Mod 4: The Nanda State โ Fabulous Wealth, a Giant Standing Army, Taxation, Measures and Patronage of Learning
Concept
8.7 Army and wealth
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
The power that frightened Alexanderโs soldiers
The Nandas were famous for two things: wealth and an enormous standing army. Greek writers who heard about them in Punjab in 326 BCE describe the king of the Prasii and Gangaridai as the most powerful ruler in India.
| Writer | Infantry | Cavalry | Chariots | Elephants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtius | 200,000 | 20,000 | 2,000 | 3,000 |
| Diodorus | 200,000 | 20,000 | 2,000 | 4,000 |
| Plutarch | 200,000 | 80,000 | 8,000 | 6,000 |
- Kathasaritsagara: the Nanda king had 990 million (99 crore) gold coins.
- Mamulanar (Tamil, Akananuru): the Nandas hid their treasure under the waters of the Ganga at Pataliputra.
- Xuanzang (7th century) heard of the โfive treasures of King Nandaโ at Pataliputra.
- Army (Curtius/Diodorus): 200,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry, 2,000 chariots, 3,000โ4,000 elephants; Plutarch larger.
- Wealth: 990 million gold (Kathasaritsagara); treasure in the Ganga (Mamulanar); five treasures (Xuanzang).
- Question: How many infantry did the Nandas have? Answer: 200,000.
- Question: Which Tamil poet mentions Nanda wealth? Answer: Mamulanar.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
Question 2: According to Greek accounts, how many infantry soldiers were maintained in Dhana Nanda's standing army?
[BPSC level] According to Curtius, how many cavalry did the Nanda king have?
[UPSC level] Which classical writer gives the largest figures for the Nanda army (80,000 cavalry, 6,000 elephants)?
[BSSC pattern] According to Diodorus, the Nanda king had how many war elephants?
[BPSC level] Kathasaritsagara says the Nanda king owned:
[UPSC level] The Tamil Sangam poet Mamulanar refers to Nanda wealth in which anthology?
[School] The Nanda army was famous for being:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
How many infantry did the Nandas have?
200,000.Which Tamil poet mentions Nanda wealth?
Mamulanar.Concept
8.8 Taxes, measures and learning
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
An efficient but unpopular state
To pay for so large an army the Nandas built an efficient โ and unpopular โ tax system. The Buddhist commentary says Dhana Nanda taxed even skins, gums, trees and stones. Indian grammatical tradition remembers โNanda measuresโ (Nandopakramani manani), showing that the Nandas standardised weights and measures for trade and revenue.
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| Panini | Grammarian; Kathasaritsagara says he studied at Pataliputra (under Varsha) |
| Varsha and Upavarsha | Teachers at Pataliputra in the stories |
| Vararuchi (Katyayana) | Said to have been a Nanda minister |
| Kalpaka | Jain minister of the first Nanda |
| Shakatala | Jain minister of the last Nanda; father of Sthulabhadra |
| Rakshasa | Loyal minister of Dhana Nanda in the Mudrarakshasa |
A centralised treasury, a large professional army, a revenue system reaching villages and trade, standard measures, and an imperial capital โ the Mauryas took over this machinery and refined it (as described in the Arthashastra).
- Heavy taxes; โNanda measuresโ; Jain ministers Kalpaka and Shakatala; Rakshasa; Panini, Varsha, Vararuchi.
- Question: Who was Shakatalaโs son? Answer: Sthulabhadra.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[UPSC level] The phrase โNandopakramani mananiโ refers to:
[BPSC level] According to the Buddhist commentary, Dhana Nanda levied taxes even on:
[BSSC pattern] Shakatala, a minister of the last Nanda, was the father of:
[UPSC level] Kathasaritsagara links the grammarian Panini with study at:
[BPSC level] Which minister was loyal to Dhana Nanda in Vishakhadattaโs play?
[School] One reason for the Nandasโ unpopularity was:
[UPSC level] Xuanzang heard at Pataliputra of the:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
Who was Shakatalaโs son?
Sthulabhadra.Concept
๐ฏ UPSC ยท BPSC ยท BSSC ยท State PSC level: PYQs, traps and mains
| Exam | What it asks from this module |
|---|---|
| UPSC | Nanda army in Greek sources; Nanda measures; Paniniโs link |
| BPSC | Infantry 200,000; wealth legends; Jain ministers |
| BSSC | Number of elephants/cavalry; Mamulanar |
According to Greek accounts, how many infantry did Dhana Nanda maintain? (a) 50,000 (b) 1,00,000 (c) 2,00,000 (d) 5,00,000
- Curtius, Diodorus and Plutarch all give 200,000 infantry; they differ on cavalry, chariots and elephants.
- Infantry figure (200,000) is the same in all three Greek writers; the others differ.
- Mamulanar is a Tamil Sangam poet โ evidence that Nanda fame reached the far south.
- Shakatala (Jain minister) โ Rakshasa (minister in Mudrarakshasa).
Model question: โThe Nandas laid the administrative foundations of the Mauryan empire.โ Discuss. Points: standing army; centralised treasury; taxation and standard measures; ministers; capital; unpopularity due to fiscal pressure; Mauryan continuity (Arthashastra).
- Infantry same in all Greek writers; other figures differ.
- Question: What did the Mauryas inherit from the Nandas? Answer: Treasury, army, revenue system, measures and capital.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[BPSC level] According to Greek accounts, how many infantry did Dhana Nanda maintain?
[UPSC level] Which statement about the Nanda economy is correct?
[BSSC pattern] Kalpaka, according to Jain tradition, was minister of:
[UPSC level] What did the Mauryas inherit from the Nandas?
[BPSC level] Vararuchi, said to be a Nanda minister, is identified by some with the grammarian:
[School] Which of these did Greek writers fear most about the Nanda army?
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
What did the Mauryas inherit from the Nandas?
Treasury, army, revenue system, measures and capital.