Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c3: Table of Contents

Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c3

Language: English

Chandragupta Maurya a historical person, 1; His Titles to Greatness, 1; Earliest Indian Emperors, 1; Terms and Ceremonies of Imperialism, 1; Achievements of Chandragupta, 2-4; Greater India, 3; Sources of History, Classical, 5; Sanskrit, Buddhist, and Jain 6; The *Arthaśāstra* as a Source, 7; Lineage, 7; Base Origin of Nandas, 9; Evidence of Purāṇas, 11; of *Arthaśāstra*, 13; *Varṇāśrama-dharma*, 14; The term *Maurya*, 15; The term *Vṛishala*, 16; Statement of Dhuṇḍirāja, 18; Differences between *Mudrārākshasa* and Purāṇas, 19; Kashmīr tradition, 20; Jain tradition, 23; Evidence of Monuments, 24; Summation of Evidence, 24;

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Early Life, 25; Buddhist traditions, 25; Chāṇakya a native of Taxila, 26; Education at Taxila, 27.

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CHAPTER II

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CONQUESTS AND CHRONOLOGY

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Pāṭaliputra as a Centre of Learning, 29; Ugrasena-Nanda, Ruler of Magadha, 31; Kākavarṇī, Agrammes, Chandramas, and Dhana-Nanda, 32; Nine Nandas, 33; Dhana-Nanda insults Chāṇakya, 33; First task of Chandragupta, overthrow of Greek Rule, 34; Kauṭilya's hatred of foreign rule, 35.

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Recruitment for Chandragupta's Army, 35: The 'Robbers', *Arāṭṭas*, *Vāhīkas*, 36; Kauṭilya on sources of recruitment, 36; Republican peoples known to *Mahābhārata* and to Pāṇini, 37; How they fought Alexander, 39; Causes of their defeat, 42; Alliance with Parvataka, 43; *Mudrārākshasa* on Chandragupta's Army, 43; Insecurity of Greek Rule, 44;

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Greek Satrapies, 45; Murder of Satrap Nicanor, 46; Decline of Greek Recruitment and Morale, 46; Inherent defect of Alexander’s system, 47; Murder of Satrap Philip as a blow to Greek rule, 48; Eudamus, 49; Alexander’s death, 50; Partition of his Empire, excluding India, 50; Chandragupta leads the War of Indian Independence, 51.

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War against Nanda and its strategy, 53; Power of Nanda, 56; States conquered by him, 56; His lack of popularity, 57; Casualties in the war against Nanda, 57.

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Defeat of Seleucos, 304 B.C., 58; Extension of Maurya Empire up to Persia, 59; Gift of 500 Indian elephants, 61; Supposed matrimonial alliance between Chandragupta and Seleucos, 61; Greek Ambassadors at the Court of Maurya Emperors, 61; Further exchanges of presents, 62.

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Conquest of the South, 62; Sravana Belgola traditions, 64; Jain traditions, 66; Tamil traditions, 67.

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Conquest of Western India, 68; Evidence of Rudradāman's inscription, 68; of certain Pali works, 69; Piṅgala, Chief of Surāshṭra, as a feudatory of Asoka, 69; Constitutional status of Surāshṭra in Maurya Empire, 70.

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Dates in Chandragupta's history, 71; Views of Professor P.H.L. Eggermont, 74.

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CHAPTER III

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ADMINISTRATION: IDEALS: DIVISIONS

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Theory and Ideals of Hindu Polity, 76; Centralised Government impossible in ancient times, 76; Rural Republics, 77; Evidence of Metcalfe, 77; Evidence of Megasthenes, 78; *Dharma* and *Daṇḍa* as spiritual and temporal sovereign, 79; Sources of Law, 79; *Varṇāśrama-dharma*, 80; Duties of different Castes, 80, and of different *Āśramas*, 81; The King as *Daṇḍa*, 82; Custom, 83.

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Administrative Divisions, 84; Viceroyalties, 85 Governorships 86.

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CHAPTER IV

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THE KING

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The King's Education, 88; Time-Table of Duties, 89; Public Interviews; *Upasthāna*; *Agnyāgāra*, 91, 92; Maxims for Royalty,, 93; Asoka's Time-Table, 94; Megasthenes on the King's daily work, 94; Agreement of Megasthenes and Kauṭilya, 95; Other Sanskrit texts on the King's duties, 96; The King's Body-guard of armed women, 96; Evidence of Strabo and Kauṭilya, 97.

