2. MAURYAS AND KUSHANS
• The Mauryan kingdom was the first empire in India. Its
contribution to various walks of life has been extra
ordinary. Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka were the
two outstanding emperors of the dynasty. You will
learn the lives and achievements of these two Samrats
in this chapter. After this we tell you some thing about
Kanishka, the famous king of the Kushans.
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3. Chandragupta Maurya
The credit of establishing Mauryan dynasty goes to
King Chandragupta Maurya. When Chandragupta had
lost his father and rendered an orphan, Vishnugupta
(also know as Chanakya or Kautilya) a brahmin teacher
took him to Takshashila and gave him good education.
The objective of this step was to free north-west India
from the occupation of the Greeks. Besides, it was the
aim of Chanakya to free Magadha kingdom from the
misrule of the kings.
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4. • After completion of education, Chandragupta
organised an army at the motivation of
Kautilya/Chanakya.
• He fought the Greeks and sent them out of the Indian
border.
• Then he defeated and killed the king of Magadha and
established an empire in North India. Pataliputra
(Patna of today) became the capital of Magadha
empire.
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6. • In the interim, Seleucus, a Greek officer invaded India.
Chandragupta defeated him in a humiliating manner.
Seleucus entered into a peace treaty with
Chandragupta and surrendered Afghanistan and
Baluchistan to Chandragupta. In return, Chandragupta
gifted 500 elephants trained in warfare to Seleucus.
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7. • Seleucus deputed Megasthanes as his ambassador to
Chandragupta’s court. Megasthanes studied Indian
conditions and wrote a book ‘Indica’. It records Indian
situation as he saw it.
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9. • Kautilya’s ‘Arthashastra’ : Kautilya/ Chanakya was a
minister of Chandragupta. His book is ‘Arthashastra’.
This is a practical guide to administrators and kings,
their conduct and also how the education should be
given importance to. ‘As the king is, so will be his
subjects’. King should give priority to security and
prosperity of his subjects.
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10. Emperor Ashoka
• After the demise of Chandragupta, his son Bindusara
ascended the throne. Ashoka was son of Bindusara.
Ashoka holds a unique place among benevolent
emperors of the world.
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11. Ashoka’s Inscriptions/Edicts
• There are many inscriptions/ edicts providing many
details of Ashoka’s life and achievements which are
spread all over the country. Fourteen of his edicts are
found in Karnataka. Some areas of Karnataka were
included in Ashoka’s rule.
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12. The Kalinga war
• Kalinga war happened to be a turning point in
Ashoka’s personal life and his life as a king. About one
lakh people died and one and a half lakh soldiers were
taken prisoner.s
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13. • He was influenced by the Buddhist thought and tried
to propagate it among his subjects. He emphasised
good conduct more than empty religious practices.
‘Elders and teachers must be respected. Non-violence
is the highest virtue. Don’t hurt even the smallest
creature’. In this way he propagated universal love and
brotherhood. Any other king so idealistic and inclusive
in thought is hard to come across all over the world.
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14. Propagation of faith
• Ashoka convened a Buddhist conference at
Pataliputra. He deputed ambassadors of faith to
countries outside India. He got statement of his faith
etched on rocks and pillars of stone. Those statements
of faith were very broad based, all-inclusive and
secular.
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17. MAURYAN ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM
• Central Government
• King was the highest authority of governance. All powers
were centered in the hands of the king. There used to be a
cabinet of ministers who had advisory capacity. There were
high profile officials to take care of departmental affairs.
There would be a ‘Dharma Mahamatra [special minister for
Dharma (code of conduct)] who would take care of the
orphans, widows, senior and aged persons. The kingdom
was divided into many provinces for the convenience of
administration.
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18. • Local Governance
• Head of a village was called ‘Gramika’. He would carry
on the governance of the village with the help of
village elders. Villages were self governed to a large
extent. ‘Gram Sabha’ (village council) would decide
village problems.
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19. Architecture and Iconography
• Some ‘stupas’ and ‘viharas’ built during Ashoka’s time
still survive. They present an idea of the high level to
which architecture and iconography had developed:
Viharas (Budhist or Jain monasteries) and Stupas
(Buddhist monument/a place where Buddhist relics
are housed) at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh caves in the
rocks, Monolith pillars (they are 30 feet tall) known for
the smoothness of their surface are examples of the
glory of the times.
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20. • Ashoka pillar has at its upper stair (abacus) the figures
of a bull and statues of four lions facing four
directions. At Saranath museum the lion capitol which
is adopted as our National emblem is preserved.
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21. Decline of Maurya empire
• Maurya empire declined in 50 years after Ashoka’s
demise. Some reasons adduced for this to happen are:
• The vast empire was difficult to manage due to lack of
facilities of communication and commuting • kings
after Ashoka were weak • The empire fell apart
because of internal squabbles • Invasions on the
north-western part of the country became frequent
The chief of the Mauryan military killed the last of the
Maurya kings and occupied the throne.
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22. THE KUSHANS
• Kanishka : 2000 years ago Gandhara (now in
Afghanistan) was ruled by the Kushan dynasty. As time
passed, some parts of India came under their rule.
Kanishka was the most powerful king. He carried on
wars with neighbours and expanded his kingdom. His
kingdom spread till Bihar in the north India.
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24. Art and Architecture
• Kaniska built many stupas. The stupa that he built at
‘Purushapura’ had thirteen floors. Spire of the stupa
was 400 ft. tall. This was considered a wonder during
those days.
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25. • Kanishka was a patron of art. He invited artists from
countries outside India. As a result, artefacts of
various art-styles contributed to synthesise and
evolved a new style called ‘Mathura style’. Gandhara
style also emerged during this period.
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26. • A stone image of Kanishka is discovered at Mathura.
Its head is missing. Kanishka’s name is etched on the
pedestal .
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28. Literature
• Kanishka patronised scholars and litterateurs.
Aswaghosha was a great poet and adorned Kanishka’s
court. He wrote ‘Buddha Charita’ an epic written in
Sanskrit centered around Lord Buddha’s life.
• Nagarjuna was a great philosopher and scientist of
Kanishka’s court. Vasumitra, a scholar, was the head of
the ‘Bouddha Maha Sabha’ (Buddhist conference).
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29. • Charaka was Kanishka’s doctor. ‘Charaka Samhite’, a
popular Ayurvedic work was written by him. Ayurveda
is an ancient system of medicine in India.
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