The story of the Mauryan empire begins with the kingdom of Magadha. For hundreds of years, the rulers of Magadha tried to capture the neighbouring areas. Around 2300 years ago, a powerful empire grew out of this small kingdom under the great king Chandragupta Maurya, who was helped by his wise minister Chanakya (also called Kautilya).
The Mauryan empire was the first great empire of India, covering a vast area of the subcontinent. Its most famous ruler was Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya. Ashoka fought a terrible war against Kalinga, and the sorrow of the war changed his heart completely. He gave up war forever and adopted the path of dhamma (righteousness), spreading messages of peace and kindness throughout his empire.
In this chapter, we will learn about the rise of the Mauryan empire, the life of Emperor Ashoka, the war of Kalinga, his principles of dhamma, and how his messages were written on pillars and rocks to be read by the people.
The founder of the Mauryan empire was Chandragupta Maurya. He was guided by his chief minister Chanakya, also known as Kautilya, who wrote a famous book on the art of government and statecraft called the Arthashastra.
Chandragupta defeated the last ruler of the Nanda dynasty of Magadha and established his rule around 2300 years ago. His empire extended from the northwest parts of the subcontinent to Bengal in the east and down to central India. The capital of the empire was Pataliputra (present-day Patna). The royal court was divided into several departments to manage the administration efficiently.
The Mauryan empire was the largest empire that had existed in the subcontinent up to that time. It was spread over: - The north-western parts of the subcontinent (present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan). - The Ganga valley. - The northern Deccan region of India.
However, the empire did not include the extreme southern parts of the subcontinent, such as the Tamil lands, and some regions remained outside its control. The empire was divided into provinces, each governed by a royal prince or an officer appointed by the emperor.
Ashoka was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya and the son of the emperor Bindusara. He became the emperor of the Mauryan empire around 2200 years ago and ruled for about 37 years.
Ashoka was a mighty and ambitious ruler. In the early years of his rule, he followed the path of military expansion like his grandfather. He fought many wars and conquered many territories. But one particular war – the war against Kalinga – changed his entire outlook on life and on ruling.
Kalinga was a region on the eastern coast of India (present-day Odisha). Around 2600 years ago... no, around 2200 years ago (about 261 BC), Ashoka fought a fierce war with Kalinga to bring it under his control.
The war was extremely destructive. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. Ashoka was filled with sorrow and regret at the enormous suffering he had caused. He realised that conquest through war only brings death and sorrow, not real victory. From that day onward, Ashoka decided to give up war and to conquer people's hearts through love, kindness and righteous conduct instead.
The Kalinga war proved to be a turning point in Ashoka's life. He gave up the path of military conquest (digvijaya) and adopted the path of dhammavijaya – conquest through dhamma or righteousness.
Ashoka became a follower of Buddhism, but he did not force his religion on others. He believed that people should be taught to follow good conduct, and that rulers should be kind and just. He decided to spread his message of peace and dhamma through inscriptions and through officials who toured the empire.
The dhamma of Ashoka was not a new religion. It was a set of guidelines for good conduct, based on the teachings of the Buddha. The main principles of dhamma were:
Ashoka's dhamma was a practical code of conduct that people of all religions could follow.
Ashoka spread his message of dhamma in several ways: - Inscriptions: He ordered his messages to be engraved on rocks and tall stone pillars throughout his empire. These are called rock edicts and pillar edicts. - Special officials: He appointed special officials called dhamma mahamattas to travel across the empire and spread the message of dhamma among the people. - Royal messengers: He sent messengers to distant kingdoms in Sri Lanka, West Asia, Egypt, Greece and other places to spread the ideas of Buddhism and dhamma.
The most famous of Ashoka's pillars is the one at Sarnath, whose lion capital is now the national emblem of India.
Ashoka made many reforms in his administration to make life better for his people:
Ashoka's rule is remembered as a time of peace, justice and humane government.
The lion capital at Sarnath was placed on top of a pillar built by Ashoka. It shows four lions seated back to back. Below the lions, there is a circular structure called the abacus, on which are carved a horse, a bull, a lion and an elephant, separated by wheels called dharma chakras.
The lion capital has great national importance because it was adopted as the national emblem of India. The wheel (dharma chakra) shown on the national flag also comes from the pillar of Ashoka. The design on the capital symbolises courage, power and pride.
The Mauryan empire did not last very long after Ashoka. The later rulers were weak and could not control the vast empire. The provinces began to break away, and around 1800 years ago... that is, about 200 years after Ashoka, the last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha, was killed by his own general, Pushyamitra Shunga.
The decline was caused by weak successors, the vast size of the empire, and the heavy cost of administration. However, the Mauryan period remains one of the most important in Indian history because it saw the first united and well-governed empire of the subcontinent.
| Ruler | Relationship | Main Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Chandragupta Maurya | Founder | Established the Mauryan empire; guided by Chanakya |
| Bindusara | Son of Chandragupta | Extended the empire |
| Ashoka | Grandson of Chandragupta | Gave up war after Kalinga; spread dhamma |
| Principle | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Respect for parents and elders | Obedience and kindness at home |
| Kindness to poor and servants | Compassion for all |
| Honesty and truthfulness | Good moral conduct |
| Respect for all religions | Tolerance and harmony |
| Non-violence | Not killing animals unnecessarily |
The Mauryan empire was the first great empire of the subcontinent, founded by Chandragupta Maurya with the help of Chanakya. Its greatest ruler, Ashoka, started as a conquering emperor, but the destruction of the Kalinga war transformed him. He gave up war and devoted himself to spreading dhamma – a life of truth, kindness, tolerance and non-violence.
Ashoka's message of peace was carved on rocks and pillars and carried by officials and messengers across the empire and beyond. His pillar at Sarnath, crowned by the lion capital, is today the national emblem of India, a living reminder of his legacy. Ashoka remains one of the most remarkable rulers in world history, remembered not for his conquests, but for his compassion and for giving up war for the sake of peace.