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Royal Pastimes: Hunting, 98; Races, 100; Animal Fights, 100; Processions at Festivals, 101; Courtly Pomp, 101; Ceremony of washing hair, 102; Elephant-guard, 102; Journeys, 102; Measures of Safety, 103.

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The Palace, 104; Its Apartments, 104; Menial Staff, 105; Protective devices, 107.

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Treatment of Princes, 108; Succession, 108; Joint-family Sovereignty, 109; Choice of a new King outside the royal family, 109.

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Description of Pāṭaliputra by Megasthenes, 111; Town-planning according to Kauṭilya, 112; Pāṭaliputra as described in Buddhist texts, 115; by Patañjali, 116; in *Mudrārākshasa*, 116; by Fa-hien, 117.

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Royal Decrees, 117.

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CHAPTER V

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MINISTERS: RULES OF SERVICE

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Seven constituent elements of the State, 119; The Country, 119; Megasthenes on India as a Country, 122; The Treasury, 123; The Army, 123; Powers reserved to the King, 123; Famine Code, 124; Maurya trade in images of gods, 125; Hierarchy of Officers from the Viceroy downwards, 125; Advisors, 126; Council, 128; Procedure of business in Council, 128; King Asoka's Council, 129; *Chandragupta-Sabhā*, 129; Secretary of Council, 129; Greek accounts of Council, 129; Council in Republics, 130; Prime Minister, 131; *Agrāmātya*, 131; Preceptor, 132; Public Service Commission, 132; Tests for appointment to different Services, 133; Asoka’s Harems, 134; King’s Bodyguard, 135; Ambassadors, Secretaries, and Heads of Departments, 135; Intelligence Department, 136.

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The King’s extraordinary powers, 136.

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Rules of Administration and Service, 137; Grades of Pay and Service, 139; Pensions, 144; Payment of salary in cash and kind, 144.

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CHAPTER VI

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ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICERS

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Greek Accounts of Administrative Departments and Officers, 146; District Officers, 146; Town Officials, 147; Priests, 147; Espionage, 147; Councillors, 148; Other Officers, 148.

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Kauṭilya’s Scheme of Administration, 151; Defences, 152; Centres of Administration, 152; Provincial Head, 152; District Collector, 152.

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Sources of Revenue: Towns, 153; Rural Areas, 154; Mines, 155; Cultivated Fields, 156; Forests, 156; Stud-Farms, 156; Traffic, 156.

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Departments mentioned by Kauṭilya, 156; *Samāhartā*, 158; *Sannidhātā*, 159; Government Buildings, 159; Treasury, 159; Granary, 160; Armoury, 160; Courts, Secretariat, Prisons, 160; Offices of Ministers, 161; *Accountant-General*, 161; District Offices, 166; Nationalisation of Industries, 167.

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*Director of Agriculture*, 168; Supply of Seeds, 168; Agricultural Labour, 168; Agricultural Implements and Services, 168; Records of Rainfall, 168; Means of Irrigation, 169; Agricultural Seasons, 169; Variety of Crops, 169; Medicinal Plants, 170; Wages, 171.

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*Superintendent of Stores*, 171.

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*Superintendent of Mines*, 173; *Superintendent of Metals*, 174; *Superintendent of Mint*, 174; Different Classes of Coins Minted, 174; *Superintendent of diamond and other Mines*, 176.

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*Salt-Superintendent*, 176; Lease of Salt Fields, 176; Imported Salt, 176.

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*Gold Superintendent*, 177; *State-Goldsmith*, 177.

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*Conservator of Forests*, 178; Varieties of Forest-Products, 178.

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*Superintendent of Slaughter-House*, 180.

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*Superintendent of Cattle*, 181.

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*Superintendent of Pastures*, 183.

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*Superintendent of Passports*, 184.

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*Superintendent of Shipping*, 184.

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*Superintendent of Port-towns*, 186.

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*Superintendent of Commerce*, 186; State-control of Prices, Speculation, and Combines, 186.

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*Superintendent of Trade-routes*, 189; *Superintendent of Customs*, 189; Table of Tolls, 192.

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*Warden of the Marches*, 192; Road-Cess, 193.

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*Superintendent of Excise*, 193; Extent of Prohibition, 193; Taverns, 194; Medicinal Wines, 195; Free Drinking, 196.

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*Superintendent of Weights and Measures*, 196.

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*Superintendent of Spinning and Weaving*, 197; Female Labour, 197; Textiles, 197.

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Department of Information and Criminal Intelligence, 198.

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Department of Embassies, 200; Classes of Ambassadors, 201; Their Allowances and Duties, 201.

