Chandragupta Maurya
When you talk about Indian kings, or even think about them, the first name that should come to your head should be that of Chandragupta Maurya. One of the greatest leaders in history, his story is one to honor and respect.
Chandragupta Maurya was just a teenager, when Alexander the Great invaded India, and although he could conquer Raja Puru, he could not convince his soldiers to take on the Nanda Empire and as a result left. However, a 20-year-old Chandragupta Maurya would accomplish that feat, and go on to unite almost all of what is now India. The young Indian emperor would also take on Alexander's successors - and win.
Early Life:
Very little is known about the early life of Chandragupta Maurya, and although there are many rumors and claims, nothing has been proven, so it suggests that he was of humble origin and only came to be known after his conquest of the Nanda Empire.
The Beginning:
From an early age, Chandragupta was brave and charismatic - a person who was born to lead. He came to the attention of a famous Brahmin scholar, Chanakya, who had a grudge against the Nanda. Chanakya began grooming Chandragupta on how to rule and conquer the Nanda empire. He helped him raise an army and taught him various military tactics.
Allied with a king of the mountain kingdom, Chandragupta set out to conquer Nanda. After a series of long and hard fought battles, Chandragupta was successful in capturing the Nanda capital and bringing down the empire, to form, the Mauryan Empire.
The Mauryan Empire:
The Mauryan Empire rapidly expanded taking advantage of disruptions of local powers. It was one of the largest empires in its times and the largest empire in the Indian Sub-Continent. Under Chandragupta and his successors, internal and external trade, agriculture and economic activities, all thrived and expanded across India thanks to the creation of a single and efficient system of finance, administration, and security.
Personal Life:
The only one of Chandragupta's queens or consorts for whom we have a name is Durdhara, the mother of his first son, Bindusara. Bindusara is likely still remembered more because of his son than for his own reign. He was the father of one of India's greatest monarchs ever - Ashoka the Great.
Death:
When he was in his fifties, Chandragupta became fascinated with Jainism, an extremely ascetic belief system. His guru was the Jain saint Bhadrabahu.
In 298 BCE, the emperor renounced his rule, handing over power to his son Bindusara. Chandragupta traveled south to a cave at Shravanabelogola, now in Karntaka. There, the founder of the Mauryan Empire meditated without eating or drinking for five weeks, until he died of starvation. This practice is called sallekhana or santhara.
The Mauryan Empire rapidly expanded taking advantage of disruptions of local powers. It was one of the largest empires in its times and the largest empire in the Indian Sub-Continent. Under Chandragupta and his successors, internal and external trade, agriculture and economic activities, all thrived and expanded across India thanks to the creation of a single and efficient system of finance, administration, and security.
Personal Life:
The only one of Chandragupta's queens or consorts for whom we have a name is Durdhara, the mother of his first son, Bindusara. Bindusara is likely still remembered more because of his son than for his own reign. He was the father of one of India's greatest monarchs ever - Ashoka the Great.
Death:
When he was in his fifties, Chandragupta became fascinated with Jainism, an extremely ascetic belief system. His guru was the Jain saint Bhadrabahu.
In 298 BCE, the emperor renounced his rule, handing over power to his son Bindusara. Chandragupta traveled south to a cave at Shravanabelogola, now in Karntaka. There, the founder of the Mauryan Empire meditated without eating or drinking for five weeks, until he died of starvation. This practice is called sallekhana or santhara.
Legacy:
The dynasty that Chandragupta founded would rule over India and the south of Central Asia until 185 BCE. His grandson Ashoka would follow in Chandragupta's footsteps in several ways - conquering territory as a young man, but then becoming devoutly religious as he aged. In fact, Ashoka's reign in India may be the purest expression of Buddhism in any government in history.
Today, Chandragupta is remembered as the unifier of India - like Qin Shihuangdi in China, but far less blood-thirsty. Despite the paucity of records on his life, Chandragupta's life story has inspired movies such as the 1958 "Samrat Chandragupt," novels, and even a 2011 Hindi-language TV series.
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