The approximate extent of the Magadha state in the 5th century BCE
The Magadha state ''circa'' 600 BC, before it expanded
'Magadha' (मगध) formed one of the sixteen so-called
MahÄjanapadas (
Sanskrit, 'great country') or
regions in ancient India. The core of the kingdom was the portion of
Bihar lying south of the
Ganges, with its capital at
Rajagriha (modern Rajgir). Magadha expanded to include most of Bihar and
Bengal with the conquest of
Licchavi and
Anga respectively.
[1] The ancient kingdom of Magadha is mentioned in
Ramayana,
Mahabharata,
Puranas, and heavily mentioned in
Buddhist and
Jaina texts. The first reference to the Magadha occurs in the
Atharva-Veda where they are found listed along with the
Angas,
Gandharis and the Mujavats as a despised people. Two of India's major religions started from Magadha;
Gautama Buddha in the
6th or
5th century BC was the founder of
Buddhism, which later spread to
East Asia and
South-East Asia, while
Mahavira founded
Jainism. Two of India's greatest empires, the
Maurya Empire and
Gupta Empire, along with others, originated from Magadha. They advanced ancient India's
science,
mathematics,
astronomy,
religion and
philosophy and were considered the Indian "
Golden Age". The Magadha kingdom included
republican communities such as Rajakumara. Villages had their own assemblies under their local chiefs called Gramakas. Their administrations were divided into executive, judicial and military functions.
Geography
The kingdom of the Magadha roughly corresponded to the modern districts of
Patna and
Gaya in southern
Bihar, and parts of
Bengal in the east. It was bounded on the north by river Ganga, on the east by the river Champa, on the south by
Vindhya mountains and on the west by river Sona. During
Buddha’s time and onward, its boundaries included
Anga.
History
There is little certain information available on the early rulers of Magadha. The most important sources are the
Buddhist Chronicles of
Sri Lanka, the
Puranas, and various other
Jaina and Buddhist texts. Based on these sources, it appears that Magadha was ruled by the
ÅšiÅ›unÄga dynasty for some 200 years, c.
550 -
350 B.C.. The ÅšiÅ›unÄga dynasty was overthrown by Ugrasena MahÄpadma Nanda, the first of the so-called nine Nandas (a.k.a. the Nanda or Nava Nanda dynasty). He was followed by his eight sons, whose names were (according to the MahÄbodhivamsa) Panduka, Pandugati, BhÅ«tapÄla, RatthapÄla, GovisÄnaka, Dasasiddhaka, Kevatta, and Dhana Nanda. According to the Sri Lankan Chronicles, the Nanda dynasty was in power for mere 22 years, while the
Puranas state that MahÄpadma ruled for 28 years and his eight sons for only 12.
King
Bimbisara of the hariyanka dynasty led an active and expansive policy, conquering Anga in what is now
West Bengal.
Siddhartha Gautama himself was born a prince of Kapilavastu in
Kosala around
563 BC. As the scene of many incidents in his life, Magadha was a holy land.
After the death of Bimbisara at the hands of his son,
Ajatashatru, the widowed princess of
Kosala also died of grief, causing King
Prasenajit to revoke the gift of Kashi and triggering a war between
Kosala and Magadha.
Ajatashatru was trapped by an ambush and captured with his army; but in a peace treaty he, his army, and Kashi were restored to Magadha, and he married Prasenajit's daughter.
Accounts differ slightly as to the cause of Ajatashatru's war with the
Licchavi republic. It appears that Ajatashatru sent a minister, who for three years worked to undermine the unity of the Licchavis at Vaishali. To launch his attack across the Ganga River (
Ganges), Ajatashatru had to build a fort at a new capital called
Pataliputra, which the
Buddha prophesied would become a great center of commerce. Torn by disagreements the Licchavis were easily defeated once the fort was constructed.
Jain texts tell how Ajatashatru used two new weapons – a catapult and a covered chariot with swinging mace that has been compared to modern tanks.
