Talk:Gupta Empire

Capital ≠ Centre of power

I have an objection in this article, here in the capital section "Prayag" is mention. Is this completely correct ? Because in the sources you have given in the citation, Prayag is mention as the centre of power and not the capital. The terms "capital" and "centre of power" are related but not exactly the same. A Capital is the city or town where the headquarters of a government or administration are located. A centre of power, on the other hand, refers to the location or entity that holds significant influence, control, or authority. The centre of power can be a broader concept that encompasses economic, cultural, or military influence. In some cases, the centre of power might not be limited to a single location. Regarding the capital, it is almost an accepted fact that Pataliputra is the capital of the Gupta Empire, almost all the major scholars accept Pataliputra as the capital of the Gupta Empire. My humble request to all of you @Koshuri Sultan, NXcrypto, Fylindfotberserk, पाटलिपुत्र, and Ratnahastin: Please fix this mistake and mention Pataliputra as the capital of Gupta Empire, if you need any reliable source I will provide it to you. Thanku ! – Goparaja ^Talk! 19:16, 13 June 2025 (UTC)

@Utcursch, Doug Weller, Gotitbro, PadFoot2008, and Worldbruce: I hope you will pay some attention to my objections. – Goparaja ^Talk! 15:14, 15 June 2025 (UTC)

The Gupta Capital

The capital of the Gupta dynasty was Pataliputra and Magadha was the political centre of their empire:

• Dilip K. Chakrabarty. Oxford University Press.:

Magadha and its capital Pataliputra come back into focus under the Gupta dynasty. Initially, the dynasty establishes its base by coming into a matrimonial alliance with the Lichchhavis of Vaisali or north Bihar. At this stage, it is likely that the Gupta power was stretched along the northern and southern banks of the Ganga in modern Bihar.

• UNESCO.:

The region of Magadha rose to prominence during the third century largely because of its situation on the lower reaches of the Ganges close to the shores of the Bay of Bengal. At the beginning of the fourth century it became the political centre of the Gupta Empire.

• Archeological Survey Of India.:

In connection with Samudragupta, there is mentioned in verse 7 (line 14), a city named Pushpa, which is spoken of in such a way as to indicate that it was his capital. Pushpapura, Pushpapuri and Kusumapura, all meaning 'the town or city of flowers', were names of Pataliputra which is now represented by the modern Patna in Bihar.

• Radhakumud Mookerji.:

The capital of the empire was Pataliputra called Pushpa in the Allahabad Pillar inscription. His campaigns and conquests show that Chandra Gupta II was also associated with the city of eastern Malwa, Vidisa, while, as we have seen, some of the chiefs of the Kanarese country claiming connexion with him describe him as ' the Lord of Ujjayini, the foremost of cities' (Ujjayini-puravarādhīśvara) as well as of Pataliputra.

• Dr. Bhagwant Sahai.:

A unique terracotta sealing recovered in course of excavations at Kumrahāra bears the legend in the Gupta characters Sri-arogya-vihare-bhiksu-samghosyaogya-vihare-bhiksu-samghosya', attesting to the existence of a monastery-cum-sanatorium at Kumrahāra (Pātaliputra). It is quite possible one of the monsteries at Kumrahāra may have been the Arogya Vihara referred to in the inscription. It affords striking confirmation of Fa-hien's account of the existence of free hospitals in Pātaliputra during the reign period of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya. This short inscription is also regarded as one of the many indirect evidences in favour of supposing Pāțaliputra as being the capital of the Gupta empire.

• G. Buhler.:

the inscriptions prove clearly that Chandragupta II held his court at Pataliputra, and they indicate that his father Samudragupta probably had his residence in the same town. We read in the Udayagiri Cave Inscription... Here it is clearly stated that Chandragupta's minister of foreign affairs was an inhabitant of Pataliputra. The natural inference is that the town was the capital of the empire.

It is almost an accepted fact that Pataliputra was the capital of the Gupta Empire. There are some other theories as well but most historians accept Pataliputra as the capital of the Gupta Empire. – Goparaja ^Talk! 17:47, 15 June 2025 (UTC)

Prayaga

Prayaga was not the capital of the Gupta Empire. Because Prayaga was not even a city during the Gupta period. We do not have any Gupta record that mentions Prayaga as a city.

• Tej Ram Sharma. argues that :

Some scholars have tried to conjecture the capital of the Guptas. U.N. Roy puts forward his views about Prayaga, Pataliputra, Ayodhyā, Kośāmbi and Ujjayani... At the most they could be prosperous cities of the kingdom except Prayaga which developed into a city during the reign of Akbar. Panthari points out to Mathura, Kośāmbi, Pațaliputra, Ujjain and Eran.

