Maurya Empire - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

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Mauryan Empire

322 BCE185 BCE

Maurya Empire at its maximum extent (Dark Blue),including its vassals (Light Blue).

Capital Pataliputra (Modernday Patna)

Languages Old Indic Languages(e.g. Magadhi Prakrit,Other Prakrits,Sanskrit)

Religion HinduismBuddhismJainismjvika

Government Absolute Monarchy asdescribed in theArthashastra

Samraat (Emperor)

- 320298 BCE Chandragupta Maurya

- 187180 BCE Brhadrata

Historical era Antiquity

- Established 322 BCE

- Disestablished 185 BCE

Area 5,000,000 km

Maurya EmpireFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive IronAge historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryandynasty from 321 to 185 BCE. Originating from thekingdom of Magadha in the Indo-Gangetic plains (modernBihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bengal) in the eastern sideof the Indian subcontinent, the empire had its capital city at

Pataliputra (modern Patna).[1][2] The Empire was founded in322 BCE by Chandragupta Maurya, who had overthrownthe Nanda Dynasty and rapidly expanded his powerwestwards across central and western India taking advantageof the disruptions of local powers in the wake of thewithdrawal westward by Alexander the Great's Greek andPersian armies. By 320 BCE the empire had fully occupied

Northwestern India, defeating and conquering the satraps leftby Alexander.[3]

With an area of 5,000,000 km2, it was one of the world'slargest empires in its time, and the largest ever in the Indiansubcontinent. At its greatest extent, the empire stretched tothe north along the natural boundaries ofthe Himalayas, andto the east stretching into what is now Assam. To the west, itconquered beyond modern Pakistan, annexing Balochistan,south eastern parts of Iran and much of what is now

Afghanistan, including the modern Herat[3] and Kandaharprovinces. The Empire was expanded into India's central andsouthern regions by the emperors Chandragupta andBindusara, but it excluded a small portion of unexploredtribal and forested regions near Kalinga (modern Orissa),until it was conquered by Ashoka. Its decline began 60 yearsafter Ashoka's rule ended, and it dissolved in 185 BCE withthe foundation of the Sunga Dynasty in Magadha.

Under Chandragupta, the Mauryan Empire conquered the

trans-Indus region, which was under Macedonian rule.Chandragupta then defeated the invasion led by Seleucus I, aGreek general from Alexander's army. Under Chandraguptaand his successors, internal and external trade, agricultureand economic activities, all thrived and expanded acrossIndia thanks to the creation of a single and efficient system offinance, administration, and security.

After the Kalinga War, the Empire experienced half a centuryof peace and security under Ashoka. Mauryan India also

enjoyed an era of social harmony, religious transformation,and expansion of the sciences and of knowledge.Chandragupta Maurya's embrace of Jainism increased socialand religious renewal and reform across his society, while
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rg/wiki/Indo-Scythianshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Scythianshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satavahana_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satavahana_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahajanapada#Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahajanapada#Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empire


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(1,930,511 sq mi)

Currency Panas

Today part of India

Afghanistan

BangladeshBhutan

Iran

MaldivesMyanmar

Pakistan

Ashoka's embrace of Buddhism has been said to have beenthe foundation of the reign of social and political peace andnon-violence across all of India. Ashoka sponsored thespreading of Buddhist ideals into Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia,

West Asia and Mediterranean Europe.[3]

The population of the empire has been estimated to be about

50-60 million making the Mauryan Empire one of the mostpopulous empires of the time.[4][5]

Archaeologically, the period of Mauryan rule in South Asiafalls into the era of Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW).TheArthashastra and the Edicts of Ashoka are the primary sources of written records of Mauryan times. TheLion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath has been made the national emblem of India.

Contents

1 Early history1.1 Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya1.2 Conquest of Magadha

2 Chandragupta Maurya3 Bindusara4 Ashoka the Great5 Administration6 Economy

7 Religion7.1 Hinduism7.2 Buddhism7.3 Jainism

8 Architectural remains9 Natural history in the times of the Mauryas10 Contacts with the Hellenistic world

10.1 Foundation of the Empire10.2 Reconquest of the Northwest (c. 310 BCE)

10.3 Conflict and alliance with Seleucus (305 BCE)10.3.1 Marital alliance10.3.2 Exchange of ambassadors10.3.3 Exchange of presents

10.4 Greek population in India10.5 Buddhist missions to the West (c. 250 BCE)10.6 Subhagsena and Antiochos III (206 BCE)

11 Decline11.1 Sunga coup (185 BCE)

11.2 Establishment of the Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BCE)11.3 Reasons12 See also13 Notes14 References
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15 External links

Early history

Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya

Main articles: Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya

See also: List of Mauryan rulers

The Maurya Empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, with help from Chanakya, a Brahmin teacher atTakshashila. According to several legends, Chanakya traveled to Magadha, a kingdom that was large andmilitarily powerful and feared by its neighbors, but was insulted by its king Dhana Nanda, of the Nanda Dynasty.

Chanakya swore revenge and vowed to destroy the Nanda Empire.[6] Meanwhile, the conquering armies ofAlexander the Great refused to cross the Beas River and advance further eastward, deterred by the prospect ofbattling Magadha. Alexander returned to Babylon and re-deployed most of his troops west of the Indus river.Soon after Alexander died in Babylon in 323 BCE, his empire fragmented, and local kings declared theirindependence, leaving several smaller disunited satraps.

The Greek generals Eudemus, and Peithon, ruled until around 316 BCE, when Chandragupta Maurya (with thehelp of Chanakya, who was now his advisor) utterly defeated the Macedonians and consolidated the region

under the control of his new seat of power in Magadha.[3]

Chandragupta Maurya's rise to power is shrouded in mystery and controversy. On the one hand, a number ofancient Indian accounts, such as the dramaMudrarakshasa (Poem of Rakshasa Rakshasa was the primeminister of Magadha) by Visakhadatta, describe his royal ancestry and even link him with the Nanda family. Akshatriya tribe known as the Maurya's are referred to in the earliest Buddhist texts, Mahaparinibbana Sutta.However, any conclusions are hard to make without further historical evidence. Chandragupta first emerges in

Greek accounts as "Sandrokottos". As a young man he is said to have met Alexander.[7] He is also said to have

met the Nanda king, angered him, and made a narrow escape.[8] Chanakya's original intentions were to train aguerilla army under Chandragupta's command. The Mudrarakshasa of Visakhadutta as well as the Jaina workParisishtaparvan talk of Chandragupta's alliance with the Himalayan king Parvatka, sometimes identified with

Porus (Sir John Marshall "Taxila", p18, and al.).[9][10][11]

Conquest of Magadha

Main articles: Chandragupta Maurya, Nanda Dynasty, and Magadha

Chanakya encouraged Chandragupta Maurya and his army to take over the throne of Magadha. Using hisintelligence network, Chandragupta gathered many young men from across Magadha and other provinces, menupset over the corrupt and oppressive rule of king Dhana, plus the resources necessary for his army to fight along series of battles. These men included the former general of Taxila, accomplished students of Chanakya, therepresentative of King Porus of Kakayee, his son Malayketu, and the rulers of small states.

