Rise of Magadha Empire

Ancient India

Pre-Mauryan Period

Haryanka Dynasty (544 BC – 412 BC)

Capital – Rajrgrihi

Founder

a) Bimbisara (544 BC – 492 BC)

He was contemporary to Gautam Buddha.
He attacked Angh and added it to Magadha.
He got married to Kosaldevi, who was the sister of King Prasanjit of Koshala. He got Kashi (Capital of Varanashi) in dowery from his brother.
II wife – Chellana (Princess of Lichchhavi dynasty).
The royal physician, Jivaka, was sent by Bimbisara to treat Avanti King Pradyota, who was ailing with Jaundice.
Bimbisara was killed by his son, who became the next ruler of Magadha.

b)Ajatashatru (492 BC – 460 BC)

Gautam Buddha & Mahavir Swami both died in his ruling period.
He attacked Vajji Union(8 republican states) & Malla Union(2 republican states) and added them to Magadha.
In 483 BC he organised first Buddhist council.
He started using 2 new weapons.

Rathmoosala
Mahashilakantaka.

He was also killed by his son, who became the next ruler of Magadha.

c) Udaiyan (460 BC – 440 BC)

He founded a city at the confluence of the Ganga and Son river. i.e. Patliputra/Kusumpura.
He shifted his capital from Rajgrihi to Patliputra (Patna).

d) Anirudha

e) Mundak

f) Naag Dashak

Last ruler of Haryanka dynasty.
Died because of his PM – Shishunaag.

Shishunaag Dynasty(412 BC – 344 BC)

Founder

a) Shishunaag (412 BC – 396 BC)

He attacked Avanti & destroyed Pradyot dynasty. Also added into Magadha.
He shifted his capital from Patliputra to Vaishali.
He was succeeded by his son Kalashoka.

b) Kalashoka (396 BC – 366 BC)

IN 383 BC, he organised II Buddhist Council.
He again shifted his capital to Patliputra.

c) Nandi Vardhan

Last ruler of the Shishunaag Dynasty.
Killed by his secretary, who founded a new dynasty in Magadha.

Nanda Dynasty(344 BC – 323 BC)

Founder

Mahapadmananda

He was succeede by his 8 sons.

Dhananda

Last and the greatest ruler of his dynasty was 8th son (Dhananda).
During his period in 326 BC → Invansion of alexender.
He was killed by Chandra Gupta Maurya with the help of Chanakya, who found biggest dynasty in Magadha.

Foreign Invasion In India

1) Persian Invasion (Iran)

Cyrus (558-530BC) of Persia was the first conqueror who penetrated into the Indian subcontinent. He destroyed the city of Capisa (north of Kabul). Herodotus the Greek Historian tells us that in 516 BC Darius I (552-486BC) sent a naval expedition to explore the valley of the Sindhu River and annexed the part of Punjab and Sind. The main impact of the Persian invasion was the introduction of the Aramaic form of writing which later developed into the Kharosti alphabet. It led to promotion and an increase in Indo- Iranian trade. The fusion of Iranian and Persian features into the Mauryan art was visible.

2 Inscription (Source on information)

Behistuna
Rashq-e-Rustum

Effects of Invasion

After this invasion Indo-Persian trade was started
Kharoti Script started in India. (right to left)
Aramaic Script was also started.

Note:

The last ruler of this dynasty was Darius III.

2) Greek Invasion

Greece →→{Place} → →Macedonia → →{ruler} → →Philip → →{son} →→Alexander

To Enter India, Alexander destroyed entire Persia in the 3rd century BC. He destroyed the Hakhamani dynasty by defeating Darius III. then he went to Taxila.
In Taxila, a ruler named Ambi surrendered in front of Alexander
326 BC, Battle of Hydaspese/Vitasta (Jhelum River)

                ALEXANDER[won]
                   v/s
                 Porus [lost]

Alexander founded 2 cities in India.

Vijaynagar / Nikaya
Bukafela

Due to illness, he went to Babylon and in 323BC he died at 33 Years.

Mauryan Dynasty (323 BC – 185 BC)

Sources

Literary Sources

Arthashahtra (written by – Chanakya) [Political subject]
Indica (written by – Magasthenese)
Mahabhashya (written by – Patanjali)
Mudrarakshak (written by – Vishakdutt)
Kalpsutra (written by – Bhadrabahu)
Kathasaritrasagar (written by – Somdeva)
Chharaksanhita (written by – Charak)
Rajtarangini (written by – Kalhad)

Archeological Sources

Inscriptions of Ashoka (oldest is Kharosht Lipi & Brahmi Lipi) are read by James Prince on 1837.

14 stone edicts of Ashoka

Stone Edict I :

All citizens are like my child.
Prohibition of animal sacrifices.
Wildlife conservation.

