The Mauryan Empire Chapter Notes | History Class 6 ICSE PDF Download

Sources

• Main sources include Indika by Megasthenes, Arthashastra by Chanakya, and Ashoka’s rock and pillar edicts.
• Indika describes the social, political, and economic conditions of the Mauryan period.
• Arthashastra explains the administration and governance of the empire.
• Mudrarakshasa, a play by Vishakhadatta, narrates Chandragupta Maurya’s rise to power.
• Ashoka’s edicts provide insights into his reign and policies.

Excerpts from the Arthashastra

• Chanakya states that a ruler’s happiness depends on the well-being of the people.
• An ideal ruler actively promotes public welfare and prioritizes people’s happiness over personal desires.
• Public harassment includes extortion by village officials, corruption by department heads, bribe-taking judges, and cheating by traders or counterfeiters.
• Punishments are prescribed for corrupt officials and traders.
• Vulnerable groups include minors, the elderly, the sick, the disabled, the mentally challenged, Brahmins, and ascetics.
• Vulnerable groups receive priority audience with the king, state-funded maintenance, free ferry travel, and special consideration from judges.

Chandragupta Maurya

• He defeated the Nandas with the help of his advisor Chanakya, also called Kautilya.
• Chanakya wrote the Arthashastra, a book on how to govern an empire.
• Chandragupta captured Magadha and made Pataliputra the capital.
• He also took over many parts of northern India.
• In 305 BCE, he defeated Seleucus Nicator, a Greek ruler, and gained control of areas in the northwest.
• Seleucus sent an envoy named Megasthenes to Chandragupta’s court, who wrote the book Indika about the Mauryan Empire.
• Chandragupta ruled until 297 BCE and then became a Jain monk, giving up his throne.
• He went to south India and lived as a monk until his death.
• His son Bindusara took over as the next king.

Bindusara

• Bindusara, Chandragupta’s son, became king in 297 BCE.
• He expanded the empire further, especially in south India.
• Only the kingdom of Kalinga and some southern areas were not under his control.
• Bindusara kept good relations with the Greek rulers.
• His son Ashoka succeeded him as the next king.

Ashoka

• Ashoka, known as Ashoka the Great, is one of history’s most significant rulers.
• Most information about his reign comes from his rock and pillar edicts written in regional languages.
• He inherited a vast empire from his father, Bindusara, and expanded it by annexing Kalinga.

Kalinga War

• Kalinga was a powerful kingdom with access to sea and control over trade routes to south India and southeast Asia.
• Ashoka attacked Kalinga around 260 BCE and successfully brought it under his rule.
• The brutal war deeply affected Ashoka, leading him to renounce violence and embrace Buddhism.
• The Kalinga War was a turning point in Ashoka’s life, shaping his policies of non-violence.

Ashoka’s Dhamma

• Ashoka was inspired by Buddhism but respected all religions, allowing people to follow their faiths freely.
• He sent scholars and officials to spread Buddhism within India and to places like Egypt, Syria, Greece, and Sri Lanka.
• His son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra spread Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
• Ashoka built stupas and viharas, including the foundation for the Sanchi Stupa, and convened a Buddhist council at Pataliputra.
• Dhamma, a Prakrit term for dharma, refers to religious duty and a code of conduct.
• Principles of Ashoka’s dhamma include living in peace and harmony, respecting all religions, obeying elders, practicing non-violence (ahimsa), speaking the truth, and showing kindness to all, including servants and slaves.
• Ashoka appointed dhamma mahamatras to spread the message of dhamma among the people.
• He practiced dhamma himself to set an example for his subjects.

Ashokan Edicts

Locations and Languages

• Edicts are royal proclamations inscribed on rocks, pillars, and caves across the empire.
• They are found in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nepal.
• About 14 rock edicts, 7 pillar edicts, and some minor edicts exist, with more being discovered.
• Edicts in Peshawar use Kharosthi script, those near Kandahar are in Greek and Aramaic, and most others are in Brahmi script.
• James Prinsep deciphered the Brahmi script in 1837, enabling historians to study Ashoka’s reign.

Information in the Edicts

• Edicts contain principles of dhamma, Buddhist teachings, welfare measures, and Ashoka’s thoughts on religion and administration.
• Ashoka treated his subjects as his children and referred to himself as Devanampriya, meaning ‘Beloved of the Gods’.
• They reflect his commitment to the welfare of his people.

Revenue Collection

• Most revenue came from agriculture, as north India was primarily an agrarian society.
• Taxes like bali (land tax) and bhaga (one-fourth to one-sixth of produce) were collected from farmers, traders, and craftsmen.
• Resources like timber, elephants, and semi-precious stones were collected from forested areas.
• Mining of gold, copper, and iron contributed to the empire’s wealth.
• Revenue funded public works (roads, rest houses), official salaries, and the army.
• The Mauryan army included infantry, cavalry, chariots, and elephants, led by the senapati (army commander).

Mauryan Administration

• The king was the central figure in administration, supported by a ministerial council.
• Key officials included the purohita (chief priest), senapati, chief collector, and treasurer, who were well-paid.
• The central government directly controlled the Magadha region, with Pataliputra as the capital.
• Departments managed by superintendents oversaw sectors like gold, agriculture, and armory.
• The empire was divided into provinces (e.g., Taxila, Ujjain, Dhauli), governed by royal family members or princes.
• Provinces were divided into districts, then groups of villages, with the village as the smallest unit.
• Districts were managed by senior officials, while groups of villages had tax collectors and accountants.
• Village headmen reported to tax collectors and accountants.
• A spy network of disguised agents (merchants, ascetics, etc.) gathered information for the emperor.
• Punishments were usually fines, but capital punishment was used for serious crimes.

Occupations

• Agriculture was the main occupation, followed by roles in the army and government.
• Other occupations included farming, herding, trading, and crafts.
• Internal and external trade thrived, with Pataliputra, Taxila, Ujjain, and Broach as major trade centers.
• Trade extended to countries like Sri Lanka, Rome, and Egypt.

Mauryan Art and Architecture

• Pataliputra featured significant monumental architecture.
• Ashoka built numerous stupas, viharas, and rock and pillar edicts.
• Ashokan pillars, made from a single stone, are highly polished and monumental.
• The Sarnath pillar, with its lion capital, is the most famous, featuring four lions facing all directions.
• The lion capital includes the Ashoka Chakra (Wheel of Dharma), now part of India’s flag and national emblem.
• The pillar’s abacus is carved with animals like elephants, bulls, lions, and horses.
• Ashokan pillars consist of a shaft (lower part) and a capital (upper part).
• The capital includes an animal sculpture, an abacus, and an inverted lotus.

Decline of the Mauryan Empire

• Ashoka died in 232 BCE, after which the empire began to weaken.
• Weak and inefficient rulers succeeded Ashoka, failing to manage the vast empire.
• Administration, trade, tax collection, and the army deteriorated.
• Provincial rulers broke away, contributing to the empire’s disintegration.
• In 185 BCE, Brihadratha, the last Mauryan ruler, was killed by Pushyamitra Sunga, who founded the Sunga dynasty.
• Other dynasties, like the Satavahanas, emerged after the Mauryas.

Meanwhile

• The Great Wall of China was built in the 3rd century BCE to protect against invasions.
• Made of stone and bricks, it included watchtowers every 100–200 kilometers.