Mauryan Empire — Chandragupta, Ashoka, Administration, and Decline

The Mauryan Empire (322–185 BCE) was the first empire to unify most of the Indian subcontinent under a single administration. It is among the most heavily tested topics in Kerala PSC history papers.

Timeline of Mauryan Rulers

Ruler	Reign (approx.)	Key Facts
Chandragupta Maurya	322–298 BCE	Founded the dynasty; defeated Nanda dynasty with Kautilya’s help
Bindusara	298–272 BCE	Known as “Amitraghata” (slayer of enemies); extended empire southward
Ashoka	268–232 BCE	Greatest Mauryan ruler; embraced Buddhism after Kalinga War
Dasharatha	232–224 BCE	Ashoka’s grandson; donated caves to Ajivikas
Brihadratha	Last ruler	Assassinated by Pushyamitra Shunga (185 BCE)

Chandragupta Maurya (322–298 BCE)

Aspect	Details
Mentor/Guide	Kautilya (Chanakya/Vishnugupta) — author of Arthashastra
Defeated	Dhana Nanda (last Nanda king)
Greek conflict	Defeated Seleucus Nicator (~305 BCE); received territory of Kandahar, Baluchistan, Herat, Kabul
Treaty with Seleucus	Seleucus gave daughter (or a princess) in marriage alliance; sent ambassador Megasthenes to Mauryan court
Capital	Pataliputra (modern Patna, Bihar)
Later life	Abdicated throne; became Jain monk; went to Shravanabelagola (Karnataka)
Death	Performed Sallekhana (Jain practice of fasting unto death) at Shravanabelagola
Greek sources	Called “Sandrokottos” by Greek writers

Bindusara (298–272 BCE)

Aspect	Details
Also called	Amitraghata (destroyer of enemies); Greeks called him “Amitrochates”
Expansion	Extended empire to the Deccan; did not conquer Kalinga or the far south (Tamil kingdoms)
Greek ambassador	Deimachus (sent by Seleucid king Antiochus I)
Religion	Patron of Ajivikas
Administration	Appointed sons as viceroys — Ashoka was viceroy of Ujjain

Ashoka (268–232 BCE)

Aspect	Details
Full name	Devanampiya Piyadasi (Beloved of the Gods, He who regards everyone with affection)
Accession	After a succession struggle; not the eldest son
Kalinga War	261 BCE — massive casualties; turning point of his life
Conversion	Embraced Buddhism after Kalinga War
Buddhist teacher	Upagupta (according to tradition)
Dhamma	Promoted a policy of Dhamma (not strictly Buddhism — a moral code for all)
Third Buddhist Council	Held at Pataliputra under Ashoka; presided by Moggaliputta Tissa
Missionaries	Sent his son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka
Symbol	Ashoka Chakra (24-spoke wheel) on Indian national flag; Lion Capital of Sarnath is India’s national emblem

Ashoka’s Edicts

Type	Number	Material	Content
Major Rock Edicts	14	Rocks	Dhamma principles, Kalinga War remorse, religious tolerance
Minor Rock Edicts	—	Rocks	Personal conversion to Buddhism
Pillar Edicts	7	Polished sandstone pillars	Administrative instructions, Dhamma rules
Major Pillar Edicts	7	Pillars	Animal welfare, Dhamma Mahamatras
Cave Inscriptions	3	Barabar Hills caves	Donated caves to Ajivikas

Important Edicts Content

Edict	Content
Rock Edict XIII	Describes horrors of Kalinga War; Ashoka’s remorse
Rock Edict II	Mentions Chola, Pandya, Satiyaputra, Keralaputra as neighbouring kingdoms
Rock Edict XII	Religious tolerance — “All sects deserve reverence”
Pillar Edict VII	Summary of Dhamma policy
Kalinga Edicts (Dhauli, Jaugada)	Special instructions for Kalinga administration
Bhabru/Bairat Edict	Declares Ashoka’s personal faith in Buddhism
Queen’s Edict	Grants by Ashoka’s second queen Karuvaki

Script and Language of Edicts

Region	Script	Language
Most of India	Brahmi (left to right)	Prakrit
North-West (Pakistan/Afghanistan)	Kharoshthi (right to left)	Prakrit
Kandahar	Greek and Aramaic	Greek/Aramaic

James Prinsep deciphered the Brahmi script in 1837, unlocking Ashokan inscriptions.

