Chandragupta Maurya of Mauryan Dynasty (r. 321-298 BCE)

• Chandragupta Maurya’s military prowess was evident in his war against Seleucus Nicator around 305 BCE. The conflict ended with a treaty in 303 BCE, where Chandragupta gifted 500 elephants to Seleucus in exchange for eastern Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and the territory west of the Indus River.
• Seleucus sent an ambassador, Megasthenes, who stayed in Chandragupta’s court for many years, providing valuable insights into Mauryan administration and culture.
• Although detailed records of his conquests are scarce, scholars generally agree that Chandragupta’s empire spanned the north-western regions, the Ganges plains, western India, and the Deccan, excluding present-day Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and parts of North-eastern India.
• Greek accounts suggest Chandragupta’s army was massive, numbering 600,000 soldiers. His governance of the Malwa region is confirmed by the Junagadh Rock Inscription of Rudradaman, which mentions Pushyagupta, Chandragupta’s governor, who constructed the Sudarshana Lake.
• Epigraphic evidence hints at Chandragupta’s influence extending to parts of Karnataka. Jaina texts indicate that he abdicated his throne around 297 BCE, becoming an ascetic under Bhadrabahu and eventually ending his life through sallekhana (ritual fasting) at Shravanabelagola in modern Karnataka.

Bindusara of Mauryan Dynasty (r. 298-272 BCE)

• Chandragupta’s son, Bindusara, ascended the throne in 298 BCE. Known as Amitraghata (‘slayer of enemies’), Greek sources refer to him as Amitrochates.
• He maintained diplomatic relations with foreign rulers such as Antiochus I of Syria, who was requested to send sweet wine, dried figs, and a sophist. Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt dispatched an envoy named Dionysius to Bindusara’s court.
• Tibetan historian Taranath credits Bindusara with conquering territories between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, reducing sixteen cities to submission.
• The Ashokavadana recounts a revolt in Taxila due to oppressive officials. Bindusara sent his son, Ashoka, then the Viceroy of Ujjain, to quell the rebellion successfully.
• Bindusara’s religious inclinations leaned towards the Ajivika sect. Buddhist sources place his death around 273-272 BCE, after which a succession struggle ensued, culminating in Ashoka’s coronation in 269-268 BCE. 

Ashoka of Mauryan Dynasty (r. 268-232 BCE)

• Ashoka emerged victorious in the succession conflict following Bindusara’s death. Accounts suggest he eliminated 99 of his brothers to secure the throne.
• Taranath’s records indicate Ashoka’s initial indulgence in pleasures, earning him the moniker Kamashoka. His subsequent tyranny gave him the name Chandashoka, while his later transformation into a devout Buddhist earned him the title Dhammashoka.
• Ashoka’s conquests included the strategic region of Kalinga, vital for controlling land and sea routes to South India. The Kalinga War, fought eight years into his reign (around 260 BCE), resulted in massive casualties, prompting Ashoka’s shift from military conquest to ‘Dhammavijaya’ (conquest through virtue).
• The empire’s western boundary extended to Kandahar, with inscriptions mentioning Gandharas, Kambojas, and Yonas as frontier regions. Ashoka’s influence reached the Ganges delta, with ports like Tamralipti (modern Tamluk) facilitating trade with Burma, Sri Lanka, and South India. Broach, at the mouth of the Narmada River, was another significant port.

Diplomatic and Religious Initiatives under Ashoka

Ashoka maintained diplomatic ties with Hellenistic rulers such as Antiochus II of Syria, Ptolemy III of Egypt, Antigonus Gonatus of Macedonia, Magas of Cyrene, and Alexander of Epirus, as noted in the 13th Major Rock Edict.

• Relations with Sri Lanka were strengthened as Ashoka sent his son Mahindra and daughter Sanghamitra to propagate Buddhism. The Major Rock Edict II highlights Ashoka’s amicable ties with southern states like the Cholas, Pandyas, Satiyaputras, and Keralaputras.
• Ashoka’s reign saw the Third Buddhist Council held in 250 BCE at Pataliputra under Mogalliputta Tissa’s chairmanship. This event marked the reorganization of the Buddhist Sangha, though Ashoka’s inscriptions refrain from mentioning it, reflecting his impartial governance.
• The emperor’s contributions to infrastructure include the construction of four caves in the Barabar Hills, dedicated to the Ajivika sect. He is also credited with founding Srinagar and possibly extending his influence to Khotan in Central Asia.

Ashoka’s Embrace of Buddhism

Personal milestones, such as his marriage to a merchant’s daughter from Vidisha and the birth of their children Mahindra and Sanghamitra, played a significant role in his conversion to Buddhism.

• The Kalinga War’s atrocities deeply impacted Ashoka, as described in Rock Edict XIII. Over 100,000 people perished, and countless others suffered, leading to his remorse and commitment to Dhamma.
• Initially hesitant, Ashoka became an ardent supporter of Buddhism under the guidance of monk Upagupta, as mentioned in the Bhabru Edict. This transformation shifted the Mauryan administration towards a more compassionate and inclusive governance style.

Decline of Mauryan Empire

Following Ashoka’s demise in 232 BCE, the empire’s decline was swift. 

• The Puranas record the names of later Mauryan rulers, whose reigns were brief and largely ineffective. 
• The vastness of the empire, coupled with administrative challenges, likely contributed to its rapid disintegration.