The Mauryan Empire
The Maurya Empire ruled by the Mauryan dynasty, was a geographically extensive and powerful political and military empire in ancient India.
The Empire originated from the kingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic plains (modern Bihar and Bengal). The empire had its capital city at Pataliputra (near modern Patna). The Empire was founded in 322 BC by Chandragupta Maurya, who had overthrown the Nanda Dynasty and began rapidly expanding his power westwards across central and western India taking opportunistic advantage of the disruptions of local powers in the wake of the withdrawal westward by Alexander the Great's Macedonians and Persian armies. By 316 BC the empire had fully occupied Northwestern India, defeating and conquering the Governors left by Alexander.
After Chandragupta's conquests, the Maurya Empire extended from Bengal and Assam in the East, to Afghanistan and Baluchistan in the West, to Kashmir and Nepal in the North, and to the Deccan Plateau in the South.
Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Maurya Empire. Chandra- gupta succeeded in bringing together most of the Indian subcontinent. As a result, Chandragupta is considered the first unifier of India and the first genuine emperor of India.
Chandragupta's Renunciation : According to Jain traditions Chandragupta Maurya ruled for 24 years. He then renounced the world and handed over the kingdom to his son Bindusara. He is said to have fasted unto his death.
Bindusara (300–273 BC) : Bindusara ascended the throne in 293 BC. He conquered many parts of South India after defeating 16 rulers there. He died in misery in 273 BC.
Kautilya : Kautilya was chief guide and adviser of Chandragupta. He wrote the Arthashastra, one of the greatest treatises on economics, politics, foreign affairs, administration, military arts, war, and religion.
•Chanakya
He played a prominent role in establishing the Mauryan Empire. The Arthashastra tells us about life, society and the administration under the Mauryan rules.
• The book is divided into 15 parts. The book deals in detail with the qualities and discipline required for a wise and virtous king.
• Kautilya says in his book that artha (sound economies) is the most important; dharma and kama are both dependent on it.
• The book specifies fines and punishments to support strict enforcement of laws.
• The book is divided into 15 parts. The book deals in detail with the qualities and discipline required for a wise and virtous king.
• Kautilya says in his book that artha (sound economies) is the most important; dharma and kama are both dependent on it.
• The book specifies fines and punishments to support strict enforcement of laws.
•Ashoka The great (273 to 236 BC)
ASHOKA'S ACCESSION (273 BC)
Ashoka was born in 302 BC. His father, Bindusara, had made him the Governor of Taxila and Ujjain during his lifetime. When Bindusara died in 273 BC, Ashoka succeeded to the throne but his coronation was held in 269 BC. These four years saw a war of succession among Ashoka’s brothers, in which he finally emerged victorious.
Chandragupta's grandson Ashokavardhan Maurya, better known as Ashoka the Great (ruled 273-236 BC), is considered by contemporary historians to be perhaps the greatest of Indian monarchs, and perhaps the world. H.G. Wells calls him the "greatest of kings".
As a young prince, Ashoka was a brilliant commander who crushed revolts in Ujjain and Taxila. As monarch he was ambitious and aggressive, reasserting the Empire's superiority in southern and western India. But it was his conquest of Kalinga which proved to be the pivotal event of his life. Although Ashoka's army succeeded in overwhelming Kalinga forces of royal soldiers and civilian units, an estimated 100,000 soldiers and civilians were killed in the furious warfare, including over 10,000 of Ashoka's own men. Hundreds of thousands of people were adversely affected by the destruction and fallout of war. When he personally witnessed the devastation, Ashoka begain feeling remorse, and he cried 'what have I done?'. Although the annexation of Kalinga was completed, Ashoka embraced the teachings of Gautama Buddha, and renounced war and violence.
EXTENT OF ASHOKA'S EMPIRE
Ashoka’s vast empire extended from the Himalayas in the north to the river Pennar (Karnataka) in the south and from the Brahmaputra river in the east to the Hindu-Kush in the north-west. It also included Kabul, Kandhar, Herat, and some portions of Nepal and Kashmir.
Ashoka’s vast empire extended from the Himalayas in the north to the river Pennar (Karnataka) in the south and from the Brahmaputra river in the east to the Hindu-Kush in the north-west. It also included Kabul, Kandhar, Herat, and some portions of Nepal and Kashmir.
•Pan-Indian Characteristics of Mauryan Empire
Mauryan empire was not only vast, but it was also Pan-Indian and it possessed an all India character :
• It encompassed the whole of India. Moreover it had risen on the ashes of the Greek invaders whom Chandragupta had defeated and subdued. Seleucus had handed over the four provinces of Kabul, Kandhar, Herat and Baluchistan to him. These remained in the empire even after Ashoka's times.
