Alexander’s invasion of northwest India in the early 4th century BCE paved the way for Chandragupta Maurya to establish the Mauryan Empire in 321 BCE. 

• The Magadha’s ruling dynasty, the Nandas, was overthrown by Chandragupta with the assistance of Kautilya (Chanakya). The Mauryan dynasty governed from 321 to 185 BCE.

Sources of Mauryan Empire

• Megasthenes – Indica:

• • • Megasthenes, a Seleucid envoy, visited the Mauryan capital, Pataliputra, during Chandragupta Maurya’s reign.
    • His work, Indica, provided valuable insights into India, particularly northern India, under Chandragupta. However, the original text has been lost, and only excerpts, quotations, and summaries by later writers survive.

• Kautilya’s Arthashastra:

• • • Arthashastra, attributed to Kautilya (also known as Vishnugupta or Chanakya), is considered a theoretical treatise on statecraft rather than a description of an actual kingdom.
    • Scholars believe it was contemporaneous with the Mauryan period and reflects a sophisticated administrative structure unprecedented before their time.

• Buddhist Texts – Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa:

• • • These Buddhist chronicles trace the Mauryan ancestry to the Moriya clan, a kshatriya group from Pipphalivana.
    • They emphasize the Mauryan connection to the Buddha’s Sakya clan, reinforcing their kshatriya status.

• Ashokan Inscriptions:

• • Ashoka’s edicts, written in Prakrit and Brahmi script, sometimes in Kharoshti, Greek, and Aramaic, are significant sources of information.
  • Notable inscriptions include:

• Fourteen Major Rock Edicts.
• Two Separate Rock Edicts (Kalinga Edicts).
• Two Minor Rock Edicts.
• Seven Major Pillar Edicts.
• Minor Pillar Edicts.
• The Bairat Rock Edict (Rajasthan).
• Inscriptions at Barabar Hills (Bihar).

• Ashoka referred to these as Dhammalipi (Edicts of Piety).

• Material Sources – Karshapana:

• • • Coins from the Mauryan period, primarily silver punch-marked ones, lack legends but contain uniform symbols.
    • Symbols like the crescent-on-arches, tree-in-railing, and peacock-on-arches are associated with Mauryan kings.

• Archaeological Remains:

• • Excavations at Taxila, Mathura, Bhita, Bulandibagh, and Kumrahar reveal significant artefacts and urban elements linked to Pataliputra, the Mauryan capital.
  • Artefacts highlight the diversity and advanced urban planning of the Mauryan period.

Debating the Social Origins of Mauryas

• The early life of Chandragupta is not well-documented, but historians debate the Mauryan family’s caste or tribal origins:
• Some believe Chandragupta was the son of the last Nanda king, Dhana Nanda, and a “low-born” woman named Mura, giving rise to the Maurya name.
• Buddhist traditions connect the Mauryas to the Moriya clan of Pipphalivana, portraying them as kshatriyas linked to the Buddha’s Sakya tribe.
• Jain accounts describe Chandragupta as the son of a village chief’s daughter from a community of peacock-tamers (Mayura-Poshaka).
• The Puranas label the Mauryas as Shudras, possibly due to their patronage of heterodox sects.

Tracing the Historical and Literary Legacy of the Mauryas

Classical sources, referring to Chandragupta as Sandrakottus, describe him as being of humble origins.

• The Junagarh Rock Inscription (150 CE) mentions Pusyagupta, Chandragupta’s brother-in-law, suggesting a Vaishya connection.
• The title “Gupta” in Chandragupta’s name and Ashoka’s marriage to a Vidisha merchant’s daughter support the theory of a Vaishya lineage.
• In Vishakadatta’s Mudrarakshasa, Chandragupta is referred to as ‘Vrishala’ and ‘Kulahina,’ implying his modest origins.

Foundation of the Mauryan Empire

Chandragupta established the Maurya Empire after overthrowing the last Nanda king in 321 BCE.

• Kautilya played a pivotal role in encouraging Chandragupta’s rise, believing Dhanananda to be unworthy of the throne.
• Alexander’s invasion (325-323 BCE) disrupted the northwest region, as many governors stationed there were either assassinated or retreated.
• Chandragupta capitalized on this instability to gain control over the northwest and Magadha. By 321 BCE, he had consolidated power over both regions.