In
326 BC, the army of
Alexander the Great approached the boundaries of the Magadhan Empire. The army, exhausted and frightened by the prospect of facing another giant Indian army at the Ganges River, mutinied at the
Hyphasis (modern
Beas) and refused to march further East. Alexander, after the meeting with his officer,
Coenus, was convinced that it was better to return, and turned south, conquering his way down the Indus to the Ocean.
A short while later, Magadha was the seat of the powerful
Maurya dynasty, founded by
Chandragupta, which extended over most of
Southern Asia under
Asoka; and, later, of the powerful
Gupta Empire. The capital of the Mauryan Empire,
Pataliputra (modern
Patna), was begun as a Magadhan fortress and became the capital sometime after Ajatashatru's reign. Chandragupta destroyed the Nanda dynasty around
321 BC, and became the first king of the great Mauryan Empire.
Magadha Dynasties
Amongst the sixteen Mahajanapadas, the kingdom of Magadha rose to prominence under a number of dynasties that peaked in power under the reign of
Asoka Maurya, one of India's most legendary and famous emperors. The kingdom of Magadha had emerged as a major power following the subjugation of two neighbouring kingdoms, and possessed an unparalleled military.
Brihadratha dynasty
Main articles: Legendary Kings of Magadha
According to the
Puranas,the Magadha Empire was established by the Brihadratha Dynasty, who was the sixth in line from Emperor Kuru of the
Bharata dynasty through his eldest son Sudhanush.The first prominent Emperor of the Magadhan branch of Bharathas was Emperor Brihadratha.His son Jarasandha appears in popular legend and is slain by
Bhima in the Mahabharatha.Vayu Purana mentions that the Brihadrathas ruled for 1000 years.
Pradyota dynasty
Main articles: Pradyota dynasty
The Brihadrathas were succeeded by the Pradyotas who according to the Vayu Purana ruled for 138 years. One of Pradyota tradition was that son would kill his father to become the successor. During this time, it is reported that there was high crimes in Magadha. The people rose up and elected
Shishunaga to become the new king, who destroyed the power of the Pradyotas and created the
Shishunaga dynasty.
Shishunaga dynasty
Main articles: Shishunaga dynasty
According to tradition, the
Shishunaga dynasty founded the Magadha Empire in
684 BC, whose capital was Rajagriha, later
Pataliputra, near the present day
Patna. This dynasty lasted till
424 BC, when it was overthrown by the
Nanda dynasty. This period saw the development of two of India's major religions that started from Magadha.
Gautama Buddha in the
6th or
5th century BC was the founder of
Buddhism, which later spread to
East Asia and
South-East Asia, while
Mahavira founded
Jainism.
The Nanda Empire at its greatest extent
Nanda dynasty
Main articles: Nanda Dynasty
The
Nanda dynasty was established by an illegitimate son of the king
Mahanandin of the previous
Shishunaga dynasty.
Mahapadma Nanda died at the age of 88, ruling the bulk of this 100-year dynasty. The Nandas were followed by the
Maurya dynasty.
Maurya dynasty
Main articles: Maurya Empire
The Maurya Empire at its greatest extent
In
321 BC, exiled general
Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya dynasty after overthrowing the reigning Nanda king Dhana Nanda to establish the
Maurya Empire. During this time, most of the subcontinent was united under a single government for the first time. Capitalising on the destabilization of northern India by the Persian and Greek incursions, the Mauryan empire under Chandragupta would not only conquer most of the Indian subcontinent, but also push its boundaries into
Persia and
Central Asia, conquering the
Gandhara region. Chandragupta was succeeded by his son
Bindusara, who expanded the kingdom over most of present day India, barring the extreme south and east.
The Buddhist stupa at
Sanchi, built during the Mauyran period
The only region that was not under the Mauryan's were present day
Tamil Nadu and
Kerala (which was a
Tamil kingdom then). There are references in one of the oldest
Tamil Sangam literature, ''
Purananuru'', that a Mauryan army was driven out by a unified Tamil army under the leadership of Ilanchetchenni, a
Chola King. This unified Tamil force is supposed to be broken by King Kharavela, a
Kalinga ruler, as per one of his inscriptions.
