The Ancient Bihar

2.2
been made in the(Atharvaved) and thelPanchavimsa
Theearliest references to Bihayhave
Cru Initially the people calledNratvaslived ip-Magadha The aryanisatjon of Bihar, the
territorial
of the
Pans of ancient Bihar into VidehalNaishali
ngaynd/Magada harks the beginning
divisions Bihar in thehistoryOfIndia.
supremacyof
rise of
APgt-Hrgana
edie Thischapter includes:
2.2.1
Aryan/sattor of Bihar aa
had settled in the Punjab Aryanisation of Bihar
The Aryans 2.2.1
clear from the
It becomes Ancient
Haryana region. Territorial Divisions of
verses ofRigveda
that there were nosettlement 2.2
ist t The non-Aryans of Bihar
of the Aryans in Bihar. Magadha Dynasty
in low esteenm by the Aryans 2,2.3
Biharwere held
of vedic sacrifices. Success
because of their 1gnorance Causes of Magadha's
references to Bihar in the Vedic 2.2.4
The earliest inde JeM
are found
Atharvaveda and in
in the
period Videha (Mithila)
both of which speak
Panchavimsa Brahmana, located on the northern
was
called vratyas living in Magadha.
Videha Videha was
of a people The dynasty of
mentions of an unfriendly
chieftain SIde of Ganga. Ikshvaku's son Nimi (or
Rigveda descended from
in Kikata. According the
called Pramaganda ruling who is considered
as
Kikata was the name of a Nemi) Videha,
to Yaksha's
Nirukta, His son Mithi Janaka
in later
but works Kikata founder of this dynasty. Mithila.
non-Aryan country, is said to have founded
the city of
synonym tor Magadha. A hymn of
was used
as a
His Janakabecame the family name
that the fever may name
called
of the Atharvaveda says descendants were
and the Magadhas. The names
this dynasty and his
visit the Angas called Videhas from
are not mentioned in Janakas. They were also from their
of Koshala and Videha their kingdom Videha and Maithilas
which means that by the time
the Rigveda Janaka, who was
Aryans the capital Mithila. Siradhvaja
when the Rigveda was composed, his adopted daughter
the 23rd king, married
much progress beyond Punjab. In
did not make the son of Dashratha of Koshala.
to Rama,
The expansion of Aryans towards Bihar in this dynasty.
It was all, there were 53 kings
took place in the ater vedic period.) made In the sixth century B.C.,
before the rise
possible due to the use iron/They to
of
of Buddhism, the Videhan monarchy
becameonr
iron implements which were used cut dynasty. "Rebusis
This is corroborated by insignificant after thelend of Janaka hus
down the jungles. The monarchy was replaced by a republic
the well-known story a Videgha Mathava, as
itself formed a component Vati
narrated in Satapatha Brahmana. This king band the territory was bna
accompanied by the family priest Gotama
part ofVajian contederacy whosecapital
due to this reason
from the Vaishali. Tt was probably
Rahugana and sacrificial fire started was not included in the list
of 16
banks of the river Saraswatiin eastern Punjab thatVideha
towards the east. When they
Mahajanapads given in Anguttara Nikaya,Of
and proceeded refused the 16 mahajanapadas, three i.e Anga Najis
came to the Sadanira (Gandak) the fire
Mathava andMagadha were in Bihar
to cross it. Agni, at the behest of
Later, settlement hepr &rene
agreed to cross Sadanira.
river which
a
Anga
was made on the east bank of the Anga is mentioned in the Atharvaveda
came to be known as Videha, after the tribal for the first time. Anga is identified with the
name Videgha of Mathava. In this way the present districts of Bhagalpur and Munger.
ryanisation of Bihar took place from the Malini was its capital which later came to be
banks of the Gandak to Videha. known as\Champay because the king Champ
2.2.2 Territorial Divisions of of Anga re-named it after himself. Hieun-
CHien Tsang called it Chenpo (i.e. Champa)) In all
0. (d Ancient Bihar
In the 6th century B.C, there were there were 25 kings in this dynasty. Titikshu C
0 four states in Bihar - (1)(Videha (Mithila) (2) was the first king and Karna was the last king(Kat
After the
(aVaishali, (3) Anga and (4) Magadha. who was killed in the Bharata war)
Bharata war there was a constant struggle
 Bihar CGeneral Knowledge
m e m b e r

