2. Brief Recap
The Mauryan Empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, 2,000 years back when he overthrew the Nanda King.
His assistant was Chanakya, a good advisor and strategic thinker. He has written a book called Arthashastra that
comprises his thoughts on politics, economics, foreign affairs, administration, military arts, war and religion.
Chandragupta was succeeded by Bindusara, his son who extended the Mauryan Empire till Mysore. Bindusara was
succeeded by his son Ashoka, who is regarded as the greatest ruler of the empire by many historians. He extended
the Mauryan Empire till the modern-day Afghanistan, with Patliputra as capital.
The Mauryan Emperors appointed the family members to control the large empire. Only the capital Patliputra was
controlled by the emperor while states like Ujjain and Taxila were governed by royal princes. The Emperors also
appointed officials for collecting taxes, maintaining law and order and keeping a check on the activities of the subjects.
Numerous army battalions were maintained for protection against attacks, which required expenditure on salaries.
Hence, the system of taxes was introduced in the empire. The three lions or the Lion capital on the Indian Currency
notes and coins are from the edicts of the Mauryan Empire which were found at Sarnath.
3. In detailed look towards the empire
Introduction
The Mauryan Empire was the first major empire in the history of India, ruled by Maurya dynasty from
321 BC to 185 BCE.
At that time, Magadh was ruled by the Nanda dynasty. Chanakya, also known as Kautilya was a
pious, learned and determined brahman, who didn’t have a pleasant appearance but had an
intelligent brain.
Chanakya was ill treated by the Nanda king and he vowed to destroy their kingdom.
He met the young Chandragupta in the Vindhya forest. Chanakya was well versed in politics and the
affairs of the state
Important rulers of this dynasty were Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, and King Ashoka. This
empire reached its peak under King Ashoka. However, this mighty empire crumbled rapidly, under its
own weight, soon after the death of Ashoka.
4. In detailed look towards the empire
Origin
Maurya Empire was originated from the kingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic plains which is currently a part of
modern Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bengal (eastern side). It was ruled through the capital Patliputra (modern
Patna).
Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the dynasty (322 BC) who had overthrown the Nanda Dynasty and rapidly
expanded his power westwards across central and western India by taking advantage of the disruptions of local
powers in the wake of the withdrawal westward by Alexander the Great’s Greek and Persian armies. By 320 BC the
empire had fully occupied Northwestern India, defeating and conquering the satraps left by Alexander.
It was one of the largest empires to rule the Indian subcontinent, stretched to the north along the natural boundaries of
the Himalayas, and to the east stretching into what is now Assam. To the west, it reached beyond modern Pakistan,
annexing Baluchistan and much of what is now Afghanistan, including the modern Herat and Kandahar provinces.
5. Administration
In detailed look towards the empire
Chandragupta had united the whole of northern India under one rule. Mauryan Empire was the first large, powerful,
centralized state in India. The Arthashastra laid the foundation of the centralized administration of Mauryan
governance. The empire was divided into administrative districts or zones, each of which had a hierarchy of officials.
The top most officers from these districts or zones directly reported to the Mauryan ruler. These officials were
responsible for collecting taxes, maintaining the army, completing irrigational projects, and maintaining law and order.
During Chandragupta reign, the state regulated trade, levied taxes, and standardized weights and measures. Trade
and commerce also flourished during this time. The state was responsible for providing irrigational facilities, succor,
sanitation, and famine relief to its masses. Megasthenes, in his writings, has praised the efficient Mauryan
administration.
Before the Kalinga war, the Mauryan administration under Ashoka was not different from that of his predecessors.
Ashoka, like previous Mauryan kings, was at the head of the centralized administrative system. He was helped by a
council of ministers that was in charge of different ministries like taxation, army, agriculture, justice, etc. The empire
was divided into administrative zones, each one having its hierarchy of officials. The top most officers at the zonal level
had to keep in touch with the king. These officers took care of all aspects of administration (social welfare, economy,
law and order, military) in the different zones. The official ladder went down to the village level.
6. The Kings
Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupt Maurya ruled for 34 years. It is generally thought that Chandragupta married Seleucus's daughter, or a
Greek Macedonian princess, a gift from Seleucus to formalize an alliance. In a return gesture, Chandragupta sent 500
war-elephants, a military asset which would play a decisive role at the Battle of Ipsus in 302 BC. In addition to this
treaty, Seleucus dispatched an ambassador, Megasthenes, to Chandragupta, and later Deimakos to his son
Bindusara, at the Mauryan court at Pataliputra (modern Patna in Bihar state). Later Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the ruler
of Ptolemaic Egypt and contemporary of Ashoka the Great, is also recorded by Pliny the Elder as having sent an
ambassador named Dionysius to the Mauryan court.
7. The Kings
Bindusara
Son of Chandragupta Maurya ruled 28 years. He inherited a vast empire that spanned parts of modern-day
Afghanistan in the northwest, to parts of Bengal in the east. It also spread through large parts of central India.
Bindusara extended the Mauryan Empire southwards in the Indian peninsula as far as Mysore. He defeated and
annexed 16 small kingdoms, thus extending his empire from sea to sea. The only regions that were left out on the
Indian subcontinent were that of Kalinga (Orissa) and the kingdoms to the extreme south of the Indian peninsula. As
these southern kingdoms were friendly, Bindusara did not annex them, but the Kingdom of Kalinga was a problem for
the Mauryan Empire.
8. The Kings
Ashokvardhan
Bindusara was succeeded by his son Ashoka, the most famous of the Mauryan Kings. He ruled for 36 years. The
Mauryan Empire reached its peak under the rule of Ashoka. He undertook military campaign against Kalinga and, after
defeating it in a bloody war, extended it.
However, the sight of the large-scale carnage moved Ashoka, and he embraced Buddhism. The war of Kalinga was
the turning point in the life of Ashoka to the extent that he shunned all forms of violence and became a strict
vegetarian.
Ashoka believed in high ideals, which, according to him, could lead people to be virtuous, and peace loving. This he
called Dhamma (which is a Prakrit form of the Sanskrit word Dharma). His rock edicts and pillar inscriptions
propagated the true essence of Dhamma. Ashoka asked the different religious groups (Brahmins, Buddhist and Jain)
to live in peace. His Ideas also included shunning violence and war, stopping animal sacrifice, respect for elders,
respect of slaves by their masters, vegetarianism, etc. Above all, Ashoka wanted peace in his empire.
