Mauryan Dynasty
Mauryan Dynasty
Mauryan Dynasty
•R. S. Sharma
16. Iranian and Macedonian Invasions- Iranian Invasion
18. The Maurya Age
19. The Significance of Maurya Rule
•NCERT VI-
7. ASHOKA, THE EMPEROR WHO GAVE UP WAR
Mauryan Dynasty
• After Alexander invaded
the northwest part of the
subcontinent, one of his
generals, Seleucus Nicator,
founded the Seleucid
Empire.
Mudrarakshasa of Visakhadatta (5th century AD) Talks of the foundation of the Mauryan empire by
Chandragupta and Chanakya after overthrowing the
Nandas- ‘Mauryan Revolution’
‘Geography’ of Strabo (1st century BC-1st Written in Greek, talks about the marriage of
century AD) Chandra Gupta Maurya with Helena, daughter
of Seleucus Nicator.
‘An-Epitome’ by Justine (2nd century AD) Written in Greek, mentions that Sandrocottus
conquered North Western India and terminated
the Greek governors appointed by Alexander
‘Indica’ of Arrian (2nd century AD) Written in Greek tells us that Nandas had 2 lakh
i n f a n t r y, 6 0 , 0 0 0 c a v a l r y a n d 6 0 0 0 w a r
elephants
Pliny’s ‘Natural History’ (1st century AD) Written in Latin tells us that Mauryas had 6 lakh
infantry, 30,000 cavalry, 9000 war elephants and
8000 chariots. He was a Roman.
Brihadratha
187–180 BCE
Chandragupta Maurya (324/321- 297
BCE)
• Established the Mauryan Empire in 322 BC by defeating Dhana Nanda.
• Chandragupta may have first established himself in the Punjab and then moved eastwards
until he gained control over the Magadha region.
• He was referred to as ‘Amitrochates’ by the Greek writers after his title ‘Amitraghatha'
(slayer of foes)
Ashoka (268 – 232 BCE)
• During his father’s reign, Ashoka was stationed as governor at Ujjayini, and before that,
possibly at Taxila
• After the death of Bindusara, a fratricidal war of succession (BCE 272-268) broke out
among his sons.
• According to Mahavamsa (Buddhist chronicle of Sri Lanka), Ashoka captured the throne
after killing all his brothers.
• The Kalinga War fought in his 8th regnal year (B.C 261 or 260)was the turning point in
the life of Ashoka.
• Deeply disturbed by the death and destruction that occurred in the war, Ashoka decided to
abandon war and take up the propagation of Dhamma.
Administration
•Mauryas established a well-organized and efficient centralized system
of administration.
Districts: Pradesika: District head, Law and Order & Revenue collection
Rajuka: Rural Administration & Justice
Yukta: Secretarial Staff
Purohita: Senapati:
Mantrin: Yuvaraja:
Military
Minister Chief priest Crown prince
Commander
Antapal:
Chief of
frontier
defense
Adhyaksha Department
Akara-dhyaksha Mines and minerals
Akhapala-dhyaksha Accounts
Lakshana-dhyaksha Mint
Espionage Department
•Headed by ‘Mahamatyapasarpa’ who controlled the secret
agents/spies.
•Kautilya calls spies as 'gudhapurushas’ while Ashokan inscriptions
referred to them as 'pativedakas’ & ‘Pulisanis’.
Economy
•Direct Control
Taxes
Bhaga- Land Revenue- 1/4th -1/6th of produce Vartani- Road tax
Nishkramya- Export duty
Vishti- Tax paid in the form of work (forced labour)
Trade
•The Jataka stories have frequent references to caravan traders
carrying large quantities of goods to different parts of the country.
•Major trade routes to West Asia and Central Asia passed through
north-west India.
•The main trade routes in northern Indian were along the river Ganges
and the Himalayan foothills. Major centres like Rajagriha in Magadha
and Kausambi, near present-day Allahabad, were connected in this
way.
Social Milieu
•Megasthenes divided the Indian people into seven strata. The seven groups were as
follows: philosophers, farmers, herdsmen and hunters, artisans and traders, soldiers,
overseers, and the kings’ counsellors.
•The Arthashastra mentions wage labour, bonded labour, and slave labour. The
term karmakara refers to a person who works in return for wages.
•Women’s Position within Brahmanical was low and within heterodox sects they had
more freedom.
Ashokan Dhamma
• Ashoka’s connection with Buddhism is reflected in Buddhist texts and in his inscriptions. Buddhist
tradition considers him an exemplary king and a devout upasaka.
• He had a close connection with the sangha and with leading monks of his time such as Upagupta.
• He is credited with redistributing the relics of the Buddha and enshrining them in stupas in every
important town. He is supposed to have built 84,000 stupas and viharas.
• He is described as having undertaken pilgrimages to all the major places connected with the
Buddha’s life, and having had them marked with signs for the benefit of future pilgrims.
• He is also supposed to have exerted himself in spreading the teaching of the Buddha far and wide.
•One of the most remarkable and innovative aspects of Ashoka’s idea of his own
dhamma and the dhamma of a king was his renunciation of warfare and his re-
definition of righteous conquest.
•The chief disseminator of the dhamma message was, however, Ashoka himself. In
major rock edict 8, he states that earlier kings used to go on pleasure tours
consisting of hunts and other past times.
Major Rock Edicts Message
XIII Most important among the Major Rock Edicts and the lengthiest; Talks
about the Kalinga War; mentions southern kingdoms; mentions 5
contemporary Greek kingdoms along with their rulers:
i) Amtiyoko (Antiochus II Theos)- Syria
ii) Turayama (Ptolemy Philadelphus)- Egypt
iii) Antikini (Antigonus Gonatas)- Macedonia
iv) Alikasudaro (Alexander)- Epirus(Greece)
v) Maka (Magas) –Cyrene (Libya)
XIV Orders that all the above edicts be engraved on the rocks
Summary
Summary
Summary
Summary
Summary