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Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c14.s2: Section II. The Reign of Bindusāra

Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c14.s2

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English

Contents

Section II. The Reign of Bindusāra

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Chandragupta Maurya was succeeded in or about the year 300 B.C. by his son Bindusāra Amitraghāta. The name or title *Amitraghāta* (slayer of foes) is a restoration in Sanskrit¹ of the Amitrachates of Athenaios, and Allitrochades of Strabo, who is stated to have been the son of Sandrocottus. Fleet prefers the rendering *Amitrakhāda* or devourer of enemies, which is said to occur as an epithet of Indra.² In the *Rājāvalīkathe* the name of Chandragupta's son and successor is given as Simhasena. From Aśoka's Rock Edict VIII (*e. g.* the Kālsī Text) it appears probable that Bindusāra, as well as other predecessors of Aśoka, used the style *Devānaṃpiya*.

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¹ *Cf.*, Weber, *IA*, ii (1873), p. 148, Lassen, and Cunningham (*Bhilsa Topes*, p. 92). The term *Amitraghāta* occurs in Patañjali's *Mahābhāshya* III. 2. 2. *Cf.*, also *Mbh*. 30. 19; 62. 8; VII. 22. 16, where *Amitraghātin* occurs as an epithet of princes and warriors. Dr. Jarl Charpentier observes (in *Le Monde Oriental*, quoted in *Calcutta Review*, May-June, 1926, p. 399), "that the Greek word *Amitrachates* as a synonym of Bindusāra, should be rendered Amitraghāta seems clear not only from the *Mahābhāsya* but also from the royal title *amitrāṇāṁ hantā* in *Ait. Br.*, VIII. 17." In *JRAS.*, 1928, January, however, he prefers to restore Amitrachates as Amitrakhāda (p. 135). *Cf. Ṛig-veda*, X. 152. 1.

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² *JRAS.*, 1909, p. 24.

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If the author of the *Ārya-Mañjuśrī Mūla Kalpa*, Hemachandra and Tāranātha are to be believed, Kauṭilya or Chāṇakya continued to serve as minister for some time after the accession of Bindusāra.³ "Chāṇakya says Tāranātha, "one of his (Bindusāra's) great lords, procured the destruction of the nobles and kings of sixteen towns,¹ and made the king master of all the territory between the eastern and western seas." The conquest of the territory between the eastern and western seas has been taken by some scholars to refer to the annexation of the Deccan.² But we should not forget that already in the time of Chandragupta the Maurya Empire extended from Surāshṭra to Bengal (Gangaridae), *i.e.*, from the western to the eastern sea. Tāranātha's statement need mean nothing more than the suppression of a general revolt. No early tradition expressly connects the name of Bindusāra with the conquest of the Deccan.³ The story of the subjugation of sixteen towns may or may not be true, but we are told in the *Divyāvadāna*⁴ that at least one town of note, *viz.*, Taxila, revolted during the reign of Bindusāra. The king is said to have despatched Aśoka there. While the prince was nearing Taxila with his troops, the people came out to meet him, and said, "We are not opposed to the prince nor even to king Bindusāra, but the wicked ministers (*Dushṭāmātyāḥ*) insult us". The high-handedness of the Maurya officials in the outlying provinces is alluded to by Aśoka himself in his Kaliṅga Edict.⁵ Addressing his *Mahāmātras* the Emperor says:

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³ Jacobi, *Pariśishṭaparvan*, p. 62; VIII. 446 ff; *Ind. Ant.*, 1875, etc. For the alleged connection of Bindusāra and Chāṇakya with another minister named Subandhu, the author of the *Vāsavadattā Nāṭyadhārā*, see *Proceedings of the Second Oriental Conference*, pp. 208-11 and *Pariśishta*, VIII. 447. The *Divyāvadāna* (p. 372) mentions Khallāṭaka as Bindusāra's *agrāmātya* or chief minister.

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¹ Were these the capitals of the sixteen *mahājanapadas*?

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² *Cf.* Smith, EHI., 3rd ed., p. 149, JRAS., 1919, 598; Jayaswal, *The Empire of Bindusāra*, JBORS., ii. 79ff.

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³ See, however, Subramaniam, JRAS., 1923, p. 96, "My Guru's Guru had written in his commentary on a Sangam work that the Tulu-nāḍa was established by the son of Chandragupta," perhaps Tuliyan (Tuli = Bindu).

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⁴ Cowell and Neil's Ed., p. 371.

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⁵ Smith, *Aśoka*, third edition, pp. 194-95.

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"All men are my children: and, just as I desire for my childern that they may enjoy every kind of prosperity and happiness both in this world and in the next, so also I desire the same for all men. *You, however, do*

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*not grasp this truth to its full extent*.¹ Some individual, perchance, pays heed, but to a part only, not the whole. See then to this, for the principle of government is well established. *Again, it happens that some individual incurs imprisonment or torture, and when the result is his imprisonment without due cause, many other people are deeply grieved. In such a case you must desire to do justice*² ...and for this purpose, in accordance with the Law of Piety, I shall send forth in rotation every five years such persons (Mahāmātras) as are of mild and temperate disposition, and regardful of the sanctity of life, who knowing this my purpose will comply with my instructions.³ From Ujjain, however, the Prince for this purpose will send out a similar body of officials and will not over-pass three years. *In the same way from Taxila.*"

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¹ "You do not learn how far this (my) object reaches." (Hultzsch, *Inscriptions of Aśoka*, p. 95).

