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Sources to Reconstruct the Age of the Mauryas Assignment 11 Class IX History Chapter - 5 The Mauryan Empire Note: ● The Study Material consists of 3 parts - ○ Part I - The important highlights of the chapter. ○ Part II - The activity based on the chapter. ○ Part III - The questions based on the study material you need to answer in your respective notebook and submit when you are back to the school. SOURCES TO RECONSTRUCT THE AGE OF THE MAURYAS There are many sources that reconstruct the age of the Mauryas. Literary Sources Among the literary sources, mention may be made of Indica, written by Megasthenes, the ​ Greek ambassador to Pataliputra. From his book we get a lot of information about Mauryan administration and life of the people. The book Arthshastra is attributed to Kautilya or Chanakya. It provides details of the art of administration, society and economy in the age of ​ the Mauryas. The Vayu Purana and Matsya Purana give a list of rulers of different dynasties, ​ Mauryas being one of them. Vishakadatta's Mudrarakshasa is considered to be the best historical drama in the whole of Sanskrit literature. It throws light on the position of the Nandas and the activities of Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya. It also gives us an idea of the social life of people in those days. Archaeological Sources The Rock Edicts of Ashoka-are the most reliable sources of information for Ashoka's rule. ​ ​ Ashoka in Rock Edict XII prescribes the following rules to be followed: ​ (i) Non-violence abstention from killing of living beings, (ii) Truthfulness, (iii) Obedience to parents and elders, and (iv) Respect towards teachers. The XIIIth Major Rock Edict says "The Beloved of the Gods, the King considers victory by dhamma to be the foremost victory." These Rock Edicts were displayed at many prominent places. The Rock Edict II mentions that Ashoka's immediate neighbouring states were those of Cholas and Pandyas. Ashoka is not known to have made conquests in South India. Therefore, some scholars have suggested that the annexation of South India was affected during the reign of R King Bindusara, Ashoka's father. The Pillars are the best specimens of Mauryan architecture. Each pillar is made of a single piece of buff coloured sandstone. At the top of each such pillar is the Capital which is also monolithic. The Lauria Nandangarh Pillar is one of the finest specimens of Ashokan Pillars. The art critics have nothing but admiration for these pillars. The splendour and beauty of the Stupa has already been mentioned in a previous chapter. It ​ was built by Ashoka to enshrine the relics of Buddha. Its magnificent gateways have sculptures which depict episodes from Buddha's life and from Jataka tales. ​ ​ THE GREATNESS OF CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA Chandragupta has been described as the first historical emperor of India. His empire extended up to Mysore in the South and Kabul in the north west. It stretched from Saurashtra in the West up to Bengal in the East. According to Jain tradition, Chandragupta renounced princely life and settled down at a place Shravan Belgola in southern India. There is a hill nearby called Chandragiri, which seems to have been named after him. From Kautilya's Arthashastra we gain a lot of knowledge about Mauryan ​ administration and life of the people.Another source of information for the Mauryas is Indika of Megasthenes. But we do not possess this book in its original form and only a few extracts taken from here and there by other Greek writers from Indika have come to us. EXTENT OF ASHOKA'S EMPIRE (PAN-INDIAN CHARACTER OF THE EMPIRE) Ashokan inscriptions are a reliable guide to the extent of the Mauryan empire Ashoka's empire extended up to Hindukush mountains in the North West. It included the parts of the Indus Valley, Kashmir, the foothills of Nepal and the entire Ganga delta. Tamralipti or modern Tamluk was an important port on the Bengal Coast from where ships sailed for Burma (Myanmar) and Sri Lanka. In the south, the empire extended as far as Mysore. Through the north-west, the Mauryas maintained close relations with Khotan in Central Asia. Ashoka was on friendly terms with the states of southernmost India the Cholas, Pandyas and Keralaputras. He sent missions to neighbouring kingdoms in West Asia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The foregoing description suggests a Subcontinental character of the Mauryan empire. Ashoka ruled over a large part of the Indian subcontinent. But several areas were still outside the direct control of the Mauryas. Such areas, for instance, included parts of North-West Rajasthan and many parts of South India. MAURYAN ADMINISTRATION From Kautilya's Arthashastra, we gain a lot of knowledge about Mauryan administration and character of the Empire. Ashokan inscriptions tell us about the policies of his government. THE KING The king was the supreme Head of the State and had military, judicial and executive powers. He also had the power to enact laws. We learn from Mega themes that the King was a very hard worker official, who does