Preparing to invade Pataliputra, Maurya came up with a strategy. A battle was announced and the Magadhan

army was drawn from the city to a distant battlefield to engage Maurya's forces. Maurya's general and spiesmeanwhile bribed the corrupt general of Nanda. He also managed to create an atmosphere of civil war in thekingdom, which culminated in the death of the heir to the throne. Chanakya managed to win over popularsentiment. Ultimately Nanda resigned, handing power to Chandragupta, and went into exile and was neverheard of again. Chanakya contacted the prime minister, Rakshasas, and made him understand that his loyalty
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was to Magadha, not to the Nanda dynasty, insisting that he continue in office. Chanakya also reiterated thatchoosing to resist would start a war that would severely affect Magadha and destroy the city. Rakshasaaccepted Chanakya's reasoning, and Chandragupta Maurya was legitimately installed as the new King ofMagadha. Rakshasa became Chandragupta's chief advisor, and Chanakya assumed the position of an elderstatesman.

The approximate extentof the Magadha state in

the 5th century BCE.

The Nanda Empire at itsgreatest extent under

Dhana Nanda c. 323BCE.

The Maurya Empirewhen it was first

founded byChandragupta Maurya c.320 BCE, afterconquering the NandaEmpire when he wasonly about 20 years old.

Chandragupta extendedthe borders of the

Maurya Empire towardsSeleucid Persia afterdefeating Seleucus c.

305 BCE.[12]

Chandragupta extendedthe borders of theempire southward intothe Deccan Plateau c.

300 BCE.[13]

Ashoka the Greatextended into Kalingaduring the Kalinga Warc. 265 BCE, and

established superiorityover the southernkingdoms.

Chandragupta Maurya

Main article: Chandragupta Maurya

Chandragupta campaigned against the Macedonians when Seleucus I Nicator, in the process of creating the

Seleucid Empire out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great, tried to reconquer the northwestern partsof India in 305 BCE. Seleucus failed (SeleucidMauryan war), but the two rulers finally concluded a peacetreaty: a marital treaty (Epigamia) was concluded, in which the Greeks offered their Princess for alliance andhelp from him. Chandragupta snatched the satrapies of Paropamisade (Kamboja and Gandhara), Arachosia
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(Kandhahar) and Gedrosia (Balochistan), and Seleucus I received 500 war elephants that were to have adecisive role in his victory against western Hellenistic kings at the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BCE. Diplomaticrelations were established and several Greeks, such as the historian Megasthenes, Deimakos and Dionysiusresided at the Mauryan court.

Chandragupta established a strong centralized state with a complex administration at Pataliputra, which,according to Megasthenes, was "surrounded by a wooden wall pierced by 64 gates and 570 towers(and) rivaled the splendors of contemporaneous Persian sites such as Susa and Ecbatana."Chandragupta's son Bindusara extended the rule of the Mauryan empire towards southern India. He also had aGreek ambassador at his court, named Deimachus (Strabo 170).

Megasthenes describes a disciplined multitude under Chandragupta, who live simply, honestly, and do not knowwriting:

"The Indians all live frugally, especially when in camp. They dislike a great undisciplined multitude, andconsequently they observe good order. Theft is of very rare occurrence. Megasthenes says that thosewho were in the camp of Sandrakottos, wherein lay 400,000 men, found that the thefts reported on any

one day did not exceed the value of two hundred drachmae, and this among a people who have nowritten laws, but are ignorant of writing, and must therefore in all the business of life trust to memory.They live, nevertheless, happily enough, being simple in their manners and frugal. They never drink wineexcept at sacrifices. Their beverage is a liquor composed from rice instead of barley, and their food is

principally a rice-pottage." Strabo XV. i. 5356, quoting Megasthenes[14]

Bindusara

Main article: Bindusara

Bindusara was the son of the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya and his queen Durdhara. During hisreign, the empire expanded southwards. According to theRajavalikatha a Jain work, the original name of thisemperor was Simhasena. According to a legend mentioned in the Jain texts, Chandragupta's Guru and advisorChanakya used to feed the emperor with small doses of poison to build his immunity against possible poisoning

attempts by the enemies.[15] One day, Chandragupta not knowing about poison, shared his food with hispregnant wife queen Durdhara who was 7 days away from delivery. The queen not immune to the poisoncollapsed and died within few minutes. Chanakya entered the room the very time she collapsed, and in order tosave the child in the womb, he immediately cut open the dead queen's belly and took the baby out, by that timea drop of poison had already reached the baby and touched its head due to which child got a permanent blueish

spot (a "bindu") on his forehead. Thus, the newborn was named "Bindusara".[16]

Bindusara, just 22 year-old, inherited a large empire that consisted of what is now, Northern, Central andEastern parts of India along with parts of Afghanistan and Baluchistan. Bindusara extended this empire to thesouthern part of India, as far as what is now known as Karnataka. He brought sixteen states under the MauryanEmpire and thus conquered almost all of the Indian peninsula (he is said to have conquered the 'land betweenthe two seas' - the peninsular region between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea). Bindusara didn't conquerthe friendly Dravidian kingdoms of the Cholas, ruled by King Ilamcetcenni, the Pandyas, and Cheras. Apartfrom these southern states, Kalinga (modern Orissa) was the only kingdom in India that didn't form the part ofBindusara's empire. It was later conquered by his son Ashoka, who served as the viceroy of Ujjaini during his

father's reign.

Bindusara's life has not been documented as well as that of his father Chandragupta or of his son Ashoka.Chanakya continued to serve as prime minister during his reign. According to the mediaeval Tibetan scholarTaranatha who visited India, Chanakya helped Bindusara "to destroy the nobles and kings of the sixteen
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kingdoms and thus to become absolute master of the territory between the eastern and western oceans."[17]

During his rule, the citizens of Taxila revolted twice. The reason for the first revolt was the maladministration ofSuseema, his eldest son. The reason for the second revolt is unknown, but Bindusara could not suppress it in hislifetime. It was crushed by Ashoka after Bindusara's death.

Ambassadors from the Seleucid Empire (such as Deimachus) and Egypt visited his courts. He maintained goodrelations with the Hellenic World.

Unlike his father Chandragupta (who was a follower of Jainism), Bindusara believed in the Ajivika sect.

