MAURYAN EMPIRE (322-185 BCE): Reign, Ruler & Historical Significance

MAURYAN EMPIRE (322-185 BCE): Reign, Ruler & Historical Significance 

• Megasthenes’ ‘Indika’,
• Kautilya’s ‘Arthashastra’,
• Visakha Datta’s ‘Mudra Rakshasa’
• Dharmashastra texts, Puranas
• Buddhist Text (Jatak Stories, Deepvamsa, Mahavamsa, Divyavadan)

• Punch marked coins, Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW)
• Wooden Palace of Chandragupta Maurya in Pataliputra
• Ashokan inscriptions and Edicts

• Use of iron tools, diversified agriculture production, immense increase in agriculture land and irrigation facilities contributed to growth of Mauryan economy.
• Occurrences of famines are also reported in kautilya’s arthashastra and Jaina texts.
• Sohgaura copper plate inscription & Mahasthana inscription deal with the relief measures to be adopted during a famine.
• Tolls were also levied on commodities brought to town for sale.
• The normal taxation rate was one sixth of the produce.
• Crown land was called “Sita”
• The Mauryan Empire had a strict legal and penal system (civil and criminal); tax evaders attracted the death penalty.
• punch-marked coins (mostly silver) were used for transactions.
• Money was used not only for trade; the government paid its officers in cash.
• Salaries were in the range of 48,000 panas to 60 panas a year.
• Hired laborers were called ‘karmakaras’.
• There was state monopoly of mining, forest, salt, sale of liquor, manufacture of arms and metallurgy.

• Society was clearly divided into a four-fold Varna system, slavery (dasas) existed in the society.
• Society was divided into a number of castes and sub-castes which were generally based on some profession or occupation.
• ‘Varna- Shankar Vivah’ or inter-varna or inter-caste marriages too are reported; these were of two kinds, namely, ‘Anulom’ (groom of higher varna/caste) and ‘Pratilom’ (bride of higher varna/caste).
• While Kautilya mentions 9 categories of slaves, Megasthenes reports its absence. Megasthenes also talks about 7-fold social divisions.
• As per the Jataka tales untouchables like Chanadala, Nishad, Shabar etc. existed and were treated inhumanely.
• Women’s position in society deteriorated severely: widow remarriage stopped, the institution of ‘ganikas’ (prostitution) expanded.
• Most artisans were shudras, yet, they were worst paid and subjected to forced labour (vishti).

• Ashoka was a Buddhist but he also promoted a few principles of morality known as ‘Dhamma’. The 4-cardinal points of Dhamma included: Tolerance, Non-violence, Good Conduct (Obeying parents and elders, respecting Brahmanas and Monks) & Welfare.
• A new officer called ‘Dhammamahamatra’ was appointed for promotion of ‘Dhamma’.
• Sanghmitra, daughter of Ashoka, was sent to Tamrparni (Sri Lanka) for conversion of women in Sri Lanka to Buddhism.
• Ashoka’s Dhamma cannot be regarded as sectarian faith. His teachings were intended to maintain the existing order on the basis of tolerance.

ASHOKAN EDICTS AND INSCRIPTIONS

• They are the most important source of history of the Mauryan period. Depending upon their size they are categorized as follows:
• Major and minor rock edicts (16 and 2 respectively)
• Major and minor pillar edicts (17 and 3 respectively)
• These are reported from places like Meerut, Topara, Kaushambi, Sanchi, Sarnath, Lauriya Nandgarh, Lauriya Araraj, Rampur and Lumbini (Nepal) in and around the Ganga Valley.
• The national emblem of India is taken from the Ashoka’s Sarnath Pillar.
• Name of Ashoka occurs only on minor rock edicts. He was the first king to speak to people directly through inscriptions.
• Mainly inscribed in Prakrit Language and Brahmi script.
• Inscriptions from Mansehra and Shahbajgarhi in Pakistan are in Prakrit language but in Kharosthi script.
• Kandhar Inscriptions is bilingual, it uses Greek and Aramaic languages and scripts.

• The Mauryan Empire was divided into 5 provinces -Uttarapatha, Avantipatha, Prachyapatha, Dakshinapatha and Magadha.
• Mauryan Empire had a huge army & had maintained a navy.

• King was the nucleus and was assisted by Mantri Parishad – Yuvraj, Purohita, Senapati and others.
• Highest officers were called ‘tirthas’ and Adhyakshas (superintendents) managed 26 departments.

• Mantri – Chief Minister
• Mantriparishad Adhyaksha – Head of Council Of Minister
• Purohita – Chief priest
• Senapati – Commander-In-Chief
• Yuvaraj – Crown Prince
• Samaharta – Revenue Collector
• Shulkadhyaksha – Officer-In-Charge of Royal Income
• Spies (gudhapurushas) and informers (prativedakas) played an important role.

• The Mauryan Empire also had local and municipal administration; ‘Vish’or ‘Ahara’ (districts) were the units of a province.
• Megasthenese’s account mentions 6 committees of five members each for administering the municipalities.

• Sitadhyaksha – Supervised agriculture
• Panyadhyaksha -Superintendent of Commerce
• Yukta – Subordinate Revenue Officer
• Prasdesika – Chief revenue officer.
• Sthanika – Head of local administration. worked under Preadesika.
• Rajuka – Revenue settlement officer
• Samsthadhyaksha – Superintendent of market
• Pauthavadhyaksha – Superintendent of weight & measure.
• Navaadhyaksha – Superintendent of ships.
• Sulkaadhyaksha – Collector of tolls

• Gramika – The head of the village. It was an elected body.
• Gramvriddhas – panchayat consist of Village elders to settle disputes.
• Sudarshan lake was constructed during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya in Girnar Hill in Gujrat.
• Tamralipti (Tamlook in Midnapur, WB) in the east and Bharuch/ Broach/Barygaza (Gujrat) in the west were two important ports.
• Huge army and Navy were maintained in which all the 4 varnas were allowed to serve.
• Raja (the king), Mitra (Friend), Durg (fort), Amatya (the secretaries), Janapada (territory), Kosha (the treasure), Sena (Army) were the 7 elements of states of Kautilya’s Saptanga theory.