The First Indian Empire

Edited By: Robert Guisepi 

 
     By the end of the Later Vedic Age about 500 B.C., a thousand years after the collapse of the Indus civilization,
the Aryan invaders of India had established sixteen major kingdoms and tribal oligarchies in northern India,
stretching from modern Pakistan to Bengal. The shock of Alexander the Great's invasion of India provided the spark
that led to the unification of India.
 
     In 326 B.C. Alexander the Great, continuing his conquest of the Persian Empire (see ch. 2), brought his
phalanxes into the easternmost Persian satrapy in the Indus valley, defeating local Punjab rulers. When his weary
troops refused to advance further eastward into the Ganges plain, Alexander constructed a fleet and explored the
Indus to its mouth. From there he returned overland to Babylon, while his fleet skirted the coast of the Arabian Sea
and reached the Persian Gulf.
 
     After Alexander's death in 323 B.C., the empire he had built so rapidly quickly disintegrated, and by 321 B.C. his
domain in the Punjab had completely disappeared. But he had opened routes between India and the West that would
remain open during the following Hellenistic and Roman periods, and by destroying the petty states in the Punjab he
facilitated - and perhaps
inspired - the conquests of India's own first emperor.
 
Chandragupta Maurya, India's First Emperor
 
     In 322 B.C., shortly after Alexander's death, a new era began in India. In that year Chandragupta Maurya seized
the state of Magadha in the Ganges valley. Over the next twenty-four years Chandragupta conquered northern India
and founded the Maurya Dynasty, which endured until about 185 B.C. At its height the empire included all the
subcontinent except the extreme south.
 
     India's first empire reflected the imperial vision of its founder. He created an administrative system whose
efficiency was not surpassed until the advent of British rule in the nineteenth century. Chandragupta was also a
brilliant general and administrator. He was responsible for the first military victory of the East over the West; in 305
B.C. he defeated Seleucus, the general who had inherited the major part of Alexander's empire and had crossed the
Indus in an attempt to regain Alexander's Indian conquests. Seleucus gave up his Indian claims in return for five
hundred war elephants and established friendly diplomatic relations with the Indian emperor.
 
Life In The Mauryan Empire
 
     Seleucus' ambassador to the court of Chandragupta, whose name was Megasthenes, wrote a detailed account of
India, fragments of which have survived. They give a fascinating picture of life in the empire. Pataliputra,
Chandragupta's capital known today as Patna, covered eighteen square miles and was probably the largest city in the
world. Outside its massive wooden walls was a deep trench used for defense and the disposal of sewage.
 
     The remarkably advanced Mauryan empire was divided and subdivided into provinces, districts, and villages
whose headmen were appointed by the state. The old customary law, preserved and administered by the Brahmin
priesthood, was superseded by an extensive legal code that provided for royal interference in all matters. A series of
courts ranging from the village court presided over by the headman to the emperor's imperial court administered the
law. So
busy was Chandragupta with the details of his surprisingly modern administration that, according to Megasthenes,
he had to hear court cases during his daily massage.
 
     Two other agencies were very important in holding the empire together. One was the professional army, which
Megasthenes reports was an incredibly large force of 700,000 men, 9000 elephants, and 10,000 chariots. The other
was the secret police, whose numbers were so large that the Greek writer concluded that spies constituted a separate
class in Indian society. So great was the danger of conspiracy that Chandragupta lived in strict seclusion, attended
only by women who cooked his food and in the evening carried him to his apartment, where they lulled him to sleep
with music.
 
     Complementing this picture of an efficient but harsh bureaucracy is a remarkable book, Treatise on Material Gain
(Arthashastra), written by Chandragupta's chief minister, Kautilya, as a guide for the king and his ministers.
Kautilya exalts royal power as the means of establishing and
maintaining "material gain," meaning political and economic stability. The great evil is anarchy, such as had existed
among the small warring states in northern India. To achieve the aims of statecraft, Kautilya argues, a single
authority is needed that will employ force when necessary. Like Machiavelli, the Renaissance Italian author of a
famous book on statecraft (The Prince),
Kautilya advocates deception or unscrupulous means to attain desired ends.
 
     The Mauryan state also controlled and encouraged economic life. Kautilya's treatise, which is thought to reflect
much actual practice, advises the ruler to "facilitate mining operations," "encourage manufacturers," "exploit forest
wealth," "provide amenities" for cattle breeding and commerce, and "construct highways both on land and on
water." Price controls are advocated because "all goods should be sold to the people at favorable prices," and foreign
trade should be subsidized: "Shippers and traders dealing in foreign goods should be given tax exemptions to aid
them in making profits." Foreign trade did flourish, and in the bazaars of Pataliputra were
displayed goods from southern India, China, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor. Agriculture, however, remained the
chief source of wealth. In theory, all land belonged to the state, which collected one fourth of the produce as taxes.
Irrigation and crop rotation were practiced, and Megasthenes states that there were no famines.
 
