Sources of Mauryan HistoryKautilya'sArthashastraWritten byChanakya(Kautilya/Vishnugupta).Describesadministration &state policies ofChandraguptaMaurya.Contemporary toChandraguptaMaurya.Megasthenes -IndicaWritten by Greekambassador inMauryan court.Detailed accountof Mauryanadministration,society, andeconomy.Vishakadatta'sMudrarakshasaSanskrit playnarratingChandraguptaMaurya's rise topower.BuddhistLiteratureJataka tales,Dipavamsa,Mahavamsa,Divyavadana.Accounts ofAshoka andBuddhist spread.Origin of Mauryan EmpireFall of NandaDynasty (322BCE)Last rulerDhananandadefeated byChandraguptaMaurya.Assisted byChanakya(Kautilya/Vishnugupta).ChandraguptaMauryaFounder ofMauryan Dynasty.Defeated SeleucusNicator(Alexander’sgeneral).Megasthenes wasin the court ofSeleucus NicatorMarried SeleucusNicator’s daughterHelena.Son BindusaraEstablished acentralizedgovernment.Built 'Kosthagara'- Grain storagedepartment.Kosthagara -Mentioned inSohgaura CopperPlate inscription.Bindusara(297-273 BCE)Title -"Amitrochates"(Slayer ofEnemies) byGreek sources.ExpandedMauryan Empirebetween two seas.Requested sweetwine, dry figs & aphilosopher fromAntiochus I(Syria).PatronizedAjivikas.Greekambassador/travellerDeimachus visitedhis court.Son - Ashoka.Ashoka (273-232BCE)Ascended thronewith help ofRadhagupta.Killed 99 brothers(mentioned insome sources).Ruled for 12 yearsbefore KalingaWar.Fought KalingaWar (261 BCE)Fought 8 yearsafter coronation.Ashoka adoptedBuddhism afterwar.ReplacedBherighosha(Physicalconquest) withDhammagosha(Culturalconquest).Sent sonMahendra &daughterSanghamitra to SriLanka(Ceylon) tospread Buddhism.BrihadrathaLast ruler ofMaurya DynastyBrihadrathaDefeated byPushyamitraSungaAshokan EdictsMajor RockEdicts (14)First DecipheredJames Prinsep in1837 Published in1838.William Jones(Founder ofAsiatic Society ofBengal)contributed tostudy.Language - 3 &Script - 4.Major language -Prakrit.Major script -Brahmi.Inscriptionsmention Ashokaas DevanamPiyadassi(Beloved of theGods).Script used inAfghanistan -Greek & AramaicScript used inNorthwesternIndia - KharosthiRest of India -Brahmi.Minor RockEdicts (15)Four Edicts whereAshoka namementioned.1. Maski(Karnataka)mentioned byname -De.Va.Nam.Pi.Ya.Sa A.So.Ka.2. Gujjar (MadhyaPradesh)3. Brahmagiri(Karnataka)4. Nittur(Karnataka)Major PillarEdicts7 Major Pillarslocated indifferent regions.Inscribed onmonolithic stonepillars.Delhi-Topra(Haryana)Pillar Edict - Theonly edict with7th Pillar Edict.Onelanguage(Prakrit)& Onescript(Brahmi).Lauriya Areraj(Bihar)LauriyaNandangarh(Bihar) has singlelion capital.Sarnath Pillar -National Emblemof India (Declaredon 24 Jan 1950).1. Features 4 lionsat top of thecapital.2. Animals on theAbacus -Elephant, Horse,Ox, Lion.3. Abacus also hasthe DharmaChakra (Wheel).4. Inverted Lotus5. RepresentsDhammaparivartan(Buddha’s FirstSermon).Minor PillarEdictsRampura - Theonly pillar wherea bull is foundinstead of lions.Cave InscriptionsBarabar HillCaves(Bihar) -Ashoka built forAjivika Sect.Lomas RishiCaves - BiharNagarjuni Caves -Bihar for Ajivikasect buit byDashrath Maurya(Grandson