1
MPPSC
DAILY
CLASS
NOTES
History
Lecture – 15
Maurya Part 4 and Post Maurya Age
Part 2
2
Third Buddhist Council
The third Buddhist council (council) was held in the capital Pataliputra around 250
BCE.
It was presided over by Mogliputta Tissa.
The third part of Tripitaka was composed in the Pali language.
This council met to compose commentaries on the Tripitaka.
The decision to send missions to expand the reach of Buddhism to other parts of the
region and convert people to the religion
Ashoka sent his two children Mahindra and Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka to propagate
Buddhism.
It is believed that he took a branch of the original Bodhi tree to Sri Lanka.
Kunal
Ashoka had 4 sons Mahendra, Tiwar, Kunal and Jalore.
After the death of Ashoka the Maurya Empire was divided
Mahendra became a Buddhist monk, Tiwar died
Kunal was the provincial administrator of Ujjaini during the reign of Ashoka.
Ashoka's son Jalore established a kingdom in Kashmir and ended the unity of the
Maurya Empire.
At that time, Sampatti became the ruler of Ujjain. Gradually he conquered the
southern post and brought the areas of the border province under his control.
Economy and society
*Silk:
The silk was commonly known as Chinese silk, which also suggests that there was
extensive trade in the Mauryan Empire
Metal:
Metal and metalworking were of great importance, and local metal workers worked
with iron, copper, and other metals to produce tools, implements, utensils, and other
utility items.
Archeology shows a great qualitative and quantitative improvement in iron
production after this date.
Implications of Improvements in iron technology:
Improved tools such as axes made possible more extensive clearing of forests for
agriculture; Better ploughs can improve agricultural processes
Wood related:
Another important craft was wood for shipbuilding, making carts and chariots, house
construction, etc.
Stone Working:
Stone working – stone carving and polishing – developed into a highly skilled craft.
This expertise is seen in the stone sculptures at the Sanchi Stupa and the highly
polished Chunar stone used for the pillars of Ashoka.
A whole range of luxury goods was produced, including gold and silver articles,
jewelry, perfumes, and carved ivory.
There is evidence that many other products such as medicines, pottery, dyes, and
gums were produced in the Maurya Empire.
Craftsmen mainly worked alone, although royal workshops for the production of
cloth and other products also existed.
Each craft had a chief called Pamukha (chief or leader) and a Jetha (senior or elder)
and was organized into a seni (rank or guild)
Disputes among the Seni were resolved by Mahashasthi, and this ensured the
smooth functioning of craft production in the cities.
Agriculture
Agriculture was the backbone of the economy
It was the largest sector in terms of its share in total revenue for the state and
employment.
4
In India, two crops can be grown annually due to the soil's fertility.
Apart from food grains, India also grew commercial crops like sugarcane and cotton.
The fact that the agricultural sector could produce a substantial surplus was a major
factor in the diversification of the economy beyond subsistence to commercial
production.
Tax -
1/4 to 1/6 of the produce was taxed from the farmers.
irrigation tax
Drought relief was also provided
Ports - Bharukacha (Bharuch), Supara (West Coast) Tamralipti (Bengal)
We can classify products as utilitarian functional, and decorative.
The spinning and weaving of cotton cloth, dependent on the universal availability of
cotton throughout India, were the most widespread occupations outside agriculture.
A fine variety of cloth was produced in the country, ranging from coarse cloth used
by common people for everyday use to very fine textures worn by the upper classes
and royalty.
The “Arthashastra” mentions specific textile-producing regions – Kasi (Banaras),
Vanga (Bengal), Kamarupa (Assam), Madurai, and many others.
The king and members of the royal court wore clothes embroidered with gold and
silver.
Stupas of Madhya Pradesh
Buddhist Stupa of Ujjain -In the partition after the Mahaparinirvana of Buddha,
Asandi Avanti was received, on which a stupa was built in Vaishya Tekri. This is the
largest stupa ever found
Sanchi - There are mainly three stupas here and other small stupas, Sanchi was
called Vedic Giri or Chaityagiri in the third century BC and the second one was
called Kakwan in the first century BC.
Sir John Marshall renovated the Sanchi Stupa between 1912 and 1920.
