History & Civics
How does the Mudrarakshasa shed light on the fall of the Nandas and the rise of Chandragupta Maurya?
Answer
Mudrarakshasa written by Vishakhadatta describe how Dhanananda insulted Chanakya in his court. Chanakya vowed to avenge his insult by bringing about the destruction of the House of the Nandas. Chanakya trained, influenced and inspired Chandragupta to free north-west India from the Greek rule as well as overthrow the Nandas. Thus began the emergence of the Mauryan empire.
Related Questions
Read the following excerpt and answer the questions that follow:
"The extent of Ashoka's empire can be traced through the spread of his inscriptions. From their distribution we know that the Mauryan Empire extended up to Kandahar in Afghanistan in the north-west."
(Source: https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/64794/1/Unit16.pdf)
(a) What were the eastern and western boundaries of Ashoka's empire?
(b) What does the extent of Ashoka's empire reveal about Mauryan military achievements?
Read the following excerpt and answer the questions that follow:
"The Arthashastra, Greek accounts and Ashokan inscriptions give us a good idea about the administrative system. The administrative structure involved a division of the empire into provinces."
(Source: https://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/64794/1/Unit16.pdf)
(a) Who managed these provinces, and to whom were they accountable?
(b) What were the main responsibilities of the Mantri Parishad in the Mauryan Empire?
Explain the concept of "victory by dhamma" as mentioned in Ashoka's edicts.
The Mauryan kings centralised power, blending strong authority with ethical governance. With reference to this, answer the following questions:
(a) How did Chandragupta Maurya consolidate his authority after defeating the Nandas?
(b) Which edicts highlight Ashoka's commitment to ethical governance?
(c) Which historical sources highlight the king's responsibilities during the Mauryan period?