DECLINE OF THE MAURYAS (HISTORY OF INDIA)

DECLINE OF THE MAURYAS The decline of the Maurya Dynasty was rather rapid after the death of Ashoka/Asoka. One obvious reason for it was the succession of weak kings. Another immediate cause was the partition of the Empire into two. Had not the partition taken place, the Greek invasions could have been held back giving a chance to the Mauryas to re-establish some degree of their previous power. Regarding...

ADMINISTRATION OF HARSHA (HISTORY OF INDIA)

ADMINISTRATION OF HARSHA The administration of Harsha is one inname only. Whatever information we have on it does not speak well of it. And the only relieving feature of this picture is the striking personality of Harsha. Harsha's interest indirect supervision of administration is one plus point. Hiuen-tsang writes that "If there was any irregularity in the manners of the people in the cities, he...

HISTORY OF HARSHA (HISTORY OF INDIA)

HISTORY OF HARSHA The chief events of Harsha's reign can be briefly stated. Harsha on coming to the throne set himself to bring the whole of Aryavarta under his sway, which he did in some cases by conquest, in some cases by alliance as with Madhava-Gupta of Magadha and Kumara of Kamarupa. Nepal and Kashmir were also within his empire, While his authority north of the Vindhyas was complete Harsha's...

GUPTA ECONOMY (HISTORY OF INDIA)

GUPTA ECONOMY 1. Trade reached its peak during the Gupta period. The annexation of the territory of the Satraps brought areas of exceptional wealth and fertility into the ordit of the empire. The State gathered abundant revenues in the form of custom duties at the numerous ports on the western coast like Broach Sopara, Cambay and a multitude center where most of the trade routes converged. The city...

ASHOKA'S DHAMMA (HISTORY OF INDIA)

ASHOKA'S DHAMMA NEED OF DHARMA 1. There was considered intellectual ferment around 600 B.C. healthy rivalry was apparent among the number of sects such as the Charvaks, Jains and Ajivikas, whose doctrines ranged from bare materialism to determinism. This intellectual liveliness was reflected in the elected interests of the Mauryan rulers. It was claimed by the Jainas that Chandragupta was supporter...

GUPTA ART (HISTORY OF INDIA)

GUPTA ART The glorious of the Gupta age proper (C. 350-650) have been made permanent through the visible creations of its art. Different forms of art, e.g. sculpture painting and terra-cotta attained a maturity balance and naturalness of exoression that have for ever remained unexcelled. Some of our most beautiful monuments representing the very acme of India's artistic achievement among which the...

GUPTA ADMINISTRATION (HISTORY OF INDIA)

GUPTA ADMINISTRATION The two hundred years of Gupta rule may be said to mark the climax of Hindu imperial tradition. From the point of view of literature, religion, art, architecture, commerce and colonial development, this period is undoubtedly the most important in Indian history. The Guptas inherited the administrative system of the earlier empires. The Mauryan bureaucracy, already converted into...

BHAGVATISM (HISTORY OF INDIA)

BHAGVATISM Talking of Bhagvatism it had a very peculiar birth. The inroads of a large number of foreigners in the wake of the disappearance of the Mauryan Empire was a cultural shock to Aryanism. Quite a number of foreigners took to Buddhism as it was a simple doctrine unlike Minduism. Exceptionally as a few foreigners started believing inow exactly this came into existence is not known. This cult...

CHANDRAGUPTA PRATHAM (HISTORY OF INDIA)

CHANDRAGUPTA I : Early in the 4th century Lichchhavi princes was married to the ruler in Magadha, who bore the historic name of Chandragupta. This alliance enhanced his power. Soon he was able tod extend dominion over Oudh as well as Magadha and along the Ganges as far as Prayag or Allahabad. Chandragupta I assumed the high-sounding title of Maharajadhiraja (Great king of Kings.) Conceding the importance...