Bindusara's guru Pingalavatsa (alias Janasana) was a Brahmin[18] of the Ajivika sect. Bindusara's wife, Queen

Subhadrangi (alias Queen Aggamahesi) was a Brahmin[19] also of the Ajivika sect from Champa (presentBhagalpur district). Bindusara is accredited with giving several grants to Brahmin monasteries (Brahmana-

bhatto).[20]

Bindusara died in 272 BCE (some records say 268 BCE) and was succeeded by his son Ashoka the Great.

Ashoka the Great

Main article: Ashoka the Great

Chandragupta's grandson i.e., Bindusara's son was Ashokavardhan Maurya who was also known as Ashoka orAshoka The Great (ruled 273- 232 BCE).

As a young prince, Ashoka was a brilliant commander who crushed revolts in Ujjain and Taxila. As monarch hewas ambitious and aggressive, re-asserting the Empire's superiority in southern and western India. In 286 BCE,he fell in love with a Buddhist maiden named Devi and married her against his father's wishes. She later gavebirth to their celebrated twin offsprings Mahendra and Sanghamitra. But it was his conquest of Kalinga (1842CE) which proved to be the pivotal event of his life. Although Ashoka's army succeeded in overwhelmingKalinga forces of royal soldiers and civilian units, an estimated 100,000 soldiers and civilians were killed in thefurious warfare, including over 10,000 of Ashoka's own men. Hundreds of thousands of people were adverselyaffected by the destruction and fallout of war. Even Devi and their children left him. When he personallywitnessed 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 totravel around Asia and spread Buddhism to other countries.

Ashoka implemented principles ofahimsa by banning hunting and violent sports activity and ending indenturedand forced labor (many thousands of people in war-ravaged Kalinga had been forced into hard labor andservitude). While he maintained a large and powerful army, to keep the peace and maintain authority, Ashokaexpanded friendly relations with states across Asia and Europe, and he sponsored Buddhist missions. Heundertook a massive public works building campaign across the country. Over 40 years of peace, harmony andprosperity made Ashoka one of the most successful and famous monarchs in Indian history. He remains anidealized figure of inspiration in modern India.

The Edicts of Ashoka, set in stone, are found throughout the Subcontinent. Ranging from as far west asAfghanistan and as far south as Andhra (Nellore District), Ashoka's edicts state his policies andaccomplishments. Although predominantly written in Prakrit, two of them were written in Greek, and one in bothGreek and Aramaic. Ashoka's edicts refer to the Greeks, Kambojas, and Gandharas as peoples forming afrontier region of his empire. They also attest to Ashoka's having sent envoys to the Greek rulers in the West asfar as the Mediterranean. The edicts precisely name each of the rulers of the Hellenic world at the time such as

mtiyoko (Antiochus), Tulamaya (Ptolemy),Amtikini (Antigonos),Maka (Magas) andAlikasudaro(Alexander) as recipients of Ashoka's proselytism. The Edicts also accurately locate their territory "600 yojanas
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Mauryan ringstone, with standing goddess.

Northwest Pakistan. 3rd century BCE.

British Museum.

away" (a yojanas being about 7 miles), corresponding to the distance between the center of India and Greece

(roughly 4,000 miles).[21]

A representation of the LionCapital of Ashoka, which waserected around 250 BCE. It is theemblem of India.

Statuettes of the Maurya period,4th3rd century BCE. MuseGuimet.

The distribution of the Edicts of

Ashoka.[22] is a concrete indicationof the extent of Ashoka's rule. Tothe West, it went as far asKandahar (where the Edicts were

written in Greek and Aramaic),and bordered the contemporaryHellenistic metropolis of AiKhanoum.

Administration

The Empire was divided into four provinces, which one of thefour, look like a giant crescents. with the imperial capital atPataliputra. From Ashokan edicts, the names of the fourprovincial capitals are Tosali (in the east), Ujjain (in the west),Suvarnagiri (in the south), and Taxila (in the north). The head ofthe provincial administration was theKumara (royal prince),who governed the provinces as king's representative. Thekumara was assisted by Mahamatyas and council of ministers.This organizational structure was reflected at the imperial levelwith the Emperor and hisMantriparishad(Council ofMinisters).

Historians theorize that the organization of the Empire was in linewith the extensive bureaucracy described by Kautilya in the Arthashastra: a sophisticated civil service governedeverything from municipal hygiene to international trade. The expansion and defense of the empire was made

possible by what appears to have been the largest standing army of its time[citation needed]. According toMegasthenes, the empire wielded a military of 600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and 9,000 war elephants. Avast espionage system collected intelligence for both internal and external security purposes. Having renouncedoffensive warfare and expansionism, Ashoka nevertheless continued to maintain this large army, to protect theEmpire and instill stability and peace across West and South Asia.

Economy

For the first time in South Asia, political unity and military security allowed for a common economic system andenhanced trade and commerce, with increased agricultural productivity. The previous situation involving
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Silver punch mark coin of the

Mauryan empire, with symbols of

wheel and elephant. 3rd century BCE.

Mauryan cast copper coin. Late 3rdcentury BCE. British Museum.

hundreds of kingdoms, many small armies, powerful regional chieftains, and internecine warfare, gave way to adisciplined central authority. Farmers were freed of tax and crop collection burdens from regional kings, paying

instead to a nationally administered and strict-but-fair system oftaxation as advised by the principles in theArthashastra.Chandragupta Maurya established a single currency across India, anda network of regional governors and administrators and a civil serviceprovided justice and security for merchants, farmers and traders. The

Mauryan army wiped out many gangs of bandits, regional privatearmies, and powerful chieftains who sought to impose their ownsupremacy in small areas. Although regimental in revenue collection,Maurya also sponsored many public works and waterways toenhance productivity, while internal trade in India expanded greatlydue to newfound political unity and internal peace.

Under the Indo-Greek friendship treaty, and during Ashoka's reign,an international network of trade expanded. The Khyber Pass, on themodern boundary of Pakistan and Afghanistan, became a strategically

important port of trade and intercourse with the outside world. Greekstates and Hellenic kingdoms in West Asia became important tradepartners of India. Trade also extended through the Malay peninsulainto Southeast Asia. India's exports included silk goods and textiles,spices and exotic foods. The Empire was enriched further with anexchange of scientific knowledge and technology with Europe andWest Asia. Ashoka also sponsored the construction of thousands ofroads, waterways, canals, hospitals, rest-houses and other publicworks. The easing of many over-rigorous administrative practices,including those regarding taxation and crop collection, helped increase

productivity and economic activity across the Empire.

In many ways, the economic situation in the Mauryan Empire isanalogous to the Roman Empire of several centuries later. Both had

extensive trade connections and both had organizations similar to corporations. While Rome had organizationalentities which were largely used for public state-driven projects, Mauryan India had numerous privatecommercial entities. These existed purely for private commerce and developed before the Mauryan Empire

itself.[23] (See also Economic history of India.)

