The Mauryan Empire | ICSE Class 6 History & Civics Notes

This note covers the origins of the Mauryan Empire, its rulers, historical evidence, government, economy, Ashoka's war in Kalinga, his moral teachings and public welfare measures, Mauryan art, and the empire's decline and legacy.

What was the background to the Mauryan Empire?

An empire brings several territories or smaller kingdoms under a powerful ruler. An emperor exercises authority over this larger territory, often after conquest. Smaller rulers may remain in office while accepting the emperor's authority.

A tributary is a ruler or state that accepts an emperor's authority and pays tribute. Tribute consists of valuable goods or payments given as a sign of submission, loyalty or respect. It could include grain, precious metals, livestock or elephants.

Why was Magadha well placed to grow?

Magadha, in present-day south Bihar and adjoining areas, provided the foundation for Mauryan power. Its location in the Ganga plains offered fertile land, forests, elephants and access to nearby mineral resources. These advantages supported both production and military strength.

• Agriculture: Iron ploughs helped increase the production of food. Surplus food, meaning food beyond immediate needs, allowed more people to work in crafts.
• Military resources: Forests supplied timber and elephants, while iron helped make weapons that strengthened the army.
• Transport: The Ganga and Son rivers carried goods and helped trade flourish. Trade increased the income available to rulers.

Between about 600 BCE and 500 BCE, the Ganga valley saw urbanisation, paddy transplantation, mahajanapadas and punch-marked coins. Between about 500 BCE and 400 BCE, Magadha's rulers consolidated their power. These developments formed the background to the later Mauryan Empire.

The Nandas ruled Magadha before the Mauryas. From various accounts, it appears that their last emperor, Dhana Nanda, became highly unpopular because he oppressed and exploited his people. This helped prepare the way for a change of dynasty, meaning a succession of rulers from one family.

Resources alone did not govern a large territory. An expanding state also needed soldiers, officials, transport and money. The Mauryas built on Magadha's geographical advantages, established economy and flourishing trade when they brought a much wider area under their authority.

Which sources help us understand the Mauryas?

Historical sources are surviving objects, writings and other evidence used to study the past. For Mauryan history, written accounts, inscriptions and material remains answer different questions. Comparing them helps distinguish descriptions of life from instructions about how rulers should govern.

How do Indica and the Arthashastra differ?

Indica does not survive as a complete book. Excerpts remain because later Greek writers quoted them. This makes it valuable but incomplete evidence. Megasthenes' account describes officials who measured land, supervised water supplies and collected taxes.

The Arthashastra is a work on governance and economics. Its instructions discuss what a ruler should do. An instruction about good government is different from proof that every official followed it in practice.

Note: Ashoka's inscriptions communicate his own messages and claims. We need not take all his claims literally. They clearly show his concern to present himself as a compassionate ruler and to reach his subjects.

An inscription is writing engraved on a durable surface. An edict is an official declaration issued by a ruler or authority. An edict may therefore survive as an inscription, but the two terms describe different things: the declaration and its written form.

How do scholars date and read inscriptions?

Epigraphy is the study of inscriptions. Some inscriptions carry dates; others are dated by palaeography, the study of styles of writing. The written form of the letter “a” around 250 BCE differs from its form around 500 CE, illustrating how letter shapes help establish dates.

Scholars compared older letters with later scripts. James Prinsep deciphered Ashokan Brahmi in 1838, and Alexander Cunningham published a collection of Ashoka's inscriptions in 1877. These dates concern the recovery and study of evidence from Ashoka's reign, 268 BCE to 232 BCE.

Reading an inscription does not settle every question about it. Damaged or missing letters can make interpretation uncertain. Historians compare royal claims with other evidence and ask whether a statement is true, plausible or exaggerated.

How did Chandragupta, Chanakya and Bindusara shape the empire's origins?

Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire around 321 BCE. BCE means Before Common Era; within BCE dates, larger year numbers refer to earlier times. Chandragupta overthrew the Nandas, took control of Magadha and made Pataliputra his capital, the main centre of government.

What was Chanakya's role?

Many accounts connect Chandragupta's success with an able mentor, Kautilya, also known as Chanakya. His knowledge of politics, government and economics helped Chandragupta establish and expand his authority. Chanakya's role links the founding of the empire with ideas about effective government.

Buddhist traditions, associated with the teachings of the Buddha, connect Chanakya with teaching at Taxila. Stories also describe a conflict between him and Dhana Nanda. These are traditions about his life; the detailed stories should not be treated as equally certain records of every event.

What happened in the northwest before Chandragupta's rise?

From 334 BCE to 331 BCE, Alexander campaigned against and conquered the Persian Empire. During 327 BCE to 325 BCE, he invaded India, defeated Porus in Punjab and met fierce resistance. His weary soldiers refused to advance towards the Ganga, and he retreated.

During 324 BCE to 323 BCE, Alexander faced rebellions and political turmoil back in Persia. He fell ill and died in Babylon. His empire soon broke into kingdoms ruled by his generals and provincial governors, called satraps.

Chandragupta defeated the Greek governors left in the northwest after Alexander's campaign. His empire extended from the northern plains towards the Deccan plateau. He also maintained diplomatic relations with the Greeks. Diplomacy means managing relations between rulers or states through representatives and discussion.

Megasthenes' presence at Chandragupta's court is an example of such contact. His writings connect the political history of the empire with information about its society and government.

Where does Bindusara fit in the succession?

Bindusara was Chandragupta's son and successor, and Ashoka's father. A successor is someone who takes office after another person. The main family sequence is therefore Chandragupta, Bindusara and Ashoka. Ashoka was Chandragupta's grandson.

This sequence matters because Ashoka inherited an already extensive empire when his reign began in 268 BCE. The founding of the dynasty, its continuation under Bindusara and Ashoka's later achievements belong to different stages. Ashoka's fame should not obscure Chandragupta's role in establishing Mauryan power.

What did Chanakya teach about governing a kingdom?

Chanakya's ideas connect the strength of a ruler with the organisation and welfare of the kingdom. His concept of saptanga means the seven parts that together make up a kingdom. It includes people, resources, officials and allies as well as the king.

How were power and welfare connected?

These seven parts were meant to create a settled, protected and prosperous kingdom. Chanakya recognised both warfare and peaceful alliances, meaning agreements of cooperation between rulers. The choice depended on the circumstances facing the kingdom.

Law and order required a strong administration, or organised system for running government. Chanakya discussed laws against corruption, meaning the misuse of an official position, and punishments for actions that harmed people's wellbeing.

He also emphasised the countryside as the source of economic activity. Measures such as building road bridges and embankments could benefit people and strengthen the kingdom. An embankment is a raised barrier used to hold back or control water.

His central principle was that a king's interests should be tied to the welfare of his subjects, meaning the people he ruled. Personal pleasure should not take priority over their wellbeing. Government therefore involved more than victory in war or collecting wealth.

The saptanga idea provides a useful way to connect different aspects of Mauryan history. Agriculture supported wealth; wealth helped maintain officials and defence; officials helped organise the kingdom. These are connected parts of government rather than separate lists to learn without understanding.

How was the empire administered from Pataliputra?

Pataliputra, near present-day Patna, was the Mauryan capital. It was a centre of government and commerce, meaning the buying and selling of goods. Its palaces, public buildings and planned streets reflected the importance of city life in the empire.

What were the main centres of government?

Alongside Pataliputra, four important provincial centres, or centres governing regions of the empire, were Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali and Suvarnagiri. These centres appear in Ashoka's inscriptions. Taxila and Ujjayini stood on important long-distance trade routes.

It is likely that administrative control was strongest around the capital and provincial centres. A uniform system across such different regions is unlikely. Suvarnagiri was possibly important for access to Karnataka's gold mines.

