Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c9.s28.1

c9.s28.1

The Greeks first met Indian sages in the neighbourhood of Taxila, and there are many versions of their meetings with tangible variations that puzzled even Strabo and still continue to vex scholars who study accuracy in such far off things. Nearchus, Onesicritus and Aristobulus all gave their own accounts, and Megasthenes worked them up with the aid perhaps of yet other accounts of which we know nothing ; all this is clear from Strabo. Arrian and Plutarch give an account of Alexander's interview with the sages which took place more likely in Taxila rather than in the country of Sambos and after his revolt.¹ Nearchus' account of the sages is brief, but illuminating as explaining the basis of some of Megasthenes' statements on Indian social organisation. 'Some of the Brahmanes take part in political life, and attend the kings as counsellors. The others are engaged in the study of nature. Kalanos belongs to the latter class. Women study philosophy along with them, and all lead an austere life.' Kalanos (Kalyāṇa ?) of Taxila was the one who allowed himself, as Plutarch narrates, to be persuaded by Taxiles to visit Alexander, accompanied him to Persia, and there, disregarding the entreaties of Alexander, burnt himself alive when he fell ill for the first time in his seventy-third year. There was unanimity among the philosophers regarding the propriety of self-immolation, and Megasthenes noticed this. Aristobulus appears to have noticed the difference between *sanyāsins* and *vānaprasthas* as he says that of the two Brāhmaṇa sages the saw, the elder had his head shaved, but the other wore his hair. Both of them were followed by their disciples. He may be right in saying that they spent their spare time in the market place, and got their food free, but that this was a privilege they enjoyed in return for their being public counsellors can hardly be accepted as a correct statement. They came to Alexander's table, took their meal standing, and exhibited feats of endurance like lying in the sun or standing on one leg for a whole day. Onesicritus states that Alexander sent him to the sages in the first instance as he heard they went about naked and did not accept invitations from other persons. He found at a distance of less than three miles from Taxila, fifteen men standing in different postures, and among them Kalanos and Mandanis (or Dandamis as in other texts). Kalanos gave a general account of the golden age in the past, but would not proceed further unless the Greek visitor stripped and lay down naked on the same stones with himself. The older and wiser Mandanis rebuked Kalanos for his insolence, and was more accommodating to the guest's curiosity and they compared notes on the ideas of Greek and Indian philosophers. Mandanis approved much that he heard from Onesicritus of Greek philosophy as taught by Pythagoras, Socrates and Diogenes, but criticised the Greeks for preferring custom to nature and refusing to give up clothing. Conversation was not easy as it had to be conducted through three interpreters who understood nothing of what they were asked to translate. 'One might as well expect water to flow pure through mud' said Mandanis. Alexander is said to have met no fewer than ten of these philosophers and propounded hard questions to them; they answered them to his satisfaction and he rewarded them duly.