The Mauryan Dynasty And Civilisation : Quick Facts

MAURYAN CIVILIZATION

• The Mauryan Empire started from Magadha was founded by Chandragupta Maurya between 322 and 185 BC.
• The Mauryan Dynasty built the Grand Trunk Road, one of Asia’s oldest and longest trade networks.
• ‘Pali’ and ‘Prakrit’ was the language of common masses during the Mauryan Empire.
• ‘Takshashila’ was the famous education center of the Mauryan period.
• Patliputra, modern-day Patna was the capital city of the Mauryan Empire.
• The Empire was divided into provinces that were under princes.

Mauryan Administration

• The king was assisted by his Mantri Parishad.
• The administration is divided into four units
  • The chakra or the province.
  • The ahar or the district.
  • The sangrahana or a group of villages.
  • The gram or village.
• The municipal administration headed by a ‘Nagaraka’ was also found in Arthashastra.

Mauryan Art

• Royal Art- the royal palaces, pillars, caves, stupas, etc.
• Popular Art- figure sculptures, Terracotta objects, etc
• The Mauryas introduced Stone Masonry on a large scale.

Chandragupta Maurya

• Chandragupta Maurya raised an army, with the assistance of Chanakya and overthrew the Nanda Empire in 322 BC.
• Mudrarakshasa written by Vishakadatta beautifully summarizes the rise of Chandragupta Maurya.
• He earned the title of ‘Liberator’.
• He used marriage alliances, diplomacy, trickery and war to extend his kingdom.
• He also had a Greek ambassador at his court, named Megasthenes, who wrote the ‘Indica’.
• Chandragupta abdicated in favor of his son, Bindusara, and became a Jain monk.

Bindusara

• He extended the empire to the southern part of India.
• He brought sixteen states under the Mauryan Empire and thus conquered almost the entire Indian peninsula.
• Chanakya continued to serve as prime minister during his reign.
• Unlike his father, he believed in the Ajivika sect.
• He was given the title of ‘Amitraghata’.
• He was known to the Greeks by the name of Amitrochates.

Ashoka

• He ascended the throne in 273 BC and ruled up to 232 BC.
• He was known as ‘Devanampriya Priyadarshi’.
• He fought the Kalinga war in 261 BC.
• After the battle of Kalinga, he became a Buddhist; shocked by the horrors of the war he replaced Bherighosha by Dhammaghosha.
• He implemented principles of ahimsa by banning hunting and violent sports activity.
• Over forty years of peace, harmony, and prosperity made Ashoka one of the most successful and famous monarchs in Indian history.

Ashokan Inscriptions

• It carried royal orders in which he was able to speak directly to the people.
• The fourteen major Rock Edicts of Ashoka tell about the principles of Dharma.
• The Kalinga rock edict explains the principle of administration after the Kalinga war.
• The Major Rock Edict XII of Ashoka deals with the conquest of Kalinga.

Ashoka and Buddhism

• Ashoka was initiated by Buddhism by Upagupta or Nigrodha, a discipline of Buddha.
• For the propagation of Buddhism, Ashoka started the institution of Dharmamahamatras.
• He held the third Buddhist council at his capital Patliputra in 250 BC under the presidentship of Moggaliputta-Tissa.
• He sent his son and daughter to Sri Lanka and Nepal. He is known as ‘Constantine of Buddhism’.

Decline

• Highly centralized Mauryan administration.
• Partition after the death of Ashoka disturbed the unity of the empire.
• A succession of weaker kings.
• The Mauryan king was killed by his general-in-chief, Pushyamitra, who founded the Shunga dynasty.