 The Maurya Dynasty(324/322BC-185BC)

RK BISWAS

 Rise of the Maurya Dynasty

Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Dynasty in 322
BC.The empire had its capital city at Pataliputra (modern Patna).
According to several legends, Chanakya traveled to Magadha, a
kingdom that was large and militarily powerful and feared by its
neighbors, but was insulted by its king Dhana Nanda, of the
Nanda Dynasty. Chanakya decided to take revenge and destroy
the Nanda empire.
Chanakya encouraged the young Chandragupta Maurya and his
army to take over the throne of Magadha.Using his intelligence
network Chandragupta gathered many young men from across
Magadha and other provinces, who were upset over the corrupt
and oppressive rule of King Dhana, as well as the resources
necessary for his army to fight a long series of battles. Finally
Chandragupta Maurya attacked and defeated him.

Maurya Dynasty – Rulers

Chandragupta Maurya (324/322- 298 B.C.)

Bindusara (298 – 273 B.C.)

Asoka (273 – 232 B.C.)

Chandragupta Maurya:

The Statue of Chandragupta Maurya at the Birla Mandir Hindu

temple, Delhi and Maurya Dynasty in 320 BC.
 The founder of Maurya Dynasty, he lived from 340-298 BC.

 Kautilya provided the strategy and Chandragupta executed

it. They had raised a mercenary army of their own.
 Then, they moved eastward into Magadha.
 In a series of battles, he defeated Dhana Nanda and laid the
foundations of the Maurya Empire in about 322 BC.
 Chandragupta defeated the invasion led by Seleucus I, a
Macedonian general from Alexander's army, and gained
additional territory west of the Indus River.
 In its time, the Maurya dynasty was one of the largest
empires of the world.
  Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador at Chandragupta‟s
court.

 Chandragupta Maurya was called the first all

indian-emperor
In its time, the Maurya Empire was one of the largest
empires of the world. At its greatest extent, the empire
stretched to the north along the natural boundaries of the
Himalayas, to the east into Assam, to the west into
Balochistan (southwest Pakistan and southeast Iran) and
into the Hindu Kush mountains of what is now
Afghanistan.He not only established political unity, but also
made india free from the influence of foreign affairs. Thats
why he was called the first all indian emperor.

Chanakya
 Teacher of Chandragupta Maurya, who was also his Chief
Minister.
 He was a teacher and scholar. Other names are
Vishnugupta and Kautilya.
 He was also a minister in the court of Bindusara.
 He is credited to be the master strategist behind the fall of
the Nanda throne and the rise of the Mauryan Empire
through his student, Chandragupta.
 He wrote Arthashastra which is a treatise on statecraft,
economics, and military strategy. Arthashastra was
rediscovered by R Shamasastry in 1905 after it had
disappeared in the 12th century.The work contains 15 books
and 180 chapters. The main theme is divided into:
i. King, Council of Ministers and Departments of the
Government
ii. Civil and criminal law
iii. Diplomacy of war
  It also contains information on trade and markets, a method
to screen ministers, duties of a king, ethics, social welfare,
agriculture, mining, medicine, forests, etc.

 Chanakya is also called „Indian Machiavelli”.

 Second Ruler of the Mauryan Dynasty

Bindusara
 Son of Chandragupta Maurya.
 He ruled from 298 BC to 273 BC.
 Also called Amitraghata
 He had appointed his son, Ashoka as the governor of Ujjain.
 Bindusara extended the Mauryan dynasty to Mysore as well.

Ashoka the Great

Bindusara died in 272 BCE, and was succeeded by his son,
Ashoka the Great (304-232 BC). As a young prince, Ashoka
(r. 273-232 BC) was a brilliant commander who crushed revolts in
Ujjain. As monarch, he was ambitious and aggressive, reasserting
the Empire's superiority in southern and western India. But it was
his conquest of Kalinga (262-261 BC) that proved to be the pivotal
event of his life. Although Ashoka's army succeeded in
overwhelming Kalinga forces of royal soldiers and civilian units,
an estimated 100,000 soldiers and civilians were killed in the
furious warfare, including over 10,000 of Ashoka's own men.
Hundreds of thousands of people were adversely affected by the
destruction and fallout of war. When he personally witnessed the
devastation, Ashoka began feeling remorse. Although the
annexation of Kalinga was completed, Ashoka embraced the
teachings of Buddhism, and renounced war and violence. He sent
out missionaries to travel around Asia and to spread Buddhism in
other countries.
 Maurya Dynasty at its height in 261 BC during the Kalinga War.

