Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c11.s1.24

c11.s1.24

India attained political unity for the first time under the Mauryas ; it was the realization of age-long dreams associated with the names of many legendary heroes—Prithu, Bharata, Rāma and many other monarchs whose names occur in traditional lists of the performers of imperial sacrifices like the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha. In talking of the Mauryan empire, however, or indeed of any empire of ancient and mediaeval times, we should beware of importing notions of modern economic imperialism into the past. The Mauryan empire was indeed the first attempt in India to secure administrative centralization on an extended scale ; but it was nothing by the side of the ruthless concentration of policy achieved by modern empires, and the methodical and complete suppression of all local autonomy and initiative within their frontiers. Again, there was no belief then that the lord of the big battalions had a duty to impose the culture of his people on their weaker neighbours. Nothing can be farther from all this than the quiet tone in which Aśoka records the despatch of his missions to preach the dharma in alien lands and provide for the medical treatment of men and animals.