Officials collected taxes, measured land, supervised water distribution and oversaw activities connected with land and production. Taxation is the collection of payments by the state. This income helped support the work of government.

Why did communication and the army matter?

Journeys between the capital and the provinces could have taken weeks, if not months. Land and river routes were therefore vital. Travellers needed provisions, meaning food and other necessary supplies, as well as protection along the way.

Megasthenes described six military subcommittees, or smaller groups assigned particular duties. Their responsibilities were the navy, transport and provisions, foot-soldiers, horses, chariots and elephants. The transport group arranged equipment, food for soldiers and fodder, meaning food for animals.

This organisation shows that maintaining an army involved supply as well as fighting. Soldiers and animals required care, and equipment needed transport. A large empire depended on these practical arrangements to connect its distant regions and support its authority.

How did different groups contribute to the Mauryan economy?

The economy is the system through which people produce, exchange and use goods and services. Mauryan government depended on agriculture, crafts and trade. Taxes and trade helped maintain a strong treasury, which supported administration and the army.

Farmers

A substantial proportion of the population worked in agriculture. Farming supplied food and was an important source of revenue, meaning income, for the empire. Surplus grain also allowed people to work in occupations beyond growing their own food.

Granaries were stores for grain. The Sohagaura copper-plate inscription mentions a granary as protection against famine, a severe shortage of food. It is believed to have been issued during Chandragupta's reign. The measure connects agricultural storage with public welfare.

Artisans

Artisans are skilled makers of goods. Blacksmiths, potters, carpenters and jewellers worked in cities. Their products supported daily life and exchange. Metalworking also mattered for tools and weapons, linking craft production with farming and defence.

Traders and guilds

Traders carried textiles, spices, agricultural produce, gems and handicrafts. Land and sea routes connected different regions and extended beyond India. Control of routes mattered because more trade could increase producers' incomes and the taxes collected by rulers.

Guilds, also called shrenis, were associations of traders, craftspeople, moneylenders or agriculturists. As far as evidence shows, a guild's head was usually elected. Members could share resources and information, while guilds made rules for their own activities.

Officials and couriers

Officials helped organise taxation and government. Couriers, or messengers carrying information between places, helped communication. Together with merchants and artisans, officials played important roles in urban life.

These groups depended on one another. Farmers supplied food, artisans made goods, traders moved products and officials collected revenue. Understanding these relationships explains how the empire could support cities and government over a large territory.

Why did Ashoka's war in Kalinga become a turning point?

Ashoka, who ruled from 268 BCE to 232 BCE, inherited a vast empire. At the beginning of his reign he was ambitious and extended Mauryan power. His empire covered almost the entire Indian subcontinent except its southernmost region.

The Indian subcontinent is the large geographical region that includes India and neighbouring countries. Ashoka's empire included present-day Bangladesh and Pakistan and parts of present-day Afghanistan. Its boundaries were not the same as those of modern India.

Orange shading marks the empire over much of the map. Pataliputra is marked as the main capital. Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali and Suvarnagiri are marked as regional capitals. The Cholas, Pandyas and Keralaputras are labelled in the far south beyond the orange area.

See Fig. 5.13 in your NCERT textbook

What caused the conflict?

Kalinga lay in the region of present-day Odisha. Ashoka sought to bring this independent territory under his expanding empire. The immediate political aim was conquest, meaning taking control of territory by force.

The war was ferocious and caused enormous death and destruction. This encounter is said to have changed the course of Ashoka's life. His own edict connects the violence of the campaign with his later change of direction.

What changed after the war?

Seeing the suffering, Ashoka chose to give up violence and, to the greatest extent possible, follow the Buddha's path of peace and non-violence. Non-violence means avoiding harm to living beings.

