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The History of the Mauryan Empire in India
By : Mamta Aggarwal | Category : Empires
<http://www.historydiscussion.net/category/empires>
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------*Read this article to learn about the history of Mauryan Empire in India !*
*Foundation of the Mauryan Empire**: *

The foundation of the Maurya Empire in 321 B.C. by Chandragupta Maurya

was a unique event in history. Particularly in view of the fact that it
was found shortly after Alexanders victorious campaigns in North-West
India during 327 B.C. 325 B.C.
Mauryan
<http://www.historydiscussion.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/111.jpg>
Image Curtsey: indianhistoryforu.blogspot.com
There is no unanimity with regard to the ancestry of the Mauryas. The
Puranas describe them as Sudras and uprighteous probably due to the fact
that the Mauryas were mostly patrons of heterodox sects. The Buddhist
works (e.g. Mahavamsa and Mahavamshatika) have attempted to link the
Mauryan dynasty with the tribe of the Sakyas to which the Buddha
belonged. In the Divyavadana, Bindusara, the son of Chandragupta, is
described as Kshatriya Murdabhishikta or annointed Kshatriya.
According to the Buddhist writers, the region from which the Mauryas
came was full of peacocks (Mayura in Sanskrit and Mora in Pali), and
hence they came to be known as the Moriyas (Pali form of Mauryas). It is
obvious from this that the Buddhists were trying to elevate the social
position of Asoka and his predecessors.
Jain tradition given in Hemachandras Parisisthaparvan relates
Chandragupta as the son of a daughter of the chief of a village of
peacock-tamers (Mayura-Poshaka). The use of the term Vrishala and
Kula-hina in the Mudrarakshasa of Vishakadatta for Chandragupta
probably means that Chandragupta was a mere upstart of an unknown family.
The Greek classical writers, such as Justin, describes Chandragupta
Maurya as a man of humble origin, but does not mention his exact caste.
The Junagarh Rock Inscription of Rudradaman (150 A.D.) mentions the
Vaisya Pusyagupta as the provincial governor of the Maurya king
Chandragupta. There is a reference to Pusyagupta being the
brother-in-law of Chandragupta which implies that the Mauryas may have
been of Vaisya origin.
In conclusion, we can say that the Mauryas were of comparatively humble
origin belonging to the Moriya tribe and were certainly of a low caste.
*Chandragupta Maurya (321-297 B.C.)**: *
Chandragupta Maurya succeeded to the Nanda throne in 321 B.C. after
dethroning the last Nanda ruler (Dhanananda) at the age of 25. He was
the protege of the Brahmin Kautilya, also known as Chanakya or
Vishnugupta, who was his guide and mentor both in acquiring the throne
and in keeping it.
The acquisition of Magadha was the first step in establishing the new
dynasty. Once the Ganges valley was under his control, Chandragupta
moved to the north-west to exploit the power vacuum created by
Alexanders departure. The areas of the North-West fell to him rapidly.
Moving back to Central India he occupied the region north of the Narmada
River. But 305 B.C. saw him back in the north-west involved in a
campaign against Seleucus Nikator (Alexanders general who gained
control of most Asiatic provinces of the Macedonian empire) which