ReligionHinduism

Hinduism was the major religion at the time of inception of the empire[citation needed], Hindu priests andministers used to be an important part of the emperor's court, e.g. Chanakya. James Hastings writes that theyare devotees of Narayana (Vishnu), although Shilanka speaking of the Ekandandins in another connection

identifies them as Shaivas (devotees of Shiva).[25] Scholar James Hastings identifies the name "Mankhaliputta"

or "Mankhali" with the bamboo staff.[25] Scholar Jitendra N. Banerjea compares them to the Pasupatas

Shaivas.[26] Another scholar, Charpentier, believes that the Ajivikas worshiped Shiva before Makkhali

Goshala.[27] As Chanakya wrote in his text Chanakya Niti, "Humbly bowing down before the almighty LordSri Vishnu, the Lord of the three worlds, I recite maxims of the science of political ethics (niti) selected from the

various satras (scriptures)"[28]
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Balarama, holding mace and conch(lower right) on a Maurya coin.

Balarama was originally a powerful

independent deity of Hinduism, and

was considered an avatar of Vishnu.

3rd2nd century BCE. British

Museum.

Buddhist stupas during the Mauryan

period were simple mounds without

decorations. Butkara stupa, 3rd

century BCE.[24]

Even after embracing Buddhism, Ashoka retained the membership of Hindu Brahmana priests and ministers inhis court. Mauryan society began embracing the philosophy ofahimsa, and given the increased prosperity andimproved law enforcement, crime and internal conflicts reduced dramatically. Also greatly discouraged was thecaste system and orthodox discrimination, as Mauryans began to absorb the ideals and values of Jain andBuddhist teachings along with traditional Vedic Hindu teachings.

Buddhism

Ashoka initially practiced Hinduism but later embraced Buddhism; following the Kalinga War, he renouncedexpansionism and aggression, and the harsher injunctions of theArthashastra on the use of force, intensivepolicing, and ruthless measures for tax collection and against rebels. Ashoka sent a mission led by his sonMahinda and daughter Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka, whose king Tissa was so charmed with Buddhist ideals that headopted them himself and made Buddhism the state religion. Ashokasent many Buddhist missions to West Asia, Greece and South EastAsia, and commissioned the construction of monasteries, schools andpublication of Buddhist literature across the empire. He is believed tohave built as many as 84,000 stupas across India i.e. Sanchi and

Mahabodhi Temple, and he increased the popularity of Buddhism inAfghanistan, Thailand and North Asia including Siberia. Ashokahelped convene the Third Buddhist Council of India and South Asia'sBuddhist orders, near his capital, a council that undertook much workof reform and expansion of the Buddhist religion. Indian merchantsembraced Buddhism and played a large role in spreading the religion

across the Mauryan empire [29]

Jainism

Emperor Chandragupta Maurya embraced Jainism after retiring. Atan older age, Chandragupta renounced his throne and materialpossessions to join a wandering group of Jain monks. Chandraguptawas a disciple of Acharya Bhadrabahu. It is said that in his last days,he observed the rigorous but self-purifying Jain ritual of santhara i.e.fast unto death, at Shravana Belgola in Karnataka. However, hissuccessor, Emperor Bindusara, was a follower of a Hindu asceticmovement, jvika and distanced himself from Jain and Buddhistmovements. Samprati, the grandson of Ashoka also embraced

Jainism. Samrat Samprati was influenced by the teachings of Jainmonk Arya Suhasti Suri and he is known to have built 125,000derasars across India. Some of them are still found in towns ofAhmedabad, Viramgam, Ujjain & Palitana. It is also said that just likeAshoka, Samprati sent messengers & preachers to Greece, Persia &middle-east for the spread of Jainism. But to date no research hasbeen done in this area. Thus, Jainism became a vital force under theMauryan Rule. Chandragupta and Samprati are credited for thespread of Jainism in South India. Lakhs of temples & stupas wereerected during their reign. But due to lack of royal patronage & its

strict principles, along with the rise of Shankaracharya and Ramanuja,Jainism, once the major religion of southern India, began to decline.

Architectural remains
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Buddhist proselytism at the time of

king Ashoka (260218 BCE).

Mauryan architecture in the

Barabar Mounts. Grottoe of

Lomas Richi. 3rd century BCE.

Main article: Edicts of Ashoka

Architectural remains of the Maurya period are rather few. Remains of a hypostyle building with about 80columns of a height of about 10 meters have been found in Kumhrar, 5 km from Patna Railway station, and isone of the very few sites that has been connected to the rule of theMauryas. The style is rather reminiscent of Persian Achaemenid

architecture.[30]

The grottoes of Barabar Caves, are another example of Mauryanarchitecture, especially the decorated front of the Lomas Rishi grotto.These were offered by the Mauryas to the Buddhist sect of the

jvikas.[31]

The most widespread example of Maurya architecture are the Pillarsof Ashoka, often exquisitely decorated, with more than 40 spreadthroughout the Indian subcontinent.

Natural history in the times of theMauryas

The protection of animals in India became serious business by the time ofthe Maurya dynasty; being the first empire to provide a unified politicalentity in India, the attitude of the Mauryas towards forests, its denizensand fauna in general is of interest.

The Mauryas firstly looked at forests as a resource. For them, the most

important forest product was the elephant. Military might in those timesdepended not only upon horses and men but also battle-elephants; theseplayed a role in the defeat of Seleucus, one of Alexander's formergenerals. The Mauryas sought to preserve supplies of elephants since itwas cheaper and took less time to catch, tame and train wild elephantsthan to raise them. Kautilya'sArthashastra contains not only maxims on ancient statecraft, but also

unambiguously specifies the responsibilities of officials such as theProtector of the Elephant Forests.[32]

On the border of the forest, he should establish a forest for elephants guarded by foresters. TheOffice of the Chief Elephant Forrester should with the help of guards protect the elephants in any

terrain. The slaying of an elephant is punishable by death..Arthashastra

The Mauryas also designated separate forests to protect supplies of timber, as well as lions and tigers, for skins.Elsewhere theProtector of Animals also worked to eliminate thieves, tigers and other predators to render thewoods safe for grazing cattle.

The Mauryas valued certain forest tracts in strategic or economic terms and instituted curbs and controlmeasures over them. They regarded all forest tribes with distrust and controlled them with bribery and politicalsubjugation. They employed some of them, the food-gatherers oraranyaca to guard borders and trap animals.