The kingdom was inherited by his son
Ashoka The Great who initially sought to expand his kingdom. In the aftermath of the carnage caused in the invasion of
Kalinga, he renounced bloodshed and pursued a policy of
non-violence or ahimsa after converting to Buddhism. The
Edicts of Ashoka are the oldest preserved historical documents of India, and from Ashoka's time, approximate dating of dynasties becomes possible. The Mauryan dynasty under
Ashoka was responsible for the proliferation of
Buddhist ideals across the whole of
East Asia and
South-East Asia, fundamentally altering the history and development of Asia as a whole.
Ashoka the Great has been described as one of the greatest rulers the world has seen.
Extent of the Sunga Empire
Shunga dynasty
Main articles: Sunga Empire
The Sunga dynasty was established in 185 BC, about fifty years after Ashoka's death, when the king
Brihadratha, the last of the Mauryan rulers, was assassinated by the then commander-in-chief of the Mauryan armed forces, Pusyamitra Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honour of his forces.
Pusyamitra Sunga then ascended the throne.
Kanva dynasty
Main articles: Kanva dynasty
The Kanva dynasty replaced the Shunga dynasty, and ruled in the eastern part of India from 71 BC to 26 BC. The last ruler of the Sunga dynasty was overthrown by Vasudeva of the Kanva dynasty in 75 BC. The Kanva ruler allowed the kings of the Sunga dynasty to continue to rule in obscurity in a corner of their former dominions. Magadha was ruled by four Kanva rulers. In 30 BC, the southern power swept away both the Kanvas and Sungas and the province of Eastern Malwa was absorbed within the dominions of the conqueror. Following the collapse of the Kanva dynasty, the
Satavahana dynasty of the
Andhra kindgom replaced the Magandhan kingdom as the most powerful Indian state.
The Gupta Empire around 500 AD
Gupta dynasty
Main articles: Gupta Empire
Gupta dynasty ruled from around
240 to
550 AD. The Gupta Empire was one of the largest political and military
empires in
ancient India. The time of the Gupta Empire was an Indian "
Golden Age" in
science,
mathematics,
astronomy,
religion and
philosophy.
Kings of Magadha
===
Brihadratha Dynasty ===
Semi-legendary rulers in
Purana accounts.
★ Brihadratha
★
Jarasandha
★
Sahadeva
★ Somapi (1678-1618 BC)
★ Srutasravas (1618-1551 BC)
★ Ayutayus (1551-1515 BC)
★ Niramitra (1515-1415 BC)
★ Sukshatra (1415-1407 BC)
★ Brihatkarman (1407-1384 BC)
★ Senajit (1384-1361 BC)
★ Srutanjaya (1361-1321 BC)
★ Vipra (1321-1296 BC)
★ Suchi (1296-1238 BC)
★ Kshemya (1238-1210 BC)
★ Subrata (1210-1150 BC)
★ Dharma (1150-1145 BC)
★ Susuma (1145-1107 BC)
★ Dridhasena (1107-1059 BC)
★ Sumati (1059-1026 BC)
★ Subhala (1026-1004 BC)
★ Sunita (1004-964 BC)
★ Satyajit (964-884 BC)
★ Biswajit (884-849 BC)
★ Ripunjaya (849-799 BC)
===
Pradyota dynasty ===
Ruling 799-684 BC according to calculations based on the
Vayu Purana.
