PRE- MAURYAN EMPIRE Ancient

History Notes for SSC CGL 22

Mains + CHSL 2022
Instagram: @sscpreparations
WhatsApp Group:95550-65590
Source – NCERT Class 6th to 10th
(https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php?iesc1=0-15)

Haryankya Shishunaga Nanda MAURYAN

Dynasty ----- Dynasty ----- Dynasty ----- Dynasty
(544-413BC) (413-343 BC) (343-321BC) (321-184BC)

HARYANKYA DYNASTY (544 - 413BC)

Founder/ 1st Ruler—Bimbisara (Son of Bhattiya)

(544 – 491B.C)
Also called – Sreniya
Capital(Magadh)—Grivraja/ Rajgir
Contemporary of Buddha.
Follow marriage alliance for expansion of Magadh.

2nd Ruler – Ajatshatru (Son of Bimbisara &

Chellna)
Contemporary of Buddha.
492 – 460 B.C.
Took throne by killed his father
1st Buddhist Council held at Rajgir.
Won War against Kosala & Vaishali

3rd Ruler – Udayin (460 – 444 B.C.)

Also called ‘Udaya Bhadra’
Shifted capital of Magadh – Patliputra
Founder of Patna/Patliputra.
2 kings Succeeded: Annirudha & Manda

Last Ruler – Naga Dasak (43-413BC)

SHISHUNAGA DYNASTY (413-343 BC)

Founder/ 1st Ruler – Shishu Naga

Minister of Naga dasak
413 – 395 B.C.
Shifted capital of Magadh --- Vaishali
Won Avanti Area

2nd Ruler – Kalashoka (son of Shishu Naga)

2nd Buddhist Council held at Vaishali
395 – 367 B.C.
Shifted capital of Magadh --- Patliputra

NANDA DYANSTY (343-321BC)

Founder/1st Ruler – Mahapadma Nanda

1st Non- Kshatriya Ruler.(343 – 329 B.C.)
 Also called ‘Ekrat & Empire builder of India’
Also called ‘Sarva kashtriyantaka’

2nd Ruler – Dhana Nanda(329-321 B.C)

Also called ‘Xan-drammes& Aggrames’
Alexander invaded during his reign.
Alexander feared about the army of Dhana Nanda & ran
away.
Battle of Hydaspes(326Bc – on Jhelum
River)

Alexndar Vs Porus (king of Kashmir)

Alexander deafed Porus & ran towards fight Dhana
Nanda(Magadh) but returned back after saw Dhana
Nanda’s Army & left his Governor --- Seleucus Nicator at
Baluchistan(Pakistan).
Later Seleucus Nicator fight with Chandra Gupta
Mauryan
Then Chandra Mauryan defeated Seleucus Nicator with
the help of ‘Chankya or Kotalya’.
MAURYAN DYANSTY (321-184 BC)

Founder/1st Ruler – Chandra Gupta Mauryan(321-297

B.C)
He defeated Seleucus Nicator with the help of ‘Chankya
or Kotalya’.
Also called ‘Sandrocottus or Androcottus’
Expension in western Part.
In 305 BC he defeated ‘Seleucus Nicator’
He adopted Jainism Later.
His origin is not clear(from which caste)
He died at Sharven Belagola Hill(Karnataka)

2nd Ruler – Bindusara (Son of Chandra Gupta

Maurayan)
His Greek Name – Amitro Chattes
(297 – 268 B.C.)
Called ‘AmritGhat’ by Greek Writers.
Expension in South
During his reign, a revolt took palace at ‘Taxila’ & later
Ashoka ended that revolt.
He is said to have conquered “The land between two seas
i.e, The Arabian sea & Bay of Bengal”

3rd Ruler – Ashoka (Dev Nama Piya)(268- 232

B.C.)
Greatest Mauryan Ruler
His 1st & Last war was -- ‘Kalinga war (261Bc), Results
– Massive Blood shed & “13 Rock Edict of Ashoka”.
After ‘Kalinga War’ he adopted ----“Buddhism”(under
UpaGupta Guru)
 Ashoka’ Mother – Subhadrangi
 The emblem of Indian Republic has been adopted from
the 4-lion capital of Ashokan Pillar at Sarnarth.
Built the Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh)

