Origin of the Maurya Dynasty (322 BC - 155 BC)

Origin of the Maurya Dynasty (322 BC - 155 BC)

Different Views on Mauryan Origins

• The Puranas describe them as Shudras.

• 'Mudrakshasa' of Vishakhadatta uses the terms Vrishal / Kulhina (of low clan).

• The Classical writers, such as Justin, describe Chandragupta only as a man of humble origin.

• The Junagarh Rock Inscription of Rudradaman (150 AD) has some indirect evidence, suggesting that the Mauryas might have been of Vaishya origin.

Buddhist Perspective

• The Buddhist works try to link the Mauryan dynasty with the Sakya Kshatriya to which Buddha belonged.

• According to them, the region from which the Mauryas came was full of peacocks (Mor), and hence they came to be known as ‘Moriyas’.

• It is obvious from this that the Buddhists were trying to elevate the social position of Ashoka (their patron) and his predecessors.

• In conclusion, we can say that the Mauryas belonged to the Moriya tribe and were certainly of a low caste, though it is not clear as to which low caste.

Chandragupta Maurya (322 BC – 298 BC)

Rise to Power

• Chandragupta dethroned the last Nanda ruler, Dhananand, and occupied Patliputra in 322 BC with the help of Kautilya (Chanakya).

Conflict with Selecus Nikator

• In 305 BC, Chandragupta defeated Seleucus Nikato, who surrendered a vast territory including Aria (Herat), Arachosia (Kandhar), Gedrosia (Baluchistan), and Paropanisade (Kabul), in return for 500 elephants.

• According to the treaty, the Hindukush became the boundary between their states.

Megasthenese's Visit

• Megasthenese was a Greek ambassador sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya by Selecus Nikator.

Adoption of Jainism and Death

• Chandragupta became a Jain and went to Chandragiri Hill, Sravanbelgola (Karnataka) with Bhadrabahu, where he died by slow starvation (Kaya-Klesha/Salekhan).

Achievements

• Under Chandragupta, the whole of Northern India was united for the first time.

• Trade flourished, agriculture was regulated, weights and measures were standardized, and money came into use.

• Taxation, sanitation, and famine relief became concerns of the state.

Bindusara (298 BC – 273 BC)

Expansion to the South

• Bindusara, son of Chandragupta, was known to the Greeks as Amitrochates (from Amitraghata, meaning slayer of foes).

• He carried his arms to the Deccan (up to Mysore).

Foreign Relations

• Asked Antiochus I of Syria to send sweet wine, dried figs, and a sophist.

• Antiochus sent wine and figs, but refused the philosopher.

Religious Patronage

• Bindusara patronised Ajivikas.

Ashoka (273 BC – 232 BC)

Birth and Name

• When Ashoka was born, his mother said, "Now I am Ashoka" (without sorrow) — hence the name.

Struggle for the Throne

• Struggle for succession after Bindusara’s death.

• Ashoka killed 99 brothers, sparing only Tissa.

• Radhagupta, a minister, helped him.

• He was formally crowned in 269 BC after an interregnum of four years.

Peak of the Mauryan Empire

• Under Ashoka, the Mauryan Empire reached its climax.

• The entire subcontinent (except the extreme south) was under imperial control.

Various Names of Ashoka

Kalinga War and Its Aftermath

Ashoka’s Transformation

• Fought the Kalinga war in 261 BC (9th year of coronation).

• Abandoned physical conquest in favour of cultural conquest — Bherighosa was replaced by Dhammaghosa.

Post-War Policy

• Ashoka was not an extreme pacifist — he retained Kalinga and incorporated it into his empire.

Ashoka’s Foreign Missionary Efforts

Global Missionary Outreach

• Sent missionaries to Cholas, Pandyas, and Greek-ruled states (Antiochus II – Syria, Ptolemy II – Egypt, Antigonus – Macedonia, Maggus – Syria, Alexander – Epirus).

• Also sent to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Suvarnbhumi (Burma, and Southeast Asia.)

Ashoka's Dhamma

Nature of Dhamma

• Ashoka's Dhamma cannot be regarded as a sectarian faith.

Objective of Dhamma

• Its broad objective was to preserve the social order; it ordained that people should obey their parents, pay respect to Brahmanas and Buddhist monks, and show mercy to slaves and servants.

Moral Outcome

• He held that if people behaved well, they would attain Swarga (heaven).

• He never did say that they would attain Nirvana, which was the goal of Buddhist teachings.

Final Thoughts

The Maurya Period (322 BC – 185 BC) marked a transformative era in ancient Indian history, beginning with the origin of the Maurya dynasty through Chandragupta’s rise from humble beginnings, guided by Chanakya, and the unification of northern India.

Under Emperor Ashoka, the empire reached its zenith, promoting cultural expansion and the spread of Dhamma across Asia.

This period saw major advancements in governance, economy, and religion. Both literary and archaeological sources offer deep insights into Mauryan achievements.

The enduring legacy of the Mauryas continues to shape Indian society and political thought today.