7. THE MAURYAN EMPIRE (c. 321 BCE – 185 BCE)

7. THE MAURYAN EMPIRE (c. 321 BCE – 185 BCE)

7.1 Chandragupta Maurya (c. 321 BCE – 297 BCE)

• Founder of the Mauryan Empire; overthrew the last Nanda ruler Dhana Nanda with the guidance of his mentor Chanakya (Kautilya/Vishnugupta), author of Arthashastra (treatise on statecraft, economics, and military strategy).
• Defeated the Greek satrap Seleucus Nicator (Alexander's general who inherited the eastern part of his empire) in 305 BCE; treaty resulted in Chandragupta gaining territories (Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Baluchistan) in exchange for 500 elephants; Seleucus's ambassador Megasthenes was sent to the Mauryan court at Pataliputra, and wrote "Indica" (describes Mauryan society, administration — key external source, survives only in fragments quoted by later Greek/Roman writers).
• Established a vast empire — first pan-Indian empire, extending from Afghanistan to Bengal and south to Karnataka.
• Later life: became a Jain monk, followed Bhadrabahu to Shravanabelagola (Karnataka), and died there by Sallekhana (ritual fasting unto death).

7.2 Bindusara (c. 297 BCE – 273 BCE)

• Son of Chandragupta; called "Amitraghata" ("slayer of enemies") by Greeks.
• Extended the empire further south (up to Karnataka); maintained friendly relations with Hellenistic kingdoms — received ambassador Deimachus from Syria (Antiochus I).

7.3 Ashoka the Great (c. 268 BCE – 232 BCE)

• Greatest Mauryan ruler; son of Bindusara; ascended after a war of succession (some accounts mention he killed brothers to gain throne, though not universally accepted).
• Kalinga War (261 BCE): Ashoka's conquest of Kalinga (present-day Odisha) was extremely bloody — described in his 13th Major Rock Edict: over 100,000 killed, 150,000 deported. The destruction caused Ashoka deep remorse, leading to his conversion to Buddhism and adoption of the policy of Dhamma (non-violence, moral governance).
• Became a follower of Buddhism under monk Upagupta (or Moggaliputta Tissa in some accounts); convened the Third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra; sent missionaries across Asia — his son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitra carried Buddhism to Sri Lanka (King Devanampiya Tissa).
• Policy of Dhamma: not a religious conversion policy but a code of ethical/moral conduct — respect for elders, non-violence, tolerance for all sects, welfare of subjects and animals; appointed Dhamma Mahamatras (officers to spread and oversee Dhamma).
• Public welfare works: built hospitals (for both humans and animals), roads with shade trees and rest houses, wells; banned animal sacrifice in the capital.

7.4 Ashokan Edicts and Inscriptions

• Edicts inscribed on rocks and pillars across the empire, written mostly in Prakrit language using Brahmi script (in the northwest, Kharosthi script was used; also Greek and Aramaic scripts found in Afghanistan region — e.g., Kandahar bilingual edict).
• Deciphered by James Prinsep (1837) — a British scholar, first to decode Brahmi script.
• Ashoka referred to himself as "Devanampiya Piyadasi" ("Beloved of the Gods") in the edicts — this helped identify him with the "Piyadasi" of edicts.

Types of Edicts:

Type	Description
Major Rock Edicts (14)	Found across the empire (e.g., Kalsi, Girnar, Shahbazgarhi, Dhauli, Jaugada, Sopara)
Minor Rock Edicts	Mention Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism
Pillar Edicts (7, major)	Found at Delhi-Topra, Delhi-Meerut, Lauriya-Nandangarh, etc.
Minor Pillar Edicts	Includes Schism Edict, Queen's Edict (mentions Queen Karuvaki), Rummindei Edict (Lumbini, birthplace)
Cave Inscriptions	Barabar Caves (Bihar) — dedicated to Ajivika sect

Notable specific edicts:

• 13th Major Rock Edict — describes the Kalinga War and its impact.
• 12th Major Rock Edict — religious tolerance.
• Rummindei (Lumbini) Pillar Edict — confirms Buddha's birthplace; Ashoka reduced tax there.
• Kandahar Edict — bilingual, in Greek and Aramaic.
• Sarnath Pillar (Ashoka Pillar) — the Lion Capital with four lions is India's National Emblem; the wheel (Ashoka Chakra) from its base is on the National Flag; also has inscriptions of the Schism Edict.