ofAshoka)Rummindei/NigaliSagar InscriptionsNigali SagarInscription(Nepal)1. Another Stupa -Konagamana orKanakamuniStupa.2. Rebuilt byAshoka.Rummindei orLumbini PillarInscription(Nepal)1. Ashoka visitedLumbini.2. DeclaredLumbini a tax-freevillage.Major Ashoka Rock Inscriptions & LocationsKandahar GreekInscriptionRock Edicts 12 &13 (Greek andAramaic).Found inKandahar,Afghanistan.Bilingual RockShahbazgarhiInscriptionWritten inKharosthi script.Located in KhyberPakhtunkhwa,Pakistan.Mansehra RockEdictsAlso in Kharosthiscript.Located inMansehra,Pakistan.Kalsi Rock EdictsNear Chakrata,Dehradun district,Uttarakhand.Girnar RockEdictsNear Junagadh,Gujarat.14 lines arementioned here.Ashoka's **MajorRock Edict**found here.Sopara RockEdictsFragments ofRock Edicts 8 &9.Located in Thanedistrict,Maharashtra.Dhauli RockEdictsNearBhubaneswar,Odisha.Includes KalingaEdict butExcludes RockEdicts 11-13.Jaugada RockEdictsGanjam district,Odisha.Includes KalingaEdictExcludes RockEdicts 11-13.Sannati RockEdictsKalaburagidistrict,Karnataka.Separate RockEdicts 1 & 2.Fragments ofRock Edicts 13 &14.Yerragudi RockEdictsNear Gooty,Kurnool district,Andhra Pradesh.Contains Major &Minor RockEdicts.Major Rock Edicts (Themes & Messages)1. ProhibitsAnimal Slaughter(Important)Bans festivegatheringsinvolving animalkillings.2. Medical Carefor AllHealthcareprovisions forhumans andanimals.Mention of SouthIndian KingdomsChola, Pandya,Satyaputra,Cheras.Mentions GreekKing Antiochus IIand hisneighboringrulers.3. Generosity toBrahmansIssued 12 yearsafter Ashoka'scoronation.It says Yuktas(subordinateofficers) andPradesikas(district Heads)along withRajukas (Ruralofficers) shall goto the all areas ofkingdom everyfive years andspread theDhamma Policyof Ashoka.4. Policy ofDhammaghosha(Important)"The sound ofDhamma i.eDhammaghosha(righteousness) isgreater than thesound of war(Bherighosha)."5. Every Human isMy ChildHe mentions inthis rock edict"Every Human ismy child".Appointment ofDhammamahamatrasis mentioned inthis edict.Concerns aboutslavery6. King'sresponsibilityTalks about King'sresponsibilitytowards welfare ofpeople.7. ReligiousTolerance(Important)Encouragesacceptance of allreligions andsects.8. Ashoka’s FirstDhamma YatraVisited to BodhGaya & BodhiTree.9. Importance ofDhammaceremonies.Importance ofceremonies ofDhammaCondemnspopularceremonies.10. Condemnationof Desire forFameCondemnation ofDesire for Fame& Glory11. Respect forElders & ServantsDhamma as themajor policy tofollow.It also includesrespect for eldersConcern for slavesand servants.12 & 13 - KalingaWar & Ashoka’sRemorse(Important)Tolerance amongdifferent religioussects. Also writtenin Greek in theKandahar GreekEdict of Ashoka.It mentionsMahamattas incharge of women'swelfare.LargestInscription ofEdict is KalingaWar Aftermath.Ashoka’s greatestremorse over themass killings inKalinga(Orissa)(Half a milliondeaths/deportations).Ashoka’sDhamma VictoryClaims moraltriumph overGreek kings1. Antiochus ofSyria (Amtiyoko).2. Ptolemy ofEgypt(Turamave).3. Magas ofCyrene (Maka).4. Antigonus