Background of Kalinga War

While the early part of Ashoka's reign was apparently quite

bloodthirsty, he became a follower of the Buddha's teachings after
his conquest of Kalinga on the east coast of India in the present-
day states of Odisha and North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Kalinga
was a state that prided itself on its sovereignty and democracy.
With its monarchical parliamentary democracy, it was quite an
exception in ancient Bharata where there existed the concept of
Rajdharma. Rajdharma means the duty of the rulers, which was
intrinsically entwined with the concept of bravery and dharma.
The Kalinga War happened eight years after his coronation. From
Ashoka's 13th inscription, we come to know that the battle was a
massive one and caused the deaths of more than 100,000
soldiers and many civilians who rose up in defence; over 150,000
were deported.
Results of Kalinga war:
 Although Ashoka's army succeeded in overwhelming Kalinga
war an estimated 100,000 soldiers and civilians were killed
in the furious warfare, including over 10,000 of Ashoka's own
men. Also 1,50,000 men and women were seriously injured
and imprison under house.
 Seeing the terribility of the Kalinga war, Ashoka converted to
Buddhism and began to do public welfare works, including
planting trees, setting up wells, and build up hospitals.
During this time he forbade the killing of animals. During his
reign the Mauryan dynasty became a non-violent kingdom.
 While he maintained a large and powerful army to keep the
peace, Ashoka expanded friendly relations with states
across Asia and Europe, and sponsored Buddhist missions.
 As a Buddhist emperor, Ashoka believed that Buddhism is
beneficial for all human beings, as well as animals and
plants, so he built a number of stupas, Sangharama, viharas,
chaitya, and residences for Buddhist monks all over South
Asia and Central Asia. According to the Ashokavadana, he
ordered the construction of 84,000 stupas to house the
Buddhas relics. He gave donations to viharas and mathas.
He sent his only daughter,Sanghamitra, and son, Mahindra,
to spread Buddhism in Srilanka.

Decline of the Maurya Dynasty

 It declined for about 50 years after Ashoka's rule ended in
185 BC with the foundation of the Shunga Dynasty in
Magadha.
 The enormity of the empire and its administrative weakness,
the evils of non-violence, the lack of a competent ruler after
Ashoka, etc. accelerated the decline of Maurya Dynasty.
  Another reason was Cost of Kalinga war and the post-war
campaign for the propagation of Buddhism creates a vast of
economic crisis. As a result, this economic weakness
accelerated the downfall of the Mauryan Dynasty.

Administration
The Mauryan Empire was divided into four provinces, with the
imperial capital at Pataliputra, near the Ganges River in the
modern state of Bihar in India. The Edicts of Ashoka, a collection
of inscriptions made during Ashoka’s reign from 269-232 BC, give
the names of the Maurya Empire’s four provincial capitals: Tosali
in the east,Ujjain in the west,Suvarnagiri in the south, and in North
Taxila.
The organizational structure began at the imperial level with the
emperor and his Mantriparishad, or Council of Ministers. The
head of the provincial administration was the Kumara, or royal
prince, who governed the provinces as the king's representative,
with the assistance of Mahamatyas, who were essentially regional
prime ministers. Through this sophisticated system of
bureaucracy, the empire governed all aspects of government at
every level, from municipal hygiene to international trade.
The Maurya Empire provided political stability.

Frequently Asked Questions related to

Maurya Dynasty.

Who is the founder of the Maurya dynasty?

Chandragupta Maurya is the founder of the Maurya dynasty.
Why did the Mauryan dynasty fall?
The decline of the Maurya Dynasty was rather rapid after the
death of Ashoka/Asoka.One obvious reason for it was the
succession of weak kings. Another immediate cause was the
partition of the Empire into two. The Mauryan Empire began to
decline after the death of Ashoka in 232 BC.

Is the Gupta Empire and Mauryan dynasty the same?

