5. Cultural Productions

Kings and the rich could divert a part of their income to support those who were engaged in art and literature. Both Samudragupta and Candragupta-II were patrons of arts and literature. On the coins issued by them, Samudragupta is represented as playing the lute and Candragupta-II is credited with maintaining his court nine luminaries. Buddhist art developed during the Gupta age, which led to the creation of massive stone pillars, the hewing of beautiful caves and the raising of high stūpas or relic towers. Innumerable images of Buddha were created during this period. The finest specimens of Buddhist art in Gupta period are the paintings of Ajanta.

It has been observed:

“As the Guptas supported brahmanism, images of Viṣṇu, Śiva and some other Hindu gods were fashioned for the first time during their period. At many places, the entire pantheon is portrayed with the chief god at the centre surrounded by his retainers and subordinates. The leading god is represented as large in size, with his retainers and subordinate gods drawn on a smaller scale. This reflects clear social hierarchy and discrimination.” (Sharma, R. S., 2008: 245.).

The Gupta period shows an increase in the production of literatures in the branches both classical and religious. Secular literature consisted of a fair degree of ornate poetry. Poets like Kālidāsa were the eminent literary stars who flourished in the Gupta society and they contributed outstanding literary productions to Sanskrit Literature. Poems and dramas composed in this period enriched its cultural milieu.

R. S. Sharma states:

“The plays produced in India during the Gupta period have two common features. First, they are all comedies; no tragedies are found. Secondly, characters of the higher and lower classes do not speak the same language; women and Śūdras featuring in these plays use Prākṛt whereas the higher classes use Sanskrit. We may recall that Aśoka and the Sāthavāhanas used Prākṛt as the state language.” (2008: 246)

The compilation of the two epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata were almost completed during the Gupta period by fourth century CE. Most of the Purāṇas also seem to be compiled in this age, which are replete with myths, legends, sermons and exaggerations, which were meant for the education and edification of the common people. They are not dependable for a political history but reflect the aspects of cultural developments. It is sure that Sanskrit was the court language of Guptas. Sanskrit grammar, based on the texts of Pāṇini and Patañjali also showed its development in this period. One of the important events that happened in Gupta period is the development of language and literature. The compilation of the Sanskrit lexicon Amarakośa of Amarasimha is one among them. Amarasimha was said to be one of the nine luminaries of Candragupta-II’s court. As a whole, it can be pointed out that the Gupta period witnessed great progress in the domain of art and the literature.