TOPIC - 6

THE MAURYAN EMPIRE

The Mauryan empire was built after decline of Nandas. Chandragupta seems to be the founder
of Maurya Dynasty. Texts Like Arthashastra of Kautilya, Indica of Megasthenese, Buddhist and
Jain literature and other important text of these period talk about Chandragupta and his
successors. Chandragupta ruled near Punjab and then Magadha region. Many texts claim that
he came from a very ordinary family and born of Mura, a shudra women in court of Nandas. He
was an autocrat and made a vast empire for his successors. Alexander died in 323 BCE and he
confronted his successor Selucus Nikator and settled the first treaty of Partition in 321 BCE.
Selucus again tried to regain control in 303 BCE but failed and ceded Heart, Qandahar,
Baluchistan and Kabul to Chandragupta. There was also a matrimonial alliance between the
families in which Chandragupta gave a gift of 500 elephants to Selucus and in return he
appointed Megasthenes as an ambassador at the royal court of Patliputra. Parsistparvan, a jaina
source suggests that he stepped down the throne in favour of his son Bindusara, went to
Shravanbelagola and starved to death in typical Jaina fashion. Bindusara (297 – 273 BCE) was
the son of Chandragupta who succeeds him. He is known to the reeks as Amitro Chates.
Bindusara also had contacts with Antiochus I, the Selucid king of Syria whose ambassador
Deimachus was said to have been at the Mauryan court. He may have favoured Ajivika sect. It
seems he marched towards Deccan and brought it into the empire. Ashoka (268 – 232 BCE) was
seen as a cruel king in his early time, but his march towards Kalinga changed him. Ashoka was
shown as a benevolent king in later period of his reign. He was the first Indian king to speak
directly to his subject through inscriptions. The last king was Brihdraratha was killed by his
military commander Pushmitra Shunga in 187 BCE and then the Shunga dynasty came.
Ashoka’s inscriptions have been found across the subcontinent. James Princep deciphered the
edicts in 1838. They were in Brahmi script. Ashoka in these inscriptions is often referred to as
Devanam Piyadasi. Some short inscription on the potsherds are found at Anuradhapur in Sri
lankain 4th BCE. Most of the inscriptions are in Prakrit language and Brahmi script. Few
inscription are written in Greek and Aramaic. A bilingual inscription Prakrit and Aramaic
inscription was found at Lampak (Uttrakhand) and one at Kandahar (Afghanistan). Ashoka’s
inscription are identified in various categories. The major rock edicts, minor rock edicts and
major pillar edicts and minor pillar edict and cave inscriptions. The major pillar edicts are mostly
located at north India. The minor rock edicts are scattered over a large area but mainly
clustered around Andhra – Karnataka area.

The major rock edicts are found in Kandahar, Shahbazgarhi, Mansehra, Kalsi, Girnar, Dhauli,
Jaugada, Erragudi, Sannati In Karnataka. The major pillar edicts are found in Kandahar, Delhi –
topara, Delhi – meerut, Allahabada, Lauriya – Araraj, Lauriya – Nandangarh, Rampurva in
Champaran. The Minor rock edicts are found in Bahapur, Bairat, Ahraura, Sahsaram, Gujjara,
Rupnath, Panguraria and Maski in Karnataka, gavimath, Palkigundu, Nittur, Udegolem, rajula –
Mandagiri, Erragudi, Brahmgiri, Siddapura, Jatinga. Ashoka’s inscriptions are mostly about
explanation of Dhamma, his efforts to propagate it, Kalinga war and about code of conduct to
be followed by people of his empire. The Junagarh/Girnar inscription of Rudradaman of 150 CE
tells about the construction of water reservoir known as Sudarshan Lake which begun at time of
Chandragupta Maurya and completed during Ashoka’s reign.

The State Structure

The empire was divided into provinces under governors. There were at least four provinces. The
southern one with centre at Suvarnagiri, the northern one with centre at Taxila, a western one
with headquarter at Ujjaiyini and eastern one with centre Tosali. The Governors were called
Kumara. Rajuka had the duty of measuring land for purpose of revenue assessment. Patliputra
was magadha’s capital. Besides that, Toshali, Suvarngiri, Ujjain, ans Taxila were holding
provincial power. These states were governed by kumara or prince. The city was well planned
and was surrounded by a wooden wall with towers and openings for shooting arrows. There
were four streets and few lanes attached to the houses. Magasthenes talk about seven strata.
These groups were : Philosophers, farmers, herdsmen and hunter, artisans and traders, soldiers,
overseers, and the kings’s councilors. A similar kind of coin was being used in central empire.
The punched mark silver coins had symbols of peacock and crescent hills which seems the
imperial currency of Mauryas.

