History

The Mauryan Empire

1. Founder – Chandragupta Maurya
2. Last Emperor – Brihadrath (killed by Pushyamitra Sungha)
3. Capital – Patliputra (modern ‘Patna’)

Literary source

1. “Arthashastra” (Sanskrit) – Vishnugupta (Chanakya or Kautilya or ‘Indian Machiavelli’)

• Arthashastra was discovered and published – by R. Shama Shastri (1904).
• Carries 15 books, 180 chapters, 3 parts.
• 1st part – King, council and department of government.
• 2nd part – Civil and criminal law.
• 3rd part – diplomacy and war.

2. “Mudrarakshasa” (Skt) – Vishakhadatta
3. “Indica” – Megasthenes (Greek, Seleucus ambassador)
4. “Kathasaritsagar” – Somdev
5. “Brihadkatha Manjari” – Kshemendra
6. “Rajtarangini” – Kalhan

Mauryan Emperors

(i) Chandragupta Maurya

• In 305 BC defeated Selucus Niketar (General of Alexander)
• Megasthenese visited his court
• Made "Sudarshan Lake”, according to “Junagarh Rock Inscription”
• Later adopted ‘Jainism’  and went south india with ‘Bhadrabahu’ & died at ‘Sravanbelagola’ (Maysore, Karnataka)

(ii) Bindusar  (‘Amitraghat’)

• Conquered deccan upto Maysor
• Taranath (Tibet Monk) said that bindu conquered 16 state & ‘land b/w two sea’
• Eldest son ‘Suman’ viceroy of ‘Taxila’ & ‘Ashok’ to ‘Ujjain’
• Followed ‘Ajivak Sampraday’

(iii) Ashoka The Great (272-232 BC)

• Mother – Subhadrandi or Janpad Kalyani, Father - Bindusar, Son – Mahendra, Daughter – Sanghmitra, Guru g – Upgupta (taught Buddhism)
• 1st 8 years ruled like a cruel king
• After Kalinga war embraced Buddhism from Guru g
• Appointed ‘Dharma Mahamatras’ to speed up process of Dharma propogation
• Conducted 3rd Buddhist Council at ‘Patliputra’
• His son and daughter went to Ceylon (Srilanka) to propagate Buddhism.

Five Provinces

• North – Taxilla
• West – Ujjain
• South – Swarnagiri
• East – Dosali
• Central – Patliputra (under king)

Officers

• Amatyas – IAS officers
• Samahart – Chief Tax Collector
• Adhyaksha – Chief of Commerce & Industry
• Dharmathikarin – CJI of Supreme Court
• Gopa – 15 Village incharge
• Raksihah – Police

"Lion Capital Of Ashok"

• A sculpture of four Indian lions standing back to back, on an elaborate base that includes other animals. A graphic representation of it was adopted as the official Emblem of India in 1950.
• It was originally placed atop the Aśoka pillar at the important Buddhist site of Sarnath by the Emperor Ashoka, in about 250 BC.
• Whenever the emblem is used by state governments or any other government body, the words Satyameva Jayate in Devanagari script has to be used right under the emblem as per the statute, State Emblem of India Act, 2005.
• On the Right side of Emblem there is a Horse and on left is Bull. Total animals are 4 i.e. Lion, Horse, Bull and Elephant.