Stone Edict II :

Welfare programs for the citizens.
Human & veterinary medical science.

Stone Edict III :

Respect to brahmin and appointment of PM.

Stone Edict IV :

Dhammaghosha (sound of Dhamma/righteousness) over Bherighosha (sound of war).

Stone Edict V :

Appointment of Dharma ministers.

Stone Edict VI :

King’s desire to know about his people’s conditions. About welfare measures.

Stone Edict VII :

(longest stone edict of Ashoka)

Control over mind and soul.

Stone Edict VIII :

Ashoka’s first visit to Bodh Gaya and the Bodhi tree (his first Dhamma Yatra).

Stone Edict IX :

Condemns popular ceremonies.

Stone Edict X :

Disapproves of the individual’s desire for fame and glory and stresses on Dhamma.

Stone Edict XI :

Description of Dharma victories of Ashoka.

Stone Edict XII :

Tolerance for all religions and sects.

Stone Edict* XIII :

Description of Kalinga War

Stone Edict XIV :

Inspiration to live a religious life.

7 Pillar edicts of Ashoka

1. Topra Pillar

Found from Ambak Presently in Firozshah Kotla (Delhi).
Ashoka’s principle of protecting his people.

2. Meerut Pillar

Found from Meerut presently in Delhi.
Dhamma

3. Allahabad Pillar

Found from Kaushambi Presently in Allahabad Fort.
Avoiding practices of cruelty, sin, harshness, pride, and anger among his subjects.

This pillar is related to 3 rulers:

Ashoka
Samudra Gupta
Jahangir

4. Sanchi Pillar

It has been destroyed now.
Responsibilities of the Rajukas.

5. Sarnath Pillar

Our national emblem has been taken from this pillar.
List of animals and birds that should not be killed on certain days. Another list which mentions animals that should never be killed.

6. Lauriya Nandangarh pillar

Found from Champaran Bihar
Dhamma policy of the State.

7. Rampurva Pillar

Found from Champaran & presently at Rashtrapati Bhawan Delhi.
Ashoka’s work for fulfilling Dhamma. Tolerance for all sects.

Chandragupta Maurya (323 BC – 298 BC)

Greek sources called him → Sandrocotts
He killed Ghanand with the help of Chanakya and became ruler of Magadha at the age of 25 years.
According to Plutarch & Justin, he had an army of 6,40,000 soldiers.
He was the first Chakravartin Samrath of India.
India’s First Samrat – Ghanand (first standing army)
He built Sudarshan lake on Girnar hill in Gujarat.

Sudarshan Lake → 1st Renovation → Rudradaman (greatest ruler of saka dynasty)
                                      ↓
                           written in Junagarh Inscription 
                        (1st and longest inscription of Sanskrit)

            2nd Renovation → Skandagupta (last great ruler of gupta dynasty)
                                  ↓
                          written in Junagarh Inscription

In 305 BC, Invasion of Seleucus Nicator

Treaty of/between Chandragupta & Nicator.

He gave Kabul, Gandhar, Herat & Jadrosia to Chandragupta.
His daughter Helena got married to Chandragupta. (son-Justi)
Ambassador of Seleucus Nicator, Magasthenese was sent to Chandragupta Maurya is dowry as a translater.
Chandragupta Maurya Gifted 500 elephants to Nicator.
In 300 BC, He Organised the first Jainism Council is Patliputra in which Jainism was divided into Shwetambaras and Digambara. In the same year, Maurya went to Shrawanbelgola, Karnataka with Bhadrabahu.
In 298 BC, Chandragupta Maurya died because of Sallekhana/Santhara.

Bindusara (298 BC – 272 BC)

Father → Chandragupta Maurya
Other Name → Singhsen and Amitraghath
He had 16 wives → famous → Dharma (son – Asoka)/Subhadrangi
He had 101 sons → Eldest → Susima
Ashoka killed his 99 brothers except for Tissa{ruler of Singhal (Srilanka), and youngest brother}
During his ruling period, Susima was governor of Taxila and Ashok was governor of Ujjain.
A revolt happens in Taxila by a ruler named Keechaka. To control that revolt Bindusara sent Susima & then Ashok.
Two foreigner ambassador arrival in court of Bindusara.

Dymakus (from Syria)
Dionysus (from Egypt)

Ashoka (269 BC – 232 BC)

IN, Maski Inscription Ashoka’s name was Ashoka Vardhan.
IN, Gurjara Inscription Ashoka’s name was Devnampriye Ashoka raja.