• Dilip K. Chakrabarti. :

The area as a whole is important: sites such as Hetapatti and Ariel, one across the Ganga and the other across the Yamuna, clearly show this, but there is nothing to suggest that modern Prayag (i.e, modern Allahabad) was an ancient city. Yet it is inconceivable that one of the holiest places of Hinduism, Prayag or the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna should be without a major ancient city.

There is no evidence of Prayaga being a city during the Gupta period and it is not possible that Prayaga was the capital of the Gupta dynasty and was not a city. Now, it is clear that Prayaga was not the capital of the Gupta Empire.– Goparaja ^Talk! 11:58, 18 June 2025 (UTC)

Now let's discuss some other random arguments which are given in Talk:Gupta_Empire/Archive_1#Centre_of_power.

In this section, mainly 3 sources have been used, through which an attempt is being made to prove Prayaga as the Gupta capital :

1. Sanjeev Kumar.

2. India's ancient past.

3. Goyal.

But if we recheck these sources, we will find some errors.

1. Sanjeev Kumar. :

The quote is - "The initial home of the Gupta dynasty is assumed to be in the area of the Käsi-Ayodhyā-Pāțaliputra region. Based on coin finds, all indications are that the Gupta capital was around Kannauj and Kāśī, not Pāțaliputra."

-But in this context, there is no mention of Prayaga as the capital of the Gupta Empire. And secondly, the conclusion here is based on coin finds and not a proper or a complete conclusion.

2. India's ancient past. :

The quote is - "UP therefore seems to have been the place from where the Guptas operated and fanned out in different directions. Probably with their centre of power at Prayag, they spread into the neighbouring regions."

-But in this context, Prayag is mention as not the capital of the Gupta Empire but as their centre of power. This reference is also not a proper source where Prayag is mentioned as the capital.

3. Goyal. :

In this context, It is true that Goyal has described Prayaga as the imperial capital of the Gupta Empire. But he could not give any concrete argument as to how Prayaga was a city and capital during the Gupta period.

On the other hand, Tej Ram Sharma. candidly states that Prayaga was not even a city during the Gupta period and it developed into a city during the reign of Akbar.

Some scholars have tried to conjecture the capital of the Guptas. U.N. Roy puts forward his views about Prayaga, Pataliputra, Ayodhyā, Kośāmbi and Ujjayani... At the most they could be prosperous cities of the kingdom except Prayaga which developed into a city during the reign of Akbar. Panthari points out to Mathura, Kośāmbi, Pațaliputra, Ujjain and Eran.

Now, It's clear that Prayaga was not the Capital of Gupta Empire. Except Goyal, **no historian suggest that Prayaga was the capital of Guptas.

Well taking everything into account, Prayaga should be removed in the infobox as one of the capital of Guptas. – Goparaja ^Talk! 10:07, 19 June 2025 (UTC)

Origin of Sri Gupta

Hello everyone,

I would like to propose a brief but important addition to the "Origin" section of the Gupta Empire article, based on published numismatic research.

Proposal: Include a mention that Sri Gupta, the founder of the dynasty, is now believed by several scholars to have exercised independent political authority in Magadha, as evidenced by a recently re-evaluated series of silver coins bearing his name. These coins were discovered between Hajipur and Muzaffarpur in Bihar and are published in a detailed monograph: → Silver Coins of Sri Gupta by L.C. Gupta and S.J. Mangalam (1994), Numismatic Society of Hyderabad. Available on Google Books

The coins carry the legend Śrī Gupta in Brahmi, and the authors argue that Sri Gupta issued this currency to meet local economic demands and assert sovereign authority. This challenges the earlier assumption that he was a subordinate chief.

Additionally, the book also explains that the marriage of Chandra Gupta I to the Lichchhavi princess Kumaradevi likely reflects the already elevated political status of the Gupta family by the time of Ghatotkacha. This adds historical weight to the argument that Sri Gupta ruled independently in the Magadha heartland.

If there are no major objections, I would like to incorporate a sentence or two summarizing this view — with proper citation — under the "Origin" subsection. This would enhance the article’s accuracy and reflect current scholarly understanding.

Thanks! – Magadhadhiraja (talk) 16:50, 20 June 2025 (UTC)

Magadha origin

The origin of the Gupta dynasty is mainly believed to be from Maharaja Sri Gupta, who was the founder of Gupta dynasty. In this, mainly we try to find where Sri Gupta ruled. There are several theories related to this, But the most accepted and accurate theory is the Magadhan origin of the Guptas, where almost all authorities suggest that the Guptas were originally from Magadha and Sri Gupta was the ruler of Magadha. This is also supported by numismatic and textual evidences.