5
Stupa number 1, which is said to be of great importance, houses the ashes of
Sariputra and Mahagodaglyayana.
Satdhara -Stupa is an ancient Buddhist center near Sanchi. Cunningham discovered
it in 1853. Till now 40 stupas and 17 Bihars have been found here.
Stupa of darkness- The remains of three stupas have been found at a place called
Andher, 12 kilometers away from Vidisha.
Sonari Stupa- Remains of 8 stupas have been found here, 9 kilometers away from
Sanchi, of which stupa number 1 is the largest, which is situated in a 240-foot
square courtyard.
Stupas of Bhojpur-37 remains have been found 10 kilometers away from Vidisha.
Similarly, the remains of two stupas and viharas have been found in Kharwai in the
Raisen district.
Bharhut Stupa -Located in Nagod near Satna, Madhya Pradesh, it was discovered in
1873.
Deorkothar- Belongs to the tehsil of Rewa district, one built in the 3rd century during
the time of Ashoka
Tumain was located in Guna, which was situated on the trade route connecting
Vidisha and Mathura. Which was called Tumbavan in ancient times.
Maheshwar and Navdatoli - Maheshwar has been identified with Mahishmati, the
capital of ancient southern Avanti. This city was situated on the road to the south,
between Pratishthan and Ujjain.
Kasrawad Stupa- Situated in Khargone district, 11 stupas have been found in
Kasrawad.
Paan Guradia A stupa with pradakshina is also found in Sehore district Madhya
Pradesh.
Maurya administration
Based on Kautilya's philosophy
Kautilya neither believed in absolute monarchy nor in absolute democracy.
6
The king should act 'on the advice of the council of ministers'
The Council of Ministers consisted of priests, general ministers, commanders, and
crown princes.
Some public servants were called Amatya.
Later Ashoka appointed Dhamma Mahamatra
The Maurya Empire was divided into 5 janapadas or provinces: Uttarapatha
(capital: Takshashila), Avantipath (Ujjain), Dakshinapatha (Suvarnagiri),
Prachyapatha and Magadha.
A large army and navy were maintained in which all four varnas were allowed to
serve or join.
The rise of the Mauryas resulted in the establishment of a monarchy in India.
Maurya Art and Sculpture:
1. Maurya power is also visible in the huge stone sculptures and structures, significant
beginnings were made in the field of rock-cut and stupa architecture.
2. The Sarnath Pillar, which was found in Varanasi also known as the lion pillar is, the
finest example of the Maurya sculptural tradition. It is also our national symbol.
3. Large statues of Yakshas and Yakshinis have been found in many places like Patna,
Vidisha, and Mathura.
Central Administration:
1. Council of Ministers (Mantri Parishad): It included Purohit, Mahamantri, Sena Pati
and Yuvraj (crown princes) to assist the king in administrative matters.
2. The highest officials were called 'Tirtha' and 'Adhyaksha' (Superintendent), under
which 26 departments were managed.
3. Census: The Census was conducted regularly during the Maurya period.
4. Judicial and Police Department: Kautilya mentions the presence of both civil and
criminal courts.
Local Administration:
1. Local and urban administration existed in the Maurya state; In which the units of the
province were ‘Vish’ or ‘Ahar’ (districts).
7
2. In the description of Megasthenes, there is mention of 6 committees of five members
for the administration of urban bodies.
Important Officer:
Sitaadhyaksha - Agriculture Rajjuk - Revenue Arrangement Officer
Inspector Sansthadhyaksha - Market superintendent
Parnadhyaksha - Potavadhyaksha - measurement-weight
Commerce Superintendent.
superintendent
Navashyaksha - Superintendent of Navi
Yukt or Yukti - subordinate
Sulkadhyaksha - road tax collector
Revenue Officer
Gram level Officers:
Pradeshik - main Revenue Officer.
Gramik: Village Of Chief.
Sthanik -Head of local
Sulkadhyaksha: There was a committee
administration. Worked under the
of elders in the village panchayat to settle
Pradeshik.
disputes.
Sudarshan Lake (Girnar Hills, Gujarat) was built during the reign of
Chandragupta Maurya.
