The sources of information about Mauryan Dynasty are “Mudrarakshasa of Vishakha Dutta” & “Arthshastra of Chanakya” . It was established by “Chandragupta Maurya”

Chandragupta Maurya –

• He was the founder of Mauryan dynasty
• The sources of information about him are
• “Indica” of Magasthenese
• “Junagarh inscription” of Rudradaman
• “Mudrarakshasa” of Vishakadatta
• “Arthshastra” of Chanakya
• He was follower of Jainism
• He built “Sudershan lake” in Gujarat
• He died in “Shravanbelgola” (Karnataka)
• He died by “sallekhna system”/”Santhara/Fasting” system according to jain religion

Capital	Patliputra
Father	Sarvarth Siddha Maurya
Mother	Mura
Teacher	Chanakya
Religious Teacher	Bhadra Bahu
Wives	Durdhara & Helena
Other names	Androcottus & Sandrocotus

NOTE – Durdhara was daughter of “Dhanananda”

NOTE – Helena was daughter of “Selecus Nicator”

NOTE – Chandragupta Maurya defeted Siecus Nicator in 305BC and married his daughter, ehich was 1^st international marriage

NOTE – Bhadra Bahu was a Jain saint

NOTE – “Magasthenese” came into the court of Chandragupta Maurya

Bindusara –

Father	Chandragupta Maurya
Mother	Durdhara
Sons	Ashoka,Sushim,Shyamak, Bittashoka
Other names	Bindupal, Bhadrasara, Simhasena, Amitrochettus & Amitroghata
Prime ministers	Chanakya, Khallatak & Radha Gupta

• He was follower of “Ajivika sect”
• He died in Patliputra
• Ashoka was his governor of Ujjain
• “Diemachus” came into court of Bindusara
• Diemachus was ambassador of “Antiochus”

NOTE – Ajivika Sect was established by “Makkhiliputra Gosala”

NOTE – Antiochus was king of “Syria”

Demands of Bindusara from Antiochus –

Sweet wine	Accepted
Dried fig	Accepted
Philosopher	Denied

Ashoka –

• He is also known as “The Great Ashoka”
• He was the governor of Ujjain
• He killed his 99 brothers accept “Agam” to become the king
• Srinagar was built by him

Father	Bindusara
Mother	Subhadrangi/Dharma
Wives	Mahadevi, Devi, Karuvaki, Ashandhimitra, Patmavati & Tishyaraksha
Sons	Mahindra & Tivara
Daughter	Sangghmitra
Religious teacher	Mogliputra Tissa
Other names	Chandashoka, Ashoka Vardhan, Devanampia, Buddhashakya, Piyadassi, Priyadarshani

Battle of Kalinga –

• It was fought in 261 BC
• It was between “Ashoka” & “Samntha Mahapadma Nabha”
• Ashoka won this war
• Details of Kalinga war are found in the “13^th Rock edict”
• After Kalinga war Ashoka adopted Buddhism

NOTE – He was inspired by “Nigrodha” to adopt Buddhism

NOTE – He was converted to Busshism by “Upgupta”

Dhamma –

• It was started by Ashoka
• It was an ethical code
• Its purpose was to “respect to all person” & “Respect to all religions”
• “Dhamma Mahamantra” was established by Ashoka for the message of Dhamma

Ashokan edicts –

• He was the 1^st Indian ruler who made edicts
• For edicts he was inspired by “Darius” of Persia
• The edicts were decoded by “James Princep” in 1837
• There are total major 14 rock edicts
• 7 are pillar edicts
• 4 are minor pillar edicts

Important Rock/pillar edicts/ Inscriptions –

Place	Edict
Pakistan	Shahbajgarhi, Manshera
Bihar	Lauriya Areraj, Lauriya Nandagarh, Rampurva
Nepal	Lumbini, Niglwasagar
Odisha	Dhauli, Kalinga, Jaugada
UP	Sarnath, Prayagraj
MP	Sanchi, Rupnath
Karnataka	Brahmgiri
Rajasthan	Bhabru Bairat
Afghanistan	Sarekhuna

• Script/language used were “Aramaic, Brahmi, Prakrit & Greek”

Caves built by Ashoka –

• Sudama
• Karna Chaupar
• Vishva Jhopari

History Notes For UPSC & Govt. Exams – ReetPrep