su la Old NCERT (Ancient India) -RS Sharma ed By SAINIL NAGARE CHAPTER 15: SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MAURYA RULE 15.1 STATE CONTROL © Dharma: Kautilya advises the king to promulgate dharma when the social order based on the varnas and ashrams (stages in life) perishes, ‘© Royal Orders: Royal orders were superior to other orders as asserted by Ashoka in his inscriptions. Magadha: Magadha possessed the requisite power of sword to enforce its overall control. Bureaucracy: The state maintained a vast bureaucracy for overall control. Espionage System: The administrative mechanism was backed by an elaborate system of espionage. © Tirthas: Important functionaries were called tirthas. The highest functionaries were minister (mantrin), high priest (purohito), commander-in-chief (senapati) and crown prince (yuvaraja). 15.2 ECONOMIC REGULATIONS: © Adhyakshas: State appointed 27 superintendents (adhyakshas) to control and regulate agriculture, trade and commerce, weights and measures, and crafts. Officers of Mauryan Empire: © Mantrin: Chief Minister Mantriparishad Adhyaksha: Head of Council of Ministers Purohita: Chief Priest Senapati: Commander in-chief Yuvaraj: Crown Prince Samaharta: Revenue collector Yukta: Subordinate revenue officer Shulkadhyaksha: Officer-in-charge of royal income Prashasti: Prison head Sannidata: Treasury head Koshadhyaksha: Treasury officer Koshthagaradhyaksha: Royal treasury manager Nayaka: City Security chief ‘Swarnadhyaksha: Officer of gold department ‘Ayudhadhyaksha: Weapon manufacturing & defence department. Kunyadhyaksha: Officer of forest. Panyadhyaksha: Office of commerce department Manadhyaksha: Office of time & place determining ‘Sunadhyaksha: Slaughter-house officer Mudradhyaksha: Royal symbol, coin etc. Dyutadhyaksha: Gambling department Naukadhyaksha: Shipping department officer. For More Study Material, isi: studyic.com eres 3 — iSTUDY |) Old NCERT (Ancient India) -RS Sharma By SAINIL NAGARE Pattanadhyaksha: Officer of Port \Vyabharika: Chief Judge Karmantika: Head of Industries & Factories Dandapala: Head of Police Durgapala: Head of Royal Fort Annapala: Head of Food grains Department Rajjukas: Land measurer Pradeshika: District administrator Akaradhyaksha: Mining Officer Lauhadhyaksha: Metallurgy Officer Lakshanadhyaksha: Coin minting Lavanadhyaksha: Officer of salt department. © Slaves: According to the Arthashastra the state employed slaves in agricultural operations. 150,000 war-captives brought, by Ashoka from Kalinga to Pataliputra may have been engaged in agriculture, © Shudras: Unlike in Greece and Rome the shudras were compelled to serve the three higher varnas as Slaves, Artisans, Agricultural laborers and Domestic servants. © Roads: There was a good network of roads connecting north western India with Patna Roads, Kalinga with Andhra and Karnataka, ©The Ashokan inscriptions that appear on Important highways show that royal writ ran all over the country except the extreme east and south. © Samaharta and Sannidhata: The samaharta was the highest officer in charge of assessment and the Sannidhata was the chief custodian of the state treasury and store-house. © Taxation: Taxes were also collected in kind and these granaries were meant for helping local people in times of famine. Kautilya in Arthashastra names many taxes to be collected from peasants, artisans and traders etc. © Transaction tax (vyaji): Transaction tax which included manavyaji (transaction tax for Crown goods). © Share of Production (Bhaga): Bhaga which included 1/6th share called (Shadbhaga) © Custom Duty (Sulka): Custom Duty which consisted of import duty (praveshya), export duty (nishkramya) and gate tolls / octrol (dwarabahirikadeya), © Kara: Taxin cash called (Kara) © Taxes in Kind (Pratikara): Pratikara which included Labour (vishti), for military (ayudhiya) © Vaidharana: Counterveiling duties ©. Senabhaktham: Army Maintenance Tax © Parsvam: Surcharges © Vartani: Road Ces © Parigha: Monopoly Tax © Pindakara: Taxes paid in kind by villages © Coinage: Punch-marked silver coins formed the imperial currency of the Mauryas. © Uniformity of Coins: Uniformity of Coins helped in expanding the exchange market ina wider area. For More Study Material, isi: studyic.com eresSTUD la Old NCERT (Ancient India) -RS Sharma , By SAINIL NAGARE 15.3 ART AND ARCHITECTURE © Stone Masonry: They introduced stone masonry on a wide scale as noticed by Megasthenes at Pataliputra, © High technical skill attained by the Maurya artisans in polishing the stone pillars, NBPW pottery, sculpture in the form of lions or bulls © Hewing out Caves: The Maurya artisans also started the practice of hewing out caves from rocks for monks to live in seen from Barabar caves. 15.4 SPREAD OF MATERIAL CULTURE AND STATE SYSTEM © Spread of Material Culture: Contacts established by administrators, traders, and Jaina & Buddhist monks led to the spread of the material culture of the Gangetic basin to the periphery of the areas. ‘© Basis of new Material Culture: The new material culture in the Gangetic basin was based on an intensive use of Iron, prevalence of writing, plenty of punched marked coins, burnt bricks, ring wells, rise of towns and NBPW pottery. © Eastern India: The elements of the middle Gangetic material culture seem to have been transferred with modification to northern Bengal, Kalinga, Andhra and Karnataka. © Example: Ashokan inscriptions have been found at several places in Karnataka State Formation: Stimulus to state formation in peninsular India came from the Mauryas not only in the case of the Chetis and the Satavahanas but also in the case of the Cheras (Kerala Putras).. ‘© Allowed Remissions: Kautilya advised that new settlements should be founded with the help of Vaishyas, Shudras and allowed remission in tax and supplied with cattle, seeds and money. © Contact with Tribal People: Ashoka maintained intimate contacts with the tribal people and brought them into the mainstream by settling them in agriculture. 15.5 CAUSES OF THE FALL OF THE MAURYAN EMPIRE The Magadha Empire began to disintegrate after the exit of Ashoka in 232 B.C. Several causes seem to have brought about the decline and fall of the Maurya: © Brahmanical Reaction: Began as a result of the policy of Ashoka who prohibited killing of animals and birds which brought loss to the brahmanas. © Financial Crisis: Enormous expenditure on the army and payment to bureaucracy created a financial crisis ‘© Oppressive Rule: Oppressive rule of bureaucrats in the provinces was an important cause of the break-up. ‘* New Knowledge in the Outlying Areas: New kingdoms were founded and developed in several areas due to which the Gangetic valley lost its importance. The rise of the Sungas and Kanvas in central India of the Chetis in Kalinga and that of the Satavahanas in the Deccan. For More Study Material, isi: studyic.com fersSTUD la Old NCERT (Ancient India) -RS Sharma , By SAINIL NAGARE © Neglect of the North-West Frontier: Ashoka could not pay attention to the safeguarding of the passage on the North-Western frontier and many central tribes such as Scythians, Parthians, Shakas invaded India from this front. © Immediate cause: The Maurya empire was finally destroyed by Pushyamitra Shunga was @ general of the last Maurya king called Brihadratha by killing him publicly. oe te ~ yen Nog Bree CAC REEE) eee Cel Thank You Sainil Nagare © csewithsainilnagare csewithsainiInagare For More Study Material, isi: studyic.com fers 3 — 4