Tamralipti (Midnapore, Tamluk in West Bengal) in the east and Bharuch/Bharuch
(Gujarat) in the west were two important ports.
Raja (Emperor), Mitra (companion), Durg (fort), Amatya (secretary), Janapada
(territory), Kosh (treasury), and Sena (corps) were the 7 elements of states of
Kautilya's Saptanga theory.
Maurya State In Officer:
Officer Position Officer Position
Prashasti Jail Chief Annapal Foodstuff Department Of
Chief
Sannidhata Treasurer Rajjuk Land ruler
8
Koshadhyaksha Treasury Officer Arakadhyaksha Mining Officer
Koshagar Royal Treasury Lohadhyaksha Metal Science Officer
Adhyaksha Manager;
Nayak City Security Chief Lakshana- Coin casting
Adhyaksha
Vyavharik Main judge Lavnadhyaksha Salt Department
Of Officer
Karmantik Industries And Aayudha- Weapon manufacturing
factories Of Chief Adhyaksha And protect.
Swarna Gold Department Of Kunyadhyaksha Forest Officer
Adhyaksha Officer
Dandpal Police Chief Manadhyaksha Time And place
Determination Of Office
Durgpal Royal Durg Chief Sunyadhyaksha Slaughter house officer
Midradhyaksha Royal Sign, coin Ddhoota- Gambling Department
Ashyaksha
Naukadhyaksha Shipping Officer Pattan Port Officer
Adhyaksha
Potavadhyaksha Measurement.
Provincial Administration
The empire was divided into four provinces
Suvarnagiri (near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh)
9
Ujjain (Avanti, Malwa)
Takshashila in the north-west
Tosali in Odisha in the south-east.
The provinces were administered by administrators who were usually royal heads.
In each region, the revenue and judicial administration and bureaucracy of the
Maurya state were replicated to achieve a uniform governance system.
Revenue collection was the responsibility of a Collector-General (Samaharta).
He had to supervise all the provinces, fortified towns, mines, forests, trade routes
and others, which were sources of revenue.
Judicial Administration
Justice was administered through courts, which were established in all major cities.
Two types of courts are mentioned
Dharmashastra courts mostly deal with civil law relating to marriage, inheritance
and other aspects of civil life.
The courts were presided over by three judges, who were conversant with the sacred
laws, and three Amatyas (secretaries).
Kantaksodhana (removal of thorns), which is also presided over by three judges and
three Amatyas.
The main purpose of these courts was to punish anti-social elements and the society
of various types of crimes, and they functioned more like the modern police and
depended on a network of spies for information about such anti-social activities.
Ashoka had built a hell house to punish the culprits in Ujjain where Bherugarh Jail is
now located.
Coins and Currency
The monetary system was developed, and barter was the medium of exchange in
pre-modern economies.
In the Maurya Empire, the silver coin known as Pana and its subdivisions were the
most commonly used currency.
10
Punch-marked coins have been found in many parts of North India, although some
of these coins date from an earlier period.
Thus when coins were in use, it is difficult to estimate the extent to which the
economy was demonetized.
Housing and Town planning
Cities were often located along rivers, possibly for ease of transport access. They were
surrounded by ramparts to provide defensive protection.
The towns also had other facilities like drains, ring wells and earthen pits, which
testified to the development of civic amenities and sanitation.
Excavations from the Maurya period show that the standard of living had improved
compared to earlier times.
There was a quantitative increase in the use of iron and various types of iron
artefacts were made.
Pataliputra Nagar
Pataliputra was the capital city of the Maurya Empire.
It was described as a large and wealthy city, situated at the confluence of the
Ganges and Son rivers, spread out in the form of a parallelogram.
It was protected by an outer wall made of wood, with holes for firing arrows at
enemies.
Outside the wall was a wide and deep moat, fed by a river, which served as both
defence and sewage.
The city had many grand palaces, which housed a large population.
The city was administered by a corporation of 30 members. Ashoka became
associated with the grandeur of the city
Religion in the Maurya Empire
Jainism
Emperor Chandragupta Maurya became the first major Indian emperor to initiate
religious change at the highest level after becoming a disciple of Acharya
Bhadrabahu, a convert to Jainism.
11
Lakhs of Jain temples and stupas were built during the reign of Chandragupta and
Samprati.
