The Literary Pieces Produced During the Gupta Empire

The Gupta Empire was a political entity that lasted well into the late sixth century from the early fourth century in the Common Era. The Empire stretched across the northern and southern borders of India, including central India as well. One of the Gupta rulers, Samudragupta is even called the ‘Napoleon of India’.

This period in ancient Indian history is quite remarkable for it marked major achievements in science and literature along with the development of society. For these very purposes, the Gupta period is known as the Golden Age of India.

Literature

The language Sanskrit attained the status of the supreme language during this period. It became the court language used for administrative purposes during this period. The Guptas also patronised several talented poets and literary artists. One of them was Kalidasa. He was a talented poet and playwright, who went on to compose some of the most famous literary pieces in Indian history. Some of the famous literary pieces composed by Kalidasa include Abhijinanashakuntalam, Raghuvamsa etc.

This period also witnessed the rise of secular literature. Several books were authored that centred on scientific temperament according to that time and medicine. Various law books, called Smritis, were also composed during this period in ancient Indian history. The famous storybook of kids, the Panchatantra was also composed during this period. Authors were given patronage and freedom to spread the light of knowledge. Authors wrote on many topics, including astronomy, geography, medicine, geometry and trigonometry.

The epics and ancient Hindu literature such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata had existed since ancient times in the form of bardic literature and oral traditions. The Puranas were even preserved through oral traditions. However, they were properly compiled into their written forms during the Gupta period. The epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata) and the Puranas were among the numerous religious literature compiled during this period. It is believed that the compilation of Ramayana and Mahabharata was completed by the 4th century, CE.

This period also saw an increase in the use of verse, which was a change from the traditional preference given to prose.

The administration encouraged the learning of music and art along with the nuances of the Sanskrit language. Numerous educational institutions were set up and the existing ones received support and patronage from the rulers. The literature also denoted societal differences. The Sudras and lower caste characters in the plays spoke Prakrit while the elite characters mainly spoke Sanskrit.

Prominent Works and Authors

The field of literature flourished under the patronage of the Gupta rulers. The authors of this period achieved remarkable feats in composing the literary works, which are still considered one of the best. The following are some prominent literary pieces from some relevant authors of the Gupta period:

•  Kalidasa- He lived in the second half of the Gupta period. The contemporary ruler at his time was Chandragupta-II.  His kavyas (poems) and plays denote the true beauty of Gupta literature. Some of his famous works include Abhijinanashakuntalam, Meghaduta etc. The play Abhijinanashakuntalam is considered as a literary masterpiece in the field of literature globally. It is among the first Indian literary pieces to be translated into European languages. It is the story of King Dushayanta and the lady Shakuntala. It is essentially a romantic piece of literature, which narrates how the son of the loving couple, Bharata went on to strike his claim as one of the great rulers in history. Another play by the great poet Kalidasa, Malavikagnimitram also contains references to the Rajsuya Yajna performed by the Indian king Pushyamitra Sunga. Yet another famous poem, Raghuvamsa, explains the genealogy of the legendary King Rama. 
• Bharavi- He is considered one of the greatest poets of the Sanskrit language. He is known for using the pure and complex form of the Vedic language. He composed the Kiratarjuniya. In this famous poem, Kirat refers to Lord Shiva and the poem is based on a conversation between Kirat and the Pandava prince Arjuna.
• Magha-He was a Sanskrit poet at the court of King Varmalat in the city of Shrimala, which was the then capital of Gujarat. He is known for composing the mahakavya Shishupala-Vadha. He is considered as one of the Mahakavi (great poets) in Sanskrit. He has described himself as an admirer of Kalidasa, Bharavi and Dandin and has also taken inspiration from their works.
• Sudraka-He is another famous poet from the Gupta period. He is famous for his work Mrichhakatika, which means a little clay cart in Sanskrit. The name Sudraka is actually considered to be the pen name of an Abhira king, Indranigupta. His work was translated by Arthur W. Ryder, in 1905 in English, titled ‘The Little Clay Cart.
• Vishakhadatta- There are only two known works, authored by him-Mudrārākṣasa and the Devichandraguptam. Out of these two, only Devichandraguptam has survived, that too in fragments. Mudrarakshasa reportedly describes the ascent of Chandragupta Maurya to the throne of Magadha. The rakshasa refers to a minister of Maurya’s rival, Dhanananda, who was lured by Chanakya towards the Mauryan side.  
• Vatsyayana- He is the author of Nyaya Sutra Bhashya.
• Varahamihira- He was among the most prestigious personalities during the Gupta period. He was a mathematician, astronomer and a part of the nine jewels of Chandragupta-II’s court. He authored the famous Brihat Samhita. This book is a treatise on astronomy. He is a revered historical figure, not only in India , but also around the world.

Society During the Gupta Period

The Gupta period witnessed the acceptance of Aryan culture. Vedic lifestyle became commonplace, which accorded the highest societal status to the Brahmins. Foreign travellers like Faxien are also said to have travelled during this period to the Indian mainland. Their observations have been recorded in the form of literary evidence. Women, although revered in literature and religion, continued to be accorded a subordinate status. Only the women belonging to richer sections could have the luxury of education just for the sake of intelligent communications. However, there is a mention of female philosophers and teachers during this period.

Conclusion

The Gupta period was the golden age for art, science and literature. The literary figures were patronized by the rulers. This period witnessed the composition of numerous great literary pieces in Sanskrit. Sanskrit became the court language of the Guptas, Some famous authors from this period include Kalidasa, Varahmihira etc.