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*Superintendent of Religious Institutions*, 201.

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List of Chief Officers, 202.

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CHAPTER VII

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LAND-SYSTEM AND RURAL ADMINISTRATION

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Survey, 203; Settlement, 203; Village-planning, 203; Village Administration, 203; Grants of Land, 204; Non-cultivating Landlords, 205; Agricultural Loans, 205; Value of lower castes to an agricultural country, 205; Disposal of uncultivated lands, 206.

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Programme of rural development, 206; State Control over village social life, 207.

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Land Revenue and its different sources, 208; Revenue Officers, 209; Rural Staff, 209; Fiscal Classification of Villages, 210; Village Records registering boundaries, sizes, and kinds of plots, 211; Census of Village Households as to number, caste, occupation, live-stock and customs, 211; Revenue Inspectors, 212; Land-Transactions, 213; Assessment, 215; Extra Taxation under emergencies, 215.

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CHAPTER VIII

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MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION

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Mayor (*Nāgarika*), 217; Wards and their Officers, 217; City Census, 218; Regulations for Inns, Factories, Shops, and Restaurants, 218; Rules regarding reports of Guests, Suspicious Diseases and Drugs, Suspects, Fifth Columnists, and Curfew, 218; Duties of City Police, 221; Jail Code, 221; Jail-Deliveries, 222; Fire Insurance, 223; Sanitary Regulations, 224; Building Regulations, 225; Measures against Epidemics, 226; Killing rats, 226; 'Rat-Cess', 226; Control of Medical Practitioners, 226; Their different classes, Specialists in Poison Cases; Midwifery; Army Surgeons; Nurses; and Veterinary Physicians, 227; Treatment of Snake-bite, 227; Supply of Medicines, 227.

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The City's Control over its Washermen, 228; General Duties of the Mayor, 228; Control of Adulteration, 229; Control of Prostitution, 229; The City's Amusements, 229; Schools of Art, 229.

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Abundance of Towns, 230; Kauṭilya on Towns and Forts and their grades, 231; Art of fortification, 232; Buildings at the capital city, 232; Metropolitan Amenities, 233.

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Agreements of Kauṭilya and Megasthenes, 234; Town Officers, 234; District Officers, 236; Irrigation, 236; Hunting, 238; Forestry and Mining, 239; Roads, 239; Summary of Agreements, 240.

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CHAPTER IX

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LAW

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Sources of Law, 242; Courts of Justice, 243; Civil Law, 244; Validity of Agreements, 244; Procedure, 245; Record of Proceedings, 245; Expedition of Justice, 246; Local Courts, 246; Judgement by local knowledge and evidence on the spot, 246.

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Different kinds of Marriage, 248; Rights of Married Women, 248; Inheritance, 250; Sons of different kinds, 250.

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Rural Co-operation, 251; Its control by law, 251.

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Debt and Interest, 253; Agricultural Loan, 253; Limitation, 254; Deposit, 254.

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Prescriptive Rights, 255.

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Criminal Law, 253; Defamation, 253; Threat, 253; Slander, 253; Defaming ones' country, 253.

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Miscellaneous Offences, 256; Feeding a Buddhist at ceremonies an offence, 256; List of Offences, 256; Arrest 256; Abetment, 256; Adulteration, 257.

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Protection of Merchants, 257; Compensation against loss by loot, 257.

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Traffic Regulations, 258.

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Security against Thieves, 258.

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Law and Order as noted by Greek writers, 258; Penal Code, 259.

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Purity of Justice, 260; Offences of Judges, 260; Tampering with Deposition, 261.

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Laws of Kauṭilya older than those of Manu and Yājñavalkya, 261; Examples, 261; Divorce, 261; Re-Marriage, 263; Post-puberty Marriage, 265; *Anuloma* Marriage, 265; Features of Mauryan Society, 265.

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CHAPTER X

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THE ARMY

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Numbers of Chandragupta’s Army, 268; Standing Army, 268; Megasthenes on Mauryan War-Office, 268; Divisions of the Army, 269; Medical and Ambulance Arrangements, 269; Camel Corps, 270; *Commander-in-chief*, 271; Other officers, 271; Infantry, 271; Six Classes of Troops, 271; Brahmin Soldiers, 273; Officering of Army, 274; Greek Accounts of Equipment, 274; Kauṭilya’s Account, 275; The Soldier as figured in Sculpture, 276; Indian Soldiers fighting in Europe in the fifth century, B.C., 277; Military Parade, 277; Strong points of Infantry, 278; Addresses to Soldiers in the battle-field, 278; Rewards for heroism, 279.

