Mauryan Rulers
The founder was Chandragupta Maurya, who ruled from 321 to 298 BC. He defeated the last Nanda ruler, Dhanananda, and occupied Pataliputra in 321 BC with the help of Chanakya, who is also known as the Indian Machiavelli.
In 305 BC, Chandragupta moved towards the northwestern frontier for a military campaign against Seleucus Nicator, which ended in the victory of Chandragupta Maurya.
Greek sources have mentioned the names Skarotes and Ankarotes for Chandragupta Maurya.
The Greek ambassador Megasthenes lived in Pataliputra under the patronage of Chandragupta Maurya. He wrote an account of India named Indica. The original work is lost, but its fragments have survived in later Greek and Latin works, such as those by Greek scholars like Strabo, Diodorus, and Arrian. The Roman writers Pliny and Justin also commented on the information provided by Megasthenes in his work Indica.
Even before Megasthenes, a Greek scholar named Scylax (or, in a Greek work titled Indica), had written about India. However, he never visited India himself. His text was compiled entirely from stories told by merchants and travellers.
Chandragupta Maurya conquered Malwa, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. He is said to have constructed Sudarshan Lake near the Girnar Hills in the Junagadh region of Gujarat under the supervision of his provincial governor, Pushya Gupta Vaishya, for irrigation and water conservation in the semi-arid Saurashtra/Kathiawar region. Later, Ashoka, through his governor Tushaspha, renovated the lake and added water channels to improve its irrigation efficiency.
In 150 CE, heavy rainfall caused damage to the lake. Rudradaman, the first Western Satrap/Saka ruler, restored the lake using his own royal treasury without imposing any forced labour (vishti) or additional taxes on his subjects. This restoration is recorded in his famous Junagadh rock inscription. His governor at the time was Suvishakha. Later in history, Gupta rulers repaired the lake. Skandagupta, with the help of his local governor, Chakrapalita, rebuilt the lake and also constructed a Vishnu temple near it.
According to the Jain texts, Chandragupta Maurya adopted Jainism towards the end of his life, stepped down from the throne in favour of his son Bindusara, and went south with his spiritual guru and the great Jain monk Bhadrabahu. He spent the rest of his life as a Jain ascetic in Karnataka and died by performing Sallekhana or Santhara.
Chandragupta was succeeded by his son, Bindusara, who ruled from 298 to 273 BC. Bindusara extended the Mauryan Empire towards the southern part of India. He maintained alliances with King Antiochus of Syria and Ptolemy of Egypt. He dispatched an ambassador to Antiochus, and Deimachus, the ambassador of Ptolemy, came to his court. He requested Antiochus to send him sweet wine, dried figs, and sophists. Antiochus searched for all except the sophist, explaining that Greek law forbade a sophist from being sent outside the kingdom.
In traditional ancient sources, Bindusara is also called Amitraghata, meaning “destroyer of enemies.” Greek writers and historians transliterated the Sanskrit name Amitraghata into the Greek name Amitrochates.
Bindusara supported the Ajivikas. His spiritual guru, Pingalavatsa, was a scholar of the Ajivika sect. During his reign, his younger son Ashoka conquered the Avanti Mahajanapada and merged it into the Mauryan Empire.
Bindusara was succeeded by his son Ashoka, who ruled from 268 to 232 BC. In classical sources, he is referred to as Piyadassi, derived from the Prakrit title Priyadarsi, meaning “the one who regards others with kindness.” According to Buddhist texts, Devanampiya and Piyadassi are titles associated with Ashoka. Ashoka ascended the throne after killing 99 of his brothers, including his elder brother, Susima, whom Bindusara wanted to appoint as king.
After ascending the throne, Ashoka spent several years indulging in extreme pleasures and came to be called Kama Ashoka. This was followed by a period of extreme violence, which earned him the name Chanda Ashoka. Finally, he converted to Buddhism and came to be known as Dhamma Ashoka.
The Kalinga War, fought around 260 BCE, is one of the most important events in Indian history. The 13th Major Rock Edict describes the horrors and devastation of the war and the deep remorse it caused Ashoka. The war was fought near the Dhauli Hills in Odisha, which lie on the left bank of the Daya River. The Ashokan inscription found at the site conveys the message of Dhamma, which means good conduct, right behaviour, and decency towards others. Another highlight of this historical site is a rock-cut elephant.
