What was most of the literature created in Maurya and Gupta periods written in?

Most of the literature created in the Maurya and Gupta periods was written in Sanskrit.

While other languages like Prakrit were spoken by the common people, Sanskrit was the language of the elite, scholars, and administration. This made it the primary language for literature, philosophy, and religious texts during these periods.

Here are some examples:

* Maurya Period:

* Arthashastra by Chanakya (a treatise on statecraft and economics)

* Indica by Megasthenes (a Greek ambassador's account of India)

* Gupta Period:

* The Bhagavad Gita (a part of the epic Mahabharata)

* The Ramayana (another epic)

* The Kamasutra (a treatise on love and sexuality)

* The works of Kalidasa, one of the most famous Sanskrit poets, including "Shakuntala", "Meghaduta", and "Abhijnanasakuntalam"

While Prakrit did have its own literary tradition, it was largely overshadowed by Sanskrit during these periods. Sanskrit's status as the language of the learned and the elite ensured its dominance in literature.