7.4.1 Content Summary of Selected Major Rock Edicts (frequently asked)

Edict No.	Content
I	Prohibition of animal sacrifice; restriction on festive gatherings
II	Medical treatment for men and animals; welfare/social security measures
III	Liberality to Brahmanas; obedience to parents; Yuktas and Rajukas to tour every 5 years for Dhamma propagation
IV	Dhammaghosha (sound of morality) replacing Bherighosha (war drums)
V	Appointment of Dhamma Mahamatras (year 13 of reign)
VI	Welfare measures; king's willingness to be approached by people at all times
VII	Toleration for all sects/religions
VIII	Ashoka's pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya (Dhammayatra) replacing earlier pleasure tours (Viharayatra)
IX	Condemnation of meaningless ceremonies; true ceremony is Dhamma
X	Condemns seeking fame/glory; emphasizes Dhamma
XI	Elaborates on the concept of Dhamma-dana (gift of Dhamma)
XII	Religious tolerance among sects; restraint in speech
XIII	Kalinga War and its consequences; conquest by Dhamma (Dhamma-vijaya) declared superior to military conquest; names contemporary Hellenistic kings (Antiochus, Ptolemy, Antigonus, Magas, Alexander) to whom missions were sent
XIV	Summary/conclusion edict

7.5 Mauryan Administration

• Highly centralized administration, described in Kautilya's Arthashastra and Megasthenes's Indica.
• King at the apex, assisted by a council of ministers (Mantriparishad).
• Empire divided into provinces, each headed by a prince/royal governor (Kumara/Aryaputra); provincial capitals: Taxila (northwest), Ujjain (west/Avanti), Tosali (east/Kalinga), Suvarnagiri (south).
• Espionage system was extensive — spies ("Gudhapurushas") reported directly to the king.
• Land revenue was the main source of income — usually 1/6th of produce (as per Arthashastra); state also controlled mining, trade.
• Officials mentioned by Megasthenes for Pataliputra city administration: a municipal board of 30 members divided into 6 committees of 5 each, overseeing areas like industry, foreigners, trade/commerce, births-deaths registration, etc.
• Military administration: a 6-member war office (per Megasthenes) with separate departments for infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots, navy, and transport.
• Officials: Samaharta (chief revenue collector), Sannidhata (treasury), Rajuka (local/rural administration, judicial officer, esp. under Ashoka).

7.6 Decline of the Mauryan Empire

• Weak successors after Ashoka; empire divided; economic pressure from maintaining a huge bureaucracy/army; possible Brahmanical backlash against Ashoka's pro-Buddhist policies; provincial governors' revolts; external pressure from Bactrian Greeks.
• Last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha was assassinated by his own commander-in-chief Pushyamitra Shunga (c. 185 BCE), who founded the Shunga dynasty.

7.7 Additional Notes on Ashoka's Successors and Mauryan Chronology

• After Ashoka, the empire passed to weaker successors, commonly listed (with some variation across Puranic sources) as Dasaratha, Samprati, Shalishuka, Devavarman, Shatadhanvan, and finally Brihadratha.
• Samprati, Ashoka's grandson, is notable in Jain tradition as a great patron of Jainism, sometimes called the "Jain Ashoka."
• The empire's territorial extent began shrinking soon after Ashoka's death, with the northwest (Gandhara/Taxila) being the first to slip from central control, later taken over by Indo-Greek rulers.

7.8 Mauryan Art

• Mauryan art is generally divided into court art (royal/state patronage — highly polished, e.g., Ashokan pillars, Sarnath Lion Capital, palace remains at Pataliputra with Persian-influenced wooden pillared hall) and popular art (folk-influenced — e.g., Yakshi and Yaksha figures such as the Didarganj Yakshi, terracotta figurines).
• The Mauryan polish (a smooth, glass-like sheen on stone sculpture, especially sandstone) is a hallmark identifying feature of the period, distinguishing it from later, less polished post-Mauryan stone work.
• Ashokan pillars were monolithic (carved from a single piece of stone), topped by animal capitals (lion, bull, elephant) — the finest surviving example is the Sarnath Lion Capital (four lions back to back, with a wheel/Dharmachakra, and figures of a bull, horse, elephant, and lion on the abacus).

Key Facts / Quick Revision — Mauryan Empire

• Founder: Chandragupta Maurya, guided by Chanakya (Arthashastra)
• Chandragupta defeated Seleucus Nicator (305 BCE); received 500 elephants; Megasthenes sent as Greek ambassador (wrote "Indica")
• Chandragupta died at Shravanabelagola as a Jain ascetic
• Ashoka's Kalinga War (261 BCE) → conversion to Buddhism → policy of Dhamma
• Brahmi script deciphered by James Prinsep (1837)
• National Emblem = Lion Capital of Ashoka (Sarnath); National Flag's chakra = Ashoka Chakra (from Sarnath pillar)
• Mauryan Empire ended: Brihadratha killed by Pushyamitra Shunga (185 BCE)
• Arthashastra = written by Kautilya/Chanakya; Indica = written by Megasthenes

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