Chandragupta finally won in 303 B.C. Both signed a treaty and entered
into a marriage alliance.
Who married whose daughter is not clearly known? But it seems that
Chandragupta made a gift of 500 elephants to the Greek general and
obtained the territory across the Indus viz., the Satrapies of
Paropanisadai (Kabul), Aria (Herat), Arachoisa (Kandahar), and Gedrosia
(Baluchistan). Seleucuss ambassador, Megasthenes, lived for many years
at the Maurya court at Pataliputra and travelled extensively in the country.
According to Jaina sources (Parisistaparvan), Chandragupta embraced
Jainism towards the end of his life and stepped down from the throne in
favour of his son, Bindusara. Accompanied by Bhadrabahu, a Jaina saint,
and several other monks he is said to have gone to Sravana Belgola near
Mysore, where he deliberately starved himself to death in the approved
Jaina fashion (Sallekhana).
*Kautilya and Arthashastra**: *
Kautilya was the Prime Minister of Chandragupta Maurya. Chandragupta
found the Mauryan Empire with his help. Arthashastra was written by him.
It is the most important source for writing the history of the Mauryas
and is divided into 15 adhikarnas or sections and 180 Prakaranas or
subdivisions. It has about 6,000 slokas. The book was discovered by
Shamasastri in 1909 and ably translated by him.
It is a treatise on statecraft and public administration. Despite the
controversy over its date and authorship, its importance lies in the
fact that it gives a clear and methodological analysis of economic and
political conditions of the Mauryan period.
The similarities between the administrative terms used in the
Arthashastra and in the Asokan edicts certainly suggests that the
Mauryan rulers were acquainted with this work.As such his Arthashastra
provides useful and reliable information regarding the social and
political conditions as well as the Mauryan administration.
*1. King:*
Kautilya suggests that the king should be an autocrat and he should
concentrate all powers into his own hands. He should enjoy unrestricted
authority over his realm. But at the same time, he should give honour to
the Brahmanas and seek advice from his ministers. Thus the king though
autocrat, should exercise his authority wisely.
He should be cultured and wise. He should also be well-read so as to
understand all the details of his administration. He says that the chief
cause of his fall is that the king is inclined towards evil. He lists
six evils that led to a kings decline. They are haughtiness, lust,
anger, greed, vanity and love of pleasures. Kautilya says that the king
should live in comfort but he should not indulge in pleasures.
*2. Ideals of Kingship: *
The major ideal of kingship according to Kautilya is that his own
well-being lies in the well-being of his people of only the happy
subjects ensure the happiness of their sovereign. He also says that the
king should be Chakravarti or the conqueror of different realms and
should win glory by conquering other lands.

He should protect his people from external dangers and ensure internal
peace. Kautilya maintained that the soldiers should be imbued with the
spirit of a holy war before they march to the battlefield. According
to him, all is fair in a war waged in the interest of the country.
*3. About the Ministers:*
Kautilya maintains that the king should appoint ministers. King without
ministers is like a one-wheeled chariot. According to Kautilya, kings
ministers should be wise and intelligent. But the king should not become
a puppet in their hands.
He should discard their improper advise. The ministers should work
together as; a team. They should hold meetings in privacy. He says that
the king who cannot keep his secrets cannot last long.
*4. Provincial Administration: *
Kautilya tells us that the kingdom was divided into several provinces
governed by the members of the royal family. There were some smaller
provinces as Saurashtra and Kambhoj etc. administered by other officers
called Rashtriyas. The provinces were divided into districts which
were again sub-divided into villages. The chief administrator of the
district was called the SthaniK while the village headman was called
the Gopa.
*5. Civic Administration:*
The administration of big cities as well as the capital city of
Pataliputra was carried on very efficiently. Pataliputra was divided
into four sectors. The officer incharge of each sector was called the
Sthanik. He was assisted by junior officers called the Gopas who
looked after the welfare of 10 to 40 families. The whole city was in the
charge of another officer called the Nagrika. There was a system of
regular census.
*6. Spy Organisation:*
Kautilya says that the king should maintain a network of spies who
should keep him well informed about the minute details and happenings in
the country, the provinces, the districts and the towns. The spies
should keep watch on other officials. There should be spies to ensure
peace in the land. According to Kautilya, women spies are more efficient
than men, so they should, in particular, be recruited as spies. Above
all the kings should send his agents in neighbouring countries to gather
information of political significance.
*7. Shipping:*
Another significant information that we gather from Kautilya is about
shipping under the Mauryas. Each port was supervised by an officer who
kept vigil on ships and ferries. Tolls were levied on traders,
passengesand fishermen. Almost all ships and boats were owned by the kings.
*8. Economic Condition:*
Kautilya says that poverty is a major cause of rebellions. Hence there
should be no shortage of food and money to buy it, as it creates
discontent and destroys the king. Kautilya therefore advises the king to