was
alled
CacTn
a s s e m b l y
et wa
memlxrs, Chetaka
w h e r e

the
married his
vis dang h a l a , vhar t r u u ,
The pl
lace
Bimbisara

of
wash
agadh alsy
m.arriet
t
to
R e p u b l i c
PralhajINanniralhnantattlDadivaharna's Chellana
o v e r e i g n

Vajjian
of a war
against
Ajata
r
imbiara
alo
marriess

Iir bheit=
K
wman
l result mbsaa
Madra (Centi
NWahavira
h a c d as the
the
King t
Dralhavarman
irst
1marricd 2 . 2 . 3 M a g a d h a D y n a s t y When the kin%
t M a g a d h a
mentioned
was
Chandand
a l l e r
Udayan jaundice, Bimbisar
sort/y first
throne.
Atharvaveda, embraced the former dist Vaka H
dy:t"r king
M a g a d h a ,
J n i n i s n 7
Kaivali
Kaushambi his
of of
Shahaba
ad
thysician
with
kkusthe
Puk
m l r a t
regaiming r u l e r
and parts wt R a t i o n s
to
to
m
imdepement Thus, Gaya
capital w a s
hostile
dughter
heip Patna, lts earlier his conquest and
nano
f o l l o w i n o
Bimbisara.
hrs sevund
his
last
c e a s e d

to of of
Ganga. The
liances and diploma=
rahmadatta,
amt

the
w a s

killed
by kingdom
south
later
Pataliputra.
the
rise
of
M a g a d h a
monar and prestige
ot
Anga,
independent and to er
contributed
M a g a d h a .
Bimbisara was
ancient
an into
as
merged
Brihadratha Dynasty
the e l d e s who d=
Fali
Anga a s
the who was Buddha
eist
T h e

and
V a j j iR e p u b l i c

s c h o l a r s ,
time
of B r i h a d r a t h a
es
e st
taab
blli
ished
his ruf atashatru's reign.
the
to
the in and V asu,
Vasu, famous Brih had
lccording
r e p u b l i c s
south
Chediraja the Mahavira
mentions
ten
north
to
of and
f o u n d e d
kings of wnd religious
nad 10 their
from
pow fs s o c i a t e d
below.
Magadha with
I i t e r a t u r e
P r o c e e d i n g
are

listed
This dynasty was a
they dynasty. Brihadratha
a
son of
B u d d h a .
east, made
west
to
of
K a p i l a v a s t u
Jarasandha, e x t e n d e d

hi
his supremacy K a l i m b i s a r a
from
The
Shakyas
R a m a g a m a
He
Vanga
and B a m b o o g a r d e n )
B-
hands of Bh
1. of emperor.
Pundra, M a h a v a m s a ,
Koliyas
The
P i p p a l i v a n a
Anga, the
of (Kusinara)
Chedi, at sonSaha
killed
The
Moriyas
K u s i n a g a r a was 52 J a r a s a n d h a ' s