Maurya Dynasty was vaster as compared to the Gupta Empire.
Mauryan rulers followed a centralized administration structure,
whereas Gupta rulers followed a decentralized administrative
structure. Mauryan rulers favoured and promoted mainly non-
Hindu religions; whereas Gupta rulers followed and promoted
Hinduism.

Who destroyed the Mauryan Dynasty?

The Maurya Dynasty was finally destroyed by Pushyamitra
Shunga in 185 BC. The Shungas ruled in Pataliputra and central
India.
 The Gupta Empire (275-551) AD

 Rise of the Gupta Empire:

Sri Gupta was the founder of the Gupta Empire. Famous
historian Vincent Smith mentions that his reign was (275-300) AD.
Chandragupta I was called the real founder of the Gupta Empire.

Gupta Empires – Rulers

 Sri Gupta (275-300) AD

 Ghatotkacha Gupta (300-320) AD
 Chandragupta I (320-340) AD
 Samudragupta (340-380) AD
 Chandragupta II ( 380-413) AD
Kumara Gupta (415-455) AD
Skanda Gupta (455-467) AD

The Reason behind the origin of the Gupta

Empire:
Famous historian R.C Majumder,in his book “Ancient India” says
that the reaction of slach invasion and civilization in seen in the
Gupta empire.
Economically the Ganges-Jamuna valley was a very fertile region.
So the influence of agriculture and trade was more in this region
which helped the rise of Gupta empire.

Samudragupta (340-380) :
After the death of Chandragupta I, his worthy son Samudragupta
ascended the throne. He was the best king of the Gupta dynasty.
Historian Vincent A. Smith calls Samudragupta as the Napoleon
of ancient India. Because he established political unity in India like
Chandragupta Maurya. He extended the empire to the Himalayas
and Kashmir in the north, the Narmada river in the south, the
Brahmaputra river in the east, the eastern Punjab and Rajputana
in the west. Because of his military powers, Vincent Smith
referred to Samudragupta as Indian Napoleon.

Chandragupta II
After the death of Samudragupta, Chandragupta II ascended the
throne of Magadha in about 380 AD. He was a patron of science
and put an end to the shock rule in western India.

The Golden Age of India:

The prosperity of the Gupta Empire produced a golden age of
cultural and scientific advancements. A period at the height of the
Gupta Empire, marked by extensive inventions and discoveries
that contributed to Hindu culture, in subjects such as science,
technology, art, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion,
and philosophy.
  Formation of All India Empire
After the fall of the Maurya Empire, a dark age began in India at
Shunga and Kushan dynasty. The almost extinct Hindu Empire
was revived in the Gupta period and was able to survive in India
for about 200 years.

 Mathematics
One of the important developments was the decimal system
notation. During the Gupta period, there was no symbol for
denoting ‘zero’. The mathematician Aryabhatta discovered the
theory of ‘zero’. Another important concept developed during this
time was Trigonometry. Concepts like ‘sine’ were also known to
the Gupta. New techniques also developed during this period to
solve problems based on Aryabhatta Algorithm, Algebra and
Geometry.

 Astronomy
The greatest scientists of the Gupta period were Aryabhatta
and Brahmihir. During this period Aryabhatta discovered the
diurnal and annual motions and Brahmihir wrote an astrology
called Brihatsanghita.

 Medicine
During the Gupta period there was usage of mercury and iron in
medicine. The use of these materials indicates the fact that the
people belonging to the Gupta era had the knowledge of
chemistry and they even practiced it. Doctors during that time
were aware of operations and also knew how to conduct one
when required.

 Literature
Literature reached its pinnacle during the Gupta period. The
primary themes of literature were poetry and romantic comedies.
The literature work of the Gupta period related to human behavior
more than the religious ideas. Sanskrit literature was very popular
and was sponsored by many Gupta empire rulers. Chandragupta
II had nine poets in his court. The supreme poet among these
nine was Kalidasa.

 Education
Education played an important role in the Gupta period. Primary
and higher education both are exists in this period. Women could
obtain education, unlike in other parts of the world. There were
many educational institutions and universities set up in major
cities.
Nalanda University was established by Kumaragupta I in the 5th
century. The university was an important learning center and was
one of the first universities which provided hostels for the
students. The Takshila University was one of the first centers in
the world which offered higher education.

