Rise of the Mauryas and Sources
NCERT Class 12 - Themes in Indian History Part I, Chapter 2
Rise of the Mauryas and Sources
The Mauryan Empire, founded about 321 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya, was the first empire to bring almost the whole subcontinent under one administration. It is also the first Indian dynasty for which we have inscriptions, foreign accounts and a political treatise together.
Sources
- Arthashastra of Kautilya, also called Chanakya or Vishnugupta - a manual of statecraft covering revenue, spies, law and war.
- Indica of Megasthenes, the Seleucid ambassador at Pataliputra; the original is lost and survives only in quotations by later Greek writers.
- The edicts of Ashoka, engraved on rocks, pillars and cave walls - the most reliable source because they are contemporary.
- Literary works - Mudrarakshasa by Vishakhadatta, the Buddhist Divyavadana and Mahavamsa, the Jain Parishishtaparvan, and the Puranas.
- The Brahmi script of the edicts was deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837, which is what made Ashoka known to modern history.
Chandragupta Maurya
- He overthrew Dhana Nanda with the guidance of Kautilya, and made Pataliputra his capital.
- He defeated Seleucus Nicator around 305 BCE. By the treaty Seleucus ceded the territories of Arachosia, Gedrosia, Aria and the Paropanisadai - roughly eastern Afghanistan and Baluchistan - and received 500 war elephants.
- Megasthenes came to his court as ambassador after this treaty.
- Jain tradition says he became a Jain in his last years, went south to Shravanabelagola in Karnataka with Bhadrabahu, and ended his life by sallekhana.
- Greek writers call him Sandrokottos, the identification that fixed the chronology of ancient India.
Bindusara
- Son of Chandragupta, he ruled from about 297 to 273 BCE.
- Greek sources call him Amitrochates, taken from Amitraghata, the slayer of enemies.
- He kept the empire intact and is said to have extended control into the Deccan, though Kalinga remained outside.
- He leaned towards the Ajivika sect, and Deimachus came as ambassador from Antiochus I of Syria.
- A revolt at Taxila during his reign shows the difficulty of holding the north-west.
| Source | Author or nature | What it tells us |
|---|---|---|
| Arthashastra | Kautilya | Administration, revenue, spies, law |
| Indica | Megasthenes | Pataliputra, society, army, city government |
| Edicts | Ashoka | Dhamma, welfare works, royal policy |
| Mudrarakshasa | Vishakhadatta | Fall of the Nandas, court intrigue |
| Mahavamsa | Sri Lankan chronicle | Ashoka's Buddhist missions |
हिंदी संकेत: अर्थशास्त्र कौटिल्य का ग्रंथ है और इंडिका मेगस्थनीज का। दोनों को आपस में मत मिलाइए - एक भारतीय राजनीति ग्रंथ है, दूसरा विदेशी यात्रा विवरण।
Exam me kaise aata hai
Match-the-following on source and author is almost certain. Factual one-liners ask who deciphered Brahmi, what the Greeks called Bindusara, and which ruler fought Seleucus. Statement-based questions test whether Kalinga was part of the empire before Ashoka.
UPSC / State PSC ke liye
Treat the Arthashastra carefully - its date is debated and it describes an ideal state, not necessarily Mauryan practice. The edicts are the only strictly contemporary evidence, so a good answer weighs the sources rather than quoting them as equally reliable.
Yahan confuse hote hain
✗ Indica was written by Kautilya | ✓ Indica is by Megasthenes; Arthashastra is by Kautilya
✗ Chandragupta gave territory to Seleucus | ✓ Seleucus ceded territory and received 500 elephants
✗ Ashoka conquered Kalinga because his father had lost it | ✓ Kalinga had never been part of the empire before Ashoka
Ek nazar me
- Mauryan Empire founded about 321 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya with Kautilya's help.
- Sources - Arthashastra, Indica, Ashokan edicts, Mudrarakshasa, Puranas, Buddhist and Jain texts.
- James Prinsep deciphered Brahmi in 1837 and made the edicts readable.
- Chandragupta defeated Seleucus around 305 BCE; got four satrapies, gave 500 elephants.
- Greek name Sandrokottos fixed the chronology of ancient India.
- Bindusara, called Amitrochates, ruled about 297-273 BCE and favoured the Ajivikas.