years.
he w a p r According
jarasandha
of Krishna.
Mallas
and
The Pava of
helped by throne
4.
The
Mallas
of
or Vrijis
(Vajis)
installed
on
the
jatashatru kill
war.
5. was
Bharata But ac
hrone.
L i c h c h a v i s
The
killed in the was
at Girivraja i
Vaishali capital wjatashatru
Mithila Their There
of Vasumati). the th
(also called
Videhas
The waseized
7. of A l l a k a p p a Rajagriha Sahadeva.
Ripunjaya
Bulis Sumsumaragiri Pulnisurnderstan-
The after
8. (Bhargas) of 22 kings hisminister imbisara toc-
The Bhaggas killedby
was
9 who
the throne
own son on
Kesaputta.
K a l a m a s of
last one, his
The Republic
10. republics,
Vajian
time who then placed aAjatashatru
Of the
ten in the Bimbis
institution ras, Haryanka Dynasty
established number of
was a well It comprised
a
jatashatru
of the
Buddha. Kauravas,
492 B.C.)
(544 B.C.
-
Jnatrilkas,
Bhogas, is Bimbisara i n h i s Buddacharjatashatru=
clans-Ugras,
The Jnatrika clan bu
Vajis. Owers
Lichchavis
and
Vardhaman
Mahavira,
the Ashvaghosa
as the scion of
Bimbis dministr=
Bimbisara
because
this clan. He
was
famous describes
The reign
of
belonged to
Haryanka dynasty.
latter powccoraing
24th tirthankara
S i d d h a r t h a and
Trishala, the a s a great
Bimbis apltal to
the s o n of the Lichchavi marks the rise
of Magadha
refer
the sister of Chetaka, w e r e the and Jaina texts
being The Lichchavis The Buddhist
According to eyionhether
leader of Vaishali. the clans that
inhabited
as Seniya or Srenika.
most
of powerful Vaishali. Mahavamsa,
Bimbisara was A
Their capital w a s
as chronicle
Vajian territory. ascended the throne.)
north of the Ganga years old
when he bolicy
The Vaji territory lay of territorial conqueitial
Vaishali and Muzaffarpur reign marks a n e w era
in the present
and other administrative consolidation. Bimbisan =
of Tirhut division. Cunningham and
archaeologists have beyond identified doubt, invaded and annexed Anga, made Kosal-
province of Magadha and placed underusbe
the present village of Basarh in Muzaffarpur it
district of Bihar the site of Vaishali of as of with ChampaKosa
viceroyalty Ajatashatru,
ancient days.
The Vajian state was under a form
its capital. In order to stabilize his positio aa
and strengthen his kingdom, Bimbisatu
of government known as Sangha or Gana.
entered into marriage relations with powerMag
As Lichchavis were the most
important neighbours like the Lichchavis of Vaish he
constituent it was also called Lichchavi Gana.
and the ruler of Koshala and fostered
The constitution of the Lichchavis is
given relations with other neighbouring
frien
in the Atthakatha. The central
of the legislature He married Kosaladevi, a sister of
powem
Lichchavi Republic consisted of 7707 Prasen
 Geography of Bihar , xhh. )Aan

R
as call
History of Bihar
AingofKosha who brou him as dowry
Aaugh
ha.
Aasi. He.also married hellana, the daughter
ichchavichief
imperialism. Just before war,
Chetaka. Ajataspatru was constructed a fort on the the
Ajatashatru
esthatrruoy of

sono
Bimbisara's Lichchavi
Bimbisara
married Kshema,wifeChellana.
also
called Ganga near
Patali, which developed into villageof
daughter of also took in due course of time the city
a Pataliputra
a

King
of Mad (Central Punjab). advice of Gautama Ajatashatru
the told Buddha, who
Avanti was attacked unitedthatit aswaslong as the Lichchavis were
When the king of
jaundie Bimbisara_sent
him his not
d
He famous them. possible to
took this hint andovercome
by
physician.Jivaka. also had Ajatashatru
distri
Ato t Pukkusati, theking of diplomatic_
with
Gandhara, minister
then sowed
sent his
Vassakara to Lichchavi territory, who
Telations

