Mauryan Empire (321 – 184 BC) All Notes

Mauryan Empire (321 – 184 BC)

Literary Sources

Kautilya’s Arthshashtra

▪ Written in Sanskrit by Chanakya / Kautilya / Vishnugupta / Indian Machiavelli
▪ Contains 15 books & 180 chapters; with main theme divided into 3 parts

• 1. King & his council and departments of government
• 2. Civil & criminal law
• 3. Diplomacy of war

Vishakadatta’s Mudrarakshasa

▪ A drama in Sanskrit written during Gupta’s period
▪ Describes how Chandragupta maurya with the help of Kautilya overthrew Nandas
▪ Gives socio – economic picture of condition under mauryas

Megasthene’s Indica

▪ Megasthene was a Greek ambassador in court of Chandragupta maurya
▪ His book is survived in fragments & provides detail about mauryan administration & military
organization, particularly of capital city (Patliputra)

Ceylonese Chronicles

▪ Ceylonese chronicles “Dipavamsa & Mahavamsa” throw light on Ashoka’s role in spreading Buddhism in Srilanka

Edicts of Ashoka

▪ Inscriptions of Ashoka were 1st deciphered by James Princep in 1837
▪ Brahmi scripts were used for writing edicts, particularly Pali & Prakrit.
▪ In N-W India Ashoka’s inscriptions were also found in Kharosti script
▪ Name Ashoka occurs only in few minor edicts (Maski & Girnar) (In karnataka & Madhya pradesh), rest at all places edicts mention him as “Devampriya Priyadasi” → Dear to Gods
▪ Famous Sanchi Stupa & Sarnath Pillar constitutes to Ashoka’s rein

Chandragupta Maurya

▪ Founded Mauryan Empire by defeating Nandas with the help of Kautilya
▪ In 305 BC, he marched against Selucus Nikator (Alexanders general controlling NW India) & defeated him.
▪ A treaty was signed, according to which, Selucus gave Chandragupta eastern Afganisthan, Baluchistan & area west of Indus & in return Chandragupta gifted 500 elephants to Selucus & married his daughter.
▪ Megasthenes was sent to Mauryan court as a Greek ambassador
▪ Greek writer Justin (Who wrote epitome) called Chandragupta “Sandrocottus” Chandragupta embraced Jainism towards the end of his life & stepped down from the throne in favour of his son Bindusara & went to Mysore along with Jain monks led by Bhadrabagu & starved himself to death

Bindusara

▪ Was called “Amitragatha” → Slayer of enemies by the Greeks
▪ Conquered Deccan upto Mysore
▪ Nikator’s successor Antichus 1 replaced Megasthenes with Deimachus as a Greek ambassador at mauryan court under Bindusara’s Patronage
▪ Bindusara appointed Ashoka as the governor of Ujjain

Ashoka

▪ Victorious war with Kalinga was the most important event of Ashoka’s reign & its effect on Ashoka has been described by Ashoka himself in rock edict 13
▪ As an effect of kalinga war, Ashoka embraced Budhhism under the influence of Buddhist monk “Upagupta / Mogaliputra Tissa”
▪ Abandoned policy of physical conquest in favour of policy of cultural conquest (Bherigosha replaced by Dhammagosa) as mentioned on rock pillar 13
▪ Appointed a class of administrative officers known as “Rajukas” vested with the power of rewarding & punishing people, wherever necessary
▪ Set up a very high ideal for himself as Paternal Kingship (Father of all)

Ashoka & Buddhism

▪ Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism was gradual not immediate as he first became a sakya upasaka (Lay disciple) & 2 ½ years later became a bikshu (Monk) & gave up hunting
▪ Constituted Dhamma yatras to Sarnath, Bodhh Gaya etc. & appointed special officers called Dhamma Mahamantras to propagate Dhamma among various social groups
▪ Sent his son Mahendra & daughter Sangamitra to Srilanka who planted branches of original Bodhi tree there
▪ Convened 3rd Buddhist council at patliputra to strengthen sangha
Ashoka’s dhamma was to preserve the social order & held that if people behaved well they would achieve heaven. He never said they would attain Nirvana which was the primary aim of Buddhism. Hence, his teachings were intended to maintain social order on the basis of tolerance & does not seems to have preached any sectarian path Tags: #Mauryan Empire #Notes