Ashoka, India's Greatest King
 
     Following Chandragupta's death in 297 B.C., his son and grandson expanded the empire southward into the
Deccan Peninsula. However, Chandragupta's grandson Ashoka (269-232 B.C.), the most renowned of all Indian
rulers, was more committed to peace than to war. His first military campaign was also his last; the cruelty of the
campaign horrified him, and he resolved never again to permit such acts of butchery. Soon thereafter he was
converted to Buddhism,
whose teachings increased his aversion to warfare. 
     Throughout his empire, Ashoka had his edicts carved on rocks and stone pillars. They remain today as the oldest
surviving written documents of India and are invaluable for appreciating the spirit and purpose of Ashoka's rule. For
example, they contain his conception of the duty of a ruler:
 
     He shall ... personally attend the business ... of earth,
     of sacred places, of minors, the aged, the afflicted, and
     the helpless, and of women .... In the happiness of his
     subjects lies his happiness. ^2
 
[Footnote 2: Quoted in Vincent Smith, The Oxford History of India (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1958), p. 131]
 
     Although a devout Buddhist, Ashoka did not persecute the Brahmins and Hindus but proclaimed religious
toleration as official policy:
 
     The king ... honors every form of religious faith ... ;
     whereof this is the root, to reverence one's own faith and
     never to revile that of others. Whoever acts differently
     injures his own religion while he wrongs another's. ^3
 
[Footnote 3: Quoted in Charles Drekmeier, Kingship and Community in Early India (Stanford, CA: Stanford
University Press, 1962), p. 175]
 
     Ashoka was a successful propagator of his faith. He sent Buddhist missionaries to many lands - the Himalayan
regions, Tamil Land (India's far
south), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Burma, and even as far away as Syria and Egypt - and transformed Buddhism from a
small Indian sect to an aggressive missionary faith. Modern Indians revere his memory, and the famous lion on the
capital of one of his pillars has been adopted as the national seal of the present Indian republic.
  
Fall Of The Mauryan Empire
 
     Almost immediately after Ashoka's death in 232 B.C., the Mauryan Empire began to disintegrate. The last
emperor was assassinated about 185 B.C. in a palace revolution led by a Brahmin priest. Some five centuries of
disintegration and disorder followed. Northern India was overrun by a series of invaders, and the south broke free
from northern control.
 
     The sudden collapse of the powerful Mauryan state, and the grave consequences that ensued have provoked
much scholarly speculation. Some historians have felt that the fall of the Mauryas can be traced to a hostile Brahmin
reaction against Ashoka's patronage of Buddhism. Others believe that Ashoka's doctrine of nonviolence curbed the
military ardor of his people and
left them vulnerable to invaders. More plausible explanations for the fall of the Mauryan state take into account the
communications problems facing an empire than included most of the Indian subcontinent, the difficulty of
financing a vast army and bureaucracy, and the intrigues of discontented regional groups within the empire.
http://history-world.org/indian_empire.htm

Jainism

It is a common misconception among people that Jainism religion was started by Lord Mahavira. The truth is that
Jainism existed long before Lord Mahavira was born. Lord Mahavira reformed Jainism and gave it more exposure.
Thus, the history and origin of Jainism dates back to many centuries before Lord Mahavira was born. The religion of
Jainism is based on philosophy and the concept of Dharma. Read on this section which is essentially an introduction
to Jainism.

The Jains basically follow the teachings of 24 Tirthankaras or Enlightened spiritual leaders. Lord Mahavira was the
24th and last Tirthankara. He lived in approximately around 6th Century B.C. The Jains have influenced many
cultures with their teachings and philosophies. They emphasize on non - violent form of living and treating all life
forms with respect. They believe that self control is essential for the attainment of omniscience or infinite
knowledge. The realization of infinite knowledge leads to Moksha or Nirvana.

The Jains are supposed to be the most educated religious community of India. Some of India's oldest libraries are of
the Jains. The Jains are essentially of two types:
Digambaras: Jains who believed that monks
should not wear clothes
Shwetambaras: Jains who believed that monks can wear only white clothes

Beliefs and Practices

The Jains believe in reincarnation. To free themselves of the cycle of birth and death, they practice asceticism that is
stringent in nature. They basically struggle to make their present birth the last one. Their professions are chosen
carefully and revolve around the protection of lives or doing good deeds for others. The ethical code followed by the
Jains is very strict in nature and the ethics are followed with much dedication and sincerity. The Jains believe in the
following principles and ethics.

Ahimsa
The Jains believe in Ahimsa or non-violence. They adopt Ahimsa as a way of life. Non violence does not mean only
being calm and letting others live peacefully. It means that one should be peaceful in thought as well as action. All
monks are strict vegetarians and regard even the tiniest insect as a sacred form of life.

