The Mauryas, Post-Mauryan Kingdoms and the Guptas
The Mauryas, Post-Mauryan Kingdoms and the Guptas
From the Mauryas, India's first large empire, to the Guptas, often called the classical age, this period gives NTPC many ruler-fact questions: who founded what, which ruler patronised which religion, which foreign envoy visited, and which scholar wrote which work.
1. Mauryan Empire (about 322-185 BCE)
| Ruler | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Chandragupta Maurya | Founded the empire with Chanakya (Kautilya, author of Arthashastra); Greek envoy Megasthenes (Indica) at his court; adopted Jainism late in life under Bhadrabahu and died at Shravanabelagola |
| Bindusara | Title Amitraghata ("slayer of foes"); called Amitrochates by Greek writers |
| Ashoka | Kalinga war (261 BCE) led him to Buddhism; rock and pillar edicts in Prakrit (mostly Brahmi script); Lion Capital at Sarnath is India's national emblem |
Last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha was killed by Pushyamitra Shunga, founder of the Shunga dynasty
2. Post-Mauryan Kingdoms
| Dynasty | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Shunga | Pushyamitra Shunga; revival of Brahmanism |
| Satavahana | Deccan; Gautamiputra Satakarni; lead and potin coins |
| Indo-Greek | Menander (Milinda), Milindapanho dialogue with Nagasena |
| Kushana | Kanishka; started the Saka era (78 CE); Gandhara and Mathura schools of art |
3. Gupta Empire (about 320-550 CE)
| Ruler | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Chandragupta I | Founder of the imperial line; started the Gupta era (319-320 CE) |
| Samudragupta | Allahabad pillar inscription by Harishena; called the "Napoleon of India" by V.A. Smith |
| Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) | Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien visited; navaratnas including Kalidasa |
| Kumaragupta | Founded Nalanda university |
| Scholar | Work or contribution |
|---|---|
| Kalidasa | Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghaduta |
| Aryabhata | Aryabhatiya; earth rotates on its axis |
| Varahamihira | Brihat Samhita |
✗ Fa-Hien visited India under Harsha | ✓ Fa-Hien came under Chandragupta II; Hiuen Tsang came under Harsha
✗ Megasthenes wrote the Arthashastra | ✓ Megasthenes wrote Indica; Kautilya wrote the Arthashastra
हिंदी नोट: चंद्रगुप्त मौर्य ने चाणक्य की सहायता से मौर्य साम्राज्य स्थापित किया और अंत में जैन धर्म अपनाया। अशोक कलिंग युद्ध (261 ईसा पूर्व) के बाद बौद्ध बना। गुप्त काल में फाह्यान चंद्रगुप्त द्वितीय के समय आया और कुमारगुप्त ने नालंदा की स्थापना की।
Exam Pointer: Verified NTPC pattern: the religion Chandragupta Maurya adopted late in life (June 2025 Graduate CBT-1). Post-Mauryan and Gupta scholar questions are tagged syllabus-based.
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: Mauryan rulers and their facts
[PYQ: NTPC Graduate CBT-1 10-Jun-2025 Shift-2]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which religion did Chandragupta Maurya adopt in his later life?
Jainism, under the monk Bhadrabahu; he died at Shravanabelagola.
Answer: Jainism
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which war turned Ashoka towards Buddhism, in which year, and in which script are most of his edicts written?
The Kalinga war of 261 BCE. Most edicts are in Prakrit in the Brahmi script.
Answer: Kalinga, 261 BCE; Brahmi
Pattern 2: Foreign envoys and books
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Who wrote Indica?
Megasthenes, the Greek envoy at Chandragupta Maurya's court.
Answer: Megasthenes
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which Chinese pilgrim visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II, and who wrote the Arthashastra?
Fa-Hien visited under Chandragupta II. Kautilya (Chanakya) wrote the Arthashastra.
Answer: Fa-Hien; Kautilya
Pattern 3: Post-Mauryan dynasties
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Who founded the Shunga dynasty?
Pushyamitra Shunga, after killing the last Mauryan ruler Brihadratha.
Answer: Pushyamitra Shunga
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which Kushana ruler started the Saka era, in which year, and which two art schools flourished under the Kushanas?
Kanishka started the Saka era in 78 CE. The Gandhara and Mathura schools flourished.
Answer: Kanishka, 78 CE; Gandhara and Mathura
Pattern 4: Gupta rulers and scholars
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Who composed the Allahabad pillar inscription about Samudragupta?
Harishena, his court poet.
Answer: Harishena
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Who founded Nalanda university, and which Gupta-age scholar wrote the Aryabhatiya?
Kumaragupta I founded Nalanda. Aryabhata wrote the Aryabhatiya.
Answer: Kumaragupta; Aryabhata
60-Second Revision
- Chandragupta Maurya: Chanakya, Megasthenes, Jainism at the end.
- Ashoka: Kalinga 261 BCE, Brahmi edicts, Sarnath lion capital.
- Kanishka: Saka era 78 CE, Fourth Buddhist Council.
- Guptas: Samudragupta (Harishena), Chandragupta II (Fa-Hien), Kumaragupta (Nalanda).