Buddhism
King Ashoka adopted Buddhism after the Kalinga War and made it the state religion.
Built stupas and helped convene the Third Buddhist Council of India
Hindu
Despite being a Buddhist himself, Ashoka retained membership of Hindu priests and
ministers and maintained religious freedom.
Different views of the fall of the Maurya Empire
Hariprasad Shastri’s Different views of the decline of the Maurya Empire believe
that Brahmanical reaction was responsible for the decline of the Maurya Empire
D.D. Kosambi says that the main reason for the decline of the Maurya Empire was
heavy economic pressure.
Ghoshal says that the spread of Buddhism during the reign of Ashoka disturbed the
Brahmanical social and religious system, which weakened the state.
Romila Thapar states that the nature of organisation or administration and the
faulty concept of the state ultimately led to the decline of the empire.
Post Maurya period
The Maurya rule thus came to an end and the Sunga Dynasty was established as
the ruler of Magadha.
The native dynasties like Shungas, Satvahana, and the Kanvas ruled in eastern India,
central India and the Deccan region.
Foreigners like Indo-Greeks or Bactrians, Sakas, Parthians and the Kushanas ruled in
north-western India.
12
This was a period defined by the intermingling and influence of new cultures, vibrant
doctrinal debates, the rise in devotional worship of images and the
institutionalization of religious activity.
The period also saw the emergence of sophisticated sculptural and architectural
styles.
Source of Information:
Puranas; Dharmashastra; Manusmriti also known as Manav Dharma Shastra is
composed by Sage Manu and is the first detailed lawbook available.
Gargi Samhita and the Mahabhashya of Patanjali (commentary on Panini’s
Ashtadhyayi).
Buddhist Jatakas, Divyavadana, Mahavastu and the Milindpanho (Sanskrit,
Milindaprashna).
Malavikagnimitram of Kalidasa and the Harshacharita of Banabhatta.
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea written by an anonymous Greek seafarer (pattern of
trade between India and the Western world).
Epigraphic records in Kharosthi found in large numbers in Gandhara and Central
Asia refer to different facets of India’s regular contacts with these regions.
Shunga Dynasty (187 BC-78 BC):
Founder: Pushyamitra Sunga, who was the commander-in-chief under the Mauryas.
Capital at Pataliputra and a second capital at Vidisha (under son Agnimitra’s
viceroy).
Pushyamitra Shunga:
It protected the kingdom (Gangetic plains) and its culture against foreign invaders
(Greeks).
Pushyamitra Shunga erected Bharhut stupa. It depicts the influence of sculpture
from the Shunga Period.
Bharhut is a village located in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh.
It is known for its famous relics from a Buddhist stupa.
He followed Brahmanism and performed two Ashvamedha sacrifices.
Also promoted the growth of Vaishnavism and the Sanskrit language.
13
Agnimitra:
After Pushyamitra, his son Agnimitra ruled.
Kalidasa’s play Malvikagnimitra is a love story of King Agnimitra and a handmaiden
Malvika.
A significant attempt at penetrating into India by Demetrius I of Bactria was
countered successfully by Vasumitra, son of Agnimitra.
Performed Ashwamedh sacrifice for the revival of Brahmanical order and patronized
scholars like Patanjali and Manu
Vasumitra:
After Agnimitra, Vasumitra became the King and was succeeded by 7 more kings of
the same dynasty.
Shunga’s empire covered regions of Bihar, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh and northern
Madhya Pradesh.
The last ruler of the Shunga dynasty was Devabhuti.
Importance of Shungas:
Shungas issued gold and silver coins and they inherited and continued with the
Mauryan structure of administration.
They patronized the Brahmanical order, yet there was no antagonism towards
Buddhism.
Mathura School of Art achieved new heights, especially in realistic human depiction.
Manu’s Manav Dharma Shastra or Manusmriti and Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitram are
said to have been composed during this period.
Yavanarajya inscription, Dhanadeva-Ayodhaya inscription mentions Shungas.
The Nanaghat inscription, Nasik Inscription, Hatigumpa inscription of Kharavela, and
Erragudi inscription of Ashoka provide important information about Shungas.
PW Web/App: [Link]