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Cavalry, 280; *Superintendent of Horses*, 280; Recruitment of Horses, 280; Stabling and Training of Horses, 281; *Veterinary Surgeons*, 281; Equipment, 281.

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War-Chariots, 282; *Superintendent*, 282; Causes of defeat of Porus, 282; *Vyūha* of Chariots, 283; The Chariot in Sculpture, 284.

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Elephants-of-war, 284; Their strong points, 284; Time of their operation, 285; Place of operation, 286; *Superintendent of Elephants*, 286; Recruitment of Elephants, 286; *Superintendent of Elephant-forests*, 286; *Elephant-Trainers*, 287; Khedda, 287; Stabling Staff, 287; Training of Elephants in military operations, 288; *Elephant-Riders*, 288; Eastern India Home of Elephants, 288.

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Admiralty, 289; *Superintendent of Shipping*, 289.

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Military Policy, 290; Its two Objectives, 290; Its six Divisions, 290; Extension of Kingdom by Conquests, 291; Three kinds of military strength, 291; The Circle of States, 291; Adjustment of Foreign Relations, 291; Four Ways of Conquest, 291; Treatment of the conquered by the conqueror, 292; Principles of Empire-Building, 293.

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CHAPTER XI

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SOCIAL CONDITIONS

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Castes, 295; Mixed Castes, 295; Ascendancy of Brahminism, 295; Greek Accounts of Hindu Society, 297; Confusion between Caste and Craft, 297; Brahmins, 297; *Śramaṇas*, 299; Their Occupations, 301; Women, 302; *Prāmāṇikas*, 302; Sophists, 303; Buddhists, 304; Pre-Buddhist Ascetics, 304; Brahmins' living, clothing, food 305; Priesthood, 306; Meditation, 306; Divination, 306; Philosophical Congress, 306; Medical Practice, 307; Women Ascetics, 307; Brahmins' Spirituality, 307; Ascetics seen by the Greeks, 308.

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Kshatriyas, 309; Vaiśyas and Śūdras, 309; Informers, 311; Councillors, 311; Other classes, 311; Caste and Occupation, 311.

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Dress, 312; Dietary, 312; Marriage, 313; Suttee, 313; Funeral, 313; Slavery, 314; Religion, 314.

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CHAPTER XII

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ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

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State Control over economic life, 316; Agriculture, 316; Village Planning, 316; Agricultural Farms, 318; Agricultural Labour, 319; Village Cattle, 319; Irrigation, 320; Village Public Works, 320; Village Service, 321; Village Amusements, 321; Rural Welfare, 322; Uncultivated Wastes and Forestry, 322; Forest Staff, 323.

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State Control over Industry, 324; Private Industrial Enterprise, 325; State Control over Trade, 327; Trade Routes, 329; Grand Trunk Road, 329; Buddhist Texts on Roads: Inland Roads, 331; Seaborne Trade, 332; Pāṇini on Roads, 333; Patañjali on Roads, 334; Kauṭilya on Roads, 335; on Water-Ways, 335; on Land-Routes of the North, 335; and on those of the South, 336; on Different Kinds of Roads, 336.

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Articles of Trade, 337; Pearls, 337; Gems, 337; Diamonds, 337; Corals, 337; Fragrant Woods, 338; Skins, 338; Blankets, 338; Silks, 338; Linens, 338; Textiles, 339.

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Urban Life and its Amenities and Institutions, 339; Learning and Culture in the City, 339.

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Coins, 340; Vedic References, 340; References of Pāṇini, Kauṭilya, and Patañjali to Coins, 340.

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Specimens of ancient Indian punch-marked coins, 344; Pre-Maurya Coins, 345; Six Classes of silver punch-marked coins showing five kinds of punches but struck on a common standard and supposed to be Maurya Coins, 345; Five Punches indicative of five Municipal Committees mentioned by Megasthenes, 348; Specific Maurya Symbols, 348; Classes 2 and 6 unmistakably Maurya Coins, 349.

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Foreign coins of the times, 350; Persian Coins, 350; Greek Coins, 352.

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Town-planning, Architecture, and Art, 353; Typical Towns and Fortresses as described by Greek writers, 354; Towns mentioned in Pali Texts, and in Asokan Inscriptions, 356; *Stūpas*, 357; Pillars, 358; Examples of pre-Mauryan and Mauryan Art, 358; Statues, 359; Folk-Art and Court Art, 360.