Literature During Gupta Period

Literature in Gupta Period: Overview

The Golden Age of art and literature is regarded as the Gupta period. During this time, a large collection of religious and secular literature was compiled. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata, two major epics, were finally completed in the fourth century. Both epics’ storylines represent the triumph of good over evil. Both Rama and Krishna were regarded as Vishnu’s incarnations.

The Puranas, a type of literature, began to be written during the Gupta period. These writings include stories about Hindu gods and describe how to satisfy them by fasting and going on pilgrimages. The Vishnu Purana, Vayu Purana, and Matsya Purana are the three major Puranas written during this time period. Shiva Purana was created for Shiva worship, while Varaha Purana, Vamana Purana, and Narasimha Purana glorify Vishnu’s numerous avatars. They were created for simple people to worship.

During the Gupta dynasty, some Smritis (legal texts) were also compiled. The Narada Smriti, for example, sheds light on the period’s general social and economic customs and regulations. Sanskrit was used to write literature throughout the Gupta period.

The greatest of all poets was Kalidasa, who lived in the fifth century AD in the court of Chandragupta II.His works are well-known, having been translated into a variety of European languages. Meghaduta, Abhijnanashakuntalam, Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhava, and Ritusamhara are some of his works.

In the years 550 and 750, Bhakti literature in Tamil flourished in south India. In honor of their respective gods, Vaishnava saints (Alvars) and Saiva saints (Nayannaras) created songs. Andal, a woman, was one of the most prominent of the Alvar saints. The devotional songs of the Vaisnavas are collected in the work Nalayira DIvya Prabandham, while those of the Saivites are preserved in the text Devarama.

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Writers and Writings During the Gupta Period

1.Kalidasa

The Kavya showcases the genuine beauty and majesty of Gupta Era literature. Kalidasa, who lived in the 4th century AD and was a contemporary of Chandragupta-II, is the most famous of all the names. Ritusamhara was his mini-epic or long poem; however, Malvikagnimitram was a drama. In Sanskrit literature, Meghaduta is a kavya.

2.Mālavikāgnimitram

It’s a Sanskrit play about the love romance of Sunga king Agnimitra and a woman servant named Malvika. The Rajya Yajna performed by Pushyamitra Sunga is also mentioned in this drama.

3.Abhijñānaśākuntalam

Dushyanta, king of Hastinapur, and Shakuntala, daughter of the sage Vishwamitra and the apsara Menaka, are depicted in this Sanskrit play.

4.Vikramōrvaśīyam

It’s a Sanskrit drama about Puruvas, a Vedic king, and Urvashi’s love tale. Puruvas was chosen to represent Chandragupta Vikramaditya’s attributes. 

5.Kumārasambhava

The epic poem Kumrasambhava depicts the birth of Kartikeya, the son of Shiva and Parvati.

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6.Bhāravi

Kiratarjuniya, composed approximately 550 CE, is Bharavi’s most famous work. Kirat is Shiva, who appears to Arjuna as a mountain hunter and speaks to him. This epic-style Kavya is regarded as one of the most important works in Sanskrit, which is recognised for its complexity.

7.Ritusamhara

Ritusamhara is a six-season mini-epic poem (Ritu).In six seasons, it describes the sentiments, emotions, and experiences of lovers. Ritusamhara is regarded to be Kalidasa’s work.

8.Meghaduta

Meghaduta translates to “Cloud Messenger.”At Mount Kalidasa, his wife is waiting for him. Kubera exiled the Yaksha somewhere in central India, and he sought to communicate with his wife. He accomplishes this by persuading a cloud to accept his message and deliver it to his wife. The poem describes the lovely views and sensory experiences he will encounter while travelling north to deliver this message to his bride.

9.Bhatti

Bhatti, also known as Batsabhatti, is primarily known for the Bhaikvya, also known as Rvaavadha, which was written in the 7th century CE.

10.Magha-Radha

Magha-Radha is one of the Sanskrit Mahavakyas, authored by Magha in the 7th century AD. It was influenced by the works of Kalidasa, Bharavi, and Dandin, all of whom, according to the author, are superior to Bharavi in terms of style and wordplay.

11.Bhatrihari 

Bhartrihari was a Sanskrit author who composed the Vakyapadiya, a book on Sanskrit Grammar, and Nitishatak, a collection of 100 philosophical lines. Although Bhatrihari appears to be a king, many academics believe he was actually a courtier serving the king.

12.Sudraka

Sudraka wrote it in Sanskrit around the second century AD. The Little Clay Cart was translated by Arthur W. Ryder in 1905. There’s romance, sex, court politics, and comedy in this drama. It tells the narrative of Charudatta, a poor guy who falls in love with a nagarvadhu named Vasantsena. The play appears to be a revised version of another play, Daridracharudatta. A civil court in Mrichchhakatika, whose headquarters were at Nalanda, is described.

13.Ishwar Krishna

Samkhya Karika is his main work. It was a Samkhya Philosophy commentary.

14.Vyasa

Vyasa was the author of Vyasabhasya, a critique of Yoga philosophy.

15.Vishakhadatta

Vishakhadatta’s Mudrarakshasa and the Devichandraguptam are the only two dramas we know about. The only play that has survived is Mudrarakshasa. Only a few parts of Devichandraguptam have survived. It depicts Chandragupta Maurya’s ascension to the throne. Chanakya compels Rakshasha, the last Nandas Minister, into joining Chandragupta’s side.

16.Dandin

Kavyadarsha and Dasakumarcharita were composed by Dandin. He was born in Kanchi and is most known for his work Dasakumarcharita, “The Tale of the Ten Princes,” which tells the story of ten princes and their exploits. Hindoo Tales and The Adventures of the Ten Princes were the first two translations of Dasakumarcharita in 1927.

17.Vatsyayana

He wrote the first commentary on Gautama’s Nyaya Sutras, Nyaya Sutra Bhashya. The Kamashashtra includes the Kamasutra, which is a treatise on human sexual behaviour. According to legend, Nandi, Shiva’s bull, received the first transmission of the Kama Shastra. Shiva’s doorkeeper, the Nandi bull, overheard the Gods’ lovemaking and recorded their words for the sake of humanity. The Kama Sutra, on the other hand, appears to be the first work on eroticism.

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Conclusion

The Gupta dynasty was regarded as India’s literary golden age. Prose, poetry, theatre, and grammar all contributed to the fantastic literature. It is an outward manifestation of the educational and learning system. Traditions, stories, moral codes, and religious and philosophical ideas were all passed down through the Puranas.