Mauryan Administration

Feature	Details
King	Supreme authority; assisted by council of ministers (Mantriparishad)
Capital	Pataliputra
Provinces	4 major provinces with viceroys (Kumara): Taxila, Ujjain, Tosali (Kalinga), Suvarnagiri
Espionage	Extensive spy system described in Arthashastra
Revenue	Land tax was 1/6 of produce (Bhaga)
Army	Standing army; Megasthenes describes 6 committees of 5 members each managing military affairs
City administration	Megasthenes describes Pataliputra governed by 6 committees of 5 members each
Currency	Punch-marked silver coins (Karshapana/Pana)
Judiciary	King was the highest court of appeal

Key Administrative Officers

Title	Role
Mantriparishad	Council of Ministers
Purohita	Chief Priest and advisor
Senapati	Commander-in-chief
Yukta	Revenue officer
Rajjuka	Land measurement and revenue collection
Dhamma Mahamatra	Officers appointed by Ashoka to spread Dhamma
Samaharta	Chief revenue collector
Sannidhata	Chief treasurer

Arthashastra — Kautilya

Aspect	Details
Author	Kautilya (also called Chanakya, Vishnugupta)
Language	Sanskrit
Books	15 books (Adhikaranas)
Content	Statecraft, economics, military strategy, law, espionage
Discovered by	R. Shamasastry in 1905 (at Mysore Oriental Library); published 1909
Comparison	Often compared to Machiavelli’s “The Prince”
Key concept	Saptanga Theory — 7 elements of the state (King, Minister, Territory, Fort, Treasury, Army, Ally)
Key concept	Mandala Theory — circle of states (immediate neighbour is enemy, neighbour’s neighbour is friend)

Megasthenes and Indica

Aspect	Details
Who	Greek ambassador sent by Seleucus Nicator to Chandragupta’s court
Book	Indica (now lost; known from later Greek writers’ quotations)
Content	Describes Pataliputra, Indian society (7 castes as per his observation), no slavery (his claim), geography
Pataliputra description	Wooden fortifications, 570 towers, 64 gates
Society	Divided Indians into 7 classes (different from varna system)

Economy Under Mauryas

Aspect	Details
Agriculture	State-owned farms and private farms; irrigation facilities
Tax	1/6 of agricultural produce (Bhaga); trade taxes; customs
Craft guilds	Called Shrenis; had their own rules and regulations
Trade routes	Connected Pataliputra to Taxila, to western ports, to Deccan
State monopolies	Mining, salt, arms manufacturing

Art and Architecture

Work	Details
Ashokan Pillars	Polished sandstone; Chunar sandstone; bull, lion, elephant capitals
Sarnath Lion Capital	4 lions back to back; India’s national emblem (adopted 1950)
Barabar Caves	Oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India (donated to Ajivikas by Ashoka and Dasharatha)
Sanchi Stupa	Originally built by Ashoka; enlarged later
Pataliputra palace	Wooden; inspired by Persian Achaemenid architecture (according to Megasthenes)

Decline of Mauryan Empire

Factor	Details
Weak successors	After Ashoka, rulers were incompetent
Financial crisis	Large army and bureaucracy drained treasury
Provincial revolts	Distant provinces like Taxila revolted
Ashoka’s non-violence policy	Debated — may have weakened military preparedness
Final blow	Pushyamitra Shunga (Brahmin general) assassinated last Mauryan king Brihadratha in 185 BCE
Successor dynasty	Shunga Dynasty (185–73 BCE)

PSC Expected Questions

1. Founder of Mauryan dynasty — Chandragupta Maurya
2. Chandragupta’s guide — Kautilya/Chanakya
3. Author of Arthashastra — Kautilya (discovered by R. Shamasastry)
4. Megasthenes’ book — Indica
5. Kalinga War year — 261 BCE
6. Ashoka embraced — Buddhism
7. Third Buddhist Council — Pataliputra (under Moggaliputta Tissa)
8. Ashoka’s son sent to Sri Lanka — Mahinda
9. Kerala mentioned in which edict — Rock Edict II (as Keralaputra)
10. Script of Ashoka’s inscriptions — Brahmi (deciphered by James Prinsep)
11. Last Mauryan ruler — Brihadratha (killed by Pushyamitra Shunga)
12. Saptanga Theory — 7 elements of state (Arthashastra)