 Administrative System
The Empire was classified into separate administrative divisions
like Rajya, Rashtra, Desha, Mandala, etc. Thus, importance was
given to decentralization of power. The administrative division
helped the rulers to systematically control their territories. The
provinces were divided into numerous districts and a Vishayapati
was appointed to control it. They were assisted in this work by his
council of representatives.

 Judicial System
The Gupta Empire had a separate judicial system. At the lowest
level of the judicial system was the village assembly or trade
guild. These were the councils appointed to settle the disputes
between the parties that appear before them.
The King presided over the highest court of appeal. In discharging
his duty, the King was assisted by judges, ministers, priests, etc.
The decision or the judgement of the court was based on the legal
texts, the social customs prevailing during those times, or upon
the decision of the King. It is believed that the punishments
awarded to the guilty persons were mild.

 Art, Sculpture & Architecture

Significant progress was made in architecture, sculpture and
painting during the Gupta period. Mathura, Varanasi and
Pataliputra were centers of art during this period. During the
Gupta period, Buddha statues, Shiva statues were made and
Ajanta cave painting developed.

Why did the Gupta empire fall?

The Huna People, also known as Huns, invaded Gupta territory
and caused significant damage to the empire. The Gupta Empire
ended in 551 AD, when it disintegrated into regional kingdoms
after a series of weak rulers and invasions from the east, west,
and north.
Who ruled during the Golden Age of India?
The Gupta Empire, which ruled the Indian subcontinent from 275
to 551 AD, ruled in a golden age of Indian civilization.
 The Gauda Kingdom (606-637) A.D

Rise of the Gauda Kingdom:

During the 7th century, the Gauda Kingdom was founded by
King Sashanka, whose reign corresponds with the beginning of
the Bengali calendar. Gauda became known as Lakhnauti during
the gauda dynasty.
Taking advantage of the fall of the Gupta Empire, the Maukhari
dynasty of Kanauj tried to occupy Gauda or North Bengal. But
their efforts was not successful and the kings of the later Gupta
dynasty retained the kingdom of Gauda.
Guptaraja Mahasengupta resisted the attack of the king of
Kamrup and defended his power in Gauda,but later
Mahasengupta was defeated by the Kalchuri force. As a result,
the next Gupta dynasty in Gauda were weakened. In this situation
Sashanka established the independent Gauda state in 606
AD.The independent state of Gauda was made up of North
Bengal and West Bengal.

Gauda kingdom – Ruler

Sasanka :
Sashanka was the first independent and sovereign king of Bengal.
Sashanka's title was Mahasamanta and his capital was Karnasuvarna.
Shashanka established the independent kingdom of Gauda in the early
7th century, around 606 AD.
 Ancient India in 625 AD

Sashanka's achievements:
1. He established the independent Gauda state.
2. He implantation efficient governance.
3. He maintain state unity and expansion of empire.

According to historian R. C. Majumdar, the Pala kings established a vast

empire following the policy introduced by Sashanka by conquering his
kingdom.
Decline of Gauda Kingdom :
Sasanka , the king of Bengal or Gauda ,was the contemporary of king
Harshabardhan. It's considered that King Sashanka was defeated in a
battle with Harshavardhana in 637 AD and fall of the independent
kingdom of Gauda.
 RK BISWAS
Matsyanayam:
After the death of Sasanka, almost 100 years there came a dark
and disastrous age in the history of Bengal. Bengal remained
without any competent ruler for a long time. As a result, there was
anarchy,disorder and external enemy attacks continued in
Bengal. At that time there was no system of government existed
in Bengal. There was no one to take care of the central power
with an iron hand. This period of anarchy has been called
Matsyanayam.
According to Kautilya and Lama Taranath, Matsyanayam refers to
a condition of anarchy and disorder like when the big fishes catch
and swallow the small fishes in a pond. The powerful kings of
Bengal took complete control over small regions in such a way.
This period of anarchy lasted for one hundred years. In the middle
of the eigth century this anarchy and disorder came to an end with
the rise of the Pala reign.

