Mauryan Empire

Mauryan Empire
CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA (322 BC – 298 BC)

• Chandraupta or Sandrokottos (as he is referred to in Greek literature) launched a series of wars against
Dhananand and also liberated the country from the Greek rule.
• He laid the foundation of Mauryan empire in 322 BC with help of Chanakya (Kautilya).
• After conquering the region between Beas and Bay of Bengal, Chandragupta launched expeditions
throughout the country .Thus, the credit of first unification of North India is attributed to Chandragupta
Maurya.
• In 305 BC, Chandragupta defeated Seleucas Nikator, the Greek emperor after Alexander.
• Megasthenes a Greek ambassador was sent by Seleucus in the Chandragupta Maurya court.
• According to Jaina sources, Chandragupta embraced Jainism towards the end of his life and abdicated the
throne in favour of his son.
• Accompanied by Bhadrabahu, a Jain saint, he went to Sravana Belgola (Karnataka), where he died by slow
starvation (Salekhan).
• Chandragupta maurya has been described as a descendant of the kshatriya clan of Moriyas branch of Sakyas.
• The ‘Mudrarakshasa’ is a play written by Vishakadutta, referred Chandragupta as ‘Vrishala’ and ‘Kulahina’,
which means a person of humble origin.
• Sandrocottas mentioned in the greek literature has been identified with

Chandragupta Maurya.
• The Junagarh rock inscription describes that a dam for irrigation was constructed
on Sudarshan lake by Pushyagupta, a provincial governor of Chandragupta
maurya
• In 305 BC chandragupta defeated the army of Selecus nicator, therefore a treaty
was concluded between selecus and Chandragupta in which selecus accepted the
territories of KANDHAR, HEART, KABUL & MAKRAN, Chandragupta presented
him 500 elephants
• The treaty was followed by Matrimonial alliance between two in which
Chandragupta maurya married Helena, who was daughter of Selecus nicator.
• He became the first great historical emperor of India.
• He is regarded as the first ruler of the integrated India
• However, it was under Ashoka, Bindusara’s son, that the Mauryan Empire reached its peak. Ashoka, also
known as Ashoka the Great, expanded the empire to cover a vast territory, including most of the Indian
subcontinent.
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BINDUSARA (298 BC – 272 BC)

• Chandragupta was succeeded by his son Bindusara,
known to the Greeks as Amitrochates (Sanskrit,
Amitraghata = the destroyer of foes). Simhasena
other name used for Bindusara.
• Bindusara followed the extreme fatalistic order
(religion) ‘Ajivika’ founded by Makhali Gosala.
• Bindusara maintained good diplomatic relations with Antiochus I, the Seleucid king of Syria. Antiochus sent
Deimachus as ambassador to the Bindusara’s court.
• Bindusara requested Antiochus to send him some sweet wine, dried figs and a Sophist (philosopher); the
last being not meant for export, was not sent.
• Tibetan Buddhist monk Taranatha describes Bindusara as “conqueror of the land between two seas”e.,
peninsular India.
• Divyavadan, Buddhist biographical narrative of Mauryan Kings, mentions a revolt at Taxila being suppressed
by Ashoka, the son of Bindusara; who was ‘Kumara’ or viceroy of Ujjain at that time.
• Dionysius was the Egypt ambassador came to the court of Bindusara.
• Pliny mentions that Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt sent him as an ambassador.
• Religion: He joined the Ajivika sect.
ASHOKA THE GREAT (268 BC – 232 BC)

• Ashoka became emperor of Maurya empire
• Earlier he was governor of avanti
• Other details- Father- bindusara mother- Subhadrangi(According buddhist literature divyandana)
• His other names were Devanampiya (Sanskrit Devanampriya, which means Beloved of the Gods) and
Piyadasi.
• One of India's greatest monarchs.
• He was born in 304 BC.
• During his father’s reign, he was appointed as the Viceroy of Taxila and Ujjain.
• He was the first ruler to maintain direct contact with his people through his inscriptions.
• Names of Ashoka: Buddhashakya and Ashoka (in the Maski Edict), Dharmasoka (Sarnath inscription),
Devanampiya (meaning beloved of the gods), and Piyadassi (given in the Sri Lankan Buddhist chronicles
Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa).
Ashokas name is mentioned in different inscription like-