take steps to improve the economic condition of his people. Kautilya

says that the chief source of income was the land revenue in villages
while the tax on the sale of goods was the chief source in the cities.
*Bindusara (297-272 B.C.)**:*
In 297 B.C., Chandragupta was succeeded by his son Bindusara, known to
the Greeks as Amitrochates (Sanskrit, Amitraghata, the destroyer of
foes). Bindusara campaigned in the Deccan, extending Mauryan control in
the peninsula as far south as Mysore.
He is said to have conquered the land between the two seas, presumably
the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Kalinga (modern Orissa) on the
eastern coast, however, remained hostile and was conquered in the
succeeding reign by Bindusaras son Ashoka.
In foreign affairs, Bindusara maintained the friendly relations with the
Hellenic west established by his father. He is said to have had contacts
with Antiochus I Soter, king of Syria, son of Seleucus Nikator whose
ambassador, Deimachos was said to have been at his court.
A man of wide tastes and interests, he requested Antiochus I to send him
some sweet wine, dried figs and a sophist; the last being not meant for
export, however, could not be sent. Pliny mentions that Ptolemy
Philadelpus of Egypt sent Dionysius as his ambassador to India. The
Ashokavadana informs us that a revolt took place in Taxila during the
reign of Bindusara, when the citizens objected to the oppression of the
higher officials. Bindusara sent Asoka to put an end to the revolt,
which he did successfully.
*Ashoka (268-232 B.C.)**: *
Bindusaras death in 272 B.C. led to a struggle for succession among his
sons. It lasted for four years and in 268 B.C. Ashoka emerged
successful. According to Asokavadana, Subhadrangi was the mother of
Ashoka and it describes her as the daughter of a Brahman of Champa.
The Divyavadana version largely agrees with that of the Ashokavadana.
She is called Janapadakalyani, or in other version of the same source
Subhadrangi. In the Ceylonese source, Vamsatthapakasini the Queen mother
is called Dharma.
According to legend, Ashoka as a young prince was given charge of the
Viceroyship of Ujjain. Buddhist texts inform us that a revolt took place
in Taxila during the reign of Bindusara and Ashoka was sent to quell it.
This he did without antagonising the local populace. Corroboration for
this may be sought in an Aramaic inscription from Taxila which refers to
Priyadarshi the viceroyor governor.
During his Viceroyalty of Ujjain he fell in love with the daughter of a
merchant of Vidisa, referred to as Devi or Vidisamahadevi or Sakyani.
Ashokas two other well-known queens were Karuvaki and Asandhimitra. The
second queen, Karuvaki is mentioned in the Queens Edict inscribed on a
pillar at Allahabad, in which her religious and charitable donations are
referred to. She is described as the mother of Prince Tivara, the only
son of Asoka to be mentioned by the name in the inscription.
As regards Ashokas accession to the throne there is a general agreement

in the sources that Ashoka was not the crown prince but succeeded after
killing his brothers. There is, however, no unanimity in the texts
either regarding the nature of the struggle or the number of his brothers.
In one place the Mahavamsa states that Asoka killed his elder brother to
become king whereas elsewhere in the same work and also in the Dipavamsa
he is said to have killed ninety-nine brothers. The Mahavamsa states
that although he put ninety-nine brothers to death, Asoka spared the
life of the youngest of these, Tissa who was later made vice-regent (He
retired to a life of religious devotion having come under the influence
of the preacher Mahadhammarakkhita and then known by the name of
Ekaviharika). It seems that though there was a struggle, a lot of
descriptions of it are plain exaggerations.
After ascending the throne, Ashoka according to Taranatha spent several
years in pleasurable pursuits and was consequently called Kamasoka. This
was followed by a period of extreme wickedness, which earned him the
name of Candasoka. Finally his conversion to Buddhism and his
subsequent piety led him to be called Dhammasoka.
The most important event of Ashokas reign seems to have been his
conversion to Buddhism after his victorious war with Kalinga in 260 B.C.
Kaling controlled the routes to South India both by land and sea, and
it was therefore necessary that it should become a part of the Mauryan
Empire.
The 13th Major Rock Edict vividly describes the horrors and miseries of
this war and the deep remorse it caused to Ashoka. In the words of the
Mauryan emperor, A hundered and fifty thousand people were deported, a
hundred thousand were killed and many times that number perished. It
has been stated in the past that he was dramatically converted to
Buddhism immediately after the battle, with its attendant horrors.
But this was not so, and as one of his inscriptions, viz., Bhabra Edict,
states it was only after a period of more than two years that he became
an ardent supporter of Buddhism under the influence of a Buddhist monk,
Upagupta.
He also states his acceptance of the Buddhist creed, the faith in the
Buddha, the Dhamma (the teachings of the Buddha), and the Samgha.
Written specifically for the local Buddhist clergy, he also refers to
himself as the king of Magadha, a title which he uses only on this
occasion.
The Buddhist church was reorganised during his reign with the meeting of
Third Buddhist council at Pataliputra in 250 B.C. under the chairmanship
of Mogalliputta Tissa but the emperor himself does not refer to it in
his inscriptions.
This stresses the point that Asoka was careful to make a distinction
between his personal support for Buddhism and his duty as emperor to
remain unattached and unbiased in favour of any religion. The Third
Buddhist Council is significant because it was the final attempt of the
more sectarian Buddhists, the Theravada School, to exclude both
dissidents and innovators from the Buddhist Order.
Furthermore, it was at this Council that it was decided to send
missionaries to various parts of the sub-continent and to make Buddhism
an actively proselytizing religion.

Ashoka mentions various of his contemporaries in the Hellenic world with

whom he exchanged missions, diplomatic and otherwise in his 13th Major
Rock Edict. These have been identified as Antiochus II Theos of Syria,
(Amtiyoga)the grandson of Seleucus Nikator; Ptolemy III Philadelphus of
Egypt (Tulamaya); Antigonus Gonatus of Macedonia (Antekina); Magas of
Cyrene (Maka) and Alexander of Epirus (Alikyashudala).
Communications with the outside world were by now well developed. Asokan
inscriptions corroborated by archaeological data are a reliable guide
to the extent of the Mauryan Empire.
Magadha was the home province of the Mauryas and the city of Pataliputra
its capital. Other cities mentioned in the inscriptions include Ujjain,
Taxila, Tosali near Bhubaneshwar, Kausambi and Suvarnagiri in Andhra
Pradesh.
According to tradition, Kashmir was included in the Ashokan Empire and
that Ashoka built the city of Srinagar. Khotan in Central Asia was also
supposed to have come under Mauryan sway.
The Mauryans had close connections with the areas of modern Nepal since
the foothills were a part of the empire. One of Ashokans daughter is
said to have married a nobleman from the mountains of Nepal.
In the east, Mauryan
Tamralipti or modern
from where the ships
India. Another major
the Narmada.

influence extended as far as the Ganga delta.

Tamluk was an important port on the Bengal coast
sailed for Burma, Sri Lanka as well as for South
port on the west coast was Broach at the mouth of

Kandahar formed the western-most extension of the Mauryan Empire and

Ashokan inscriptions mention the Gandharas, Kambojas and the Yonas as
his borderers. Through the north-west the Mauryas maintained close
contacts with their neighbours, the Seleucid Empire and the Greek kingdoms.
Mauryan relations with Sri Lanka were very close and Asoka sent his son
Mahindra and daughter Sanghamitra to preach Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
Asokan inscriptions in the south mention several people with whom he was
on friendly terms the Cholas, Pandyas, Satiyaputras and Keralaputras
(Major Rock Edict II.)
*Disintegration of the Empire**: *
Towards the end of his reign Asokas grip over the imperial organisation
became weak. The Maurya Empire began to decline with the death of Asoka
in 232 B.C., soon after it broke up. The evidence for the later Mauryas
is very meagre.
The Puranas, besides Buddhist and Jaina literature, do provide us with
some information on the later Mauryas, but there is no agreement among
them. Even among the Puranas, there is a lot of variance between one
Puranas and another. The one statement on which all the Puranas are in
agreement is that the dynasty lasted 137 years.
Ashokas death was followed by the division of the empire into western
and eastern halves. The western part including the north-western
province, Gandhara and Kashmir was governed by Kunala (one of the sons
of Ashoka) and then for a while by Samprati (according to Jaina
tradition he was a grandson of Ashoka and a patron of Jainism).

It was later threatened from the north-west by the Bactrian Greeks, to

whom it was practically lost by 180 B.C. From the south, the threat was
posed by the Andhrasorthe Satavahanas who later came to power in the Deccan.
The eastern part of the Maurya Empire, with its capital at Pataliputra,
came to be ruled by Dasaratha (probably one of the grandsons of Ashoka).
Dasaratha apart from being mentioned in the Matsya Purana is also known
to us from the caves in the Nagarjuni Hills, which he dedicated to the
Ajivikas.
According to the Puranas, Dasaratha reigned for eight years. This would
suggest that he died without an heir old enough to come to the throne.
The same sources speak of Kunala ruling for eight years.
He must have died at about the same time as Dasaratha; so that Sampriti
now ruling in the west may have successfully regained the throne at
Pataliputra, thus uniting the empire again.
This event occurred in 223 B.C. However, the empire had probably already
begun to disintegrate. Jaina sources mention that Samprati ruled from
Ujjain and Pataliputra. After Dasaratha and Samprati came Salisuka, a
prince mentioned in the astronomical work, the Gargi Samhita, as a
wicked quarrelsome king.
The successors of Salisuka, according to the Puranas, were Devavarman,
Satamdhanus and finally Brihadratha. The last prince was overthrown by
his commander-in-chief, Pushyamitra, who laid the foundations of a new
dynasty called Sunga dynasty.
*Causes for the Decline of the Mauryas*:
The Magadhan Empire, which had been reared by successive wars
culminating in the conquest of Kalinga, began to disintegrate after the
death of Ashoka in 232 B.C. The reason given by historians for such,
rapid declines are as conflicting as they are confusing.
*Some of the very obvious and other controversial causes for the decline
of the Mauryan Empire are discussed below: *
1. One of the more obvious reasons for the decline was the succession of
weak kings after Ashoka.
2. A further and immediate cause was the partition of the empire into
two, the eastern part under Dasaratha and the western part under Kunala.
Had the partition not taken place, the Greek invasions of the north-west
could have been held back for a while, giving the Mauryas a chance to
re-establish some degree of their previous power. The partition of the
empire disrupted the various services as well.
3. Scholars have suggested that the pro-Buddhist policies of Ashoka and
the pro-Jaina policies of his successors alienated the Brahmins and
resulted in the revolt of Pushyamitra, the founder of the Shunga
dynasty. H.C. Raychaudhuri maintains that Asokas pacifist policies were
responsible for undermining the strength of the empire.
The second argument blames Ashokas emphasis on nonviolence for
weakening the empire and its military strength. Haraprasad Sastri holds
the view that the decline of the Mauryan Empire was the result of the

Brahmanical revolt on account of ban on animal sacrifices and

undermining the prestige of the Brahmanas. Both these arguments are
rather simplistic.
Pushyamitras usurpation of the throne cannot be seen as a brahmana
revolt because by that time the administration had become so ineffective
that officials were willing to accept any viable alternative.
The second proposition does not take into account the nature of the
policy of non-violence. There is nothing in the Ashokan inscriptions to
suggest demobilization of the army. Similarly capital punishment
continued. The emphasis was on the reduction of species, and numbers of
animals killed for food. There is nothing to suggest that the killing of
animals stopped completely.
4. Another reason put forward by some historians such as D.D. Kosambi is
that there was considerable pressure on the Mauryan economy under the
later rulers leading to heavy taxation.
This opinion is again one-sided and is not corroborated by
archaeological data. Excavations at sites like Hastinapura and
Sisupalgarh have shown improvement in the material culture.
5. The organization of administration, and the conception of the state
or the nation, were of great significance in the causes of the decline
of the Mauryas. The Mauryan administration was of an extremely
centralized character which necessitated a king of considerable personal
ability.
In such a situation the weakening of the central control leads
automatically to a weakening of the administration. With the death of
Ashoka and the uneven quality of his successors, there was a weakening
at the centre, particularly after the division of the empire.
6. The Mauryan state derived its revenues from taxing a variety of
resources which would have to grow and expand so that the administrative
apparatus of the state could be maintained.
Unfortunately the Mauryas made no attempt to expand the revenue
potential or to restructure and reorganise the resources. This inherent
weakness of the Mauryan economy when coupled with other factors led to
the collapse of the Mauryan Empire.
7. The spread of material culture of the Gangetic basin to the outlying
areas led to the formation of new kingdoms.
*Sungas and Kanvas**: *
With the fall of the Mauryas in 180 B.C. Indian history for the time
being lost its unity. Political events in India became diffuse,
involving a variety of kings, eras and people. Whereas the people of the
peninsula and south India were seeking to define their personality,
northern India found itself caught up in the turmoil of happenings in
Central Asia. The second century B.C. saw the sub-continents divided
into a number of political regions, each with its own ambition. 6.13.1
Sungas (185-73 B.C.)
In Magadha and the neighbouring provinces the immediate successors of
the Mauryas, according to the Puranas were the Sungas who are usually