Ashoka was able to establish peace in Taxila, when the revolt was quelled by him as its Governor during Bindusara's times. The Mauryan kings commanded and ruled the whole of India.
• Chandragupta Maurya spent his last days in Karnataka (at Shravan Belangola), which proves the all India character of the Mauryan empire.
• Moreover, Kalinga had been captured and included in his empire by Ashoka. All this establishes the pan-Indian character of the Mauryan empire.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAURYAN ADMINISTRATION
• Books, inscriptions, seals, coins, and monuments are the major archaeological soruces of the Gupta’s era.
• Books, inscriptions, seals, coins, and monuments are the major archaeological soruces of the Gupta’s era.
• We learn about the administration and character of the Mauryan empire under Chandragupta Maurya from Megasthense’s account given in his book Indica.
• Kautilya's (Chanakyas's) Arthashastra is another very rich source of information about the Mauryan administration. It tells us about the structure of the administration at the central and the provincial levels.
• The Ashokan Pillars, Ashoka's Edicts and Inscriptions are other source of information about the Mauryan administration, spread throughout India.
NATURE OF GOVERNMENT AND STATE UNDER THE MAURYAS
1. Division of Empire into Four Provinces : The Empire was divided into four provinces, with the imperial capital at Pataliputra. From Ashokan edicts, the names of the four provincial capitals are Tosali (in the east), Ujjain (in the west), Suvarnagiri (in the south), and Taxila (in the north). The head of the provincial administration was the Kumara (royal prince), who governed the provinces as king's representative. The kumara was assisted by Mahamatyas and council of ministers. This organisational structure was also reflected at the national level with the Emperor and his Mantriparishad (Council of Ministers).
1. Division of Empire into Four Provinces : The Empire was divided into four provinces, with the imperial capital at Pataliputra. From Ashokan edicts, the names of the four provincial capitals are Tosali (in the east), Ujjain (in the west), Suvarnagiri (in the south), and Taxila (in the north). The head of the provincial administration was the Kumara (royal prince), who governed the provinces as king's representative. The kumara was assisted by Mahamatyas and council of ministers. This organisational structure was also reflected at the national level with the Emperor and his Mantriparishad (Council of Ministers).
2. A Welfare State : Another characteristic of the Mauryan empire was that it was a welfare state. It looked after the public utility services such as roads with shady trees, wells and milestones, hospital for men and animals, rest houses, irrigation canals, maintenance grant to artisans, help to philosophers and thinkers. The
state was benevolent in character. The king ruled in a just and kind manner.
state was benevolent in character. The king ruled in a just and kind manner.
3. Economy : For the first time in South Asia, political unity and military security allowed for a common economic system and enhanced trade and commerce, with increased agricultural productivity. Farmers were freed of tax and crop collection burdens from regional kings, paying instead to a nationally-administered and strictbut- fair system of taxation as advised by the principles in the Arthashastra. Revenue was collected by the revenue officers known as Yuktas. Chandragupta Maurya established a single currency across India, and a network of regional governors and administrators and a civil service provided justice and security for merchants, farmers and traders.
4. Judicial Administration : Besides the king, who was the head of the judiciary, there were special tribunals of justice both in the cities and the countryside. These were presided over by Mahamatras and Rajukas. Petty cases in the villages were decided by the village headman or the elders. The penal code was, no doubt,
severe. But the king kept an eye against its mal-administration through a band of rotating officers with temperate disposition.
severe. But the king kept an eye against its mal-administration through a band of rotating officers with temperate disposition.
5. The Army Organisation : The army was well organised and disciplined. Chandragupta had 6,00,000 foot soldiers, 30,000 cavalary, 9,000 elephants and 8,000 chariots. A board of 30 officers, grouped into six committees of five each were responsible for the various departments the army.
•Dhammas and the spread of Buddhism
ASHOKA BECOMES A BUDDHIST
Two and a half years after the Kalinga war, Ashoka became a faithful and devoted Buddhist. To him Buddhism was a religion of love and ahimsa. He studied the Buddhist scriptures and made Upagupta his Guru. Ashoka joined the monastic order but did not renounce the world or his kingship. He tried to set the house of Buddhists in order by making rules for monks and nuns. He devoted himself to the spread of Buddhism in India and abroad. He also spent the rest of his life in caring for the welfare of his people, and in teaching them how to lead a good life through his Dhamma.
