Introduction
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 Historical sources –
‘Indika’ by
Megasthenes and
‘Arthashastra’ by
Chanakya and rock
and pillar edicts of
Ashoka
Chandragupta Maurya
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 321BCE – ascended the throne
by defeating Dhana Nanda
 Successful because of the
guidance and training given by
Chanakya
 305BCE – Chandragupta
defeated Seleucus and
conquered north – western India
(between Asia Minor and Indus)
Chandragupta Maurya
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 Seleucus – Chandragupta Treaty –
Seleucus gave Eastern Afganistan,
Baluchistan and areas west to Indus. Also
gave his daughter’s hand in marriage to
Chandragupta. He sent Megasthenes to
Chandragupta as ambassador and in return
got 500 war elephants.
 Chandragupta built the first great empire
in Indian history.
 Empire – Hindu Kush (north – west to
Bengal in the east); from the Himalayas in
the north to the Narmada in the south.
Kalinga was independent.
Bindusara
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 Chandragupta Maurya’s son
 Ruled for 25 years
 Extended Mauryan Empire
to Mysore
 Succeeded by his son
Ashoka
Ashoka
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 273BCE – Ascended the throne
 261BCE – Got the powerful kingdom of Kalinga under his
control. Kalinga was known to control the land and sea
routes to South India and South – East Asia.
 Kalinga War – turning point in Ashoka’s life – gave up
violence and he embraced Buddhism.Fom ‘dig vijaya’
(conquest of territories) he moved on to ‘dhamma vijaya’
(conquest through dharma)
Ashoka’s vast empire
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Himalayas – north
Mysore – South
Hindu Kush in North
– West
Brahmaputra – East
Kabul, Kandahar,
Herat
Parts of Nepal and
Kashmir
Ashoka’s Dhamma
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 dhamma = dharma (religious duty)
 Inspired by human values, code of
conduct based on the teachings of
Buddha
 entire life - spread his dhamma
 Principles of his dhamma –
 1. people – peace, harmony
 2. ahimsa, non – violence, non – injury
to living creatures
 3. love, tolerance and respect towards
other religions
 4. children – obey elders, elders – sense
of understanding
 5. truthful, charitable, kind to all even
servants and slaves
Propagation of Dhamma
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 followed it strictly himself – set an example for others
 visited places related to Buddha’s life like Bodh Gaya
and Sarnath
 funded construction of Buddhist monasteries
 sent Buddhist scholars to spread Buddhism
 sent son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri
Lanka
 special officers ‘Dhammamahamatras’
 engraved in Prakrit on rocks, pillars and caves – people
can read and follow them
 organized third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra discuss
ways to propogate Buddhism
Ashokan Edicts
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 important historical source
 comprise of royal
commands or
proclamations
 inscribed on rocks,
polished stone pillars and
caves
 composed in Prakrit and
written in Brahmi script
 north – west – written in
Greek, Kharoshthi and
Aramaic
Ideals of Kingship
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 Ashoka – one of the greatest kings in
Indian history
 Believed that king is like a father to his
subjects
 Prosperity, happiness and welfare of
subjects – given importance
 ‘mahamatras’ – administrative officers
 Good roads, shady trees on both sides
 Wells, rest houses for weary travellers
 Health centres – men, animals
 Officials – tour among subjects to solve
people’s problems
 First monarch to give up violence –
universal brotherhood , tolerance
Mauryan Administration
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King – supreme power
Council of Ministers – ‘Mantri Parishad’
Departments – treasury, industry, revenue, security
Official supervises each department.
Division of empire – provinces – controlled by princes of the
royal family – ‘kumaras’ – ‘viceroys’ or representatives of the
King
 Provinces further divided into districts. Districts divided into
many nagaras (towns) and gramas (villages)
 Every level ruled by an official.
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Pataliputra
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Capital city of Mauryan empire
Administration – role model for administration of cities
Six Committees of five members each
Each Committee in charge of a particular department like
industries, regulation of births, deaths, care of foreigners, trade
and commerce.
These 30 members – supervised health, sanitation, education
related problems.
Elaborate spy system
Well equipped army, infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots, navy
Department to look after production of weapons.
Army always alert and ready.
Pataliputra
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Magnificent walled city
Many gates, watch – towers
Well connected
King’s palace – large, made of stone
Mauryan Art
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 Age of cultural brilliance
 Numerous stupas, monolithic pillars (edicts of Ashoka), caves
and sculpted figures – highly polished Eg – Sarnath pillar
 Influenced by Buddhism
 Ashoka got 84,000 stupas built.
 Stupas – strong, semicircular, dome – like structures, made of
stones, bricks
 Relics of Buddha – his hair, tooth – kept at the base of stupa
 Eg – stupa at Sanchi
 Built prayer halls, monastries (viharas)
Pillar at Sarnath
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 Lion capital
 Four lions sitting back to back on a circular base – carved
from a single piece of stone
 Base decorated – sculptures of four animals – separated by
four wheels (dharma chakras)
 1950 – Lion capital adopted as national emblem of India –
currency notes
 Wheel – motion, progress – national flag of India
Mauryan Economy
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 Peace, stability – growth of economy
 Main occupation – agriculture – farmers encouraged to
cultivate on a large scale – irrigation facilities provided to
them
 Land revenue from farmers – chief source of income for King
 Mining, forestry, carpentry, pottery, masonry, trade and
commercial activities
 Inland and overseas trade – Sri Lanka, Egypt, Greece
 Taxes collected from mines, forests, other professionals.
 Taxes used for paying salaries to officers, maintain army,
build roads, hospitals.
Decline of Mauryan Empire
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232BCE – Ashoka’s death
Ashoka’s successors – weak, inefficient
Vast empire – difficult to control
No strong central authority – Viceroys became independent
Expenses increased – maintain army, elaborate administrative
system
 Last ruler Brihadratha killed by Pushyamitra Sunga (founder
of Sunga Dynasty)
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