The second monarch of the
Maurya dynasty, Bindisara ascended the throne when Chandragupta abdicated
to follow the strict teachings of Mahavira and Jainism. His rule was not
noted for any significant achievements but he did extend the empire
southward, up to the present day Karnataka.
ASHOKA THE GREAT: (272-235
BC):
In Ashoka we find the
pinnacle of the Mauryan Dynasty in terms of both its physical reach and
its influence and stature in world states. The fateful event that stopped
Ashoka’s campaign of empire building by war and launched his conquest of
the heart of both his subjects and subjects of foreign lands occurred in
260 BC. In Kalinga, a southeast kingdom, a fierce battle was waged. While
he was victorious in the battle, the slaughter of 100,000 soldiers and
injury of a further 150,000 shocked Ashoka. He gave up military campaigns
and decided to pursue the practice of Dharma according to the teachings of
the Buddha. He sent emissaries to various neighboring and distant
countries to spread this message. There is ample written evidence that he
kept in touch with the contemporary Greek rulers such as Antiochus II
Theos of Syria, Antigonus II Gonatas of Macedonia, Magas of Cyrene as well
as the Egyptian monarch Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Through erecting edicts all across India and the southern neighbor Sinhala (Sri Lanka) he
was instrumental in spreading Buddhism all across the subcontinent
The Mauryan Government,
Economy and Society:
This empire was a
centralized bureaucracy with the Emperor at the helm. Through his
ministers, his extensive travels throughout his empire and through the
edicts, Ashoka kept in touch with his subjects. The main source of income
was the land revenues and to a lesser extent, from trade. Both the land and
the produce of the land were taxed. The society was structured around
endogamous castes - philosophers( which included the priests and monks and
religious teachers), soldiers, herdsmen, artisans, magistrates and
councilors) and the professions were considered hereditary.
The empire was divided into
four provinces, each ruled by a prince. These provinces were then divided
into smaller denominations, which were headed by local officers. The most
powerful local officer in a city was the City Superintendent (“nagaraka”).
The Ashoka Pillars:
During this golden age of
Indian civilization, Ashoka is remembered for many an innovation, which
would make any contemporary Indian ruler proud. Across his empire Ashoka
had constructed wide roads lined on either side by shade trees (avenues)
and for the tired and thirsty traveler wells and stored water were
provided at stations. He constructed hospitals for caring for the sick (by
any standard, a very enlightened measure that few other ancient monarchs
in world history can boast) and warned against wanton destruction of
forests as that would spell ecological disaster.
All the above
accomplishments pale in significance to the role he played in spreading
Buddhism throughout India and the rest of Asia. And in this process, a
prominent role was played by his famous edicts inscribed on the pillars
that he erected all across India. These pillars are now known as Ashoka
Pillars, they were made of polished sandstones and were erected on bases
which are called Stupas. The most famous of these is the one at Sarnath,
sporting the heads of four lions on top. These images have been
immortalized by modern India as the National Emblem (see our link at the
beginning of “Historical India”). Also, immortalized was the “Wheel
of Dharma” found on the base holding the animals as it is now in the
middle of the Indian flag. The pillars were virtual emissaries from Ashoka
as they carried inscriptions in “Prakrit” form of Sanskrit on the
practice of Dharma (variously interpreted as one’s duty, universal law,
the social order or righteousness). Very few of these pillars still
survive but each sported the image of at least one animal’s head on top;
besides lions, elephants and bulls were other examples.
DECLINE AND FALL OF MAURYA
EMPIRE:
