The Mauryan Empire was one of the largest empires in Indian history, uniting most of the subcontinent for the first time. Its most famous ruler, Ashoka, is remembered not for conquest but for turning to peace.
The founder: Chandragupta Maurya
Around 321 BCE, Chandragupta Maurya, guided by his adviser Chanakya (also called Kautilya), overthrew the Nanda dynasty of Magadha. He built an empire with its capital at Pataliputra (near modern Patna). Chanakya is traditionally credited with the Arthashastra, an ancient text on statecraft and economics.
Bindusara
Chandragupta’s son Bindusara expanded the empire further south.
Ashoka and the Kalinga War
Ashoka became emperor around 268 BCE. In about 261 BCE he conquered Kalinga (in present-day Odisha). The war caused enormous loss of life. According to his own inscriptions, Ashoka was filled with remorse at the suffering, and he turned away from conquest by war.
The policy of Dhamma
Ashoka embraced Buddhism and promoted Dhamma, a moral code based on:
- Non-violence and respect for all living beings.
- Tolerance of all religions and sects.
- Respect for parents, elders and teachers.
- Welfare: he built roads, rest houses, wells and hospitals for people and animals.
Edicts on rocks and pillars
Ashoka had his messages carved on rocks and polished stone pillars across his empire, in languages and scripts people could read, mainly Prakrit in the Brahmi script. These are among the oldest deciphered written records in India. James Prinsep deciphered the Brahmi script in 1837.
Spreading Buddhism
Ashoka sent missionaries to Sri Lanka and other lands, including, according to tradition, his son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitra.
Ashoka’s legacy in modern India
- The Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath is India’s national emblem.
- The Ashoka Chakra, a 24-spoked wheel, is at the centre of the national flag.