He killed his 99 brothers with the help of Radha Gupta. And became the next ruler of the Maurya Dynasty.
He married to Maha Devi (first), she was Princess of Ujjain. They had 2 Children:- 1. Mahendra(son) 2. Sanghamitra (daughter). He sent both children to Srilanka to spread Buddhism.
2nd wife → Kalinga’s princess – Karuwaki → (son)Kunala.
Grandson of Ashoka and ruler → Dashrath.
He had only one war. i.e. Kalinga war in 261 BC, During this war Kalinga capital was Toshali/Toshli. The reason behind the war was to get elephants. Who was the ruler (from Elephant cave inscriptions, Writer was Kharvel’s → greatest ruler of the chedi dynasty) of Kalinga during the war – Nand Raj
After the Kalinga war, Ashoka adopted Buddhism.

Ques. Who made Ashoka Buddhist?

Ans. Moggaliputtatisa.

Ques. Teacher Of Ashoka?

Ans. Upagupta/Nigrodha.

In the 10 years of his ruling period, Ashoka visited Bodh Gaya & in the 20th year, he went to Lumbini. And he made Lumbini tax free → described in – Roman Daji Inscriptions.
He found a city near the bank of Vistasta/Jhelum river named Sri-Nagar. He prohibited animal sacrifices in his ruling period, and he was the first ruler who builds national parks in India.
In his ruling period, he built Sanchi stupa (biggest stupa of India in M.P) & Dhamekh stupa ( in Sarnath U.P)

Ques. Biggest Stupa of World?

Ans. Boro Bodur Stupa → Java Indonesia

In 251 BC, Ashoka organised the third Buddhist Council in Patliputra, in which he added the third Pitaka in Buddhism i.e Abhidhamapitaka.
In the last stage of his life, he denoted Barabar caves to Aajivakar.
He was succeeded by his Kunal and then his grandson Dashrath.
Last ruler of Maurya dynasty → Brihadratha.

Post-Mauryan Period

Shunga Dynasty (185 BC – 72 BC)

1st Brahman dynasty of India-

Founder – Pushyamitra shunga

He is known as the destroyer of Buddhism in India Because he destroyed about 84,000 Stupa built by Ashoka.

Maximum development of Sanskrit Language during his period.
He organised 2 Aśvamedha Yojanas – which were performed by Patanjali.

Mahabhashya & Sanskrit Vyakaran
Yoga.

He made his capital to Vidisha ( M.P)
He was succeeded by his son Agnimitra Shunga (Source – Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitra → love story of Malvika & Agnimitra)
He also gives Conservation to Buddhism. He renovated Sanchi Stupa.
The last ruler was Devabhuti Shunga.

Kanva Dynasty (72 BC – 28 BC)

Founder – Vasudeva Kanwa

His son Shusharma was next and the last ruler, he only eligible son.

Andra Satvahana Dynasty (28 BC – 3rd Century)

Capital – Pratishthan (Maharastra)
Founder – Simukhe
Total – 28 rulers
First, the great ruler of this dynasty – Sodkarni I.
The second great ruler – Haal (Book – Gathasapthashati)

Greatest ruler – 23rd ruler – Gautamiputra Satakari (105-130)

He issued land coins in India.
He started donating lands to Brahmins.
He started using his Mother’s name before his name.
He was 3rd Chakravarti Samrath.
He was succeeded by his son who was the last greatest ruler of the dynasty – Vashishtiputra Pulvami. →(he is known as 1st Andra Samrat because he attacked in south & conquered the region of Andra.
Last ruler – Pulmavi III.

Foreign Invasion of Post Mauryan Period

1. Indo- Greek

Origin – Greek
1st Attack in the ruling period of Pushmitra Shunga
Founder of Indo-Greeks in India – Demetrius I → Capital – Sakal (Sindh)
The greatest ruler of Indo-Greeks was Menander (In India – Milind).
First Golden Coins were issued in Milind’s period.
He adopted Buddhism in India & he got teachings of Buddhism from a Monk named – Nagsena ( Sourcebook – Milindpanho).

2. Saka / Sethians Dynasty

Origin – Central Asia
They had 5 branches in India

Kashmir → Saka Samvat – National
Taxila
Mathura
Ujjain → 57 BC – Vikram Samvat – Calendar
Deccan

The greatest ruler of this dynasty – Rudradaman (Ujjain) → in Junagarh Inscription.
The last ruler of this dynasty – Rudrasena III →[ He was killed by Chandragupta II, Who destroyed the Saka Dynasty from India].

3. Kushan Dynasty

Greatest ruler – Kanishka
He destroyed the Saka dynasty from Kashmir & started Saka Samvat in 78 A.D.
In 3rd year of his ruling period, he organised 4th Buddhist Council in Kashmir in which Buddhism divided into Hinayana & Mahayana. He was the first ruler of Indian history Who issued pure gold coins. He also started printing of data and rulers names on coins

Ancient India (History)

Ancient India