Que) Describe the achievements of Mahapadmananda.
Ans) Nanda Dynasty (344 BC to 324-23 BC), Founder – Mahapadmananda
Mahapadma Nanda ended the Shishunaga dynasty and took over the Magadha Empire and established the Nanda dynasty. The power of Magadha reached its zenith during the Nanda dynasty. Nanda and his eight sons ruled under this dynasty. The best rulers of this dynasty were Mahapadma Nanda and Ghanananda. Mahapadma Nand has been called ‘Part of Kali’, ‘Sarvakshatrantak’, ‘Incarnation of second Parshuram’, ‘Bhargava’, ‘Ekrat’ etc.
After Mahapadma Nanda, the last ruler of Magadha was Ghanananda, in whose time 326 B.C. In 1500, the Greek ruler Alexander invaded India/322 BC Chandragupta Maurya ended the Nand dynasty by defeating Ghanananda.
There were a total of 9 kings in the Nanda dynasty and that is why they are called ‘Navananda’, In Mahabodhivansh, their names are found in this way-
(1) Ugrasena(2) Panduka (3) Pandugati (4) Bhootapala (5) Rashtrapala (6) Govishanaka (7) Dashsiddhak (8) Kaivarta (9) Dhana/Ghananand
In this, the first i.e. Ugrasen has been called Mahapadmanand in the Puranas. The remaining eight were his sons.
Achievements of Mahapadmananda
Mahapadmananda proved to be the most powerful among the kings who sat on the throne of Magadha till now. We get detailed information about his victories from the Puranas. He had immense wealth and innumerable army. He was the ‘Part of Kali’, the ‘destroyer of all Kshatriyas’ (Sarvakshatrantak), the ‘incarnation of another Parashurama’ who conquered all the major dynasties of his time.
He established an umbrella rule and assumed the title of ‘Ekratra’.The description of Mahapadmanand’s achievements is as follows –
(I) The names of some dynasties abolished by Mahapadmananda are as follows-
(1) Ikshvaku – The people of this dynasty ruled in Kaushal. The area of present Awadh was under this state. Kosala victory by Mahapadmananda is also confirmed by Somdevkrit ‘Kathasaritsagar’.
2) Panchal – The people of this dynasty used to rule in the present Ruhelkhand (Bareilly-Badaun-Farrukhabad region). It seems that before Mahapadma he had no conflict with Magadha.
(3) Kasheya – This refers to the descendants of Kashi. Kashi was a province of Magadha since the time of Vimbisara. It is mentioned in the Puranas that when Shishunaga made Giribraj his capital, he appointed his son as the vice-king of Banaras. It seems that Mahapadmanand obtained Kashi by killing the successor of this dynasty.
(4) Haihay- The people of this dynasty ruled over a part of Narmada river. His capital was Mahishmati.
(5) Kalinga – This dynasty ruled in Orissa province. The Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela shows that a Nanda king conquered a part of Kalinga.
(6) Ashmak- The people of this dynasty used to rule Andhra Pradesh on the banks of Godavari river.
(7) Kuru – The land of Meerut, Delhi and Thaneshwar was ruled by the Kuru dynasty. Its capital was Indraprastha.
(8) Maithil- Maithil people were the residents of Mithila. Mithila has been identified with present day Janakpur situated in Soma, Nepal.
(9) Shursen- The land of modern Brajmandal was ruled by the Shursen dynasty. His capital was in Mathura.
(10) Vitihotra- According to the Puranas, the Vitihotra people were closely related to the Pradyotas of Avanti and the Haihayas of the Narmada coast. Probably his kingdom would have been located between these two.
Read Also – Rise of Magadha Empire from Bimbisara to Mahapadmananda
In the Puranas, the rulers of all the above states have been described as contemporaries Accordingly, Ikshvaku lived twenty-four years, Panchal twenty-seven years, Kashi twenty-four years, Haihya twenty-eight years, Kalinga thirty-two years, Ashmaka twenty-five years, Kuru thirty-six years, Maithil twenty-eight years, Shurasena twenty-three years and Vitihotra twenty years Ruled until.
(II) The Hathigumpha inscription of Kharavela also gives information about the conquest of Kalinga by Mahapadmananda. According to this, Nanda Raja took away a statue of Jinasan and got a a canal constructed in Kalinga.
(III) There is a description of the conquest of Kuntal by the Nandas from the twelfth century writings of Mysore.
(IV) The accounts of the classical authors show that the kingdom of Agramis extended up to the river in the west. This land must have been won by Mahapadmanand because Agramej has not been given credit for any victory. With his victories, the political supremacy of the Kshatriyas came to an end. Monocratic governance was established in this vast empire.
Conclusion
Thus Mahapadmananda ruled for 28 years and as a result of his victories, Mahapadmananda turned Magadha into a huge empire. For the first time in Indian history, such an empire was established whose boundaries encroached upon the plains of Ganga valley. Vijay was the first ruler of Magadha to hoist Vaijayanti in the south of Vindhya mountain. He was undoubtedly the first great historical emperor of North India.