Early Aryans to Swaraj PDF
Preview Early Aryans to Swaraj
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. :23281029,23244664, 51010989 Fax 23277098 : 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
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