The sometimes tense and conflict-ridden relationship nevertheless enabled the Mauryas to guard their vastempire.[33]

When Ashoka embraced Buddhism in the latter part of his reign, he brought about significant changes in his styleof governance, which included providing protection to fauna, and even relinquished the royal hunt. He was the
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Yakshini, 3rd century

BCE

first ruler in history to advocate conservation measures for wildlife and even had rules inscribed in stone edicts.The edicts proclaim that many followed the king's example in giving up the slaughter of animals; one of them

proudly states:[33]

Our king killed very few animals.Edict on Fifth Pillar

However, the edicts of Ashoka reflect more the desire of rulers than actual events; the mention of a 100 'panas'

(coins) fine for poaching deer in royal hunting preserves shows that rule-breakers did exist. The legal restrictionsconflicted with the practices freely exercised by the common people in hunting, felling, fishing and setting fires in

forests.[33]

Contacts with the Hellenistic world

Foundation of the Empire

Relations with the Hellenistic world may have started from the very beginning of the Maurya Empire. Plutarchreports that Chandragupta Maurya met with Alexander the Great, probably around Taxila in the northwest:

"Sandrocottus, when he was a stripling, saw Alexander himself, and we are told that he often said in latertimes that Alexander narrowly missed making himself master of thecountry, since its king was hated and despised on account of his baseness

and low birth". Plutarch 62-3[34]

Reconquest of the Northwest (c. 310 BCE)

Chandragupta ultimately occupied Northwestern India, in the territories formerlyruled by the Greeks, where he fought the satraps (described as "Prefects" inWestern sources) left in place after Alexander (Justin), among whom may havebeen Eudemus, ruler in the western Punjab until his departure in 317 BCE orPeithon, son of Agenor, ruler of the Greek colonies along the Indus until hisdeparture for Babylon in 316 BCE.

"India, after the death of Alexander, had assassinated his prefects, as ifshaking the burden of servitude. The author of this liberation wasSandracottos, but he had transformed liberation in servitude after victory,

since, after taking the throne, he himself oppressed the very people he hasliberated from foreign domination" Justin XV.4.1213[35]

"Later, as he was preparing war against the prefects of Alexander, a hugewild elephant went to him and took him on his back as if tame, and hebecame a remarkable fighter and war leader. Having thus acquired royalpower, Sandracottos possessed India at the time Seleucos was preparing

future glory." Justin XV.4.19[36]

Conflict and alliance with Seleucus (305 BCE)

Seleucus I Nicator, the Macedonian satrap of the Asian portion of Alexander's former empire, conquered andput under his own authority eastern territories as far as Bactria and the Indus (Appian, History of Rome, TheSyrian Wars 55), until in 305 BCE he entered in a confrontation with Chandragupta:
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Mauryan Statuette, 2nd Century BCE.

Silver coin of

Seleucus I Nicator,

who fought

Chandragupta

Maurya, and later

made an alliance

with him.

"Always lying in wait for the neighboring nations, strong in arms and persuasive in council, he [Seleucus]acquired Mesopotamia, Armenia, 'Seleucid' Cappadocia, Persis, Parthia, Bactria, Arabia, Tapouria,Sogdia, Arachosia, Hyrcania, and other adjacent peoples that had been subdued by Alexander, as far asthe river Indus, so that the boundaries of his empire were the most extensive in Asia after that ofAlexander. The whole region from Phrygia to the Indus was subject to Seleucus". Appian, History of

Rome, The Syrian Wars 55[37]

Though no accounts of the conflict remain, it is clear that Seleucus fared poorly against the Indian Emperor as hefailed in conquering any territory, and in fact, was forced to surrendermuch that was already his. Regardless, Seleucus and Chandraguptaultimately reached a settlement and through a treaty sealed in 305BCE, Seleucus, according to Strabo, ceded a number of territories toChandragupta, including southern Afghanistan and parts of Persia.

Accordingly, Seleucus obtained five hundred war elephants, a militaryasset which would play a decisive role at the Battle of Ipsus in 301BCE.

Marital alliance

It is generally thought that Chandragupta married Seleucus's daughter,or a Greek Macedonian princess, a gift from Seleucus to formalize analliance. In a return gesture, Chandragupta sent 500 war

elephants,[12][38][39][40][41][42] a military asset which would play adecisive role at the Battle of Ipsus in 302 BCE. In addition to thistreaty, Seleucus dispatched an ambassador, Megasthenes, to

Chandragupta, and later Deimakos to his son Bindusara, at theMauryan court at Pataliputra (modern Patna in Bihar state). LaterPtolemy II Philadelphus, the ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt andcontemporary of Ashoka the Great, is also recorded by Pliny the

Elder as having sent an ambassador named Dionysius to the Mauryan court.[43]

Mainstream scholarship asserts that Chandragupta received vast territory west of theIndus, including the Hindu Kush, modern day Afghanistan, and the Balochistan

province of Pakistan.[44][45] Archaeologically, concrete indications of Mauryan rule,such as the inscriptions of the Edicts of Ashoka, are known as far as Kandahar in

southern Afghanistan.

"He (Seleucus) crossed the Indus and waged war with Sandrocottus[Maurya], king of the Indians, who dwelt on the banks of that stream,until they came to an understanding with each other and contracted amarriage relationship."

"After having made a treaty with him (Sandrakotos) and put in orderthe Orient situation, Seleucos went to war against Antigonus."

Junianus Jus tinus ,Historiarum Philippicarum libri XLIV, XV.4.15

The treaty on "Epigamia" implies lawful marriage between Greeks and Indians was recognized at the State level,

although it is unclear whether it occurred among dynastic rulers or common people, or both[citation needed]. .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigamiahttp://www.forumromanum.org/literature/justin/trad15.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junianus_Justinushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigonus_I_Monophthalmushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandaharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-45http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-44http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balochistan_(region)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_Kushhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-perseus.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de-43http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysius_(ambassador)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliny_the_Elderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka_the_Greathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_II_Philadelphushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar_statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patnahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bindusarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deimakoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megastheneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ipsushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-42http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-41http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-40http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-39http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-38http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-Majumdar-12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_elephanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucid_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucus_I_Nicatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ipsushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-livius.org-37http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucus_I_Nicatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SeleucosCoin.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MauryanStatuette2ndCenturyBCE.jpg


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Exchange of ambassadors

Seleucus dispatched an ambassador, Megasthenes, to Chandragupta, and later Deimakos to his son Bindusara,at the Mauryan court at Pataliputra (Modern Patna in Bihar state). Later Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the ruler ofPtolemaic Egypt and contemporary of Ashoka, is also recorded by Pliny the Elder as having sent an

ambassador named Dionysius to the Mauryan court.[43]

Exchange of presents

Classical sources have also recorded that following their treaty, Chandragupta and Seleucus exchangedpresents, such as when Chandragupta sent various aphrodisiacs to Seleucus:

"And Theophrastus says that some contrivances are of wondrous efficacy in such matters [as to makepeople more amorous]. And Phylarchus confirms him, by reference to some of the presents whichSandrakottus, the king of the Indians, sent to Seleucus; which were to act like charms in producing awonderful degree of affection, while some, on the contrary, were to banish love" Athenaeus of Naucratis,

"The deipnosophists" Book I, chapter 32

[46]

His son Bindusara 'Amitraghata' (Slayer of Enemies) also is recorded in Classical sources as having exchangedpresent with Antiochus I:

"But dried figs were so very much sought after by all men (for really, as Aristophanes says, "There's reallynothing nicer than dried figs"), that even Amitrochates, the king of the Indians, wrote to Antiochus,entreating him (it is Hegesander who tells this story) to buy and send him some sweet wine, and somedried figs, and a sophist; and that Antiochus wrote to him in answer, "The dry figs and the sweet wine wewill send you; but it is not lawful for a sophist to be sold in Greece" Athenaeus, "Deipnosophistae"

XIV.67[47]

Greek population in India

Greek population apparently remained in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent under Ashoka's rule. In hisEdicts of Ashoka, set in stone, some of them written in Greek, Ashoka describes that Greek population withinhis realm converted to Buddhism:

"Here in the king's domain among the Greeks, the Kambojas, the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, theBhojas, the Pitinikas, the Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-

Gods' instructions in Dharma". Rock Edict Nb13 (S. Dhammika).

Fragments of Edict 13 have been found in Greek, and a full Edict, written in both Greek and Aramaic has beendiscovered in Kandahar. It is said to be written in excellent Classical Greek, using sophisticated philosophicalterms. In this Edict, Ashoka uses the word Eusebeia ("Piety") as the Greek translation for the ubiquitous"Dharma" of his other Edicts written in Prakrit:

"Ten years (of reign) having been completed, King Piodasses (Ashoka) made known (the doctrine of)Piety (, Eusebeia) to men; and from this moment he has made men more pious, and everythingthrives throughout the whole world. And the king abstains from (killing) living beings, and other men andthose who (are) huntsmen and fishermen of the king have desisted from hunting. And if some (were)intemperate, they have ceased from their intemperance as was in their power; and obedient to their fatherand mother and to the elders, in opposition to the past also in the future, by so acting on every occasion,they will live better and more happily". (Trans. by G.P. Carratelli [1]
http://www.afghanan.net/afghanistan/mauryans.htmhttp://www.afghanan.net/afghanistan/mauryans.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebeiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prakrithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebeiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandaharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andhrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kambojashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-47http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deipnosophistaehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athenaeushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegesander_(historian)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_I_Soterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristophaneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bindusarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-46http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_deipnosophistshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athenaeus_of_Naucratishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodisiachttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-perseus.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de-43http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysius_(ambassador)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pliny_the_Elderhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemaic_Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_II_Philadelphushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar_statehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patnahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bindusarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deimakoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megasthenes


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Bilingual edict (Greek and Aramaic)

by king Ashoka, from Kandahar.

Kabul Museum. (Click image for

translation).

Front view of the single lion

capital in Vaishali.

(http://www.afghanan.net/afghanistan/mauryans.htm) )

Buddhist missions to the West (c. 250 BCE)

Also, in the Edicts of Ashoka, Ashoka mentions the Hellenistic kingsof the period as a recipient of his Buddhist proselytism, although noWestern historical record of this event remain:

"The conquest by Dharma has been won here, on the borders,and even six hundred yojanas (5,4009,600 km) away, wherethe Greek king Antiochos rules, beyond there where the fourkings named Ptolemy, Antigonos, Magas and Alexander rule,likewise in the south among the Cholas, the Pandyas, and as faras Tamraparni (Sri Lanka)." (Edicts of Ashoka, 13th RockEdict, S. Dhammika).

Ashoka also claims that he encouraged the development of herbal

medicine, for men and animals, in their territories:

"Everywhere within Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi's[Ashoka's] domain, and among the people beyond the borders,the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Satiyaputras, the Keralaputras, as faras Tamraparni and where the Greek king Antiochos rules, andamong the kings who are neighbors of Antiochos, everywhere hasBeloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, made provision for twotypes of medical treatment: medical treatment for humans and

medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical herbs suitable forhumans or animals are not available, I have had them imported andgrown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I havehad them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dugand trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals". 2ndRock Edict

The Greeks in India even seem to have played an active role in thepropagation of Buddhism, as some of the emissaries of Ashoka, such asDharmaraksita, are described in Pali sources as leading Greek ("Yona") Buddhist monks, active in Buddhist

proselytism (the Mahavamsa, XII[48]).

Subhagsena and Antiochos III (206 BCE)

Sophagasenus was an Indian Mauryan ruler of the 3rd century BCE, described in ancient Greek sources, andnamed Subhagsena or Subhashsena in Prakrit. His name is mentioned in the list of Mauryan

princes[citation needed], and also in the list of the Yadava dynasty, as a descendant of Pradyumna. He may havebeen a grandson of Ashoka, or Kunala, the son of Ashoka. He ruled an area south of the Hindu Kush, possiblyin Gandhara. Antiochos III, the Seleucid king, after having made peace with Euthydemus in Bactria, went to

India in 206 BCE and is said to have renewed his friendship with the Indian king there:"He (Antiochus) crossed the Caucasus and descended into India; renewed his friendship withSophagasenus the king of the Indians; received more elephants, until he had a hundred and fiftyaltogether; and having once more provisioned his troops, set out again personally with his army: leaving
http://www.afghanan.net/afghanistan/mauryans.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bactriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthydemus_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochos_IIIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandharahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_Kushhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prakrithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauryanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophagasenushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-48http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavamsahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yonahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C4%81lihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmaraksitahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_II_Theoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamraparnihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbal_medicinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamraparnihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_II_of_Epirushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magas_of_Cyrenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigonus_Gonatashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_II_Philadelphushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_II_Theoshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yojanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashokahttp://www.afghanan.net/afghanistan/mauryans.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishali_(ancient_city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Asokanpillar.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabulhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandaharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aramaichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AsokaKandahar.jpg


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Androsthenes of Cyzicus the duty of taking home the treasure which this king had agreed to hand over tohim". Polybius 11.39 (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+11.39)

Decline

Ashoka was followed for 50 years by a succession of weaker kings. Brihadrata, the last ruler of the Mauryandynasty, held territories that had shrunk considerably from the time of emperor Ashoka, although he still upheld

the Buddhist faith.