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² "It happens in the administration (of justice) that a single person suffers either imprisonment or harsh treatment. In this case (an order) cancelling the imprisonment is (obtained) by him accidentally, while (many) other people continue to suffer. In this case you must strive to deal (with all of them) impartially." (Hultzsch, p. 96).

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³ "I shall send out every five years (a Mahāmātra) who will be neither harsh nor fierce, (but) of gentle actions (viz., in order to ascertain) whether (the judicial officers) paying attention to this object...are acting thus, as my instruction (implies)." (Hultzsch p. 97).

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Taxila made its submission to Aśoka. The Maurya prince is further represented as entering the "Svaśa rājya" (**Khaśa** according to Burnouf).⁴

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⁴ *Divyāvadāna*, p. 372. The emendation Khaśa is supported by the testimony of Tāranātha (IHQ. 1930, 334). For the Khaśas see *JASB*. (Extra No. 2. 1899).

Foreign Relations

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In his relations with the Hellenistic powers Bindusāra pursued a pacific policy. We learn from the classical writers¹ that the king of Syria despatched to his court an ambassador named Deïmachos. Pliny² tells us that (Ptolemy II) Philadelphos King of Egypt (B. C. 285-247), sent an envoy named Dionysios. Dr. Smith points out that it is uncertain whether Dionysios presented his credentials to Bindusāra or to his son and successor, Aśoka. It is, however, significant that while Greek and Latin writers refer to Chandragupta and Amitraghāta they do not mention Aśoka. This is rather inexplicable if an envoy whose writings were utilized by later authors, really visited the third of the great Mauryas. Patrokles,³ an officer who served under both Seleukos and his son, sailed in the Indian seas and collected much geographical information which Strabo and Pliny were glad to utilize. Athenaios tells an anecdote of private friendly correspondence between Antiochos (I, Soter), king of Syria, and Bindusāra which indicates that the Indian monarch communicated with his Hellenistic contemporaries on terms of equality and friendliness. We are told on the authority of Hegesander that Amitrochates (Bindusāra), the king of the Indians, wrote to Antiochos asking that king to buy and send him sweet wine, dried figs, and a sophist, and Antiochos replied: We shall send you the figs and the wine, but in Greece the laws forbid a sophist to be sold.⁴ In connection with the demand for. a Greek sophist it is interesting to recall the statement of Diodoros that one Iamboulos was carried to the king of Palibothra (Pāṭaliputra) who *had a great love for the Graecians*. Dion Chrysostom asserts that the poetry of Homer is sung by the Indians who had translated it into their own language and modes of expression.¹ Garga and Varāhamihira in a later age testify to the honour that was paid to Greeks for their knowledge of astronomy.²

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¹ *e. g.*, Strabo.

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² McCrindle, *Ancient India as described in Classical Literature*, p. 108.

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³ Smith, *Aśoka*, third edition, p. 19.

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⁴ McCrindle, *Inv. Alex.*, p. 409. Hultzsch, *Aśoka*, p. xxxv. Bindusāra's interest in philosophy is also proved by his association with Ājīva-parivrājakas, (*Divyāvadāna*, 370 ff), Cf., also the first lines of Pillar Edict VII.

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¹ McCrindle, *Ancient India*, p. 177. Cf. Grote, XII. p. 169, possible re-presentation of a Greek drama on the Hydaspes.

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² *Bṛihat Saṁhitā*, II, 14. Aristoxenus and Eusebius refer to the presence in Athens, as early as the fourth century B. C., of Indians who discussed philosophy with Socrates. (A note by Rawlinson quoted in the *Amrita Bazar Patrika*, 22-11-36, p. 17).

Bindusāra's Family

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Bindusāra had many children besides Aśoka, the son who succeeded him on the throne. We learn from a passage of the Fifth Rock Edict in which the duties of the *Dharma-mahāmātras*³ are described, that Aśoka had many brothers and sisters. The *Divyāvadāna* mentions two of these brothers, namely, Susīma and Vigataśoka.⁴ The Ceylonese Chronicles seem also to refer to these two princes though under different names, calling the former Sumana and the latter Tishya. Susīma-Sumana is said to have been the eldest son of Bindusāra and a step-brother of Aśoka, while Vigataśoka-Tishya is reputed to have been the youngest son of Bindusāra and a co-uterine brother of Aśoka, born of a Brāhmaṇa girl from Champā.⁵ Hiuen Tsang mentions a brother of Aśoka named Mahendra. Ceylonese tradition, however, represents the latter as a son of Aśoka. It is possible that the Chinese pilgrim has confounded the story of Vigataśoka with that of Mahendra.⁶

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³ "High Officers for the Establishment and Propagation of the Law of Duty."

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⁴ Pp. 369-73; Smith, *Aśoka* 3rd ed., pp. 247 ff.

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⁵ According to R. L. Mitra (*Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal*, 8) and Smith the name of Aśoka's mother was Subhadrāṅgī. Bigandet II' 128 mentions Dhammā as the mother of Aśoka and Tissa.

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⁶ *Cf.* Smith, *Aśoka*, 3rd ed, p. 257.

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Bindusāra died after a reign of 25 years according to the *Purāṇas*, and 27 or 28 years according to Buddhist tradition.¹ According to the chronology adopted in these pages bis reign terminated about 273 B.C.²

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¹ Hultzsch points out (p. xxxii) that Burmese tradition assigns 27 years to Bindusāra, while Buddhaghosha's *Samanta-pāsādikā* agrees with the *Mahāvaṁsa* in allotting 28 years to that king.

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² *Cf.* Smith, *Aśoka*, p. 73.

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