regarded as a Brahmana family belonging to the Bharadvaja clan. The

Sungas came from the region of Ujjain in western India, where they were
officials undor the Mauryas.
The GargiSamhita, the Mahabhashya of Patanjali, the Divyavadana the
Malavikagnimitra of Kalidasa and the Harshacharita of Bana furnish many
details about the Sungas. The later Sunga history is brightened by
inscriptions from Ayodhya, Vidisa and Bharhut and the coins found at
Kausambi, Ayodhya, Ahichchhatra and Mathura.
*Pushyamitra Sunga (185-149 B.C.): *
The founder of the Sunga dynasty was Pushyamitra a general of the last
Mauryan king Brihadratha, who succeeded in usurping the throne by
slaying his master. He did not take regal titles, but was throughout his
reign referred to by the simple title Senapati, or general. Pushyamitra
was a supporter of the orthodox brahmanical faith, and revived the
ancient Vedic sacrifices; including the horse-sacrifice.
Buddhist literature portrays him as a persecutor of Buddhists and
destroyer of their monasteries and places of worship especially those
which had been built by Ashoka. This was clearly an exaggeration, since
archaeological evidence reveals that Buddhist monuments at this time
were being renewed.
Although a regicide, Pushyamitra must be given the credit of defending
the Magadhan Empire against the invasion of the Bactrian Greeks and
restoring its old power and prestige to a considerable extent.
He performed two Asvamedha sacrifices (Ayodhya inscription), in course
of which his valiant grandson Vasumitra rescued the sacrificial horse
from the Yavanas (Greeks) after a bitter fight on the banks of the
Sindhu River.
When Pushyamitra died in about 149 B.C. after a reign of 36 years, he
was succeeded by his son, the crown Prince Agnimitra who had governed
the southern provinces during the lifetime of his father. Agnimitra
ruled for 8 years. He is the hero of Kalidasas Malavikagnimitra.
Agnimitra was succeeded by weak successors. Bhagvata, who is identical
with King Bhagabhadra of the Besnagar Pillar inscription, was a
prominent Sunga King. It was to his court that Heliodorus was deputed as
an ambassador by the Greek King Antialkidas.
It not only shows that the Sungas maintained a close relationship with
the Indo-Greek kings but also demonstrates the vitality of the Indian
culture when Heliodorus succumbed to the Bhagvata religion. Bhagvata
was succeeded by Devabhuti, who was overthrown by his Brahmin minister
Vasudeva who founded the Kanva dynasty in 75 B.C.
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*Significance of the Sungas Rule*:
1. The Sungas fought a number of wars. They campaigned against the

kingdom of Vidarbha (Berar) in the northern Deccan. In the north-west

they fought against the Greeks. The Sungas dominions comprised the
entire Gangetic valley and extended to the river Narmada. The cities of
Pataliputra, Ayodhya, Vidisha, Jallandur and Sakala (Sialkot) were
included in the Sunga kingdom.
2. Pataliputra continued to be graced with the presence of the
sovereign, but it had a rival in the city of Vidisha, modern Besnagar in
Eastern Malwa, where the crown prince Agnimitra held his court.
3. The Sunga period ushered in a new age in the art of buildings. The
great stupa of Sanchi was enlarged under the Sungas and the railings
which enclose it belonged to the Sunga period. The Bharhut railings have
made the Sunga period immortal.
3. Patanjali, born at Gonarda in central India, was a contemporary of
Pushyamitra and in his Mahabhasya he states that he officiated at one of
Pushyamitras sacrifices.
*Kanvas (73 B.C. 28 B.C.)**: *
The minister Vasudeva who usurped the throne after murdering the last
Sunga Devabhuti, founded a new royal dynasty known as the Kanva or
Kanvayana in Magadha. Bhanumitra, successor of Vasudeva was followed by
his son Narayana. Narayana was succeeded by his son Susarman. According
to the Puranas, the Kanva dynasty had four kings who ruled for 45 years.
In the Puranas it is stated that the Kanvas were overthrown by the
Andhras or Satavahanas.
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