MAGADHA EMPIRE: Rise, Sources & Dynasties

• Brahmanas and Upanishads refer to many Janapadas and Mahajanapadas.

• Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, and Abhidhamma Pitaka.

• Bhagawati Sutra provides a list of Mahajanapadas of that time.

• NBPW (Northern Black Polished Ware) pottery.
• Discovery of the archaeological remains from areas like Ahichchhatra, Hastinapur, Kausambi, Ujjaini, etc.

• He was a contemporary of Buddha and Mahavira. 
• Conflicts:
• • Earlier, he had a rivalry with Avanti’s king, Pradyota, but later they became friends. He sent his royal physician Jivaka to Ujjain (through Dakshinapatha to Avanti) when Pradyota had jaundice.
  • Conquered Anga (East Bihar) by defeating Brahmadatta. Anga and its capital, Champa, were essential for inland and maritime trade. 
• He used matrimonial alliances to strengthen his position in westward and northward directions.
  • 1st wife: Mahakoshala (sister of Prasenjit), from Kosala, brought Kashi as a dowry. 
  • 2nd wife: Lichchhavi Princess Chellana from Vaishali, who gave birth to Ajatashatru. 
  • 3rd wife: Daughter of the chief of the Madra clan (Punjab).
• He was killed and succeeded by his son Ajatashatru.

• He was the most potent and aggressive ruler of the Haryanka dynasty and followed his father’s expansionist policy through military conquest.
• King Prasenajit took back Kashi, which he had handed out as dowry to Bimbisara, leading to a military confrontation between Magadha and Kosala.
• Conflicts:
  • Annexed Kosala and retained Kashi by defeating Prasenjit (his maternal uncle).
  • Annexed Vaishali (Lichchhavis) by defeating his maternal grandfather, Chetak.
  • He also defeated the Mallas.
• Military weapons: 
• • War engines like catapults (Mahashilakantaka) used to throw stones.
  • Chariot with mace for mass killing (Rathamusala). 
• Began the fortification of Rajgriha to counter the threat of invasion posed by the ruler of Avanti (who had earlier defeated the Vatsas of Kaushambi).
• He met Buddha during his lifetime.
  • Buddha gained Parinirvana (death) during his reign (483 BC), and he arranged the first Buddhist council. 
• He was succeeded by his son Udayin.

• He founded the new capital at Pataliputra (modern Patna), situated at the confluence of the Ganga and Son rivers. 

• He was initially an Amatya or “minister” of Nāgadāsaka (the last Haryanka dynasty ruler) and founded the dynasty in 413 BC.
• He temporarily shifted the capital to Vaishali. 
• He defeated Avanti and made it a part of Magadha, thus ending the 100-year-old rivalry between Magadha and Avanti.
• He was succeeded by his son, Kalasoka.

• He was also known as Kakarvarna (according to the Puranas). 
• Conducted the Second Buddhist Council at Vaishali.

• He was also called Ugrasena because of his large army. 
• Lineage:
• • According to Brahmanical texts, he belonged to a non-Kshatriya caste.
  • Buddhist texts describe the Nandas as belonging to Annatakula (of unknown lineage). 
• He was the first empire builder of India and claimed to be Ekarat (sole sovereign who destroyed all other ruling princes), and Sarva-kshatrantaka (uprooter of the Kshatriyas). 
• He added Kalinga to Magadha and brought an image of Jina as a victory trophy. He also acquired Kosala to crush his rebellions. 
• Tax collection: Methodical collection of taxes was made by regularly appointing officials that helped in supporting a large army.
• Irrigation: He also built canals for strengthening irrigation work.
• He was succeeded by his eight sons, and they were together known as the Navanandas or the nine Nandas.

• He was the last significant king, having a vast army and was referred to as Agrammes or Xandrames by Diodorus (Greek historian).
• Credited with the invention of Nandopakramani (a particular measuring standard). 
• Alexander invaded north-west India (327–325 BC) during his reign.

• Hathigumpha (elephant cave) inscription at Udayagiri near Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, had records of the aqueduct built by Mahapadma Nanda. 

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