Mahajanpadas & Magadh Empire Notes | There were total 16 Mahajanpadas . Their details are found in “Bhagwatisutra” and “Anguttar Nikay”.
| Mahajanpad | Capital |
| Kashi | Varansi |
| Kuru | Indraprastha (Delhi) |
| Anga | Champa (Bihar) |
| Magadh | Rajgir/Rajgiriha (Bihar) |
| Vajji | Videh & Mithila (Bihar) |
| Malla | Kushavati/ Kushinara (UP) |
| Vatsa | Kaushambi (UP) |
| Chedi | Shaktimati |
| Koshal | Saket (North) & Shravasti (South) |
| Panchal | Ahikshtra (North) & Kampilya (South) |
| Matsya | Viratnagar (Rajasthan) |
| Shursena | Mathura (UP) |
| Assak/Ashmak | Paithan/Pratisthan |
| Avanti | Ujjaini (North) & Mahishmati (South) |
| Gandhar | Taxila |
| Kamboj | Rajpur/Hatak |
NOTE – “Gandhar” & “Kamboj” were out of India
NOTE – “Vajji” & “Malla” were the democratic Mahajanpads
NOTE – “Vajji” is known as the world’s oldest democratic state
Magadh Empire
The Magadha Empire encompasses the rule of three dynasties over time – Haryanka Dynasty, Shishunaga Dynasty, and Nanda Dynasty.
Haryanka dynasty
- It was established by “Bimbisara”
- 1st dynasty of Magadh empire
- It is also known as “Patricial dynasty”
Bimbisara
- He was the founder of “Haryanka dynasty”
- Other names were “Seniya”, “Shrenika” & “Kshetrojas”
- His capital was “Rajgir”
- He had “matrimonial policy”
- His wives were Kusla, Kshema & Chelana
- His contemporary were “Mahaveer Swami” & “Lord Buddha”
- He was follower of Buddhism
- He was killed by his son “Ajatshatru”
Ajatshatru
- 1st Indian king to kill his father
- His childhood name was “Kunika”
- He had policy of attack
- He defeated Vjji, Malla & Kashi
- He has 2 famous weapons “Rathmusla” &”Mahashilakantak”
- He was also follower of Buddha
- He was killed by his son “Udayin”
NOTE – 2nd Buddhist council was by him in Rajgir.
Mahajanpads & Magadh Empire
Udayin
- He was son of Ajatshatru
- He built “Patliputra” and made it his capital
- He was killed by his son “Aniruddha”
- He was follower of Jainism
NOTE – “Nagadashak” was the last ruler of Haryanka dynasty & he was killed by “Shishunaga”
Mahajanpadas & Magadh Empire
Shishunaga Dynasty
- It was established by “Shishunaga”
Shishunaga
- Founder of Shishunaga dynasty
- His capital was “Patliputra” & “Vaishali”
Kalashoka
- His real name was “Kaka Varna”
- His capital was also “Patliputra” & “Vaishali”
Nandi Vardhan
- He was the last ruler of Shisunaga dynasty
- He was killed by “Mahapadma Nanda”
Nanda Dynasty
- It was established by “Mahapadma Nanda”
Mahapadma Nanda
- Founder of Nanda dynasty
- His titles were “Ekrat”, “Ugrasena”, “Sarvakshatrantka” & “2nd Parushram”
- His priest was “Panini”
- He concurred Kalinga, which is mentioned in the “Hathigumpha of Kharvel” in Kalinga
NOTE – Panini wrote a book “Ashtadhyayi”, which is 1st book of Sanskrit Vyakran
Mahajanpadas & Magadh Empire
Dhanananda
- He was the last king of Nanda dynasty
- He was killed by “Chandragupta Maurya” with the help of Chanakya