Sunga coup (185 BCE)

Brihadrata was assassinated in 185 BCE during a military parade, by the commander-in-chief of his guard, theBrahmin general Pusyamitra Sunga, who then took over the throne and established the Sunga dynasty. Buddhistrecords such as the Asokavadana write that the assassination of Brhadrata and the rise of the Sunga empire led

to a wave of persecution for Buddhists,[49] and a resurgence of Hinduism. According to Sir John Marshall,[50]

Pusyamitra may have been the main author of the persecutions, although later Sunga kings seem to have been

more supportive of Buddhism. Other historians, such as Etienne Lamotte[51]

and Romila Thapar,[52]

amongothers, have argued that archaeological evidence in favor of the allegations of persecution of Buddhists arelacking, and that the extent and magnitude of the atrocities have been exaggerated.

Establishment of the Indo-Greek Kingdom (180 BCE)

Main article: Indo-Greek kingdom

The fall of the Mauryas left the Khyber Pass unguarded, and a wave of foreign invasion followed. The Greco-Bactrian king, Demetrius, capitalized on the break-up, and he conquered southern Afghanistan and Pakistan

around 180 BCE, forming the Indo-Greek Kingdom. The Indo-Greeks would maintain holdings on the trans-Indus region, and make forays into central India, for about a century. Under them, Buddhism flourished, and oneof their kings Menander became a famous figure of Buddhism, he was to establish a new capital of Sagala, themodern city of Sialkot. However, the extent of their domains and the lengths of their rule are subject to muchdebate. Numismatic evidence indicates that they retained holdings in the subcontinent right up to the birth ofChrist. Although the extent of their successes against indigenous powers such as the Sungas, Satavahanas, andKalingas are unclear, what is clear is that Scythian tribes, renamed Indo-Scythians, brought about the demise ofthe Indo-Greeks from around 70 BCE and retained lands in the trans-Indus, the region of Mathura, andGujarat.

Reasons

The decline of the Maurya Dynasty was rather rapid after the death of Ashoka/Asoka. One obvious reason forit was the succession of weak kings. Another immediate cause was the partition of the Empire into two. Had notthe partition taken place, the Greek invasions could have been held back giving a chance to the Mauryas to re-establish some degree of their previous power. Regarding the decline much has been written. Haraprasad Sastricontends that the revolt by Pushyamitra was the result of brahminical reaction against the pro-Buddhist policiesof Ashoka and pro-Jaina policies of his successors. Basing themselves on this thesis, some maintain the viewthat brahminical reaction was responsible for the decline because of the following reasons.

1. Prohibition of the slaughter of animals displeased the Brahmins as animal sacrifices were esteemed bythem.

2. The book Divyavadana refers to the persecution of Buddhists by Pushyamitra Sunga.3. Asoka's claim that he exposed the Budheveas (Brahmins) as false gods shows that Ashoka was not well
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathura,_Uttar_Pradeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Scythianshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalinga_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satavahanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sungahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sialkothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menander_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Greek_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demetrius_I_of_Bactriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greco-Bactrianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khyber_Passhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Greek_kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-52http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romila_Thaparhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-51http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etienne_Lamottehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-50http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_John_Marshallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empire#cite_note-49http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhistshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asokavadanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusyamitra_Sungahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahminhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadratahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauryan_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadratahttp://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+11.39


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disposed towards Brahmins.4. The capture of power by Pushyamitra Sunga shows the triumph of Brahmins.

All of these four points can be easily refuted.

1. Asoka's compassion towards animals was not an overnight decision. Repulsion of animal sacrifices grewover a long period of time. Even Brahmins gave it up.

2. The book Divyavadana cannot be relied upon since it was during the time of Pushyamitra Sunga that theSanchi and Barhut stupas were completed. The impression of the persecution of Buddhism was probablycreated by Menander's invasion, since he was a Buddhist.

3. The word 'budheva' is misinterpreted because this word is to be taken in the context of some otherphrase. Viewed like this, the word has nothing to do with brahminism.

4. The victory of Pushyamitra Sunga clearly shows that the last of the Mauryas was an incompetent rulersince he was overthrown in the very presence of his army, and this had nothing to do with brahminicalreaction against Asoka's patronage of Buddhism. Moreover, the very fact that a Brahmin was thecommander in chief of the Mauryan ruler proves that the Mauryas and the Brahmins were on good terms.

After all, the distinction between Hinduism and Buddhism in India was purely sectarian and never more than thedifference between saivism and vaishnavism. The exclusiveness of religious doctrines is a Semitic conception,which was unknown to India for a long time. Buddha himself was looked upon in his lifetime and afterwards as aHindu saint and avatar and his followers were but another sect in the great Aryan tradition. Ashoka was aBuddhist in the same way as Harsha was a Budhist, or Kumarapala was a Jain. But in the view of the people ofthe day he was a Hindu monarch following one of the recognized sects. His own inscriptions bear amplewithness to the fact. While his doctrines follow the middle path, his gifts are to the brahmibns, sramansa(Buddhist priests) and others equally. His own name of adoption is Devanam Priya, the beloved of the gods.Which gods? Surely the gods of the Aryan religion. Buddhism had no gods of its own. The idea that Ashokawas a kind of Buddhist Constantine declearing himself against paganism is a complete misreading of India

conditions. Asoka was essentially a Hindu, as indeed was the founder of the sect to which he belonged.

Raychaudhury too rebuts the arguments of Sastri. The empire had shrunk considerably and there was norevolution. Killing the Mauryan King while he was reviewing the army points to a palace coup d'tat not arevolution. The organization were ready to accept any one who could promise a more efficient organisation.Also if Pushyamitra was really a representative of brahminical reaction he neighbouting kings would havedefinitely given him assistance.

The argument that the empire became effete because of Asokan policies is also very thin. All the evidencesuggests that Asoka was a stern monarch although his reign witnessed only a single campaign. He was shrewd

enough in retaining Kalinga although he expressed his remorse. Well he was wordly-wise to enslave and-and-half lakh sudras of Kalinga and bring them to the Magadha region to cut forests and cultivate land. More thanthis his tours of the empire were not only meant for the sake of piety but also for keeping an eye on thecentrifugal tendencies of the empire. Which addressing the tribal people Asoka expressed his willingness to forgiven. More draconian was Ashoka's message to the forest tribes who were warned of the power which hepossessed. This view of Raychoudhury on the pacifism of the State cannot be substantiated.

Apart from these two major writers there is a third view as expressed by kosambi. He based his arguments thatunnccessary measures were taken up to increase tax and the punch-marked coins of the period show evidenceof debasement. This contention too cannot be up held. It is quite possible that debased coins began to circulate

during the period of the later Mauryas. On the other hand the debasement may also indicate that there was anincreased demand for silver in relation to goods leading to the silver content of the coins being reduced. Moreimportant point is the fact that the material remains of the post-Asokan era do not suggest any pressure on theeconomy. Instead the economy prospered as shown by archaeological evidence at Hastinapura and


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Sisupalqarh. The reign of Asoka was an asset to the economy. The unification of the country under singleefficient administration the organization and increase in communications meant the development of trade as wellas an opening of many new commercial interest. In the post - Asokan period surplus wealth was used by therising commercial classes to decorate religious buildings. The sculpture at Barhut and Sanchi and the Deccancaves was the contribution of this new bourgeoisie.

