Mauryas - Origin of Mauryas

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Origin of Mauryas

  • It is a matter of great con­troversy
  • Vishnupurana- Chand-ragupta was the son of Mura - a shudra
  • Even Puranas mention him as Shudra
  • Mudrarakshasa-Mauryas were known as Vrishala and Kulahina, which may be re­garded as Shudra
  • Divyadana - Bindusara was a Kshatriya
  • Mahavamsa -Chandra-gupta was a Kshatriya and was related to Kshatriya clan Mauriya
  • Mahaparinibanasutta - Mauryas belonged to a rul­ing clan of Piphalivam (Malla) .
Illustration: Origin of Mauryas

Political History of the Mauryas

Chandragupta Maurya (324 - 300 B. C.)

  • He ascended the throne in 321 B. C.
  • The Greek sources refer to him as Sandrocottus
  • He met Alexander around 326 - 325 B. C.
  • He fought a war with Selucus Nicator in 305 B. C. and defeated him
  • Matrimonial alliance was made between Chandragupta Maurya and Selucus
  • A treaty was also signed according to which the fol­lowing areas were to be given to Chandragupta Maurya:-
    1. Gedrosis (Baluchistan)
    2. Arachoria (Kandhar)
    3. Paropamisadai (Kabul)
    4. Aria (Herat)
  • Megasthenese was the am­bassador of Selucus, who was in Chandragupta՚s court
  • According to Parsisthaparvana, a Jain text, Chandragupta Maurya renounced the throne and be­cause a Jaina in old age
  • He went to south with Bhadrabahu, a Jaina saint and adopted Jainism He died at Sravna Belgala in the orthodox Jaina way by slow starvation
  • A small hill at Sravana Belgola he called ‘Chandragriha’ , because Chandragupta lived and per­formed penance there
  • He ruled for 24 years

Extent of Chandragupta՚s Empire

  • Almost the whole of India came under his control
  • Only the following areas were outside his empire in the south
    1. Cholas
    2. Pandayas
    3. Keralputras
    4. Satyaputras