Ashoka embraced Buddhist teachings and sent emissaries to spread the Buddha's message. An emissary is a person sent on a special mission. The important sequence is ambition, conquest, recognition of suffering and a greater commitment to peace and moral conduct.

What were Ashoka's Dhamma and edicts?

Dhamma is the Prakrit form of the word dharma. In simple terms, it concerns moral law and duties towards family, community and country. Ashoka used it to encourage conduct that could help people of different traditions live together.

Which kinds of conduct did he encourage?

• Respect for elders: People should treat older people with consideration.
• Generosity: People should support Brahmanas, members of the priestly tradition, and those who had renounced worldly life for religious purposes.
• Kind treatment: Slaves and servants should be treated kindly.
• Religious respect: People should respect religions and traditions other than their own.

Ashoka's personal acceptance of Buddhism and his public moral instructions are related but distinct. The conduct described in his edicts addressed relationships between people. He also claimed to encourage different sects, or religious schools of thought, to learn from one another's best teachings.

How did people receive his messages?

Edicts were engraved on rocks and pillars across many parts of the empire. Most were in Prakrit, a language popular in many regions. Most Prakrit inscriptions used Brahmi, a script, meaning a system of written signs used to represent language.

Some northwestern inscriptions used other languages or scripts. Therefore, “most” must not become “all”. A language is what people speak; a script is the system used to write it. The distinction helps explain how royal messages reached different audiences.

Ashoka appointed special officers called dhamma mahamatta to spread Dhamma. He also tried to use these shared principles to hold his empire together. Communication included both lasting written messages and people appointed to carry out his moral policy.

Reproduction and photograph: Rock and pillar inscriptions (NCERT Grade 7 Figure 5.18). The left image reproduces part of the Girnar rock edict, with closely arranged lines of writing. The right photograph shows writing across the curved surface of the Topra pillar at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi.

How did Ashoka connect government with public welfare?

Public welfare means action intended to improve people's wellbeing. A welfare state, in this historical setting, means a government that accepts responsibility for helping those it rules. Ashoka's messages link royal authority with concern for people and animals.

What welfare measures did he describe?

These are Ashoka's claims about his actions and his instructions for government. They show his priorities without proving that every measure operated perfectly in every region. His concern for welfare is clear even though every claim need not be taken literally.

In an edict addressed to officers and city magistrates, officials responsible for administering justice, Ashoka urged impartiality. Impartiality means fairness without favouring one side. He told officials to be calm rather than hasty and to avoid imprisoning or torturing people without good reason.

He also announced that an officer who was not harsh would inspect their work every five years. The purpose was to check whether the instructions were being followed. This connected moral advice with supervision of officials.

Why are these ideas relevant today?

Care for health, reliable water supplies and fair treatment remain useful standards for judging public service. Respect for different beliefs also supports peaceful relationships. These are present-day applications of the ideas, rather than claims that ancient and modern governments have identical institutions.

For ordinary conduct, the same principles suggest kindness towards those doing work for us, consideration for elders and respect for people with different beliefs. Their relevance lies in the behaviour they encourage.

What do Mauryan art and architecture reveal?

Art includes works such as sculpture, while architecture concerns the design and construction of buildings. Mauryan achievements include polished stone pillars and religious monuments. They show skilled work as well as connections between royal power, religious teaching and public spaces.

Why is the Sarnath lion capital important?

A capital, when discussing a pillar, means its top portion. This differs from a capital city. The Sarnath lion capital stood on a pillar erected by Ashoka near Varanasi, where the Buddha gave his first teaching.

Its four lions symbolise royal power. The ring below includes an elephant, bull, horse and another lion, together with wheels. The dharmachakra, or wheel of dharma, symbolises the Buddha's teachings.

Photograph: The Sarnath lion capital (NCERT Grade 7 Figure 5.20). The photograph shows the polished stone capital with lion figures at the top, a circular band bearing a wheel and animal forms, and a rounded, fluted lower section. Not every animal is visible from this single viewpoint.

