Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c11.19

c11.19

Attempts have been made to determine the chronology of the Mauryas in general, and Chandragupta in particular, with the help of Jain and Buddhist tradition. Hemachandra informs us in the *Pariśiṣṭaparvan*¹ that the accession of Chandragupta took place 155 years after the liberation of Mahāvīra. This statement is confirmed by Bhadreśvara in his *Kahāvali*.² Merutuṅga, however, in his *Vichāraśreṇi*³ refers to other sources which place the event 60 years later in 215 A.V. Apart from the lack of unanimity among these Jain writers, the date of Mahāvīra's liberation is itself a matter of controversy, and it is not safe to build a chronological edifice on such foundations. The memorial verses quoted by Merutuṅga give other details which put the interval between the accession of Chandragupta and the end of Śaka rule and the foundation of Vikrama era at 255 years⁴ This would place the accession of the first Maurya in 313 B. C.—a result that closely approximates the epoch of the Seleucidan era, and has, therefore, found favour with some scholars. It should, however, be noted that the Jain writers are apparently referring to Chandragupta's rule in Avanti, and not Magadha or the Punjab, and that part of the chronolological tradition embodied in the memorial verses is contradicted by Bhadreśvara and Hemachandra. Moreover, the date 313 B.C. for Chandragupta does not accord with Buddhist tradition which puts his accession 162 years after the *Parinirvāṇa* of the Śākya Sage, that is, 382 B.C., if we accept the Ceylonese epoch (544 B.C.) of the Great Decease, and 324 B.C., if we prefer the Cantonese tradition (486 B.C.) for the passing away of the Enlightened One. The earlier date is no doubt opposed to classical evidence, but the date 324 B.C. is not irreconcilable with the testimony of Greek and Latin writers. The figures given by Buddhist chroniclers are, however, as much open to comment as the data of Bhadreśvara, Hemachandra and Merutuṅga. We have, therefore, to turn to the clues furnished by classical accounts supplemented by the testimony of Aśokan inscriptions.