The Pala Dynasty (750-1161) AD

Gopala was the founder of the Pala dynasty. The kings of Pala
dynasty ruled this country for 400 years at a stretch. No other
dynasty ruled this country so long as Pala Dynasty.
 Pala Dynasty – Rulers

Gopala (750-770) AD
Dharmapala (770-810) AD - He was the most
famous of all Palaakings.
Devapala (810-850) AD
Mahipala I (988-1038) AD
Mahipala II (1072-1077 ) AD
Rampala (1077-1130) AD – Last powerful king.
Madanpala (1144-1161) AD (Last Empire)

Gopala (750 – 770 AD)

 First Pala king and founder of the dynasty.
 Was elected by a group of people.
 At the time of his death, Pala kingdom included Bengal and
most of Bihar.
 Considered the first Buddhist king of Bengal.

Dharmapala (770 – 810 AD)

 Son and successor of Gopala.
 Founded the Vikramshila University at Bhagalpur, Bihar.
 He had frequent wars with the Pratiharas and the
Rashtrakutas.
  The Palas became the most powerful kingdom in northern
and eastern India during his rule.

Devapala (810 – 850 AD)

 Son of Dharmapala.
 Extended the kingdom to Assam, Odisha and Kamarupa.
 Was a staunch Buddhist and built many monasteries and
temples in Magadha.
 Defeated the Rashtrakuta ruler Amoghavarsha.

Mahipala I
 Ascended the throne in 988 AD.
 Recovered northern and eastern Bengal.

Ramapala
 The last strong Pala king.
 The kingdom disintegrated during his son Kumarapala‟s
reign.

Madanapala (1144 – 1161 AD)

 After him, the Sena dynasty replaced the Palas.
 The 18th ruler of Pala dynasty and general considered the
last ruler but he was succeeded by Govindapala who lineage
of this name is questionable.
The importance of the Pala dynasty:
 The pala kings increased their contact with the outside
world.
 The incredible Buddhist complex of Paharpur was created
under the Pala dynasty in Bengal.
 They built magnificent monasteries and temples: Somapura
Mahavihara (in Bangladesh), Odantapuri Monastery.
 They also patronised Buddhist centres of learning like
Nalanda University and the Vikramshila University.
 During this time, the Bengali language developed. The first
Bengali literary work Charyapada is attributed to this period.
 Sanskrit scholars were also patronised by the Pala kings.
 The Pala art influence is seen in the art of Nepal, Sri Lanka,
Burma and Java.

Administration :
The foundation of feudal system was very strong in Pala period.
In the Pala period, land revenue was one sixth of the total crop.
There was no constitutional control over the power of the king. In
the Pala period, the ministers worked from generation to
generation.

Frequently Asked Questions about Pala Empire

For how long did the Pala Empire rule the region of Bengal?
The Pala dynasty ruled the regions of Bengal and Bihar for about
400 years, from the 8th century until the end of the 11th century.
Who ended the Pala Dynasty?
Sena dynasty.
 The Sena Dynasty (1098-1204) AD
Taking advantage of the weakness of the Pala kings, the Sena dynasty
established in Bengal. Samanta Sen was the ancestor of the Sena
dynasty.

Sena Dynasty– Rulers

Samanta Sena (Ancestor)

 Hemanta Sena (Real Founder)
 Bijoy Sena (1098-1160) AD – (First Independent
King)
 Ballal Sena (1160-1178) AD
 Lakhsmana Sena (1178-1205) AD ( Last
Independent King)

Importance of the Senas

 The credit of safeguarding Bengal from anarchy after

the fall of the Pala Dynasty goes to the Senas.
 Established political Unity.
 The Senas believed in Hinduism. They contributed
towards the revival of Hinduism and Sanskrit literature
in Bengal.
 Ballal Sena and Lakshmana Sena were great
intellectuals and both patronized scholars and
education.
 Jayadeva, the writer of Halayudha and Gita Govinda,
was patronized by them.
Decline of Sena Dynasty :
In 1204 AD, Turkish general Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad bin
Bakhtiyar Khalji invaded Bengal. At that time Lakshman Sen was
the king of Sen dynasty. He could not defend the capital Nadia
from Turkish invasion. When Bakhtiyar Khalji attacked Nadia,
Laxman Sena and his family fled to East Bengal. After his death,
his two sons, BishwarupSen and Keshabsen ruled for some time,
but finally the Sena dynasty collapsed in 1206/1207 due to
Turkish invasion and internal revolt.