Que-Write a essay on the rise of Magadhan Empire from Bimbisara to Mahapdmananda.
Introduction
Around 600 BC, Northern parts of India were divided into 16 small kingdoms known as “Mahajanapadas”. Avanti, Anga, Magadha, Vatsa, Kasi, Kosala, Saurasena, Panchala, Kuru, Matsya, Chedi, Gandhara, Kamboj, Asmaka, Vijji and Malla are the Mahajanapadas. But among the Mahajanapadas Magadha Empire rose as a developed and became a superpower. The Magadha Empire was influential in every aspect, especially in the military, political domain and economically. King Bimbisara of the Haryanka dynasty was the founder of the Magadha Empire. Magadha is situated in the southern Bihar region. There were a lot of kings who ruled over the Magadha empire of different dynasties, which are mentioned below.
Haryanka dynasty (600-413 BC)
According to tradition, the Haryanka dynasty founded the Magadha Empire in 544 BC, whose capital was Rajagriha, later Pataliputra, near the present day Patna.
This dynasty lasted until 424 BC, when it was overthrown by the Shishunaga dynasty.
Bimbisara (544-492 BCE)
Being the founder of the Haryanka dynasty, Bimbisara was the most remarkable king of the pre Mauryan dynasties of Magadha. He was a contemporary of Buddha and Mahavira. Both the traditions of Jainism and Buddhism call him as their follower. The Jain texts describe him as Seniya or Shrenika, which means that he had a large standing army. He started the policy of conquest and aggression.
1) Bimbisara annexed Anga and placed it under the viceroyalty of Ajatashatru at Champa.
2) Avanti was one of the most serious rival of Magadha. Its king Chanda Pradyota Mahasena fought Bimbisara but ultimately the two became friends. At the request of Pradyota, Bimbisara sent the royal physician Jivaka to Ujjain, when Pradyota was attacked by jaundice.
3) He used the policy of marital alliances to pursue his policy of expansion. He had three wives- Kosaladevi, Chellena and Khema. Kosaladevi was the sister of king Prasenjit of Ikshvaku dynasty, ruler of Kosala. Kashi was given to Bimbisara as dowry in his marriage with Kosaladevi. Chellena was the daughter of Chetaka, the Licchhavi King of Vaishali, who was brother of Trishala, mother of Mahavira. Khema or Kshemawas was the daughter of the Madra King of Punjab.
4) Bimbisara is also said to have received an embassy and a letter from the ruler of Gandhara, Pukkusati.
5) Bimbisara’s life ended with a tragedy as he was imprisoned by his son Ajatshatru, who starved him to death.
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Ajatashatru (492-460 BCE)
He was the son of Lichchavi Princess. He proved to be the most dominant among his many brothers. As mentioned earlier, he killed his father, Bimbisara by starving him to death.
1) The killing of Bimbisara brought enmity between Ajatashatru and Prasenjit, the king of Kosala. Kosaladevi died due to grief over her husband’s tragic end. Reacting to the incident, Prasenjit revoked the gift of the Kashi village which was given as dowry in his sister’s marriage. Therefore, a war took place between Ajatashatru and Parasenjit. Finally, Ajatshatru emerged victorious and absorbed Kashi into his kingdom.
2) Ajatshatru also fought war with Licchhavis and added it to his empire.
3) Ajatashatru built a small fort, Pataligrama which later transformed into the famous Mauryan metropolis of Pataliputra.
4) He helped the Buddhist monks to organise the first Buddhist council at Rajgriha.
5) Ajatashatru too became a victim of patricide as his father. He was killed by his son Udayin.
Udayin (460-444 BCE)
According to Buddhist writers, Ajatashatru was succeeded by his son Udayin.
1) Though Ajatashatru built a fort at Pataliputra, it was his son Udayin who developed Pataliputra as a city. It was situated at the confluence of the rivers- the Son and the Ganges.
2) He shifted his capital to Pataliputra from the earlier capital of Rajgriha as the former was located at the central position of the Magadha empire.
Shishunaga Dynasty (413-345 BCE)
Udayin was succeeded by parricides such a Anurudha, Munda and Naga-Dasak. Later Shishunaga was appointed as the king.
Shishunaga (413-394 BCE)
He was viceroy of Varanasi, before becoming the ruler of Magadha. Shishunaga continued the expansionist policies of Haryankas. He shifted his capital to Vaishali. He crushed the power of the Pradyotas of Avanti.
Kalashoka/Kakavarna (394-345 BCE)
Shishunaga was succeeded by Kalashoka (Kakavarna). He shifted the capital of Magadha to Pataliputra.
Second Buddhist council at Vaishali was arranged by him in 383 BCE. The council was chaired by Sabbakami.
Nandivardhan, son of Kalashoka, was the last ruler of Shishunaga Dynasty.
Nanda Dynasty: 344 BC-323 BC
1) Mahapadma overthrown the Shisunaga dynasty and established a new line of kings known as the Nandas.
2) Mahapadma is known as Sarvakshatrantak i.e. Uprooter of all the Kshatriyas (Puranas) and Ugrasena i.e. Owner of huge army (Pali texts).
3) The Puranas call Mahapadma Ekrat ie. the sole monarch. He seems to have overthrown all the dynasties which ruled at the time of Shisungas. He is often described as ‘the first empire builder of Indian history’.
4) Mahapadma was succeeded by his eight sons. Dhanananda was the last one.
5) The last king Dhanananda is possibly identical with the Agrammes or Xandrames of the Greek texts.
6) It was during the rule of Dhanananda that the invasion of Alexander took place in north-west India in 326 BC. According to Greek writer Curtius, Dhamananda commanded a huge army 20,000 cavalry, 200,000 infantry, 2,000 chariots and 3,000 elephants. It was the might of Dhanananda that terrorised Alexander and stopped his march to the Gangetic Valley.
7) The Nanda dynasty came to an end about 322-21 BC and was supplanted by another dynasty known as Mauryas, with Chandragupta Maurya as the founder.
Conclusion
The Magadha Empire was the strongest and most developed among all sixteen Mahajanapadas. The Magadha empire started from Bindusara, the founder of the Magadha empire, to Dhana Nanda, the last king of the Magadha Empire. After the Magadha empire establishment of the Mauryan empire happened, the Gupta Empire was established in Magadha. There were several Magadha empire kings. Bimbisara, Ajatasatru, Udayin, Sisunga, Kalasoka, Mahapadma Nanda and Dhana Nanda were few Magadha emperors. The reasons for the growth of the Magadha empire were Geographical, Political, Economical and Military reasons.