Mauryan Empire Flashcards
Mauryan Empire
Literary Sources
Archaeological Sources
Mauryan Empire - political unity was achieved - history writing clear from this period due to accuracy in chronology and sources.
Literary Sources
- Kautilya’s Arthasastra
- written by Kautilya (Sanskrit)
- contemporary of Chandragupta Maurya
- manuscript of Arthasastra was first discovered by R. Shama Sastri in 1904
- contains 15 books and 180 chapters but it can be divided into three parts: the first deals with the king and his council and the departments of government; the second with civil and criminal law; and the third with diplomacy and war. - Visakadatta’s Mudrarakshasa
- written by Visakadatta is a drama in Sanskrit
- gives a picture on the socio-economic condition under the Mauryas - Megasthenes’ Indica
- Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador in the court of Chandragupta Maurya
- administration of the capital city of Pataliputra & military organization.
Other Literature
- Puranas
- Buddhist literature such as Jatakas provide
- The Ceylonese Chronicles Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa throw light on the role Asoka in spreading Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
Archaeological Sources
Edicts of Asoka
- first deciphered by James Princep in 1837
- Languages used - Pali ,Prakrit was used. The
- Brahmi script for writing - northwestern India Karoshti script
- fourteen Major Rock Edicts.
- Edicts of Asoka - Asoka’s Dhamma & instructions given to his officials
- XIII Rock Edict - Kalinga war
- Pillar Edict VII - efforts to promote the Dhamma
Chandragupta Maurya (322 – 298 B.C.)
- founder - at 25 - captured Pataliputra from Nanda dynasty, Dhanananda
- assisted by Kautilya (Chanakya or Vishnugupta)
- Megasthenes sent to Mauryan court as Greek ambassador.
- embraced Jainism - end of his life
- stepped down from the throne - Bindusara.
- went to Sravana Belgola - Mysore along with Jain monks led by Bhadrabhagu and starved himself to death.
Bindusara (298 – 273 B.C.)
- conquered the Deccan up to Mysore
- received Deimachus as ambassador from the Syrian king Antiochus I
- supported the Ajivikas - a religious sect
- appointed his son Asoka as the governor of Ujjain.
Asoka the Great (273 – 232 B.C.)
- acted as Governor of Ujjain & suppressed a revolt in Taxila
- succession of Asoka - a disputed one
- most important event - Kalinga war -effects - annexed Kalinga to the Mauryan Empire - Asoka embraced Buddhism under the influence of Buddhist monk, Upagupta.
Asoka and Buddhism
- conversion to Buddhism - gradual - became a Sakya Upasaka (lay dsicple) - after 21/2 yrs Bikshu (monk)
- gave up hunting - visited Bodh-Gaya - organized missions
- appointed special officers called Dharma Mahamatras to speed up the progress of Dhamma
- sent a mission to Sri Lanka under his son Mahendra and daughter Sangamitra who planted there the branch of the original Bodhi tree
- convened the Third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra - presided over by Moggaliputta Tissa.
Asoka’s Dhamma
way of life, a code of conduct and a set of principles to be adopted and practiced
- Service to father and mother;practice of ahimsa;love of truth;reverence to teachers;good treatment of relatives
- Prohibition of animal sacrifices and festive gatherings and avoiding expensive and meaningless ceremonies and rituals
- Efficient organization of administration in the direction of social welfare and maintenance of constant contact with people through the system of Dhammayatras
- Humane treatment of servants by masters and prisoners by government officials
- Consideration and non-violence to animals and courtesy to relations and liberality to Brahmins
- Tolerance among all the religious sects
- Conquest through Dhamma instead of through war
Later Mauryas
- after Ashoka death - Mauryan Empire divided into two parts – western ( ruled by Kunala) and eastern (Dasaratha)
- last Mauryan king was Brihatratha - assassinated by Pushyamitra Sunga.
Mauryan Administration
- Central Government
- council of ministers called Mantriparishad assisted the king in administrative matters - consisted of Purohita, Mahamantri, Senapati and Yuvaraja
- civil servants called Amatyas - Revenue Department
- Samharta - chief of the Revenue Department - Army
- under the control of Senapati
- Each wing was under the control of Adyakshas or Superintendents - Department of Commerce and Industry
- officers called Adyakshas - Judicial and Police Departments
- existence of both civil and criminal courts
- chief justice of the Supreme Court at the capital was called Dharmathikarin
- Subordinate courts at the provincial capitals and districts under Amatyas - Census
- village officials took census - number the people + caste and occupation + animals in each house
- Town census municipal officials - track the movement of population both foreign and indigenous
- data collected - cross checked by the spies
- Census - permanent institution in the Mauryan administration.
Provincial and Local Administration
The Mauryan Empire was divided into four provinces with their capitals at Taxila, Ujjain, Suvarnagiri and Kalinga. The provincial governors were mostly appointed from the members of royal family. They were responsible the maintenance of law and order and collection of taxes for the empire. The district administration was under the charge of Rajukas, whose position and functions are similar to modern collectors. He was assisted by Yuktas or subordinate officials. Village administration was in the
hands of Gramani and his official superior was called Gopa who was in charge of ten or fifteen villages. Both Kautilya and Megasthanes provided the system of Municipal administration. Arthasastra contains a full chapter on the role of Nagarika or city superintendent. His chief duty was to maintain law and order. Megasthenes refers to the six committees of five members each to look after the administration of Pataliputra. These committees looked after: 1. Industries 2. Foreigners 3. Registration of birth and deaths 4. Trade 5. Manufacture and sale of goods 6. Collection of sales tax.
Mauryan Period
- Outside influence is present - Persian and Archaenian
- Divided into -
Court Art - state initiative - stupa , pillar, palaces
Popular Art - individual initiative - sculptures, pottery, caves - Time period - 4th and 3rd century BC