The material culture

The Mauryan conquests opened doors for trade and missionary activity. The material culture in
Gangetic basin was based on use of iron, prevalence of writing, punched mark coins, abundance
of beautiful pottery called northern black polished ware, the introduction of burnt bricks and
ring wells, and on the existence of towns in north – eastern India. Due to the abundance of iron
we see new kind of tools like socketed axes, hoes, spades, sickles and ploughshares. Spoked
wheels also began to be used. Burnt bricks were used first time in north east India as we have
found Mauryan period constructions in UP and Bihar. Structure were also made of woods.
Megasthenes has talked about wooden structure at Patliputra. Archaeological evidences show
logs of wood were used as to as defense against flood and invasion. The mud bricks could not
survive the heavy rainfall and moist climate. For such reason the use of burnt bricks was a boon.
It led to the growth and spread of towns. The making of steel spread through Mauryan contacts
across some other parts of India. It may have been used for the clearance of jungles and
cultivation purpose.
Saptanga theory of Kautilya

Arthashastra of Kautilya discusses elaborate structure. It explains the concept of Saptanga

Rajya. It considers seven inter related and inter locking limbs or elements of state which are
Svami, Amatya, Janapada, Durga, Danda, kosha, mitra. Ashoka’s empire was a monarchical
empire where only one svami existed. Amatya term was an umbrella term for all high ranking
officials, counselors, and executive head of department.

The Arthshastra mentions a small consultative body of mantris called mantra – parishad.
Ashoka’s rock edict 3 states the palisa/parisa (parishad) to direct the officials known as Yuktas.
Arthashastra also mentions samnidhatri who were incharge of the royal stores. It also mentions
officers like Dauvarika – chief of palace attendants, the antarvamshika – chief of palace guards
and number of adhyakshas – department heads. The akshapatala office was the record – cum –
audit office. Arthashastra emphasizes the importance of the purohit – royal priest. The
mauryan empire talks about the Mahamatas. The term occurs in Arthshastra. Specific types of
mahamata were mentioned in the inscriptions include the Anta – Mahamatas and Ittijhakka
Mahamatas (In charge of women’s welfare). The Dhamma – Mahamattas were officials to
spread the teaching of Dhamma. There was an elaborate system of taxation. Kautilya names
taxes which were collected from peasants, artisans, and traders. The Samaharta was the highest
official for assessment and collection, and the sannidhata was chief custodian of the state.
These taxes were collected in kind. The archeological evidence shows storage houses that
indicated its use in times of famine and, drought etc.

Kosha lists the agricultural, animal husbandry and trade as people’s main occupation. Kshetra is
listed among items of property, the sale of which is subject to regulations. There was a
difference between the kshetrika and the upvasava. It is stated that if neither side can prove its
claim to the property and it should go to the king. Kautilya also talks about different type of
share croppers working on state owned land. Ardhasitikas were those who kept half of the
produce and the svaviryopajivins who kept 1/4th – 1/5th of the produce. Urban taxes included
shulka – duties on imported and exported goods and excise duty on local manufacturers. These
taxes were realized in cash and kind. Durga – kautilya recommends a series of frontier posts
placed under officials known as antapalas. Danda can be understood as force or as justice.
Judges were called dharmasthas. Pradeshtris were responsible for suppression of criminals.
Mitra was ally of king. He talks about the circle of kings (raja – mandal), the four principal
players were the Vijjigishu, ari (enemy), madhyama (the middle king) and udasina (the neutral
King)
Sculpture and architecture

The wooden wall fragments found in Patliputra suggest existence of a super structure there.
The remains of gateways have also been found there. 72 pillars were also found arranged in a
neat chessboard pattern and later 8 more was discovered later. Number of brick walls was also
discovered in Patna. The pillar of this period were made of buff chunar. Some of the pillars also
found without inscriptions. The one pillar with bull capital at Rampurva, the pillar with lion
capital at Vaishali, and Kosam pillar without a capital was found. These pillars are considered
monoliths. A monolith railing was also found at Sarnath. At Dhauli there is a rock sculpture of
front part of elephant. The Mauryan period also saw the start of rock cut architecture. The
Barbara cave and Nagarjuna caves show inscriptions. The stupas also were made at this period.
Ashoka re-distributed portions of Budhha’s relics to every important town and ordered
construction of stupas over them. Sanchi stupas too were made during this period.

Decline of mauryan empire

The reign of three strong rulers was followed by weak rulers. Haraprasad shastri believes that
Ashoka’s policy was considered anti – Brahmana and the patronage extended to the heterodox
sects by Mauryas. R.S Sharma argues that the expenditure on army and payment to the
bureaucracy created financial crisis for the Mauryan empire. It also seems that Ashoka made
large donation to the Buddhist monks which left the treasury empty. The condition became so
bad that they had to melt gold images. He also argued that since Ashoka was occupied with
missionary activities, he was unable to pay attention the safeguarding the passes through north
western frontier. The Mauryan empire was ultimately destroyed by Pushyamitra Shunga in 185
BC.

Ajivika sect

Ajivika sect’s most important leader was Makkhali Ghosala. Jaina Bhagavati sutra says his father
was Mankha (an exhibitor of religious pictures and a singer of religious songs) named Mankhali.
The central philosophy of Ajivika was niyati (fate), the principle that ultimately controlled
everything. Karma and transmigration was the major philosophy but humans have no role in
this as path of souls were already decided thousands of years ago. They practiced ascetism,
often eating very little food and practiced ahimsa. They practiced complete nudity too but were
not observing celibacy. They did not practice discrimination on the basis of class and caste.