Early Life
All Chandragupta Maurya Facts are interesting to know and now you are just a few clicks away from knowing Chandragupta Maurya Biography. First of all, it’s worth knowing that Chandragupta Maurya Date Of Birth is 340 BC. He is considered to be the founder of Mauryan Empire in India. He is the first emperor who unified the small fragmented kingdoms of the country under one large empire. Chandragupta Maurya Life Story is full of different events, both sad and happy ones. Chandragupta Maurya saved the country from maladministration and set free from foreign domination. Historians have different opinions and some of them believe him to be from Magadha, as the son of a Nanda Prince, while others connect him to Gandhara. Another view worth mentioning is that he was the devotee of Chanakya who was a teacher in Taxila. Sheltered by Chankaya, Chandragupta Maurya is believed to be taught by Chankaya and Chankaya is considered to be a very important person in Chandragupta Maurya History. He learned the rules of administration and every kind of skill which is required for one to achieve becoming a successful emperor. It is said that Chankaya was impressed by Chandragupta’s leadership skills and that is why he decided to adopt Chandragupta Maurya and train him on different levels.
The Maurya Empire
When Alexander the Great and his soldiers had decided to retreat to Greece around 324 BC, Chandragupta and Chanakya decided to protect their country from a legacy of Greek rulers. They started defeating the armies of the Greek rulers and it led to the expansion of their territory. As a result, The Mauryan Empire was established. Chandragupta was brave and charismatic. People consider him as a born leader. Chankaya was dedicated to helping Chandragupta and he taught him tactics through different Hindu sutras so that Chandragupta can conquer rule in the place of the Nanda emperor. Raising an army, Chandragupta achieved this goal in his 20 and started his own kingdom. This new empire stretched from what is now Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east as well as from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to the Deccan Plateau in the south. That time Chankaya took the role of a prime minister in the government.
In 323 BC Alexander the Great died and his generals decided to divide his empire into satrapies. This would give each of these generals to have a special territory to rule. However, it was 326 BC when Chandragupta Maurya was able to defeat them. As a result, he united these satrapies in the Mounties of Central Asia and extended his empire to the edge of what we now call Iran, Tajikstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
The Great Battles
- One of the greatest achievements in Chandragupta’s life was how he defeated the forces of Dhana Nanda and his army commander, Bhadrasala, in 321 BC. Therefore, he achieved to end Nanda Dynasty and conquered Pataliputra which was the capital
- Chandragupta had one aim and it was to expand his territory as much as possible. That is why he set his eye on eastern Persia and successfully invaded it in 305 BC. He captured such areas as Hindu Kush, modern-day Afghanistan and Balochistan in Pakistan.
Family
Chandragupta Maurya Family History is quite interesting. According to historians, Chandragupta Maurya Wife is Durdhara and his marriage was a successful one. During this time, Chandragupta Maurya consumed small dosages of poison in the food added by Chankaya. This was done to ensure the emperor wouldn’t be affected by his enemies who would try to poison his food. The idea was to train Chandragupta Maurya’s body to get used to poison. However, a tragedy happened and during the last stage of her pregnancy, queen Durdhara consumed some of the food which was meant to be served to Chandragupta Maurya. Chankaya was in the palace at that time and he realized that Durdhara would no longer live. So he decided to save the unborn child. Taking a sword and cut open Durdhara’s womb to save the child. Then the child was named after Bindusara and he continued Chandragupta Maurya Family Tree. Later Chandragupta Maurya Married Helena who was Seleucus’ daughter and then entered into an alliance with Seleucus. Chandragupta Maurya made Bindusara the new emperor and asked Chankaya to continue his services as the chief advisor of the Maurya dynasty. Later, Chandragupta’s son, continued expanding The Mauryan Empire to the south. Being one of the most powerful kings, Bindusara fathered a son called Ashoka who was also very successful and Maurya Empire reached the complete glory. For more than 130 years, the Empire was flourishing and till now Chandragupta Maurya is considered to be one of the most influential, important and favorite emperors of ancient India.
Death
Chandragupta Maurya Death is also interesting and one could never expect such a death. Chandragupta became fascinated with Jainism in his 50’s. Jainism was extremely ascetic belief system. It was around 297 BC when Chandragupta Maurya decided to hand over power to his son Bindusara and give up his mortal body through a practice known as Sallekhana. Chandragupta meditated without eating or drinking for five weeks. As he started fasting, he ended his life in self-starvation at Sravenbelagola, a place in Karnataka and leaving behind a great Mauryan Empire. Today, there is a small temple on the place where once the cave inside which he passed away, is believed to have been located.
The Empire after Chandragupta and Bindusara
After Chandragupta and Bindusara, the Mauryan throne came to Ashoka. He was known as the most ruthless Mauryan king and he was determined to capture Kalinga. He lead a massive army to Kalinga and one of the bloodiest battles of entire Mauryan period began. Bindusara had failed to annex but Ahoka eventually annexed to Mauryan Empire. However, the consequences of the battle were really devastating. That is why he was given the name Chand Ashoka. Ashoka felt, saw and realized everything and he was filled with much remorse. So he decided to become a Buddhist and ended military conquests of Maurya Empire. For 40 years, Maurya Empire had been a center of peace, love, economic growth and prosperity.
The Saga of Bloody yet Fascinating Past
Though India is a peace loving nation and it is known worldwide as one of the peaceful countries, is also had the saga of the bloody past. The history of this nation was as bloody as Persinas, Romans, or Greeks. The Mauryan Empire and Chandragupta Maurya Story is the proof of these words. This empire thrived and now people consider that time as one of the best and fascinating times of India.