not sleep in day-time, but remains in the Court the whole day" for the purpose of transacting the public business. Kautilya divided the King's day into eight parts. It was the King's duty to give close attention to people's welfare, ​ social order and military action. COUNCIL OF MINISTERS The king had a Council of Ministers (Mantriparishad) to advise him. They were small ​ in number, but times, mantriparishad could act as a check on the King's powers. The ministers definitely advised the King in the task of choosing Governors, General of the Army, Treasurer of the State, chief magistrates and other high officials. A NETWORK OF SPIES The Mauryan State made extensive use of reporters and spies to keep the Emperor well-informed about his opponents and their activities. Megasthenes called spies ​ "Overseers'.Kautilya called them the Gudhapurushas, that is, the Secret Agents. They ​ reported to the king important matters concerning the army, the state and conduct of his officers. SOURCES OF REVENUE Arthashastra provides a detailed list of the sources of revenue which include lard-revenue from mines and forests, revenue from manufactured goods of various kinds, tolls payable for using bridges and roads, fines and licence-fees.Kautilya said the taxes must be ​ reasonable. The ruler should act like a bee which collects honey without causing damage to the flower. The land-tax varied from one-third to one sixth of the produce, paid either in cash or in kind. There was considerable expenditure on public works, especially construction of roads, wells and guest houses. Other major expenditure was a large army and salaries paid to officials. PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION Next to the Emperor ranked the Governors in charge of provinces of the empire The Ashokan inscriptions mention four such Governors posted at Taxila Northern Province), Ujjain (Western Province), Tosali (Eastern Province) and Suvarnagiri (Southern Province). The Governors had their ministers and also had the power to appoint a ​ few officials. The smaller provinces were under officials called Pradesikas in the Ashokan Edicts. DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER OFFICIALS Provinces were subdivided into districts for purposes of administration. Ashokan inscriptions refer to three classes of high officials, namely the Rajukas, Yuktas and the Mahamatras. The Rajukas were probably incharge of districts and corresponded to the District Magistrates of the present day. They managed the state property and kept law and order in the districts. The probably District Treasury Officer who collected revenues and kept accounts. The Mahamatras were heads of special departments. Ashoka created a new class of Mahamatras, that is the Dhamma Mahamatras who promoted Dha mma (Dharma) and looked after the general happiness and welfare of the people. THE CITY ADMINISTRATION Arthashastra mentions the Nagaraka who functioned City- Superintendent or a City-Magistrate, with a number of officers assisting him. The duties of the Nagraka, according to Kautilya, were : the provision of water to the city dwellers, the maintenance of public roads and public buildings, the inspection of city walls and city towers and taking precautions against fire. Megasthenes, on the other hand, gives a more elaborate system of city administration. According to him, those who entrusted with city administration were divided into six boards of five persons each. Each Board dealt with a specific function, such as the supervision of trade and commerce and census of population or care of foreigners and so on and so forth. The six Boards acted together in general matters like the maintenance of public buildings, fire protection and care of wells and temples, etc. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE Megasthenes attests to the efficient administration of the criminal law. Serious offences were ​ visited with death penalty. Lighter crimes were punished by cutting off the nose or shaving of the offender's hair, a penalty that made one feel ashamed. Evasion of taxes on goods sold or of municipal cess was regarded as a serious offence. Laws concerned crimes were very severe and punishments were exceptionally harsh. THE DHAMMA The horrors of the single war convinced Ashoka that the chiefest conquest is the conquest of Right and not of Might." The on Ashoka's Dhamma are his own Inscriptions (Stone Edicts) ​ displayed at many prominent places. They consist of fourteen major and several minor Rock Edicts found at twenty-two locations, Pillar the Cave Edicts,seven Inscriptions and other Inscriptions. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF DHAMMA The Prakrit word Dhamma' and the Sanskrit word Dharma' have the same meaning. Dharma ​ never meant exactly religion'. It implied concepts such as justice, virtue, morality, law and duty . ​ The fundamental principles of Ashoka's Dhamma are as follows : (i) Purity of domestic life and truthfulness, (ii) Toleration, i.e., not to speak evil of others' religious faith, (iii) Ahimsa, i.e., sanctity of life, (iv)True Ceremonial.
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