1. Maski, Gurjara, nettur inscription – Ashoka name is written
2. kanaganahalli inscription [karnataka] - Rayo Ashoka
3. Purana – ashokavardhan
4. Bhravu records- In this inscription Ashoka has called himself the king of magadh.
5. Junagarh inscription- Ashoka Maurya
6. Lumbini pillar edict- piyadasi and devnampiya
Under Ashoka, almost entire sub-continent came under single

control except extreme south: Uttarpatha (Taxila), Avantirashtra
(Ujjain), Prachi (Pataliputra), Kalinga (Toshali) and Dakshinpatha
(Suvarnagiri) were important provinces.
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• 8 years after coronation, Ashoka fought the horrible Kalinga War in 261 BC.(in modern-day Odisha)
• The fight is thought to have taken place on Dhauli Hills in Dhauli, which is located on the banks of the Daya
River.
• The Kalinga War was one of the bloodiest wars in Indian history.
• Kalinga was strategically located, with trade routes reaching to Southeast Asia. It possessed several
significant ports and a powerful fleet.
• During the Kalinga War, Raja Ananta Padmanabha was the King of Kalinga.
• Rock Edict XIII - Mentions Kalinga's defeat.
• 100,000 soldiers lost their lives and 1,50,000 were captured as captives.
• A similar number of Mauryan troops were killed. On the battlefield, he witnessed the bodies of horses,
elephants, and soldiers.
• There were blood streams everywhere.
• The Kalinga War had a significant impact on Ashoka.
• In other words, Bherighosha was replaced with Dhammaghosha.
• While Ashoka's doctrine of peace provided unity to the empire in the short term, it weakened its ability to
defend itself from external attacks in the long run.
Mogaliputta Tissa presided over the 3rd Buddhist Council held in 250 BC at Pataliputra.
• He sent missionaries for propagation of Buddhism to Sri Lanka, south Indian states, Burma, Central Asia etc.
He also sent ambassadors of peace to Greek Kingdoms & Greece
• Ashoka has been particularly Influenced by the famous Buddhist monk Upagupta. Due to his influence
Ashoka embraced Buddhism.
• Upagupta is also known as the spiritual teacher of Mauryan King Ashoka. Upagupta's guru was the disciple
of Buddha's attendant Ananda and his name was Sanavasi.
• According to Buddhist texts Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa, Ashoka was converted to Buddhism by his nephew
Nigrodha, Nigrodha became a monk at the tender age of 7..
The Kalinga War inspired him to devote the remainder of his life to nonviolence (Ahimsa) and Dhamma triumph
(Dhamma-Vijaya).
Ashoka’s Dhamma
Initially Ashoka followed Brahmin religion. . But after the Kalinga war he converted himself to Buddhism
After embracing Buddhism he remained a simple adorer for 2.5years. Then he entered Buddhist sangha and became
a Bhikshu Gatik (those who lived for sometime in viharas are known as Bhikshu Gatik).
But he never became a Buddhist monk rather always remained an adorer.
The definition of Dhamma is produced by Ashoka in his 2nd and 7th pillar edict.
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Ashoka mentioned a few good points of Dhamma in his inscriptions such as:
• No killing of humans.
• No destruction of properties.
• To serve and respect parents and adults.
• To respect the mentors and teachers.
• Good behaviour with the slaves and servants.
• To spend less.
• To preserve less.
In the 13th Major Rock Edict Ashoka considers Dhammavijaya to be the greatest victory.
Ashoka was the first ruler in the world history carried out this policy of Dhamma imperialiste victory without
violence.
For the propagation of Dhamma Ashoka appointed a new category of ministers named ”Dhammamahamatra”.
In his 5th Major Rock Edict Ashoka mentions about the appointment of royal officials in the 13th year of his reign
(256BC).
Besides Dhammamahamatras other officials such as Yukta, Rajukka, Pradeshika etc., too were given the
responsibility of propagating the principles of Dhamma.
Thus, Ashoka is always remembered among the great rulers of Indian history.
- Brihadratha was the last Mauryan emperor.

Brihadratha
- According to some sources, he was assassinated by his Brahman commander-in-
(187 BCE - 185 BCE)
chief, Pushyamitra Shunga, who went on to establish the Shunga Empire.
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CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA (322 BC – 298 BC)

• Sandrocottas mentioned in the greek literature has been identified with

BINDUSARA (298 BC – 272 BC)

• Religion: He joined the Ajivika sect.

ASHOKA THE GREAT (268 BC – 232 BC)

Ashokas name is mentioned in different inscription like-

Under Ashoka, almost entire sub-continent came under single

- Brihadratha was the last Mauryan emperor.

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