Mauryan Administration
Mantriparishad – A Council of Ministers.
The council consisted of Purohit, Mahamantri, senapathi
& Yuvaraja.
The important Functionaries were known as the Trithas.
Amatyas – Civil servants who were appointed to
maintain day-to- day Administration.
Rajukas – responsible for rewarding & Punishing the
People.
In order to spread of Dhamma, Dhamma Mahamatras
were appointed.
Spies -- maintained to track the Foreign enemies &
Officers.
Patliputra (capital) was administrated by 6 Committees
each Consist of Five Members.

MAURAYAN ART & CULTURE

Maurya
Art

Court Art Proper Art

(State (individual
Intiative)
Intiative)

Pillars Stupas Sculptu

res
Caves Pottery
Pillars
Ashoka’s Pillar -- The famous edicts of Ashoka
propagating the Dhamma (laws of the Buddha) or the
imperial sermons of Ashoka to his people.
Rising to an average height of about 40 feet.
 The top portion of the pillar was carved with capital
figures like the bull, the lion, the elephant etc.
The lion capital of Sarnath, the bull capital of Rampurva
and the lion capital of Laurya Nandangarh.
These pillars were carved in two types of stone. Some
were of spotted red and white sandstone from the region
of Mathura.

Sarnath Lion Pillar

The Mauryan pillar capital found at Sarnath popularly
known as the Lion Capital is the finest example of
Mauryan sculptural tradition.
The first sermon or the Dhammachakrapravartana by
Buddha at Sarnath, the capital was built by Ashoka.
The capital originally consisted of five component parts:
(i) The shaft (which is broken in many parts now)
(ii) A lotus bell base
(iii) A drum on the bell base with four animals proceeding
clockwise
(iv)The figures of four majestic addorsed lions, and
(v)The crowning element, Dharamchakra, a large wheel.
The capital without the crowning wheel and the lotus
base has been adopted as the National Emblem of
Independent India.
The abacus has the depiction of a chakra (wheel) having
twenty four spokes in all four directions and a bull, a
horse, an elephant anda lion between every chakra is
finely carved.
The motif of the chakra becomes significant as a
representation of Dhammachkrain the entire Buddhist
art.

Stupas
The stupa was not unknown in India before the time of
Ashoka.
The stupa was crowned by an umbrella of wooden fence
enclosing a path for pradaskshina (circumambulatory
path).
The great stupa at Sanchi was built with bricks during
the time of Ashoka and later it was covered with stone
and many new additions were made.
Thus events from the life of the Buddha, the Jataka
stories, were depicted on the railings and torans of the
stupas.

Caves
The notable rock-cut caves carved at Barabar and
Nagarjuni hills near Gaya in Bihar are Sudama and
Lomus Rishi cave.
The facade of the Lomus Rishi cave is decorated with the
semicircular chaitya arch as the entrance.
The elephant frieze carved in high relief on the chaitya
arch shows considerable movement.
The cave was patronised by Ashoka for the Ajivika sect.
The two important features of the caves of this period
were –
1)Polishing inside the cave.
2)Development of artistic gateway

Sculpture (DIDARGUNJ YAKSHINI)

Large statues of Yaksha and Yakshiniare found at many
places like Patna, Vidisha and Mathura.
These monumental images are mostly in the standing
position.
Yakshini is considered as folk goddess in all major
religions.

Pottery
The most highly developed technique is seen in a special
type of pottery known as Northern Black polished ware
(NBPW).
The NBPW is made of finely levigated alluvial clay.

Mauryan Architecture
Carved Elephant at Dhauli.
Sanchi Stupa built by Sanchi Stupa.
4 Lion Capital, 1 Lion Capital & 1 Bull Capital
Rock Edict 13th – Horrors of Kalinga War & Ashoka
Spread Buddhism.
14 Major Rock Edicts, 7 Pillar Edicts & other Edicts.