Notes Class 11 Chapter 8 History Maharashtra Board

India during Mauryan period

Introduction

The Mauryan period marks a significant era in Indian history, characterized by the rise of the Magadha Empire, the establishment of the Mauryan Empire, and the transformative reign of Emperor Ashoka. This chapter explores the rise of Magadha, the Nanda and Mauryan dynasties, Ashoka’s policies, and the administrative, economic, cultural, and social aspects of the period.

8.1 Rise of Magadha Empire

Background

• Mahajanapadas: In the 6th century BCE, India had 16 mahajanapadas. Among them, Magadha emerged as the most powerful due to a struggle among four key mahajanapadas: Kasi, Kosala, Avanti, and Magadha.
• Magadha’s Importance: Magadha was the first Indian empire, known for its well-established administrative system and dominance over an expansive region.

Factors Contributing to Magadha’s Rise

Geographical Advantages:

• Fertile land, ideal for agriculture, especially rice cultivation.
• Perennial rivers facilitating navigation and trade.
• Access to commercial markets and natural resources like timber, ivory, iron, and copper.

Political and Military Strength:

• Strong kings and a robust army enforced royal authority.
• Ritual performances strengthened the king’s position, concentrating power in the ruling family.

Economic Prosperity:

• Revenue collection through taxes (Bali and Bhag) supported the empire’s growth.
• Expansion of trade due to control over the Ganga Valley and eastern coastal regions.

Key Rulers and Developments

Haryanka Dynasty (6th Century BCE):

• Bimbisara: The first well-known king, who laid the foundation of the Magadha Empire.
  • Conquered Anga, increasing Magadha’s power and trade access to the east coast.
  • Established matrimonial alliances with Kosala, Lichchhavi, Videh, and Madra to support expansion.
  • Built the fort at Girivraja and established Rajgriha as the new capital.
• Ajatashatru: Bimbisara’s son, who continued the expansionist policy.
  • Expanded Magadha to the Vindhya ranges.
  • Built a fort at Pataligrama (later Pataliputra) on the Ganga, which became a trade center and the Mauryan capital.

Shishunaga Dynasty (430-364 BCE):

• Emerged after the deposition of the last Haryanka king, Nagdasak.
• Shishunaga was elected king, marking a brief rule before the Nanda dynasty.

Significance

• Magadha’s control over the Ganga Valley, fertile lands, and trade routes established it as a dominant power, setting the stage for the Nanda and Mauryan empires.

8.2 Nanda and Mauryan Empire

Nanda Dynasty

Establishment: Founded by Mahapadmananda, who usurped the throne from the Shishunaga dynasty.

Expansion:

• Mahapadmananda is considered the first great emperor of India.
• The empire possibly extended to Nanded or even Mysore in the south, though scholarly opinions vary.

Economic Strength:

• Emphasis on revenue collection strengthened central power.
• Built canals and irrigation systems, boosting agriculture and trade.
• The state treasury was extremely rich during Dhanananda’s reign.

Military Power:

• Dhanananda’s army included 200,000 infantry, 60,000 cavalry, 6,000 elephants, and 2,000 chariots.

Decline: In 321 BCE, Chandragupta Maurya defeated Dhanananda, ending Nanda rule.

Mauryan Empire

Foundation: Established by Chandragupta Maurya in 321 BCE after defeating the Nandas.

Chakravarti Concept:

• A Chakravarti was a sovereign ruler whose chariot could roll unobstructed in all directions, ruling ethically over an extended territory.
• Chandragupta Maurya was the first Chakravarti emperor.

Expansion:

• Chandragupta conquered northwest, north, and southern regions, creating a vast empire.
• The war with Seleucus I Nicator (Greek king) extended Mauryan boundaries to the Hindukush.
• The empire stretched from the Hindukush to the Bay of Bengal, Gujarat to the Himalayas, and south to the Krishna River.

Key Rulers:

• Chandragupta Maurya (321-298 BCE):
  • Unified the Indian subcontinent under a centralized administration.
  • Referred to as the “emperor of Jambudvipa” (Bharatvarsh) in Mahavamsa.
• Bindusara (298-273 BCE):
  • Maintained the empire’s integrity.
  • Sent his son Ashoka to subdue a revolt in Taxila.

Sources: Information about the Mauryan Empire comes from religious texts, inscriptions, coins, sculptures, Kautilya’s Arthashastra, and Megasthenes’ Indica.

Significance

• The Mauryan Empire was the first well-organized and strongly controlled empire in India, consolidating political, economic, and administrative systems.

8.3 Emperor Ashoka

Early Reign

• Coronation: Ashoka became emperor in 268 BCE after Bindusara’s death.
• Titles: Called himself Devanampiyo Piyadasi (Beloved of the Gods) in his inscriptions.
• Initial Policy: Followed Digvijaya (military conquest), conquering Kalinga.

Kalinga War and Transformation

Kalinga War (261 BCE):

• Ashoka’s victory caused massive human loss and destruction.
• This event was a turning point, leading Ashoka to embrace Buddhism and adopt Dharmavijaya (spiritual conquest).

Dhamma Policy:

• Based on moral and virtuous conduct, emphasizing non-violence and peace.
• Policies included appointing Dharmamahamatras (officers for moral governance), banning intoxicating drinks, and promoting ethical behavior.
• Ashoka sent monks, including his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra, to spread Buddhism to distant countries like Sri Lanka.

