Q1. What are the Sources of The Age of the Guptas ?
Ans :- The main sources of information about the Guptas are the following
1. Accounts of Fa-hien.
2. The Allahabad Pillar Inscription or Prayaga Prashasti.
Q2. Who was the ruler when Fa-hien visited India ? Name the places of pilgrimage that Fa-hien visited in India ?
Ans :- Chandragupta II was the ruler when Fa-hien visited India. The place which he visited are Mathura, Kannauj, Kapilavastu, Kushinagar, Vaishali, Pataliputra, Kashi and Rajagriha.
Q3. What did Fa-hien say about India ?
Ans:-
- Magadha was a prosperous country.
- Pataliputra was a flourishing city with numerous charitable institutions.
- People were wealthy, but lived simple life, observing the Buddhist rule of conduct.
- Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Buddhism and Jainism were the main religion.
- Hindu gods and goddesses were depicted on coins, sculptures and paintings.
- The penal code was mild.
Q4. Write a short note on the Following
1. Education in Gupta Age
2. Nalanda University
Education in Gupta Age
- Education was given utmost importance.
- Many centres of learning in cities like Pataliputra, Valabhi, Ujjain, Ayodhya, and Nashik.
- The teachers were learned Brahmanas, known as Acharyas and Upadhyayas.
- The students were expected to learn fourteen sections of science (Chaturdasavidya), Vyakrana (Ashtadhyayi of Panini) and Mahabharata.
- The Jain and Buddhist system of education assumed different dimensions.
- Higher education was given equal importance.
- Two popular universities which existed during the Gupta Age were Takshila and Nalanda
Nalanda University
- Location : Nalanda in Rajgriha , Bihar.
- At least eight colleges were built in the campus by different patrons.
- Facilities like, hostels and libraries, were provided to around 10,000 students and teachers.
- Famous libraries were: Ratnasagar, Ratnodadhi, and Ratnaranjak.
- Students came from Korea, Mongolia, Japan, China, Tibet, Ceylon and various parts of India.
Q.5. What contribution did Aryabhatta make in the field of Science ?
Ans : -Aryabhatta was a great astronomer and mathematician. Great contributions were made in branches of sciences like astronomy, medicine, metallurgy, etc. In his work Surya Siddhanta, he explained the exact causes of solar and lunar eclipses.