Still another view regarding of the decline of Mauryas was that the coup of Pushyamitra was a peoples' revoltagainst Mauryans oppression and a rejection of the Maurya adoption of foreign ideas, as far interest in MauryanArt.

This argument is based on the view that Sunga art (Sculpture at Barhut and Sanchi) is more earthy and in thefolk tradition that Maruyan art. This is more stretching the argument too far. The character of Sunga art changedbecause it served a different purpose and its donors belonged to different social classes. Also, Sunga artconformed more to the folk traditions because Buddhism itself had incorporated large elements of popular cultsand because the donors of this art, many of whom may have been artisans, were culturally more in themainstream of folk tradition.

One more reasoning to support the popular revolt theory is based on Asoka's ban on the samajas. Asoka didban festive meetings and discouraged eating of meat. These too might have entagonised the population but it isdoubtful whether these prohibitions were strictly enforced. The above argument (people's revolt) also means thatAsoka's policy was continued by his successors also, an assumption not confirmed by historical data. Furthermore, it is unlikely that there was sufficient national consciousness among the varied people of the Mauryanempire. It is also argued by these theorists that Asokan policy in all its details was continued by the laterMauryas, which is not a historical fact.

Still another argument that is advanced in favour of the idea of revolt against the Mauryas is that the land taxunder the Mauryas was one-quarter, which was very burden some to the cultivator. But historical evidenceshows something else. The land tax varied from region to region according to the fertility of the soil and theavailability of water. The figure of one quarter stated by Magasthenes probably referred only to the fertile andwell-watered regions around Pataliputra.

Thus the decline of the Mauryan empire cannot be satisfactorily explained by referring to Military inactivity,Brahmin resentment, popular uprising or economic pressure. The causes of the decline were more fundamental.The organization of administration and the concept of the State were such that they could be sustained by onlyby kings of considerably personal ability. After the death of Asoka there was definitely a weakening at thecenter particularly after the division of the empire, which inevitably led to the breaking of provinces from theMauryan rule.

Also, it should be borne in mind that all the officials owed their loyalty to the king and not to the State. Thismeant that a change of king could result in change of officials leading to the demoralization of the officers.Mauryas had no system of ensuring the continuation of well-planned bureaucracy.

The next important weakness of the Mauryan Empire was its extreme centralization and the virtual monopoly ofall powers by the king. There was a total absence of any advisory institution representing public opinion. That iswhy the Mauryas depended greatly on the espionage system. Added to this lack of representative institutionsthere was no distinction between the executive and the judiciary of the government. An incapable king may usethe officers either for purposes of oppression or fail to use it for good purpose. And as the successors of Asokahappened to be weak, the empire inevitably declined.

Added to these two factors, there is no conception of national unity of political consciousness. It is clear fromthe fact that even the resistance against the Greeks as the hated miecchas was not an organized one. The onlyresistance was that of the local rulers who were afraid of losing their newly acquired territory. It is significant that


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when Porus was fighting Alexander, or when Subhagasena was paying tribute to Antiochus, they were doing soas isolated rulers in the northwest of India. They had no support from Pataliputra, nor are they even mentionedin any Indian sources as offering resistance to the hated Yavanas. Even the heroic Porus, who, enemy though hewas, won the admiration of the Greeks, is left unrecorded in Indian sources.

Another associated point of great importance is the fact that the Mauryan Empire which was highly centralizedand autocratic was the first and last one of its kind. If the Mauryan Empire did not survive for long, it could bebecause of the failure of the successors of Asoka to hold on to the principles that could make success of such anempire. Further, the Mauryan empire and the philosophy of the empire was not in tune with the spirit of the timebecause Aryanism and brahminism was very much there. According to the Brahmin or Aryan philosophy, theking was only an upholder of dharma, but never the crucial or architecture factor influencing the whole of life. Inother words, the sentiment of the people towards the political factor, that is the State was never established inIndia. Such being the reality, when the successors of Asoka failed to make use of the institution and the thinkingthat was needed to make a success of a centralized political authority. The Mauryan Empire declined withoutanyone's regret.

Other factors of importance that contributed to the decline and lack of national unity were the ownership of land

and inequality of economic levels. Land could frequently change hands. Fertility wise the region of the Gangeswas more prosperous than northern Deccan. Mauryan administration was not fully tuned to meet the existingdisparities in economic activity. Had the southern region been more developed, the empire could have witnessedeconomic homogeneity.

Also the people of the sub-continent were not of uniform cultural level. The sophisticated cities and the tradecenters were a great contrast to the isolated village communities. All these differences naturally led to theeconomic and political structures being different from region to region. It is also a fact that even the languagesspoken were varied. The history of a sub-continent and their casual relationships. The causes of the decline ofthe Mauryan empire must, in large part, be attributed to top heavy administration where authority was entirely in

the hands of a few persons while national consciousness was unknown.

See also

Magadha EmpireHistory of India

Notes

1. ^ Kulke, Hermann; Rothermund, Dietmar (2004), A History of India (http://www.amazon.com/History-India-Hermann-Kulke/dp/0415329205/) , 4th edition. Routledge, Pp. xii, 448, ISBN 0-415-32920-5,http://www.amazon.com/History-India-Hermann-Kulke/dp/0415329205/

2. ^ Thapar, Romila (1990), A History of India, Volume 1 (http://www.amazon.com/History-India-Penguin/dp/0140138358/) , New Delhi and London: Penguin Books. Pp. 384, ISBN 0-14-013835-8,http://www.amazon.com/History-India-Penguin/dp/0140138358/

3. ^ abcdRajadhyaksha, Abhijit (2009-08-02). "The Mauryas: Chandragupta"(http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesFarEast/India_IronAge_Mauryas01.htm) . Historyfiles.co.uk.http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/FeaturesFarEast/India_IronAge_Mauryas01.htm. Retrieved 2012-03-01.

4. ^The First Great Political Realist: Kautilya and His Arthashastra - Roger Boesche - Google Books

(http://books.google.co.in/books?id=K85NA7Rg67wC&pg=PA11&dq=mauryan+empire+50+million+population&hl=en&ei=pxYLToTYLYPKrAe3g8C0Dw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=mauryan%20empire%2050%20million%20population&f=false) . Books.google.co.in. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=K85NA7Rg67wC&pg=PA11&dq=mauryan+empire+50+million+population&hl=en&ei=pxYLToTYLYPKrAe
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