Rock Edicts and Pillar Inscriptions

Locations: Found in Afghanistan, Nepal, and India (e.g., Sopara, Bhuigaon, Meerut, Sarnath).

Significance:

• Written in Prakrit and Brahmi script, deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837.
• Provide insights into Ashoka’s policies, the spread of Buddhism, and the empire’s boundaries.
• Mention contemporary Greek kings (e.g., Antiochus II, Ptolemy II), aiding chronological studies.

Examples:

• Sopara: 8th rock edict.
• Bhuigaon: 9th rock edict.
• Sarnath: Four-lion capital pillar, now India’s national emblem.

Buddhist Councils

• First Council: Held at Rajgriha after Gautama Buddha’s death.
• Second Council: Organized by Kalashoka at Vaishali.
• Third Council: Organized by Ashoka at Pataliputra, editing the Tipitaka texts.

Decline

• Ashoka’s successors were inefficient, leading to the empire’s decline.
• Brihadratha: The last Mauryan king, killed by his general Pushyamitra, who established the Shunga dynasty.

8.4 Administrative System, Trade, Literature, Art and Architecture, Social Life

Administrative System

Sources: Kautilya’s Arthashastra, Megasthenes’ Indica, and Ashoka’s inscriptions.

Features:

• Centralized yet Decentralized: A unified empire with local autonomy in internal matters.
• Mantri Parishad: Council of wise ministers advising the king.
• Mantrana: A committee of ministers for daily affairs.
• Amatyas: Officers heading 18 departments (e.g., Samaharta for revenue, Sannidhata for finance, Senapati for the army).
• Hierarchy: From the Samrat (emperor) to the Gramini (village head).

Innovations:

• Separation of civil and military administration.
• Independent judicial system.
• Specific salary system for officers.
• Focus on material and moral development of people.

Trade

Taxation System:

• Bali: Tax based on land under cultivation.
• Bhag: Share of agricultural production.

Industries:

• Cloth production (cotton, silk), metallurgy, carpentry, and ivory art flourished.

Trade Routes:

• Royal roads connected Pataliputra to Takshashila, Kashi-Ujjaini, and Tamralipti.
• Ports like Bharuch, Sopara, and Tamralipti facilitated foreign trade.

Exports: Cotton, silk, spices, diamonds, ivory, perfumes to Greece, Rome, Egypt, Syria, Bactria, and Sri Lanka.

Imports: Glass articles, dyes.

Government Role:

• Levied taxes like Vartani (transport) and Shulk (octroi).
• Appointed officers like Chorarajjuka and Seemaswami to protect traders.

Literature

Languages: Sanskrit, Prakrit (Pali, Ardhamagadhi, Shaurseni, Maharashtri).

Key Works:

• Sanskrit:
  • Panini’s Ashtadhyayi: A foundational grammar text.
  • Bhasa’s Swapnavasavadatta: One of 13 dramas.
  • Kautilya’s Arthashastra: Covers governance, politics, and war strategies.
• Prakrit:
  • Ashoka’s edicts in Brahmi script.
  • Buddhist Tipitaka, including Abhidhammapitaka (post-third council).
  • Jain texts: Dashavaikalika, Upasakadashanga, Acharanga Sutra, Bhagvati Sutra.

Art and Architecture

Mauryan Polish: A technique of mirror-like stone polishing.

Sculptures:

• Yaksha and Yakshi statues (e.g., Didarganj Chauri bearer, Parkham Yaksha).
• Ashokan pillars with capitals (e.g., Sarnath’s four-lion capital, Rampurva’s lion capital).

Architecture:

• Rock-cut caves at Barabar and Nagarjuni hills (first datable caves in India).
• Chandragupta’s palace at Pataliputra, described by Megasthenes and Fa-hien, with stone and wood buildings.
• Stupas: Ashoka built 84,000 stupas, notably at Nalasopara (Baruda Rajacha kot).

Purpose: Pillars and stupas were erected to spread Buddhism, often at sites linked to Buddha’s life or major trade routes.

Social Life

Social Classes (per Megasthenes):

• Priests, cultivators, shepherds/hunters, traders/laborers, soldiers, spies, government officials.

Lifestyle:

• Prosperous and happy, with entertainers like actors, dancers, and musicians.
• Popular activities: Chariot/horse racing, wrestling, dance, and singing competitions.
• Gambling was regulated by the state.

Education:

• Continued Vedic traditions, with Taxila and Kashi as centers of higher learning.
• Female education declined, but women had rights over Stridhana (personal wealth).

Women’s Roles:

• Government supported orphan and disabled women.
• Women spies were part of the intelligence system.

Decline of the Mauryan Empire

• After Ashoka’s death, weak successors led to the disintegration of the centralized administration.
• The empire fragmented into smaller kingdoms under the Shunga, Kanva, and Satavahana dynasties.
• Vedic religion, varnashrama system, and Vedic lifestyle regained prominence in the post-Mauryan period.

Key Terms

• Chakravarti: A sovereign ruler with unchallenged authority over an extended, ethical empire.
• Dhamma: Ashoka’s policy of virtuous conduct based on Buddhist principles.
• Vishti: A tax paid through physical labor, used for craft production.

Conclusion

The Mauryan period was a golden age in Indian history, marked by political unification, economic prosperity, and cultural advancements. Chandragupta Maurya’s establishment of the empire, Ashoka’s transformation into a Buddhist ruler, and the sophisticated administrative system laid the foundation for future Indian empires. The period’s legacy is preserved in Ashoka’s edicts, Mauryan art, and literary works like Arthashastra.