ofMacedon(Amtikini).5. Alexander ofEpirus.Also mentionsPandya, Cholasetc.15. Rock EdictXIV - EngravingInscriptionsDescribesengraving ofinscriptions indifferent parts ofcountry.Mauryan AdministrationSaptanga Theoryby KautilyaKautilya WroteArthashastra(Statecraft &Polity Book). - 7Elements ofAdministrationKing (Raja)SupremeAuthoritySecretary(Amatya) Assistedin administration.Territory(Janpada) Landsand provincesgoverned by theking.Fort (Durga)Provided militarysecurity andadministrativecenters.Treasure (Kosha)Managed statefinances andeconomicresources.Army (Sena)Strong militarypresence forsecurity.Friend (Mitra)Allies anddiplomaticrelations forpolitical stability.MauryanProvinces &CapitalsPrachyapatha(East) Capital -Tosali.Avantiratha(West) Capital -Ujjain.Uttarapatha(North) Capital -Taxila.Dakshinapatha(South) Capital -Suvarnagiri.Prachi (Central)Capital -Pataliputra (Maincapital) UP +Bihar.Mauryan TaxSystemHiranya Tax paidin gold.PranayaEmergency tax.Pindakara Taxespaid in Cash andkind by villages.Senabhaktam Taxfor armymaintenance.ParsvamSurcharge (extratax).Mauryan JudicialSystemCivil Court(DharmastyaNyayalaya)Vyavaharika -Handled personaldisputes.Criminal Court(KantakashodhanNyayalaya)Pradeshta -Handled disputesbetween state andpeople.Key Officers inMauryanAdministrationSannidhata, ChiefTreasury Officer(CTO).Samharata,Collector Generalof Revenue.Gopa,Responsible foraccounts.Akshapatalik,AccountantGeneral/AuditOfficer.Nagarka, CityAdministrationHead.Sitadhyakhsha,AgriculturalOfficer.Samshthadhyaksha,MarketRegulationOfficer.Navaadhyaksha,Shipping andnaval affairs head.Ashvaadhyaksha,CommandingOfficer of theCavalry.Shulkadhyaksha,Toll Tax Officer.DhammaMahamatta, Newpost created byAshoka to monitorDhammaadherence.Megasthenes'Account (Indica)MunicipalAdministration 6Committees with5 Members Each.ArmyAdministration 6Committees with5 Members Each.ProvincialAdministrationNorthern Province(Uttarpatha)Capital - Taxila.Western Province(Avantipatha)Capital - Ujjain.Central Province(Magadha)Capital -Pataliputra.Southern Province(Dakshinpatha)Capital -Suvarnagiri.Eastern Province(Prachyapatha)Capital - Tosali(Kalinga).Mauryan SocietyMauryan Society4 Varnas(Traditional)Brahmins,Kshatriyas,Vaishyas,Shudras.Indica byMegasthenesSociety dividedinto 7 Varnas. Noslavery.Antyaja Peoplewithout caste.Marriage 8 typesof marriages wereallowed. Divorcewas alsopermitted.Women inMauryan SocietyAccording toArthashastraWomen held highpositions.Could be part ofthe army.Economy UnderMauryasTax ReductionAshoka loweredtax values.VoluntaryOffering (Bali)Not mandatoryunder Ashoka.Important PortsWestern PortsBharuch, Supra.Eastern PortsTamralipti(Bengal).Caste SystemAccording toIndica(Megasthenes)1. Philosophers -Intellectuals andspiritual leaders.2. Cultivators(Farmers) -Engaged inagriculture.3. Hunters &Shepherds -Provided food andresources.4. Traders -Engaged incommerce.5. Warriors -Defended thekingdom.6. Overseers(Spies) -Monitoredadministration andespionage.7. Councillors -Advised the kingon governance.Mauryan Empire Timeline (322-185 BCE)
