Early Aryans to Swaraj

24.8 MB·English

by  S.R. Bakshi

ii
Early Aryans
to
wara
MAGADHA
and
GUPTA EMPIRES
»'
S.R. BAKSHI • S. GAJRANI. HARI SINGH
^aterial
This set ofelevenvolumeshasbeen
dividedintothreeparts
L AndentIndia
Thetfiemehasbeenwell-weaved
into several events having deep
bearing on ancient Indian culture,
administration, expansion of the
Empire,art,society, systemof
warfeie,downfallofempires, food
habits,waysoflife, floraandfauna
oftiieperiod covered.
This will be a useful series of
volumes covering early Hindu
civilisation to the Rajput dynasty
whichindeedhadmuch impacton
ourcultureandsociety,
n. Medieval India
Thedownfall ofthe Rajput dynasty
led to the emergence of Muslim rule
which lasted for a few centuries
from North to South, West to East
includingCentral India. Tiiis series
include severalemperors and
kingdomshavingdeepbearing on
their administration, military and
civil and several aspects of human
society. In fact dynasties like Slaves,
iQiiljis, Tughiuqs, Mughals includ-
ing Babur,Humayun,Akbar,Jehangir,
StaihJdianandAurangzeb,
ShefShahSuri, Marathas including
Shivaji, three historic battles of
Panipat and numerous other events
covering a few centuries.
Modem
III. India
Tliisseriescoversthe BritishIndia
andvariousaspectsofBritish
administration which was estab-
lished, initially, on the western coast
of India and expanded to several
regionsofour sub-continent,after
Contd.onbackflap
FART V ARYANS TO S\\ARA.T 2
MAGADHA AND GUPTA EMPIRES
iiiiiifii
CopyrightedmatBrial
EARLY ARYANS
TO SWARAJ
Volume - 2
Magadha and Gupta Empires
EDITORS
Dr.SJLBAKSHI
Dr. S. GAJRANI
Dr.UARISINGH
SARUP & SONS
NEW DELHI• 110002
Copyrightedmaterial
Publishedby
SARUP&SONS
4740/23, Ansari Road
DaryaGanj,New Delhi-110002
Tel. :[phone]
Fax [phone]
:
E-mail : [email protected].
MagadkaandGuptaEmpires
®Author
1stEdition - 2005
ISBN81-7625-537-8(Set)
PRINTED IN INDIA
Published by Piabhat Kumar Sharma forSarup& Sons,
LaserTypesetting atChitra Computers andPrinted
at RoshanOfEsetPrinters, Delhi.
Copyriyiiioumaterial
Preface
ThisencyclopaedicstudyisacomprehensivesurveyofIndianhistory
which has been dealt with three major parts. The Part I deals with
theancienthistoryofourcivilisation,culture,art,administrationand
rulersatvariousstages.Commencingwiath^th^eAryanera,itendswith
dieRajputsupremacytncludiiiigvaricNB
Mauryas, Kushans, Gupta rulers and Rajput dynasty. Their
achievementsha\ebeenhighlighted inseveralways.Theexpansion
oftheirempireandnewinnovationsinadministrationaretheirunique
achievements.
In PartIIwehavecollectedthematerial fromseveralacademic
institutions, viz., Delhi University Library, Sapru House Library,
NehruMemorial MusiumandLiteracy,JawaharlalNehruUniversity
Library, Indian Council ofHistorical Research Library Sahitya
Akademic LibraiyandJamiaMilliaIslamiaLibrary. Wehavealso
sought academichelpfromthewritingofeminentsocialscientists:
wefeelmuchbeholdentothem.
Wearethankfultoourpublisherforthepublicationofthese
volumeswithoutanydelay.
ThesecondseriesofvolumeshavedeeplearningonMedieval
Indiawhich commenceswiththedawnofMuslimruleinoursub-
continent.Theslavedynasty, Khiljis,Tughluqs.theMughalsincluding
Babur, Humayun,Akbar,Jahangir, Shah JahanandAurangzeb, Sher
ShahSuriandhisdynasty,theMarathasandthedownfallofMughal
Empirehavebeenincludedinthesevolumes.
Copyrightedmaterial
vl
InPartIIwehavecoUectedtheimtorialfiomaevendacademic
institutioiia,viz,theSapraHouseLibniy,in^^
Research Library, Sahitya Akademi Library, Central Secretariat
Library, Delhi University Library, Jamia Millia Islamia Library,
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and Jawaharlal Nehru
University Library. We have used the relevant material from^e
writing9ofeminentsocialscientistsandforthisacademicsupportwe
feelmuchbeholdentothem.
Wearethankful toourpublisherforthepublicationofthese
volumeswithoutanydelay.
ThethirdseriesofthisEncyclopaediahavedeepbearingonthe