The lion capital was chosen as India's national emblem, meaning an official national symbol. The dharmachakra also appears at the centre of the national flag. These connections make Mauryan art familiar beyond its original historical setting.

What should we remember about Sanchi?

A stupa is a religious monument with a rounded mound, often built to house sacred relics, meaning remains or objects preserved for religious reverence. At Sanchi, the original structure was brick and was later enlarged using stone.

Ashoka is said to have constructed many stupas and other religious buildings for worship, study and meditation.

Photograph: The Great Stupa at Sanchi (NCERT Grade 7 Figure 5.26). The photograph shows a large rounded dome, a surrounding railing and an elaborately carved gateway in front. The visible monument includes later enlargement, so the entire photographed structure should not be assigned to Ashoka's reign.

Why did the empire decline, and what was its legacy?

The Mauryan Empire continued for about half a century after Ashoka's death in 232 BCE. His successors were unable to hold it together, and many smaller kingdoms broke away. Around 185 BCE, the Mauryan period came to an end.

Why was holding a large empire difficult?

A large territory needed communication, revenue, officials and cooperation from regional rulers. Distances made governing difficult. When central authority weakened, local rulers had opportunities to become independent. Mauryan political unity did not mean that control had been equally strong everywhere.

Weakness at the centre and the separation of smaller kingdoms explain the broad pattern of Mauryan decline. They do not justify inventing a single cause that accounts for everything. In particular, Ashoka's interest in peace should not automatically be treated as proof that it alone destroyed the empire.

What achievements outlasted Mauryan rule?

Legacy means the lasting influence of an earlier period. The Mauryas brought much of the subcontinent under one political authority. Their achievements included an elaborate administration, stronger trade routes, economic organisation, the use of coins and planned urban settlements.

Their stone sculpture and monuments also left an enduring artistic legacy. Ashoka's messages preserve ideas about moral conduct, respectful relationships and the responsibility of rulers towards their people. The national emblem connects modern India with one part of this artistic inheritance.

The empire therefore has both a political history and a longer cultural significance. Its government ended, but its buildings, inscriptions and ideas continued to provide evidence and inspiration. Studying both sides avoids reducing its history either to conquest or to a list of good deeds.

What timeline connects the main stages of Mauryan history?

A timeline places events in sequence so that their relationship becomes clear. Some stages have dates; others can be placed before or after a ruler without assigning an exact year. Approximate dates should remain approximate.

Read the table as a connected story: Magadha supplied the background; Chandragupta established the dynasty; Bindusara linked its first and third major rulers; Ashoka combined imperial rule with a stronger emphasis on peace and welfare; later rulers faced fragmentation.

The dates also prevent two common confusions. Chandragupta founded the empire before Ashoka ruled, and the empire did not end immediately when Ashoka died. Keep the order of rulers separate from the changing ideas and responsibilities of government.

Glossary

• Empire — A collection of territories or smaller kingdoms under the authority of a powerful ruler.
• Dynasty — A succession of rulers belonging to the same family over a period of time.
• Tribute — Money or valuable goods paid as a sign of submission, loyalty or respect.
• Administration — The organised system through which officials conduct the work of governing a territory.
• Arthashastra — A work on governance and economics associated with Kautilya, discussing defence, administration and welfare.
• Indica — Megasthenes' account of India, surviving through excerpts quoted by later Greek writers.
• Inscription — Writing engraved on a durable surface, such as a rock or stone pillar.
• Edict — An official declaration issued by a ruler or another authority to communicate a message.
• Dhamma — The Prakrit form of dharma, concerning moral law and duties towards others.
• Script — A system of written signs used to represent a language in writing.
• Guild — An association of people engaged in activities such as trade, crafts, moneylending or agriculture.
• Public welfare — Action intended to improve people's wellbeing, including their health and access to useful services.
• Stupa — A religious monument with a rounded mound, often built to contain sacred relics.
• Legacy — The lasting influence of an earlier period through its achievements, objects or ideas.

