highest status among the four [[varna in Hinduism|varnas]]. But none of the Gupta records mention the dynasty's varna.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=44}} [[Samudragupta]] proudly mentioned his maternal ancestry from the [[Licchavi (clan)|Licchavis]], who were not Brahmanas,{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|pp=44-45}} and are regarded as "impure" in the Brahmanical text ''[[Manusamhita]]''.{{sfn|R. C. Majumdar|1981|p=11}}
* The marriage of the Kadamba princess to a Gupta king may have been a result of political considerations. The other three instances involve Gupta princesses marrying Brahmana men: the marriage of a lower-varna woman to a higher-varna man was acceptable (''anuloma'') in the contemporary society, and therefore, these marriages cannot be considered as evidence of the Guptas themselves being Brahmanas.{{sfn|Tej Ram Sharma|1989|p=44}}
* There are several instances of ancient Indian kings marrying outside their social group, including foreigners.{{sfn|Ashvini Agrawal|1989|p=84}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{ref begin}}
* {{cite book |author=Ashvini Agrawal |title=Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRjC5IaJ2zcC&pg=PA315 |year=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0592-7 |page=315 }}
* {{cite book |author=Dilip Kumar Ganguly |title=The Imperial Guptas and Their Times |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hud2_Ie3T94C&pg=PP1 |year=1987 |publisher=Abhinav |isbn=978-81-7017-222-2 }}
* {{cite book |author=R. C. Majumdar |author-link=R. C. Majumdar |title=A Comprehensive History of India |volume=3, Part I: A.D. 300-985 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mRBuAAAAMAAJ |year=1981 |publisher=Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House |oclc=34008529 }}
* {{cite book |author=R. C. Majumdar |author-link=R. C. Majumdar |title=Readings in Political History of India, Ancient, Mediaeval, and Modern |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RFcKAQAAIAAJ |year=1976 |publisher=B.R. |isbn=9788176467841 }}
* {{cite book |author=Shankar Goyal |title=Problems of Ancient Indian History: New Perspectives and Perceptions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZSVuAAAAMAAJ |year=2001 |publisher=Book Enclave |isbn=978-81-87036-66-1 }}
* {{cite book |author=Tej Ram Sharma |title=A Political History of the Imperial Guptas: From Gupta to Skandagupta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fWVZWjNAcAgC |year=1989 |publisher=Concept |isbn=978-81-7022-251-4 }}
{{ref end}}

[[Category:Gupta Empire]]
[[Category:History of Bengal]]
[[Category:History of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:History of Bihar]]

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Origin of the Gupta dynasty