Britishruleinoursub-continentwhichcontinueduplD1947.Theearly
foreignpowerslikePortuguese,Preneh,DutchandtheBritishhadto
struggleforseveraldecades,butultimatelytheBritishweresuccessful
inestablishingtheirsupremacyinwestindia.SouthIndia,EastIndia,
Cenu:^indiaandNorth-WestofIndia.
Part II Indeed the East India Company's rule continued upto
1857 when the administration was transferred to the British
Government, directly responsible to the Home Government in
England.
With the passage of time there were dramatic political
developmentsforabouttendecades.ThefoundatkmofIndianNatiooal
Congressin1885,tiiepassageofinstitutionalAelsin1909and1919,
theemergenceofMahatmaGandhionthepoliticalsceneofIndiain
the second year ofthe global war, the Champaran Styagraha, the
Jallianwala Bagh tragedy, the Non-Cooperation Movement, the
Council-entry programme, the Linon Commission, the Lahore
Congressin 1929andtheCompleteindependenceprogramme,the
Civil Disobedience Movement, the Constitutional Act of 1935,
formationofpro\incialministries,theQuitIndiaMovement,Subhas
Chandra Bose and the role of INA, role of Muslim League, the
CabinetmissionandpartitionofIndiain 1947havebeen*^'fl^>«gh>^
Wehavecollected thematerial fromseveral academiccentres,
viz, Sapru House Library, Delhi University Library, Jamia Millia
Islamia Library, Central Secretariat Library, Indian Council of
CopyrightedmatBrial
vU
Historical Research Library, Sahitya Akademi Library, Nehru
Memorial Museum and Libraiy andJawaharlal Nehru University
Libiaiy.Wehaveusedtherelevantusefulmaterialfinomthewritings
ofemmenthistoriansinordertofill up somegapsin draft.We
feelmuchbeholdentothesesocialscieniisis.
We are thankful to our publisher. Who ha$ shown much
promptnessandkeennessinpublicationofthesevolumeswitfioutany
delay.
EDITORS
Copyrtghtedmatsrial
Contents
Preface V
1. The Magadha Empire I
2. TheMauryanAge 32
3. Kingship and Administration 51
4. Foreign Invasions 66
5, Tnvasinn ofAlt^xnnfiftr on
6. TheGuptaEmpire 97
7. Administration in North India 121
8. Administration in South India
9. Economic Organisation 233
10. Hariians' Social StatusinVedic Period 111
11. Agriculture, Trade and Industry
12. The F-conomic Structure 367
Index
Cc
1
TheMagadha Empire
II
The land we live in, with its two ancientcapitals ofGuivraja and
Pataliputra, has a history which is undoubtedly unique, at any rate,
unrivalled not only in India, but perhaps, in the whole world. From
whateverpointofview westudy it, ithassomethingtobeproudof. In
thedomainofspirituality,itwasthecentreoftheactivitiesofreligious
leaderslikeVardhamanaMahaviraandQyyt^fnaBuddha. Thefonner»
related to the royal family ofMagadha, qicata considerableportion
ofhis lifehere* whiletheali-impoitantmomeotmthe careerofike
Tathiigata,whenthesuptemeknowledgeofenlightenmentcametothat
GreatBemgbyvirtueofwhichheattamedacmalBuddhahoodwhich
madehimoneofthesavioursofdieworld,occurredmMagadha.This
alone would invest the land we live in with unprecedented sanctity,
not only in the eyes ofthose vast millions who follow his teachings
even now, but also of others. The Jains held a great council at
Pataliputra, andthe two first Buddhistcouncils were held in Magadha
while the two great teachers amongstthe Buddhists, next to Buddha
himself,TissaMoggaliputtaandUpagupta,fknirishedhere.Thecanons
ofBuddhism wavefixedandlaid downhere,whileAsvagbos—a, the
inspirer ofNorthern Buddhism known as Mahayanism ^that
Asvaghosawho"standsatthestarting pomtofaUthe greatcurrents
thatrenewed and transformed Iiidia» towardsthe begiiming oftiie
Christian era," "poet, musician,preacher, moralist, philosopher,play-
wright." hailed from Magadha. Although this land had been placed
under a ban by Brahmanas, it was here that the first historical horse-
sacrifice was revived and celebrated with appropriate magnificence,
testifyingtotherevivalofBrahmanicalsupremacy.Thefirsteconomist
ofIndia, ifnot ofthe world, Kautilya orChanakya, named also