CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA

CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA

Classical Greek sources speak of -a young Indian named Sandrocottus-identified with Chandragupta Maurya-who sided with the Greeks. Plutarch states that Sandrocottus advised Alexander to advance beyond the Beas and attack the Nanda emperor of Magadha, who was so unpopular that his people would rise in support of an invader. The Latin historian, Justin, adds that Sandrocottus later offended Alexander by his boldness of speech, and the conqueror ordered that he should be put to death. The youngman, however, escaped, and after many adventures succeeded in expelling the Greek garrisons, and gaining the throne of India.

Both Indian and Greek sources agree that Chandragupta overthrew the last of the Nandas (Dhanananda) and occu­pied his capital, Pataliputra; the latter add that, after Alexander's retreat, Chandragupta subdued the north-west, driving out the Greek garrisons. According to all Indian traditions he was much aided in his conquests by his Brahman adviser, called variously Kautilya, Chanakya and Vishnugupta. Indeed in Visakhadatta's play, Mudrarakshasa (6th century AD), Chandragupta Maurya is depicted as a weak and insignificant young man, the real ruler of the empire being Chanakya. The Arthashastra, a treatise which contains genuine Mauryan reminiscences, was writ­ten by ChaUakya. Chandragupta probably ascended the throne around 322 BC.

Soon the Greeks were again at tl\e, doors of ' India. Alexander's general, Seleucus Nicator, had succeeded in gaining control of most.ofthe Asiatic provinces of th~'short­lived Macedonian empire,and turnedhis-:'att~ntioh to the east. About 305 BC, he met Chandraguptain battle, and seems to have suffered a defeat, and was compelled to yield parts of Afghanistan to Chandragupta, receivirlg in ex­change only 500 elephants. Beace was conGluded-by ,'a mj1trimonial alliance, the exact nature of whicb is uncertairl; but possibly sOme Greek princess came to the. M~uryan family.
Seleucus sent an ambassador, Megasthenes, t9 'the Mauryan court, and the envoy wrq!e.a detailed ~ccoW1t of India entitled Indika. Uhfortunately;no manuscript of 1ndika has survived, but many Greek and tatin authors have referreq to and quoted- from it abundantly, anq froI1l fh~ir works it may be partially reconstructed. The Indika is important as the first authentic and connected description
of India by a foreigner.

According to lndika and. Artha~hastra, the MilUryan empire had developed a higWy cQiganisea bureailcratic administration, which controllea the whole economic life .of
the state. It had a very thorough espion;ge;~ystem; wwcit was active among all classestrom theI1fghesf' ministers. to
the lowest classes in the towns.

Megasthenes admired Emperor Chandragup~ for his energetic administration of justice, which. he presided oyer personally in open darbar. His enormous palace at Pataliputra, tt\Ough built wholly of wood, was of great beauty and splendour. Chandragupta is said to have changed his bedroom every day because of constant fear of assassina­tion. The capital was a large and fine city, surrounded ,by a wooden wall.

Chandragupta is also believed to have conquered Gujarati Kathiawar and some-parts ofthe Deccan;rAccord~ ing to 'Jain tradition, Chandragupta abdicated his throne in about 300 BC and starved himself to death in around 298 BC, at Sravanabelagola near Mysore.