Common errors and misconceptions

• Misconception: Ashoka founded the Mauryan Empire. Correct: Chandragupta founded it around 321 BCE; Ashoka was his grandson.
• Misconception: Bindusara and Chanakya were the same person. Correct: Bindusara was Chandragupta's son and successor; Chanakya was the adviser associated with Chandragupta.
• Misconception: Indica survives as a complete book. Correct: It survives through excerpts quoted by later Greek writers.
• Misconception: Every region was governed with equal control. Correct: Control was not uniform; it is likely to have been strongest around the capital and provincial centres.
• Misconception: Every inscription used Prakrit and Brahmi. Correct: Most used these, but other languages and scripts also appeared.
• Misconception: Ashoka's welfare claims prove perfect conditions everywhere. Correct: They show his concerns and intentions; every claim need not be taken literally.
• Misconception: Everything visible at Sanchi was built by Ashoka. Correct: The original brick structure was later enlarged using stone.
• Misconception: The empire ended immediately after Ashoka's death. Correct: It continued for about half a century afterwards.

Exam-style questions with model answers

Q1. Chandragupta founded the Mauryan Empire around 321 BCE. Bindusara was his son and successor, and Ashoka was Bindusara's son. Identify the founder and state Ashoka's relationship to him. [2 marks]

1. Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire around 321 BCE.
2. Ashoka was Chandragupta's grandson, since Ashoka's father Bindusara was Chandragupta's son.

Q2. Magadha had fertile plains, nearby iron resources, and the Ganga and Son rivers for transport. Iron could be used for ploughs and weapons, while trade increased rulers' income. Explain three advantages these resources gave Magadha. [3 marks]

1. Fertile plains supported agriculture, while iron ploughs helped cultivate land and produce food for the population.
2. Nearby iron resources supplied material for weapons, helping rulers strengthen the army as well as improve farming equipment.
3. The Ganga and Son provided transport routes for goods. This encouraged trade, which increased the income available to rulers.

Q3. Indica contains Megasthenes' descriptions of India but survives only in later quotations. The Arthashastra gives instructions about government, and Ashoka's inscriptions contain his own declarations and welfare claims. Explain four points about using these sources carefully. [4 marks]

1. Indica provides descriptions associated with Megasthenes' account of India, so it can contribute information about life and government.
2. Its survival through later quotations means the complete original work is unavailable; surviving passages provide incomplete evidence.
3. The Arthashastra describes how government should operate. Its instructions do not by themselves prove that every instruction was followed.
4. Ashoka's inscriptions preserve his messages and claims. They reveal his stated concerns, but claims should not automatically be treated as proof of complete success.

Q4. Pataliputra was the capital; Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali and Suvarnagiri were provincial centres. Control was likely strongest near these centres. Officials collected taxes and supervised land and water. Land and river journeys could take weeks or months, requiring supplies and protection. Explain five features of Mauryan administration using this evidence. [5 marks]

1. Pataliputra served as the capital, providing the main centre of government from which the ruler administered the empire.
2. Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali and Suvarnagiri were important provincial centres, connecting regional government with the wider structure of imperial administration.
3. Control was likely strongest near the capital and provincial centres. This suggests that administrative control was not equally strong throughout the empire.
4. Officials performed practical duties such as collecting taxes and supervising land and water. These tasks connected government with resources and production.
5. Land and river communication was essential because journeys could last weeks or months. Supplies and protection were necessary for people travelling between distant regions.