ile to the ruler of Avanti.Partly seeds of dissension

s Raig who
was

and partly by his marriage principal leaders and thoroughly among its
his conquest their
strength. Ajatashatru, who undermined
ynasti alliances andprestige
y diplomacy, Bimbisa raised the
with new weapons like wasequipped
narch powera n d
of Magadha very high.
Mahasilakantaka,) attacked
Kathamusal)
the
and
Rimbisara was an elder contemporary
Ultimately Magadha emerged victorious Lichchavis.
who died in the 8th year of Vriji become a and
est Buddha
of tashatru's reign. Both Gautama Buddha part of
and Lichchavis are Magadha empire. Vrijis
rule and Mahavira had made Magadha the centre mentioned in
Arthashastra as RajashabdopajiviKautilaya's
adrath religious tivities
and were closely theindicates that
confederacy was revived
which
who of their
associated with the capital city Rajagriha. after Ajatashatru's death.
Owerh made a giftto Buddha
I of Venuvana Ajatashatru had great respect for both
y O V B i m b i s a r agarden) near Rajagriha. According Gautama Buddèa and Mahavir9, both of
Kaling to Mahavamsa,
Bimbisara ruled the kingdom whom ied in
his reign. Heruled for 32 years
Bhim for 52 years.
and Buddha died in
the 8th year of his reign.n
hadev According to Buddhist sources, Itwas during his reign that thefirst Buddhist
asal hatru killed his father for the sake of ouncL vas held in the Saptaparni Caves at
to Jaina traditions, Rajagriha shortly after Buddha's death.
throne. But according his father and Successors of Ajatashatru
aja Ajatashatru imprisoned
e
we but because of some There is no unanimity regarding the
seized the throne,
vas i of his son's actions, successors of Ajatashatru. According to
misunderstanding
Pu ik Buddhisttext Mahavamsa his immediate four
Bimbisara took poison and died.
rone. | Ajatashatru (492-460 BC) successors were Udaybhadra, Anuruddha,
Munda and Nagadasaka. But Puranas
Bimbisara was succeeded by his
son
name Darsaka, Udayi, Nandivardhana
was Kunika.
Ajatashatru. His childhood name and Mahanandi as his successors. Bhasa's
had to face hostilities with other
Ajatashatru Svapnavasavadattam prominently figures
charit powers but with his ability of high order of Darsaka as a ruler of Magadha. According
of t administration he dealt effectively with them. to Jaina texts Udayi who is identical with
nbisa According to Buddhist texts he fortified_his Udayabhadra is the son of Ajatashatru and
powe capitalfor fear ofan invasion by king Pradyota -succeededhim.
nbisa of Avanti: However there is no information (Udayin (460-444 BC) in the fourth year of
loneswhethersuch invasion took place. his reign transferred his capital from Rajgriha
as Ajatashatru continued the aggressive to Pataliputra (Kusumpura) on the confluence
ne. H policy of his father and in this process the of the rivers Ganga and Son. Udayin and
his

ques initial provocation came from the Kosalans. successors were not popular among people
bisaSoon after the death of Bimbisara, his queen and they raised an amatya named Shisunaga
it
Kosaladevi died of grief at the death of her to the throne.
der thusband. Her brother Prasenjit, the king of
p.Kosala reoccupied the Kasi village. This led The Shisunagas
ositio
to a
war between Prasenjit and Ajatashatru. Shisunaga(412-394 BC)
bisat ultimately ended in merger of Kasi in He was the founder of Shisunaga
at
wert Magadha and marriage of Ajatashatru with established
his (capital)
the
aish the
daughter of Prasenjit. dynastywho
greatest
achievenment
was

its
/Vaishali./His Avanti with
iend The conquest of Lichchavi marks another of
destruction of Pradyotas to an end
the
weimportant
senji
step in the march of Magadhan capital at Ujain.
This brought
 B i h a r G e n e r a l K n o w l e d g e

Agram.
to
him
as mmes
reter Maurya, wi
with
wrilers
Chandragupta
Greek Nanda
and
Dhana
defeated
Nandremes.
Magad
Magadha
a
Chanakya
dynasty at h
help of
b w t w e e n b e c a m e

rivalry Avanti
to
theMaurya Success
old o n v w a r d s
contimued
established
100-vear Magadha's

From
now

empire
and Causes of Mauryas,
Magad
ad
Avanti.