★ Pradyota
★ Palaka
★ Visakhayupa
★ Ajaka
★ Varttivarddhana
===
Hariyanka dynasty (545 B.C.-346 B.C.) and
Shishunaga dynasty (430-364 BC)===
★
Bimbisara (545-493 BC), founder of the first Magadhan empire
[2][3]
★
Ajatashatru (493-461 BC)
★ Darshaka (from 461 BC)
★ Udayin
★
Shishunaga (430 BC), established the kingdom of
Magadha
★ Kakavarna (394-364 BC)
★ Kshemadharman (618-582 BC)
★ Kshatraujas (582-558 BC)
★ Nandivardhana
★
Mahanandin (until 424 BC), his empire is inherited by his illegitimate son Mahapadma Nanda
===
Nanda Dynasty (424-321 BC)===
★
Mahapadma Nanda (from 424 BC), illegitimate son of
Mahanandin, founded the
Nanda Empire after inheriting Mahanandin's empire
★ Pandhuka
★ Panghupati
★ Bhutapala
★ Rashtrapala
★ Govishanaka
★ Dashasidkhaka
★ Kaivarta
★ Dhana (''Agrammes'', ''Xandrammes'') (until 321 BC), lost his empire to
Chandragupta Maurya after being defeated by him
===
Maurya Dynasty (324-184 BC)===
★
'Chandragupta' Maurya (
Sandrakottos) (324-301 BC), founded the
Mauryan Empire after defeating both the
Nanda Empire and the
Macedonian Seleucid Empire, claimed descent from
Shakya dynasty
★
Bindusara Amitraghata (301-273 BC)
★
'Ashoka' Vardhana (
Ashoka the Great) (273-232 BC), considered the greatest
ancient Indian emperor, first emperor to unify India (after conquering most of
South Asia and
Afghanistan), adopt
Buddhism, grant
animal rights and promote
non-violence
★
Dasaratha (232-224 BC)
★
Samprati (224-215 BC)
★
Salisuka (215-202 BC)
★
Devavarman (202-195 BC)
★
Satadhanvan (195-187 BC), the
Mauryan Empire had shrunk by the time of his reign
★
Brhadrata (187-184 BC), assassinated by
Pusyamitra Shunga
===
Shunga Dynasty (185-73 BC)===
★
Pusyamitra Shunga (185-149 BC), founded the dynasty after assasinating
Brhadrata
★
Agnimitra (149-141 BC), son and successor of Pusyamitra
★ Vasujyeshtha (141-131 BC)
★ Vasumitra (131-124 BC)
★ Andhraka (124-122 BC)
★ Pulindaka (122-119 BC)
★ Ghosha
★ Vajramitra
★
Bhagabhadra, mentioned by the
Puranas
★ Devabhuti (83-73 BC), last Sunga king
===
Kanva Dynasty (73-26 BC)
★ Vasudeva (from 73 BC)
★ Successors of Vasudeva (until 26 BC)
Gupta Dynasty (c. 240-550 AD)===
★ Sri-Gupta I (c. 240-290)
★
Ghatotkacha (290-305)
★
Chandra Gupta I (305-335), founder of the
Gupta Empire, which is often regarded as the
golden age of
Indian culture
★
Samudra Gupta (335-370)
★ Rama Gupta (370-375)
★ '
Chandra Gupta II' (
Chandragupta Vikramaditya) (375-415), son of Samudra Gupta, the Gupta Empire achieved its zenith under his reign, the Chinese pilgrim
Fa-Hsien describes Indian culture during his reign
★
Kumara Gupta I (415-455)
★
Skanda Gupta (455-467)
★ Kumara Gupta II (467-477)
★ Buddha Gupta (477-496)
★ Chandra Gupta III (496-500)
★ Vainya Gupta (500-515)
★ Narasimha Gupta (510-530)
★ Kumara Gupta III (530-540)
★ Vishnu Gupta (c. 540-550)
References
1. Ramesh Chandra Majumdar (1977). ''Ancient India''. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 8120804368.
2. Rawlinson, Hugh George. (1950) ''A Concise History of the Indian People'', Oxford University Press. p. 46.
3. Muller, F. Max. (2001) ''The Dhammapada And Sutta-nipata'', Routledge (UK). p. xlvii. ISBN 0-7007-1548-7.
See also
★
ÅšiÅ›unÄga dynasty
★
Nanda dynasty
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