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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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’.

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.