Satya
Jains believe in speaking the Satya or truth always. They believe that falsehood is a deterrent in the attainment of
Nirvana and is not useful in one's life. Not speaking the truth or running away from it is worthless and does not
change the nature of truth.

Asteya
Jains believe in not stealing from others. They believe in being content with whatever they have. According to the
Jains, nothing is permanent, not even one's body. Materialistic pleasures only hamper spiritual growth and create
only a temporary sense of satisfaction.

Brahmacarya
Jains believe in being loyal to just one spouse for the entire life span. They believe that monogamy is the best way of
life and is also a respect to the person you are spending your life with.

Aparigraha
Aparigraha means detachment from materialistic possessions. It means to possess only a few or basic required
materials for a lifetime. In the life of a monk, material pleasures have no importance and in fact cease to be of any
importance as time goes by.

They are recommended to lead life in four basic stages. The first stage is called Brahmacharya - ashram which
means the life of a student. The second stage is called Grihasth - ashram which means having a family or leading a
family life. The third stage is known as Vanaprasth - ashram which means doing social services and finishing off
family responsibilities. The last and final stage of life is known as Sanyast - ashram which means abandonment of
family life and adopting the life of an ascetic or a saint.

Maurya Empire

One of the greatest empires in the history of India was the Maurya Empire. It approximately lasted from 322 - 185
B.C. Most of India was united as a single entity by the great emperor Chandragupta Maurya. His son Bindusara
extended the kingdom of Mauryas over almost the entire sub-continent. The Mauryan Empire had the most powerful
military force in ancient India. The greatest emperor of the Maurya dynasty was Ashoka. An able administrator and
a skillful warrior, Ashoka converted to Buddhism after the gruesome Battle of Kalinga.

The Maurya Empire had smooth administration and efficient rulers. The government was hierarchical and
centralized with a lot of staff to make sure that work was carried on smoothly and efficiently. Taxes were collected
regularly, trade and commerce was carried on smoothly, citizens were taken care of and the army was always ready
for any sort of external aggression or threat. Every province had its own officials who managed administration at
grassroots level. The economy was agrarian and the main economic activity of people was agriculture. The capital
city of Magadha was beautifully decorated and had all facilities that any modern city would have.

In the Mauryan dynasty, art and literature

flourished and the rulers built many famous temples and monuments.
Ashoka preached his philosophies in the form of pillars and rock
edicts all over northern India. The great advisor Chanakya, who is said
to be the driving force behind the fame and success of Emperor
Chandragupta, also wrote many great books that have been compiled
as literary masterpieces. The Maurya dynasty also saw the rise and fall
of many different empires in the south of India. There was constant
struggle for power and control of the Deccan region and central India
among various small rulers.

The Maurya Empire started to disintegrate towards late 2nd century.

The north of India broke into a series of chaos and this situation attracted many invaders who crossed the border to
establish their kingdoms. The rulers were busy fighting among themselves and exhausting resources when they
should have checked external aggression. After the death of Ashoka, the disintegration had started and worsened by
3rd century.

Asoka the Great

One of the greatest emperors of all times, Emperor Asoka was a Mauryan ruler whose empire spread across the
Indian sub continent and the present day Pakistan and Afghanistan thus covering a vast area. He is known as Asoka
the Great since he was one of the most able rulers who ruled India.

Asoka Dhamma
After converting to Buddhism, one of the greatest emperors of India, Ashoka disseminated the teachings and
knowledge of the Buddhist scriptures. Ashoka always had belief in morals and principles and had high ideals in life.
These came to be known as Dhamma of Emperor Ashoka.

Asoka Pillars
Asoka's pillars are basically a series of pillars that are spread all over the northern part of the Indian sub continent.
These pillars were set up during the time Emperor Ashoka reigned in India. Most of the pillars, though damaged to
some extent still stand upright and are protected by the concerned authorities.

Chanakya
One of the greatest figures of wisdom and knowledge in the Indian history is Chanakya. He is estimated to have
lived from 350 - 283 B.C. Chanakya is touted as the "Pioneer Economist of India". Chanakya was the adviser and
Prime Minister of Emperor Chandragupta.

Chandragupta Maurya
Known as the founder of Mauryan Empire, King Chandragupta Maurya is considered to be one of the most able
rulers who ruled and unified India. Chandragupta Maurya ruled from 320 - 298 B.C approximately. He is considered
to be one of the most authentic and able rulers of India.

Asoka Rock Edicts

Asoka was one of the greatest emperors of India. His high ideals and philosophies are inscribed in the form of rock
edicts all over northern India. The Ashokan rock edicts are basically a collection of 33 inscriptions that are carved
on the Pillars of Ashoka along with big boulders, caves, etc.
http://www.iloveindia.com/history/ancient-india/maurya-dynasty/index.html
KING BIMBISARA
THE INDIAN EMBLEM