Magadha
rule 2.2.4 advent It
attained of
the Beforethe India.
Mauryan

part of end of
statein rulers
till the
a m b i t i o u s

eKalasoka (394-366 BC)

so
the largestwork of
named

is was
Mahapad

due to
and
in the
Shisunaga

of Kakavarna
status
Ajatashatru
a d v a n t a g e n 2 .

and ir
s u c c e s s o r

The second enjoyed

Mahavamsa
that
Bimbisara,
also of
reign Magadha the age
in his one in
weresitua
Aalasoka Nanda.
during Vaishali, location

It was
held in Buddha. deposits
Puranas.
Council death
of yas iron
g e o g r a p h i c a l

of Magadh
to therichest capital
Buddhist after
the
back
the capital because

the
earliest t h e m s e l v e s
wi
Rajgir, n o t easi
h u n d r e d - y e a r

Harshacharita

brought equip
near them to
to the
daggerby a r e al
p e r m a n e n t l y
were

He helped w hich
According This mines
with a Iron
Pataliputra.

was
killed to
Buddhist

effective
weapons

rivals. away
froB
he their far
Bana, According to not

Due to
t
of Nanda:
a v a i l a b l e

in
eastern
MP,
Avanti. serio
Mahapadma
28 years.
he ruled for
located

capital
ofM a g a d h a ' s
most

s o u r c e s

Uijain,
the to be north
India.
proved in
The Nandas Avanti s u p r e m a c y

advantag
(344-334
BC) for other
had
Nanda of the_
Nanda competitor

also surrounded
by.
Mahapadma sole Magadha was
founder the
the Rajgir inmpregnab
capital at
ekarat,
it
to be
was made
He ruling first
claimed
all
other
Its which situah
He in hills, was

group offive
destroyed

a
Pataliputra
dynasty.
had Kshatriyas
who like capital Gandak
the second anga,
SOvereign
of the
joined Gan
contemporaries

He
destroyed
Its confluence
his Asmaka,
the river Ghaghra
princes.
numberand
conquered

Kurus,
Hella, f o u n d in on
fourth These rive
a
Son andaway from
Pataliputra.

Panchal, inscription
Ikshavaku,
An refers communicati

means of
etc. K h a r a v e l a

nor
far
Surasena

of a
the effective therefore

rulerof
Mathi, H a t h i g u m p h a was
provide
the
famous
Kalingaby
a Pataliputra

of
Mahapadma

the army.
conquest Kalinga, for
water fort (Jaldurga). Magad
tothe dymasty.
From
victory
trophy.
these
reasons

as a
Nanda

image ofjina It was

for
other
kingdoms a
an
overcoming
brought in India.
empirein
Nanda succeeded
Dhana Nanda
of the
the last ruler Alexander. in
founding thefirst
He was
contemporary
of Examination Facts Atharvaveda
an
and wasa
found in the
dynasty
period
are
Vratyas livine
in theVedic of a people called
to Bihar which speak
both of
references

earliest
The Brahmana, dynasty.
Panchavimsa
of the Videha
in
is
considered
as thefounder
the capitalof
Anga.
Hieun-Tsan

Magadha.
NimiVideha
was
Champa
to be known as
Ikshvaku's s o n

clan of the Va
which later came Jnatrika
Malini
Chenpo. to the
Champa as belonged
reterred Mahavira
tirthankara
Vardhaman
The 24th Rajagriha.
was at Girivraja or and made it
republic Magadhadynasty He annexed Anga
The earliest capital
of the dynasty.
of the Haryanka
the founder
Bimbisara was
and theLichchav
province of Magadha. He annexed Kosalans
was Kunika.
ofAjatashatruRathamusala
Mahasilakantaka.

Thechildhood name
and
n e w weapons
i n t r o d u c e d two to Pataliputra.
He from Rajagriha
capital empire.
Udayintransferred
the annexation of
Avanti to the Magadh
credited with the
Shisunaga is to Pataliputra.
moved the capital and Kalaso
permanently in the reign of
Ajatashatru
Kalasoka took Buddhist Council place
The firstand second
from Kalinga.
respectively.
an image of jina
as a victory trophy
Mahapadma
Nanda brought