Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Read the following statements carefully- 1. Gupta Emperors claimed divine rights for themselves 2. Their administration was highly centralized 3. They extended the tradition of land grants. Answer on the basis of the following codes:
Solution & Analysis
Answer: C
Concept
Gupta governance represented a transition toward a decentralized, proto-feudal system where authority was shared with provincial governors and religious grantees.Explanation
Statement 1 is true: Gupta rulers used titles like *Maharajadhiraja* and claimed to be descendants or incarnations of gods (e.g., Vishnu) to gain legitimacy.
Statement 2 is false: Gupta administration was notably decentralized. Power was delegated to provincial governors (*Uparikas*) and district officers (*Vishayapatis*).
Statement 3 is true: They significantly expanded the practice of granting land (Agraharas) to Brahmins and temples, which carried administrative immunities.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Claims to divinity helped unify a vast, decentralized empire through the aura of the monarch.
Logic 2: Unlike the Mauryas, the Guptas did not have a pervasive central bureaucracy; they relied on local autonomy.
Logic 3: The proliferation of land grants is often seen as the beginning of the 'feudal' phase in Indian history.