Mod 2: Chandragupta Maurya โ Origins, Conquests, the Seleucid Treaty and the Jain Ending at Shravanabelagola
Concept
9.3 Chandragupta: rise and origin
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
From the Punjab to Pataliputra
Chandragupta Maurya (c. 322/321โ298/297 BCE) founded the Maurya dynasty โ the first empire to unite almost the whole Indian subcontinent. Guided by Chanakya, he first freed the Punjab from the Greek garrisons left by Alexander, then overthrew Dhana Nanda and made Pataliputra his capital.
| Source | Origin |
|---|---|
| Buddhist (Mahavamsa) | Kshatriya of the Moriya clan of Pipphalivana |
| Jain (Parishishtaparvan) | Grandson of the chief of a village of peacock-tamers (mayura-poshaka) |
| Mudrarakshasa | Called โVrishalaโ and โkula-hinaโ (low-born) |
| Later commentary | โMauryaโ from his mother Mura, a woman of the Nanda household |
| Greek (Justin) | A man of humble origin |
- Chandragupta (322/321โ298/297 BCE): freed Punjab, overthrew Nandas with Chanakya.
- Origin: Moriya clan (Buddhist), peacock-tamers (Jain), Vrishala (Mudrarakshasa), Mura (late).
- Question: Who guided Chandragupta? Answer: Chanakya (Kautilya).
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[School] The founder of the Maurya dynasty was:
[BPSC level] Buddhist texts say Chandragupta belonged to the Moriya clan of:
[UPSC level] In the Mudrarakshasa Chandragupta is called โVrishalaโ, which suggests:
[BSSC pattern] The Jain tradition connects Chandraguptaโs family with:
[BPSC level] Before attacking Magadha, Chandragupta first freed which region from Greek control?
[UPSC level] A later tradition derives the name โMauryaโ from Chandraguptaโs mother:
[School] Chandragupta Maurya ruled for about:
One-liners
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Who guided Chandragupta?
Chanakya (Kautilya).Concept
9.4 Seleucus, the west and the south
๐ซ School level ยท NCERT Class 6โ12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
The treaty of c. 303 BCE and Shravanabelagola
Alexanderโs general Seleucus I Nicator, who ruled the eastern part of Alexanderโs empire, tried to recover the Indian provinces (c. 305 BCE). The war ended in a treaty that favoured Chandragupta.
| Chandragupta received | Seleucus received |
|---|---|
| Four satrapies: Arachosia (Kandahar), Gedrosia (Baluchistan), Paropamisadae (Kabul) and Aria (Herat) | 500 war elephants โ which helped him win the battle of Ipsus (301 BCE) |
| A marriage alliance (epigamia) | Friendship; sent Megasthenes as ambassador |
Jain tradition (and inscriptions of c. 600 CE at Shravanabelagola) says Chandragupta gave up the throne to his son Bindusara, became a Jain monk, and went south with Bhadrabahu during a 12-year famine. He ended his life by sallekhana (fasting unto death) on Chandragiri hill at Shravanabelagola, where the Chandragupta Basadi stands.
From Afghanistan and Baluchistan in the north-west to Bengal in the east and Saurashtra in the west (Junagadh). Tamil Sangam poems mention the โVamba Moriyarโ (upstart Mauryas) pushing south, and Jain links with Karnataka suggest Mauryan reach into the Deccan.
- Seleucus treaty c. 303 BCE: Arachosia, Gedrosia, Paropamisadae, Aria for 500 elephants; epigamia; Megasthenes.
- Sudarshana lake (Pushyagupta); Sallekhana at Shravanabelagola with Bhadrabahu.
- Question: Which four satrapies did Seleucus cede? Answer: Arachosia, Gedrosia, Paropamisadae and Aria.
- Question: Where did Chandragupta die? Answer: Shravanabelagola (Chandragiri hill).
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
Question 2: Which ruler ceded the territories of Herat, Kandahar, Baluchistan, and Kabul to Chandragupta Maurya in c. 305 BCE?
[BPSC level] In return for the satrapies, Chandragupta gave Seleucus:
[UPSC level] Arachosia, ceded to Chandragupta, corresponds to the region of:
[BPSC level] Chandragupta ended his life by Sallekhana at:
[BSSC pattern] The Jain teacher who accompanied Chandragupta to the south was:
[UPSC level] The โVamba Moriyarโ mentioned in Tamil Sangam poems are taken to refer to:
[BPSC level] Chandraguptaโs governor in Saurashtra, who built the Sudarshana lake, was:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
Which four satrapies did Seleucus cede?
Arachosia, Gedrosia, Paropamisadae and Aria.Where did Chandragupta die?
Shravanabelagola (Chandragiri hill).Concept
๐ฏ UPSC ยท BPSC ยท BSSC ยท State PSC level: PYQs, traps and mains
| Exam | What it asks from this module |
|---|---|
| UPSC | Seleucid treaty; Junagadh; origin debates |
| BPSC | Founder of the Mauryas; Chanakya; Sallekhana at Shravanabelagola |
| BSSC / SSC | Greek ambassador; satrapies ceded |
Which Greek ruler ceded Herat, Kandahar, Baluchistan and Kabul to Chandragupta Maurya? (a) Alexander (b) Seleucus I Nicator (c) Antiochus I (d) Menander
- Seleucus I Nicator, after his war with Chandragupta c. 305 BCE, ceded four satrapies and received 500 elephants. Antiochus I sent Deimachus to Bindusara; Menander was a later Indo-Greek king.
- Seleucus โ Megasthenes โ Chandragupta; Antiochus I โ Deimachus โ Bindusara; Ptolemy II โ Dionysius โ Bindusara.
- Sudarshana lake built under Chandragupta (Pushyagupta), not Ashoka.
- Chandragupta died at Shravanabelagola (Karnataka), not at Pataliputra.
Model question: Assess Chandragupta Maurya as the first empire-builder of India. Points: liberation of the north-west; overthrow of the Nandas; Seleucid treaty and diplomacy; western and southern reach; administration (Arthashastra, Megasthenes); Jain renunciation; legacy for Bindusara and Ashoka.
- Envoys: Megasthenes (SeleucusโChandragupta), Deimachus (Antiochus IโBindusara), Dionysius (Ptolemy IIโBindusara).
- Question: What did Seleucus get in the treaty? Answer: 500 war elephants.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[BPSC level] Which Greek ruler ceded four satrapies to Chandragupta Maurya?
[UPSC level] Which pair of a Hellenistic king and the ambassador he sent is correct?
[BSSC pattern] The marriage alliance between Chandragupta and Seleucus is called in Greek:
[UPSC level] Which statement about Chandragupta is NOT correct?
[BPSC level] Chandragupta abdicated in favour of:
[School] Chandragiri hill, linked with Chandragupta, is at:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
What did Seleucus get in the treaty?
500 war elephants.