Two and a half years after the Kalinga war, Ashoka became a faithful and devoted Buddhist. To him Buddhism was a religion of love and ahimsa. He studied the Buddhist scriptures and made Upagupta his Guru. Ashoka joined the monastic order but did not renounce the world or his kingship. He tried to set the house of Buddhists in order by making rules for monks and nuns. He devoted himself to the spread of Buddhism in India and abroad. He also spent the rest of his life in caring for the welfare of his people, and in teaching them how to lead a good life through his Dhamma.
ASHOKA'S DHAMMA OR DHARMA
Ashoka laid stress on high ideals of conduct in practical life to make life peaceful and virtuous. This was called his Dhamma (the Pali word for Dharma). He did not care much for the finer points of the Buddha’s philosophy. His Dhamma was a practical code of morals. It aimed at improving lives of the people. Following were the main points of Ashoka’s Dhamma .
Ashoka laid stress on high ideals of conduct in practical life to make life peaceful and virtuous. This was called his Dhamma (the Pali word for Dharma). He did not care much for the finer points of the Buddha’s philosophy. His Dhamma was a practical code of morals. It aimed at improving lives of the people. Following were the main points of Ashoka’s Dhamma .
• People should follow Ahimsa, i.e., noninjury to all living creatures.
• People should live in peace and should not fight over land and religion.
• People should show respect and tolerance to all religions.
• Children must obey their parents and show them respect. In the same way, students should obey and respect their gurus.
• The elders should treat the younger ones with sympathy and understanding. Masters should be kind to slaves.
• People should show respect and tolerance to all religions.
• Children must obey their parents and show them respect. In the same way, students should obey and respect their gurus.
• The elders should treat the younger ones with sympathy and understanding. Masters should be kind to slaves.
ASHOKA'S MEASURES TO SPREAD HIS DHAMMA
Ashoka adopted the following measures to spread his Dhamma :
• He himself gave up hunting and meat eating. He also gave up war.
• He got engraved the principles of Dhamma on rocks and pillars.
• He used Pali, the language of the people, to spread Dhamma.
• He went on royal tours and explained these principles personally to the people. He visited holy places. He also sent his Dhamma Mahamatras to do the same among the people.
Ashoka adopted the following measures to spread his Dhamma :
• He himself gave up hunting and meat eating. He also gave up war.
• He got engraved the principles of Dhamma on rocks and pillars.
• He used Pali, the language of the people, to spread Dhamma.
• He went on royal tours and explained these principles personally to the people. He visited holy places. He also sent his Dhamma Mahamatras to do the same among the people.
• He appointed officials to ensure that Dhamma was followed by the people in actual practices.
Causes of the Downfall of the Mauryan Empire:
After Ashoka, the Mauryan empire started declining. Due to the following reasons, the empire broke up :
After Ashoka, the Mauryan empire started declining. Due to the following reasons, the empire broke up :
• Ashoka's pacifist policy weakened the military. After the Kalinga war, the war-drum was silenced. Ashoka gave up the aggressive militarism and adopted the policy of ahimsa. Officers took propagation of Dhamma as their primary duty.
• The empire was very vast. It needed a strong control, but Ashoka's successors were weak.
• Revolts in provinces occured. The chiefs of Kalinga and the southern provinces freed themselves from the control of Mauryas.
• The later kings remained unsuccessful in collecting revenue from the people. They did not have much in the royal treasury so could not maintain large army which was needed to protect their vast empire. Such circumstances remained favourable for a Mauryan General Pushyamitra Sunga to kill the last ruler of Mauryas, Brihadrath in 187 BC.
• The empire was very vast. It needed a strong control, but Ashoka's successors were weak.
• Revolts in provinces occured. The chiefs of Kalinga and the southern provinces freed themselves from the control of Mauryas.
• The later kings remained unsuccessful in collecting revenue from the people. They did not have much in the royal treasury so could not maintain large army which was needed to protect their vast empire. Such circumstances remained favourable for a Mauryan General Pushyamitra Sunga to kill the last ruler of Mauryas, Brihadrath in 187 BC.
Ashoka's; contribution
His Dhamma was the essence of all religions and it contained the code of conduct for all. He took several measures to spread his Dhamma e.g. he appointed Dhamma Mahamatras.
• Ashoka rendered valuable support for the spread of Buddhism — made Buddhism, the state religion, toured personally and went to places connected with Buddha, constructed monuments, monasteries, 84,000 stupas, convened 3rd Buddhist Council at Patliputra in 252 BC.
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