Following the death of Emperor Ashoka in 232 BCE, the Mauryan Empire gradually declined due to weak successors, financial stress, and the loss of centralised control.
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Dasharatha Maurya (232–224 BCE): Ashoka was succeeded by his grandson, Dasharatha Maurya. He continued supporting Buddhist and Ajivika traditions. He patronised the construction of caves at the Nagarjuni Hills in Bihar for the Ajivika monks. He was the last Mauryan ruler to leave behind an imperial inscription.
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Samprati Maurya (224–215 BCE): He is often viewed as the Jain counterpart of Ashoka because he heavily patronised the spread of Jainism.
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Shalishuka (215–202 BCE): He is described in the Gargi Samhita as a quarrelsome, unrighteous, and cruel ruler.
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Devavarman (202–195 BCE).
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Shatadhanvan (195–187 BCE).
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Brihadratha Maurya (187–185 BCE): He was the last Mauryan ruler. He was assassinated by his Brahmin general, Pushyamitra Shunga.
Sources of Mauryan History
- Literary
- Arthashastra
- Mudrarakshasa
- Indica
- Pali Texts
- Archaeological
- Rock edicts and inscriptions
- Material remains and coins
Ashoka's Rock Inscriptions
Ashoka’s Major Rock Edicts
| Rock Edict | Major provisions / Key points |
|---|---|
| Rock Edict I | Prohibits animal sacrifice and restricts the killing of animals for royal kitchens. |
| Rock Edict II | Medical facilities for humans and animals; mentions medicinal herbs, wells and tree planting. Refers to neighbouring regions and Hellenistic rulers. |
| Rock Edict III | Orders officials to undertake tours every five years to promote Dhamma; mentions respect for parents, generosity towards Brahmanas and Shramanas. |
| Rock Edict IV | Dhamma replaces the earlier practice of violence and hunting displays; emphasises moral conduct. |
| Rock Edict V | Appointment of Dhamma Mahamatras to promote Dhamma and look after the welfare of different social and religious groups. |
| Rock Edict VI | Emphasises the king’s accessibility to the public and prompt handling of administrative matters. |
| Rock Edict VII | Advocates religious tolerance and the coexistence of different religious sects. |
| Rock Edict VIII | Replaces royal pleasure tours with Dhamma tours (Dhamma-yatras). |
| Rock Edict IX | Criticises meaningless ceremonies and rituals; promotes ceremonies based on Dhamma, especially respect and compassion. |
| Rock Edict X | Rejects the pursuit of fame and glory as the highest goal; prioritises the propagation of Dhamma. |
| Rock Edict XI | Explains Dhamma as generosity, respect for elders, proper treatment of servants and compassion towards living beings. |
| Rock Edict XII | Advocates religious tolerance, restraint in praising one’s own sect and criticising others, and respect for all religious traditions. |
| Rock Edict XIII | Describes the Kalinga War, Ashoka’s remorse over its suffering, and his preference for Dhamma-vijaya (conquest by Dhamma). Mentions Greek rulers and other neighbouring peoples. |
| Rock Edict XIV | Explains that the edicts were inscribed in different forms and lengths according to the circumstances and locations. |
Locations of Ashoka’s Major Rock Edicts
| Site | Present-day location | Script / Special fact |
|---|---|---|
| Girnar | Gujarat, India | Brahmi |
| Kalsi | Uttarakhand, India | Brahmi |
| Sopara | Maharashtra, India | Fragmentary inscription |
| Erragudi (Yerragudi) | Andhra Pradesh, India | Brahmi |
| Dhauli | Odisha, India | Separate Kalinga Edicts |
| Jaugada | Odisha, India | Separate Kalinga Edicts |
| Sannati | Karnataka, India | Associated with Ashokan inscriptions |
| Shahbazgarhi | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan | Kharosthi |
| Mansehra | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan | Kharosthi |
| Kandahar | Afghanistan | Greek and Aramaic inscriptions |
- The Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra edicts are written in the Aramaic language and Kharosthi script. The Kandahar edicts are written in Greek and Aramaic languages using their respective scripts. The rest of the edicts are written in the Prakrit language and Brahmi script.
- The second inscriptions at Dhauli and Jaugada are called Separate Rock Edicts because they are addressed directly to the people and officials of Kalinga. They are more personal in tone and express Ashoka's remorse for the killings during the war and his commitment to Dhamma.