• Radhakumud Mookerji.:

Sri Gupta... The first evidence of Gupta connexion with Magadha comes from a foreign source. The Chinese traveller I-tsing, who came to India in A.D. 672 heard of Mahārāja Śrī-Gupta (Che-li-ki-to) who built a temple near Mrigaśikhāvana for Chinese pilgrims and endowed it with 24 villages.

We may further note that Mrigaśikhāvana along with the villages granted to its monastery were all situated within Magadha and Gupta territory. I-tsing informs us that the aforesaid park was 'about 50 stages east of Nalanda down the Ganges', while Nalanda was '7 stages to the north-east of Mahabodhi'.

• L.C. Gupta and S. J. Mangalam. further elaborates :

As regards the political activity and the centre of power established by Sri Gupta, there is absolutely no clear evidence except a passing reference by I-tsing centuries later, on the basis of an oral tradition, that a temple was built for the Chinese pilgrims by a certain king Sri Gupta, some five hundred years earlier. Though the temple as such is not traced and the identity of the king in question is not absolutely established, the political strength and stability of the family immediately after the said period would indicate the veracity of the tradition and the historicity of Sri Gupta's political career around Magadha.

He must have assumed the title of Maharaja after establishing his kingdom by subjugating his neighbouring principalities in and around Magadha. It is upon this foundation that his grandson, Chandra Gupta I, built up the Imperial Gupta Empire. If the latter's marriage with the Lichchhavi princess had taken place during the reign of his father, Ghatotkacha Gupta, then it is obvious that the Gupta family had already attained some degree of political prestige which must have attracted the matrimonial alliance from the Lichchhavis.

They also states that, almost one hundred and six coins of Sri Gupta have been found in Hajipur-Muzaffarpur region of ​​Bihar :

The find spot of these coins is Hajipur and its neighbouring city of Muzafarpur in Bihar. Muzafarpur is just thirty-two kilometers from Vaisali, the capital of the ancient Lichchhavis. The find-spot, thus, falls within the political limits of Magadha. As stated earlier, Sri Gupta, the founder of the family, must have subjugated the neighbouring chieftains and consolidated his supremacy within the Magadha province and possibly its peripheries. He could, therefore, rightly use the title of Maharaja in the sense of an independent monarch.

When L.C. Gupta showed these coins to a number of scholars at the all India numismatic conferences, almost everyone confirmed his identification :

The present coins, all of them purchased at Muzaffarpur, have been recognised by him at the very first sight, on the basis of the bust, the legend and provenance, as the issue of the first member of the Gupta family, Sri Gupta. Subsequently he has shown the coins to a number of scholars at the all India numismatic conferences and his identification has virtually been ratified by all of them.

Well taking everything into account, It is clear that Sri Gupta was the ruler of Magadha and the Guptas were originally from Magadha region. – Goparaja ^Talk! 09:33, 21 June 2025 (UTC)

A silver coin of Sri Gupta from Hajipur-Muzaffarpur region of Bihar.

• Weight in gm = 0.780

• Diameter in mm = 11

• Obverse = Wide open eye; plumpy cheek; nostril, lips and chin formed by thick pellets arranged vertically; angular elongated ear-lobe; part of border below.

• Reverse = Three pellets at the centre; altar below; leged partially out of flan.

Silver coins of Sri Gupta..

– Goparaja ^Talk! 15:06, 21 June 2025 (UTC)

Some other sources :

• Mackay, James (2006), The Complete Illustrated Guide to Coins & Coin Collecting :

A Magadha (Bihar) kingdom, with its capital at Patna, emerged in the late 3rd century AD under Srigupta founder of a dynasty that lasted for 300 years. His grandson, Chandragupta 1 (305-25), created the splendid Gupta Empire.

• Brown, C. J. (1999), Coins of India :

The territory which the Guptas are first found ruling lay near Pāțaliputra, the modern Patna; it was much enlarged by one Gupta, on the decline of the Kushāņa power in its eastern territories.

• Gupta, L.C. (1994), Silver coins of Sri Gupta :

...the historicity of Sri Gupta's political career around Magadha.

• Higham, Charles (2014), Encyclopedia of Ancient Asian Civilizations :

The Gupta empire had its genesis under King Srigupta (270-290 C.E.), who ruled one of the many small kingdoms in the Ganga (Ganges) Valley in India from his capital at Pataliputra.

• Kumar Maity, Sachindra (1975), The Imperial Guptas and Their Times :

the founder of this dynasty was Mahārāja Sri Gupta who was apparently a subordinate ruler and ruling somewhere near Magadha.

• Keay, John (2000), India : a history :

Sri Gupta was probably not a Buddhist but was raja of some minor polity near or within erstwhile Magadha

• Jha, D. N. (1998), Ancient India: In Historical Outline :

Guptas... political control in the region of Magadha.

– Goparaja ^Talk! 06:45, 22 June 2025 (UTC)