Q5. Ashoka sought to conquer Kalinga. The war caused enormous death and destruction, and the encounter is said to have changed his life. He then chose peace and non-violence to the greatest extent possible, embraced Buddhist teachings and sent emissaries to spread the Buddha's message. Explain five stages or effects of this turning point. [5 marks]

1. Ashoka's initial aim was to conquer Kalinga and bring the territory under his authority, continuing the expansion of his empire.
2. The resulting war caused enormous death and destruction. Its human cost is central to understanding the change associated with the campaign.
3. The encounter is said to have changed his life: seeing the death and destruction led him to turn away from violence.
4. He chose, to the greatest extent possible, the path of peace and non-violence taught by the Buddha.
5. He embraced Buddhist teachings and sent emissaries to spread the Buddha's message, giving the change a religious and communicative expression.

Q6. Ashoka's Dhamma encouraged respect for elders, generosity towards religious people, kindness towards slaves and servants, and respect for other religions. Identify these four principles and explain the conduct each required. [4 marks]

1. Respect for elders required treating older people with consideration in everyday relationships rather than disregarding their needs.
2. Generosity required support for Brahmanas and those who had renounced worldly life for religious purposes.
3. Kindness towards slaves and servants required humane treatment of people serving others, making moral conduct relevant to unequal social relationships.
4. Respect for other religions required consideration for beliefs beyond one's own, helping people of different traditions live together peacefully.

Q7. Ashoka claimed to provide medical care for people and animals and said he established wells, rest houses and roadside trees. He also instructed officials to act impartially and announced inspections. Explain three ways these measures connected government with welfare, retaining the qualifications in the evidence. [3 marks]

1. His claim to provide medical care connected government with the health of people and animals, although it remains a claim about his actions.
2. He said he established wells, rest houses and roadside trees. These measures linked government with water, rest and shelter for travellers.
3. Instructions on impartiality and announced inspections connected welfare with fair official behaviour and supervision of how officials treated people.

Q8. The original Sanchi stupa was built of brick and later enlarged using stone. The Sarnath lion capital was chosen as India's national emblem. State one caution when describing Sanchi and one example of Mauryan art's continuing significance. [2 marks]

1. Sanchi includes later enlargement, so its entire surviving structure should not be assigned to the original building phase.
2. The Sarnath lion capital's selection as India's national emblem shows the continuing significance of Mauryan art.

Key takeaways

• Magadha's fertile land, forests, minerals and river routes provided important resources for the growth of Mauryan power.
• Chandragupta founded the empire around 321 BCE; Bindusara followed him, and Ashoka was Chandragupta's grandson.
• Indica, the Arthashastra, inscriptions and material remains provide different kinds of evidence about the Mauryas.
• Pataliputra and provincial centres supported government, but administrative control was not uniform across the empire.
• The Kalinga war is said to have changed Ashoka's life, strengthening his commitment to peace and non-violence.
• Dhamma encouraged respectful conduct, while Ashoka's edicts and officers helped communicate his moral instructions.
• Ashoka's welfare claims reveal concern for people and animals, but every claim need not be taken literally.
• Mauryan political rule ended, while its inscriptions, art and ideas about government left a lasting legacy.

Test yourself

Who founded the Mauryan Empire, and approximately when?

Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire around 321 BCE.

How were Chandragupta, Bindusara and Ashoka related?

Bindusara was Chandragupta's son and Ashoka's father, making Ashoka Chandragupta's grandson.

Why can we not read the complete original Indica?

The complete book is lost; excerpts survive in quotations by later Greek writers.

What does saptanga mean in Chanakya's ideas?

It means the seven parts of a kingdom: the ruler; councillors, ministers and other high officials; the territory and its population; fortified towns and cities; the treasury; forces responsible for defence and law and order; and allies.

How does a script differ from a language?

A language is spoken; a script is the system of signs used to write a language.

Who were the dhamma mahamatta?

They were special officers appointed to spread Ashoka's message of Dhamma.

What qualification belongs with Ashoka's commitment to non-violence?

He adopted peace and non-violence to the greatest extent possible, rather than eliminating every use of force.

Did Mauryan rule end immediately when Ashoka died?

No. The empire continued for about half a century after Ashoka's death.